Focal doesn't know what they're doing. Despite the praise for the og clear and the widespread dislike of the mg, focal still discontinued the og? Remarkable. Even for it's niche, the mg is still hardly even a good value.
The OG Clear deserves its legendary status in the hobby. Truly one of the few high-end cans you can have fun with all day long without fatigue. There are better sounding cans out there, but nothing with fewer trade-offs.
Curious - what do you have you think "sounds" better? Just looking for an honest opinion as after I got the Clears I've been unsure what would really be worth spending more on for what you'd get. The only ones I am curious about now are ZMF, but the price on those are really beyond what I feel like I could appreciate for the money.
@@redstang5150 I thought my Clear's are damn good but my amp wasnt at least solid state with THX sucks, I tell you to pay half money of ZMF headphones and buy class A amp or some better tube amp. Not like I can resist ZMF headphones 😅 actually Im collecting money for Atrium but I will never sell my Clear's or Arya those stay forever
I bought this headphones used and I really, really like them. But I already knew how they're going to sound like because I do own Focal Elex. I don't know anything in $900 range that suits my needs better. Focal Clear is a really safe option for blind purchase too. I wanted to say that's a great value now (they used to cost like $1500?) but... Elex is imo 10% worse? Usually % comparison between headphones might sound ridiculous, but sound signature and characteristic is really similar here. I need to point out one problem with these headphones - light gray microfiber loves to collect dirt and any stains. This affects both headband and pads - and price for pads replacement is way, way too high.
Watching this video while wearing the OG Clears. I love it! Even having a Utopia, I still can't part with the Clear. The only thing I don't like about the Clear is the paint chipping which to be honest is not unique to it.
Love my OG clears.. got mine for a bargain. They do everything well and are built well and comfortable. I use an r2r Dac and class A hp amp so setup for ultra smooth chain. This helps with any treble peaks and metallic timbre that others complain about. I have not sub for driver clipping nor any noises in mine. The bass has great punch / slam without being boosted. It’s actually a great pairing to my hd800s which specializes in staging / imaging.
Wow - I really enjoyed my Sennheiser open back headphones on my Darkvoice, but I swapped it out a while ago and have been just using my Topping DX7pro. I have been using my Clears a lot lately and now need to get the Darkvoice back out. Really interesting review to revisit these cans, which I think are probably the best ones I have in my modest collection.
"It's not a massive headphone sticking out the sides of my head..." Yes. Yes it is. Having bought and owned the Clear since it first came out, I sorta agree, but not really. It is fatiguing and not something I could listen to all day. I tried, and in return it made my ears ring. It's more of a listen for forty minutes then take off sorta headphone. All Focals are like this and the Clear is no exception. But it does present a well-balanced, punchy, lively, and dynamic sound. Now, it is balanced, but there is a big peak at around 11khz that sticks out. I had to EQ this, otherwise the sibilance was too pronounced. The mids are nice, but the bump around 1.2k makes them nasal, and had to be EQd out also. The resolution is good in the bass and mids but decidedly lacking in the highs, however I am spoiled by decades of Stax listening here. The dynamics are excellent, which is to say the macrodynamics are excellent. The microdynamics are a bit compressed - everything sounds very loud and lively and nothing sounds soft, even when it should. The imaging is quite precise, but a bit 2-dimensional, and there is a layer of subtle spatial cues that the Clear misses entirely and which headphones like Stax pick up really well. The transients are fast and smooth, and the whole headphone has a smooth and somewhat glossy presentation, at least when you fix the highs. A very good headphone overall, but there are better ones. At $1.5k I thought it was overpriced. At today's prices, it's a fair value, but if you're sensitive to listening fatigue, avoid, or at the very least, try before you buy. This applies to all Focals too, and to the beryllium-drivered ones especially.
ear rings, for real? my Arya with specific songs can cut my ears at high SPL but Clear with same songs act like a caring nurse protecting my ears 🤣 never understood people who said that they are sharp or metalic sounding
nice review. as the Clear was especially designed for professional audio use (mixing and mastering), your thoughts compared to the Audeze lcd-x would have been very valuable.
I think its really a shame that Focal discontinued the OG. I compared the Clear OG and Clear MG. In my opinion the OG is much better and like you said the perfect allrounder. So i bought the OG for 850€ a month ago. They are really good for this price and I think for 850€ you can't go wrong. I really like more Bass, but the MG are too dark for me. The Clear OG with Dekoni Stellia Pads have the perfect amount of Bass for me. The orignal pads are more comfy.
I'm coming from a pair of HD600s and have been eyeing different pairs of headphones and the OG has gone straight to the top of that list. Others I am considering are STAX earspeakers or an LCD-X not sure which way 2 go
Clear's are amazing like HD600 but so much refined, my advice for you is that no matter which one from higher end you choose remember that they need same quality amp, biggest mistake is to use expensive headphones with shit quality amp. Peace out 🤙
Great Review - Basically covered everything i thought when i purchased these and took the plunge and decided to invest in something instead of just buying something . One addition i would add would be and i don't know if this was just me but after about a 3/4 weeks the headphones seemed to sound better overall so maybe they need a little run in time. i do also use Peters Equalizer APO with a slight tune. One of the few headphones i can wear all day this is anything from 4 to 12 hours. i can highly recommend .
My pair of og clear pros are my high end headphones of choice and my daily drivers, and everyone who tries them out always love them. Absolutely my favourite pair (at least from my limited experience with headphones).
LOL at people bashing this headphone for its small soundstage and 'metallic' timbre. These are still the second best dynamic driver you can buy (second only to the Utopia). 2022 or not these are a world class headphone, and do everything right. I agree though, the stock cable is a joke and the price of replacement pads is enough to turn people away.
Once something becomes a bit older and more competition comes around people like to jump ship. Now it’s all about “planar breh” and Chi-Fi. But people seem to just crap on the Clear these days, as if they weren’t (and still are) one of the most recommended headphones in it’s bracket. People write it off for those reasons but no one complains about the Arya’s brightness, lack of dynamics and “plasticky” timbre, which really shouldn’t be any or worse than the “metallic” timbre I can barely hear on my Clear. I also don’t think the stage is small. Next to an HD800 sure. The HD600 and DT1990 are not better headphones than the Clear lol. If people like them better sure, but from a technical and design standpoint the Clear is much superior and for me it wasn’t hard to tell.
yes they are my best dynamic driver headphones, downsides are creaking headband (must test teflon spray to fix it) and clipping drivers at specific bass notes at lets say higher SPL
Interesting review, as my impressions were a bit different. Soundstage was tiny, and about as "in your head" as I've heard on any over-ear headphones, particularly when it came to the very forward vocals but without that warm, intimate, and inviting quality I get out of the Sennheiser HD6x0 series. Combined with the incredibly punchy dynamics, the small stage can sometimes feel overwhelming and smothering on the wrong recordings. Treble quality was a bit harsh and reminded me of some brighter and peaky headphones, but quantity was low enough that it never really got painful, piercing, or annoying. The sub-bass sounded more rolled off to me than what FR graphs would suggest. And while easy to drive, there was a noticeable difference going between single ended amps/outputs to balanced ones, with the latter sounding warmer and richer. I recall ASR review showed that the impedance was significantly higher in the bass/lower-mids region, so that may have had something to do with it. I'm being a bit overly critical of the headphones as it generally had a very impressive and enjoyable sound, and would agree with everything else mentioned in this video. Regarding the build, I did find the cups to be very heavy and the headband to feel lightweight and somewhat rigid, which didn't inspire much confidence given the many user reports of broken headband and the expense of replacing it. But, yeah, these were my first "kilobuck" headphones and I did enjoy my time with it. I appreciate it for what it is: it's great when it's good, but can be slightly punishing on certain recordings or types of music. I've found myself gradually gravitating toward more forgiving gear, lately.
Dms has this habbit of glossing over things if it makes the pacing of the video awkward. He wanted to just point out on thing that was wrong, as it better suited the tone of the video (i dont think this is a full review). Its kinda frustrating.
I had strongly considered getting Clears, but comments like this had caused me to hesitate quite a bit (to the point where I'd need to hear them in person before I'd buy them). I find HD800s too fatiguing to listen to for extended periods of time. Ultimately I settled on some LCD-X as they fit my listening preference pretty well.
@@nmnate I also settled on LCD-X. It's a much more forgiving sound imo than the Clears. That said, LCD-X has its own drawbacks: Lack of upper-mids is very obvious and can make certain instruments sound slightly recessed. Stage is also on the small side (but no "in your head" sensation for me) and imaging isn't the best I've heard. I also think it could use some more punchiness at times. That said, I love the full tone, body, and density of vocals. Just a lovely sound overall that's easy and fun to listen to.
Heads up to every one who has read about these being fragile: as someone who own 3 different pairs of Focal headphones, uses the Clears for many hours a day (work from home and daily talking with friends in discord after work), and hang them by the headbands for over a year, I have not had any problems with them. I think the talk of them breaking has been blown out of proportion. As long as you handle them with a level of care reasonable for something that costs 1000 dollars, you should be totally fine.
I think most of those problems were from the focal elex, the drop vertion. There is a reviewer called oluv who loved them, even cried in a video of them and they broke after a few months without him doing nothing. After that he got his hands into another and it also failed when one driver stopped making sound. It's a shame this thing happens with such high end products, specially where one like me who lives in chile when buying something of this caliber implicates knowing you will have no way of doing any tech support
@@bassandtrebleclef and don't forget to take into account that people who have problems are much more likely to post than people who don't have problems. Beyond that, most people in hifi don't own any focals; they're just too expensive. There are potentially a lot of people reiterating the issues of a few customers. Don't get me wrong: they aren't the most heavy duty headphones you can buy or anything, but treated with care I think the vast majority of people will totally fine
Thanks for this statement. I am one of those fense sitters who can't decide if I want to spend that kinda money on something that others have had bad experiences. I agree it appeared to be mostly drop versions from what I can remember. I am holding out a little longer to see what develops with this brand. I have heard some issues with crappy customer service, but not being an owner can't confirm that. I want to love them and get a pair. Hopefully DMS will report back on any updates as his set matures.
I'm the opposite, it's the only headphone I really like that I'm thinking of selling due to Focal's ridiculous pad pricing policy in EU charging 200€ (you read that right) for a pair of microfibre sponges (same with Celestee, Utopia, etc.) that have a huge impact on the sound so using "something else" like the Dekoni Velours isn't going to cut it in terms of sound because it makes them sound as if they were stuffed with cotton. Unfortunate.
I couldn't agree more. I was able to get a $100 gift card with my purchase of the OG Focal Clears and buy a second pair of earcups for around $5. No earcup should be around $100 plus USD (not sure what that is in Euro)
@@FabioKasper for me it didn't wear out at all even after nearly 2 years of use. My head is on the small side maybe that's the reason. But what I mainly dislike about the stock pads is their color, they get discolored pretty quickly and need constant cleaning. For me they seem to last very long.
I also used a tube amp (Schiit Vali 2+) with my Focal Clear (Professional version, USD 840 new) and it improves the bass and sub-bass. As some has said, the provided cables are terrible for this price; waiting for my custom cable from Arctic Cables.
DMS is exactly correct about the OG Clear with an OTL amp. I have more expensive headphones and much more expensive amps, but i gave to say my favorite sound of all my equipment comes from a Focal Clear OG plugged into a Dark voice amp with a reissue tung sol 6sn7gtb and rca 6as7g nos tube. For some reason that combination just sounds fantastic to me. Thanks DMS for being right on point as usual with your opinions. The only downside was the tung sol tube took 8 full days of being on to stop humming and going to dead silent.
I loved their crystal clear mids and articulate bass when I had them, but felt they were too creaky at the sides! Compared to something like an Audeze I was pretty underwhelmed with build quality.
Agreed. The praise is too high on the build when they use a generic off-the-shelf headband just polished up with a leather wrap. The wobbliness and creaks of the headband take away from the premium feel and they shouldn't be there at all at this price point. Fortunately I was able to remedy much of the creaks with spraying teflon dry lube into the slide mechanisms but it still doesn't feel great especially when compared to my HD 800.
@@blejzerosamigos6115 I've seen discussions saying some Monoprice Monolith headphone models use the same headband. When comparing photos they look very similar except the padding and covering they use.
These hps are hit or miss. Known driver issue. My Focal clear brought in 02/2022 is distorting at medium to higher volume specially on bass heavy tunes. Seems QC still not improved after so many years.
Hmm, currently have the Ananda, SMSL SU-8s and Douk P1 tube amp. Just got the SU-8s and am waiting for the MT-604. Was thinking about upgrading from the Ananda next. Pretty much have decided on the Arya Stealth. Now I am thinking I could save some money by getting the Clear. I can say my sound preference is, detail, openness, airiness with the appropriate amount of bass. Maybe neutral with a slight bass elevation(?). Since I don’t have a lot of experience with other headphones, I was hoping I could get some nice comments about differences I might expect between the Clear and Arya Stealth? Thank you and happy listening one and all.
Yes,...I feel vindicated....The purists naysay this and the Elear/Elex on tubes but my absolute favorite combination is the OG Clear on my Darkvoice. I thought maybe I was losing parts of my hearing because others warned of bloated bass. I LOVE rolling tubes with my focal. Rock on DMS!
Wow look at all the negative comments lol. Seriously guys, the fact that you can get something that sounds this good for $900 or less these days is insane. I don’t know why everyone is so negative towards the Clear these days but there’s a reason they’re still recommended and not every headphone is perfect, not even the Arya, which seems to be the critical darling around this price range. Yeah the timbre is a little “metallic” I guess but honestly even compared to the HD6XX it didn’t stick out to me and I think the soundstage comments are really overblown too. What the hell do you expect, speakers? It might not be as wide as the HD800 but I think headphone soundstage is exaggerated, as long as it images well it sounds open. I don’t know guys, it’s a really well tuned and technical headphone, it’s high end at a really affordable price these days. Yeah it might not have anything that sticks out compared to other headphones but I like that I can just plug them into anything, listen to the music and have everything sound good, and not have to worry about feeling like I overpaid.
Got the Focal Clear OG a couple of weeks after watching this video and doing further research, and I am loving it! Got it for only 999 Au$ ($695) brand new! Thanks for such an informative video, DMS!
I got the Clear Pros about 4 years ago. Never looked back. Sold my TH-x00, and two pairs of Focal Elex.... I don't even know why I had two pairs of Elex
I was thinking about getting the poor person's Clear, the Elex, while it's on sale but so many reports of comfort issues I decided to save some more dollars so I can get an Arya stealth instead.
Not enough people are talking about the lack of serviceability with the obscenely overpriced earpads and non-purchasable headband, it's the main thing stopping me from moving from my DT1990 Pro. Is anyone really pad rolling these with non-matching earpads after spending 4 figures on them in the uk/eu? It brings the meze 109 pro into my radar as an alternative.
Great review. I bought them based on this review and love them. Here’s the question- So IF these sound great on the Darkvoice, and the XDUOO ta-26 is the second coming of the Darkvoice. Do I assume I should get the TA-26 to pair with these?
i have owned the clears for 3 or 4 years and use them with rme adi2 dac , have always been very happy with them but recently purchased hifiman arya organic and wow there on another level , and so comfy like you got nothing on your head ........... the only problem now is were do you go from here ?
First issue I had, being from a sound engineering background, was the extreme flavors of this hobby. Everything gave up something somewhere and studio monitoring headphones weren't as enjoyable. Speakers are still the best option overall but you can't use them all the time, especially at home.
How do they compare with MG? I have MG and don't like them. Sound is anything but clear. Soundstage is along the headband only. IEMs at half the price perform much better than these!
Yep. I own the Abyss 1266 Phi TCs and a ton of equipment, and the Clears are still one of my favorite pairs ever. I have the Stellias for my walkaround pair, and honestly I regret giving up the Clears for them. The Clears obviously have less detail than the Stellias, but *shrug* they just sound natural and beautiful. The Clears are the best deal in headphones I've ever personally encountered.
same I have Stellia & Clear. Both have their place, Stellia are superior overall imo, but Clear have this very natural, effortless quality. The fact one can an own an use both is a testament to how great the Clear are at that price point
Hi, nice video :). Do you think that a Mayflower O2/Odac will pair well with a Focal Elex or it may not unleash all the potential those headphones can offer? Thanks :)
Thank you DMS, I've been eyeing this headphone out all year basically and it looks like a great upgrade to my HD600 (I just hope it's in stock then I get it). It's either this, the LCD 2, or the or the Aeon Noire 2. Though this looks like the one...maybe
Don't buy Noire, that's my opinion. Or you know what? Maybe I should sell my own copy, then buy noire, but barely used :^) super deal. But seriously, those headphones have one weakness - they're dead-sounding, and better amp just eases the problem to some degree, but doesn't fix it.
@@DzejSiDi I wouldn't call them dead sounding, but they are definitely not as dynamic as Focal (nothing is really). I would argue that the frequency response and timber is better on the Noires though. They are very easy to listen to, everything sounds great on them. Of course, mileage varies.
Clear hands down are my favourite dynamic driver headphones, you cant go wrong buying them. Crystal clear highs, midrange not too thin nor veiled, bass and sub bass well defined but here it can be tricky because drivers tend to clip at high SPL
Just keep the 600’s and spend the money on a Amp. The 600’s will sound like.. the amp… the more you spend on the amp the 600’s will scale to it and sound better than clears on a cheap amp.
It really is a high end middle of the road option. I feel if it had a wider presentation and a flat bass shelf I’d be completely satisfied. It’s great that they’re never sibilant for me but I do think at times they’re not as noticeably fast if the content is recorded warmer. Oh and the cables are pretty terrible.
@@frankhorvath7495 that’s great but for the amount of care they put into the presentation and for the price you’d think they’d have cables that don’t hold their shape straight out of the box.
mine clipped a lot with subbass at first (the batman theme, 2049 from blade runner 2049), but it seems to have stopped doing that in the past few months!
@@PKiX my still are clipping if I push them at specific sub bass notes but I dont care anymore since there are only few songs that cause a problem and I got other headphones that can handle it
I wanted these headphones for a while but then I came across so many posts on reddit talking about how the headband has a terrible design that makes it break in 2 parts from the middle. And I realised that if I spend $890 on a pair of headphones, I would definitely want them to last atleast 10 years even if I use them for like 10 hours everyday. So I decided that they probably weren't for me.
It's 2023 and I can get the OG Clear for AUD$999 vs the Clear MG for AUD$2100.. I want to experience the Focal open back experience, is the OG a no brainer in this case? Is the MG that much better than the OG to pay full retail for?
They are mostly the same. For the price, I would go OG, it's a bargain. I have been using my OG Professional (they are black, nothing else changes) for 4 years, still my favourite.
@@AnDr3w066 My headband is intact. I store them in their case (no headphone stand) and use them appropriately. I do believe you can snap them if you do it on purpose, applying pressure on the top by bending the sides, or throw them around violently. But I wouldn't suggest expensive headphones if you treat them like that. This is just a thought, wouldn't dare. :)
Yea timbre was the deal-killer for me, as much as I love the Clear. This is why I still prefer the Elex more because it is an arounder like Clear, albeit a bit worse, but has better timbre. I see a lot of people compare Aurorus Borealis versus Clear.
I just bought these and am quite happy but sadly my ears seems to be a bit too big since they touch the driver.. Have been looking around for any xl pads that could add some depth but haven't been able to find any so far sadly.
@@ANSWERTHECALLOFJESUSCHRIST I have the Sennheiser 599 and 6XX as well as a few IEMs. The 7HZ Timeless (incredible) and the Ikko OH10 (quite good). I just bought the Sennheiser IE 200 for Prime Day it should be arriving today. I'll be using that as an inexpensive set to wear out and take on trips hopefully.
Absolutely not. The Elegia are closed, for one, and when I had them the Sundara was a much better and more rounded set, EQ or not. The Elegia have a weird sound character that no amount of EQ can remove. You can't EQ a 'phone to get the same performance as a higher end model. The Clear Pro's that I have at the moment (due to be returned as they were marketed as open box but are actually used) are the best headphones I have heard. The high end isn't sibilant, but the highs are obvious and, compared to the MG are more revealing. In fact, the MG is a bit poor in comparison.
Great review thx! So IF the Xudoo TA-26 is the second coming of the Dark Voice, do you recommend this pairing? I bought the Clears and love them - now looking for the best pairing for my amp. Thx
I demo'd the clears last summer, along with the 800s and the diana phi v2, and honestly I hated the clears a lot. They sounded VERY unnatural and closed in and I was honestly shocked considering how many positive reviews there were of it. I liked the diana phi and I LOVED the 800s. And I was listening to some bass heavy music with em too. TBH I would put the clear below my blessing 2 dusks and my 6XX, but it's one of those things where I feel like my opinion might change if I had a set for a week.
My Clears took many hours to get their (speaker) drivers loosened up - they indeed sounded unnatural (metallic) and closed in (compressed and fatiguing) straight out of the box. Not anymore.
I have two pairs of focal clears, and I'm experiencing some weird behavior from both. One of them sounds like it has a wider soundstage and a little bassier. The other has a similar soundstage, although not as wide, a little less bass, but is better at sound retrieval. Is one of them defective? If so, which one? Or is that normal for both pairs to have different characteristics even though they're the same headphones. I'm using a babyface pro fs as my dac/audio interface.
I am curious how this panned out, 9 months later. Could it be that one of yours had more playing hours than the other? My Clears took many hours to loosen up - and playing at low volume didn't seem to do all that much.
I ended up returning both because of my frustration. Although, I am interested in purchasing a new pair to see if the issue still persists.@@alphaniner3770
This sounds exactly what I'm looking for. Everything else seems to be geared for specific use cases. Sounds good with this music, sounds bad with that ect. I just want a good all arounder that does everything good, not a one trick pony, HD800s. I'm questioning however, is the juice worth the squeeze when you have something like the 7Hz Timeless AEs? I don't have any reference points for headphones.
@@doma4947 I'll abstain. Me to self: life is a journey, not a destination. If I go directly to the top, it leaves nothing to the imagination. I have cash to burn, I'll just walking through the midrange, 6xx, sundara, dt1990, then go from there. Makes it more fun that way.
Hello DMS been loving the content lately. I have a question. If my budget is infinite what would i get to take the Sennheiser HD6XX to its logical conclusion.
My favorite 3 headphone in my sub $1K collection are 1) Clear OG on DIY class A solid state 2) Aeon 2 Noire on Mojo 2 and 3) 6xx on OTL tubes. All stuff DMS recommended. Thanks!
Would you recommend turning the gain down on a different OTL tube amp like the LD MKIII? I have been hesitant to try the clears on the high gain setting, but wonder if it would cause issues.
Love my clears too !!! Changed the Pads and also the cable to suit my needs haha !!! Only the headband is shit and also the paint job (they dont last at all)
Focal has a selection of pricey Headphones....although, back in 2018 they intro'd a sub-$300 set of cans.....but NOPE....my "Jack" is the far less expensive Senn HD 600 / 6XX. They just scale so well with "better" Amps. Sadly, I believe Sennheiser recently sold their consumer line to Swiss holding company Sonova (they make hearing aids among other things). Could be worse...they coulda got absorbed by a Chinese company. Stay Indy, Focal.
The fact that these were discontinued for the MG is just criminal.
They've actually come back on sale in most countries
I had the MG and didn’t like it. Highs were to muted.
Focal doesn't know what they're doing. Despite the praise for the og clear and the widespread dislike of the mg, focal still discontinued the og? Remarkable. Even for it's niche, the mg is still hardly even a good value.
And 8 months later they're still in stock.
Lots of b stock around for a great price. I think I might pick one up as what will be a end game set for me.
the production quality is outstanding! well produced and done review!
DMS actually looking and sounding like DMS? Is this really DMS?
Is anyone *really* DMS?
I've had severe DMS for many years and treatment isn't helping.
@@hartyewh1 try using EQ. That should cure you. If that doesn't help stop using your A90 amp.
@@DMS3TV Whoa you invoked an astral projection in my home dude, just what I needed during my listening session
What happend to the holes in his ears?
The OG Clear deserves its legendary status in the hobby. Truly one of the few high-end cans you can have fun with all day long without fatigue. There are better sounding cans out there, but nothing with fewer trade-offs.
Curious - what do you have you think "sounds" better? Just looking for an honest opinion as after I got the Clears I've been unsure what would really be worth spending more on for what you'd get. The only ones I am curious about now are ZMF, but the price on those are really beyond what I feel like I could appreciate for the money.
@@redstang5150 I thought my Clear's are damn good but my amp wasnt at least solid state with THX sucks, I tell you to pay half money of ZMF headphones and buy class A amp or some better tube amp. Not like I can resist ZMF headphones 😅 actually Im collecting money for Atrium but I will never sell my Clear's or Arya those stay forever
no, they fall apart
I bought this headphones used and I really, really like them. But I already knew how they're going to sound like because I do own Focal Elex. I don't know anything in $900 range that suits my needs better. Focal Clear is a really safe option for blind purchase too.
I wanted to say that's a great value now (they used to cost like $1500?) but... Elex is imo 10% worse? Usually % comparison between headphones might sound ridiculous, but sound signature and characteristic is really similar here.
I need to point out one problem with these headphones - light gray microfiber loves to collect dirt and any stains. This affects both headband and pads - and price for pads replacement is way, way too high.
Watching this video while wearing the OG Clears. I love it! Even having a Utopia, I still can't part with the Clear.
The only thing I don't like about the Clear is the paint chipping which to be honest is not unique to it.
Bravo! Spot on review of the OG Clear. IMHO it's still the best Focal Headphone Focal made (makes?). No need to spend more.
Love my OG clears.. got mine for a bargain. They do everything well and are built well and comfortable. I use an r2r Dac and class A hp amp so setup for ultra smooth chain. This helps with any treble peaks and metallic timbre that others complain about. I have not sub for driver clipping nor any noises in mine. The bass has great punch / slam without being boosted. It’s actually a great pairing to my hd800s which specializes in staging / imaging.
YES finally someone who knows how to feed them properly, those are extremely good headphones with class A. I got Arya to go hand in hand with Clears
Wow - I really enjoyed my Sennheiser open back headphones on my Darkvoice, but I swapped it out a while ago and have been just using my Topping DX7pro. I have been using my Clears a lot lately and now need to get the Darkvoice back out. Really interesting review to revisit these cans, which I think are probably the best ones I have in my modest collection.
Clear's shine on pure class A amp's, not topping not THX amp's, tube amp yes but higher quality also based on class A.
"It's not a massive headphone sticking out the sides of my head..." Yes. Yes it is.
Having bought and owned the Clear since it first came out, I sorta agree, but not really. It is fatiguing and not something I could listen to all day. I tried, and in return it made my ears ring. It's more of a listen for forty minutes then take off sorta headphone. All Focals are like this and the Clear is no exception. But it does present a well-balanced, punchy, lively, and dynamic sound.
Now, it is balanced, but there is a big peak at around 11khz that sticks out. I had to EQ this, otherwise the sibilance was too pronounced. The mids are nice, but the bump around 1.2k makes them nasal, and had to be EQd out also. The resolution is good in the bass and mids but decidedly lacking in the highs, however I am spoiled by decades of Stax listening here. The dynamics are excellent, which is to say the macrodynamics are excellent. The microdynamics are a bit compressed - everything sounds very loud and lively and nothing sounds soft, even when it should. The imaging is quite precise, but a bit 2-dimensional, and there is a layer of subtle spatial cues that the Clear misses entirely and which headphones like Stax pick up really well. The transients are fast and smooth, and the whole headphone has a smooth and somewhat glossy presentation, at least when you fix the highs.
A very good headphone overall, but there are better ones. At $1.5k I thought it was overpriced. At today's prices, it's a fair value, but if you're sensitive to listening fatigue, avoid, or at the very least, try before you buy. This applies to all Focals too, and to the beryllium-drivered ones especially.
ear rings, for real? my Arya with specific songs can cut my ears at high SPL but Clear with same songs act like a caring nurse protecting my ears 🤣 never understood people who said that they are sharp or metalic sounding
Clear OG is the best ever made Focal Headphone for me.
"Euphoric" - That is a word I had hoped to hear related to the Clear. I haven't bought some yet, but it's been high on my list.
Buying the Clear OG for 800 CAD in mint condition Sunday! I have to say I am very excited.
Are you worried about the headband issue? I really want them but that is holding me from buying
@@AnDr3w066 Can just buy a cheap cloth cover for it.
nice review. as the Clear was especially designed for professional audio use (mixing and mastering), your thoughts compared to the Audeze lcd-x would have been very valuable.
If you want better sub bass X is better
@@soulfulfool hey, thanks for letting me know! much appreciated!
I think its really a shame that Focal discontinued the OG. I compared the Clear OG and Clear MG. In my opinion the OG is much better and like you said the perfect allrounder. So i bought the OG for 850€ a month ago. They are really good for this price and I think for 850€ you can't go wrong. I really like more Bass, but the MG are too dark for me. The Clear OG with Dekoni Stellia Pads have the perfect amount of Bass for me. The orignal pads are more comfy.
I'm coming from a pair of HD600s and have been eyeing different pairs of headphones and the OG has gone straight to the top of that list. Others I am considering are STAX earspeakers or an LCD-X
not sure which way 2 go
Clear's are amazing like HD600 but so much refined, my advice for you is that no matter which one from higher end you choose remember that they need same quality amp, biggest mistake is to use expensive headphones with shit quality amp. Peace out 🤙
Great Review - Basically covered everything i thought when i purchased these and took the plunge and decided to invest in something instead of just buying something . One addition i would add would be and i don't know if this was just me but after about a 3/4 weeks the headphones seemed to sound better overall so maybe they need a little run in time. i do also use Peters Equalizer APO with a slight tune. One of the few headphones i can wear all day this is anything from 4 to 12 hours. i can highly recommend .
My pair of og clear pros are my high end headphones of choice and my daily drivers, and everyone who tries them out always love them. Absolutely my favourite pair (at least from my limited experience with headphones).
Do a weed vs no weed performance review.
🍄
Still very happy with my Focal Elegia headphones, good value and great build.
I have the black/red pro model of the OG Clear and it’s just a really good all-rounder dynamic driver headphone to use with tubes, as DMS said.
LOL at people bashing this headphone for its small soundstage and 'metallic' timbre. These are still the second best dynamic driver you can buy (second only to the Utopia). 2022 or not these are a world class headphone, and do everything right. I agree though, the stock cable is a joke and the price of replacement pads is enough to turn people away.
Once something becomes a bit older and more competition comes around people like to jump ship. Now it’s all about “planar breh” and Chi-Fi. But people seem to just crap on the Clear these days, as if they weren’t (and still are) one of the most recommended headphones in it’s bracket. People write it off for those reasons but no one complains about the Arya’s brightness, lack of dynamics and “plasticky” timbre, which really shouldn’t be any or worse than the “metallic” timbre I can barely hear on my Clear. I also don’t think the stage is small. Next to an HD800 sure.
The HD600 and DT1990 are not better headphones than the Clear lol. If people like them better sure, but from a technical and design standpoint the Clear is much superior and for me it wasn’t hard to tell.
yes they are my best dynamic driver headphones, downsides are creaking headband (must test teflon spray to fix it) and clipping drivers at specific bass notes at lets say higher SPL
Nah. Verite closed are honestly just better than the clear.
@@nortonfamily6711 you know that it cost new 3 times more? 🤣 for that price I can have like anything
@@soulfulfool cheaper than the utopia though, which was mentioned in the list. Clear isn't the second best is my point.
Interesting review, as my impressions were a bit different. Soundstage was tiny, and about as "in your head" as I've heard on any over-ear headphones, particularly when it came to the very forward vocals but without that warm, intimate, and inviting quality I get out of the Sennheiser HD6x0 series. Combined with the incredibly punchy dynamics, the small stage can sometimes feel overwhelming and smothering on the wrong recordings. Treble quality was a bit harsh and reminded me of some brighter and peaky headphones, but quantity was low enough that it never really got painful, piercing, or annoying. The sub-bass sounded more rolled off to me than what FR graphs would suggest. And while easy to drive, there was a noticeable difference going between single ended amps/outputs to balanced ones, with the latter sounding warmer and richer. I recall ASR review showed that the impedance was significantly higher in the bass/lower-mids region, so that may have had something to do with it.
I'm being a bit overly critical of the headphones as it generally had a very impressive and enjoyable sound, and would agree with everything else mentioned in this video. Regarding the build, I did find the cups to be very heavy and the headband to feel lightweight and somewhat rigid, which didn't inspire much confidence given the many user reports of broken headband and the expense of replacing it.
But, yeah, these were my first "kilobuck" headphones and I did enjoy my time with it. I appreciate it for what it is: it's great when it's good, but can be slightly punishing on certain recordings or types of music. I've found myself gradually gravitating toward more forgiving gear, lately.
THANK YOU! I returned my pair. I really didn't like the sound.
what forgiving gears you are listening now?
Dms has this habbit of glossing over things if it makes the pacing of the video awkward. He wanted to just point out on thing that was wrong, as it better suited the tone of the video (i dont think this is a full review). Its kinda frustrating.
I had strongly considered getting Clears, but comments like this had caused me to hesitate quite a bit (to the point where I'd need to hear them in person before I'd buy them). I find HD800s too fatiguing to listen to for extended periods of time. Ultimately I settled on some LCD-X as they fit my listening preference pretty well.
@@nmnate I also settled on LCD-X. It's a much more forgiving sound imo than the Clears. That said, LCD-X has its own drawbacks: Lack of upper-mids is very obvious and can make certain instruments sound slightly recessed. Stage is also on the small side (but no "in your head" sensation for me) and imaging isn't the best I've heard. I also think it could use some more punchiness at times. That said, I love the full tone, body, and density of vocals. Just a lovely sound overall that's easy and fun to listen to.
Heads up to every one who has read about these being fragile: as someone who own 3 different pairs of Focal headphones, uses the Clears for many hours a day (work from home and daily talking with friends in discord after work), and hang them by the headbands for over a year, I have not had any problems with them. I think the talk of them breaking has been blown out of proportion. As long as you handle them with a level of care reasonable for something that costs 1000 dollars, you should be totally fine.
I think most of those problems were from the focal elex, the drop vertion. There is a reviewer called oluv who loved them, even cried in a video of them and they broke after a few months without him doing nothing. After that he got his hands into another and it also failed when one driver stopped making sound. It's a shame this thing happens with such high end products, specially where one like me who lives in chile when buying something of this caliber implicates knowing you will have no way of doing any tech support
That's been you're experience. Others have had problems. Don't dog others experience.
@@bassandtrebleclef and don't forget to take into account that people who have problems are much more likely to post than people who don't have problems. Beyond that, most people in hifi don't own any focals; they're just too expensive. There are potentially a lot of people reiterating the issues of a few customers.
Don't get me wrong: they aren't the most heavy duty headphones you can buy or anything, but treated with care I think the vast majority of people will totally fine
Thanks for this statement. I am one of those fense sitters who can't decide if I want to spend that kinda money on something that others have had bad experiences. I agree it appeared to be mostly drop versions from what I can remember. I am holding out a little longer to see what develops with this brand. I have heard some issues with crappy customer service, but not being an owner can't confirm that. I want to love them and get a pair. Hopefully DMS will report back on any updates as his set matures.
I'm the opposite, it's the only headphone I really like that I'm thinking of selling due to Focal's ridiculous pad pricing policy in EU charging 200€ (you read that right) for a pair of microfibre sponges (same with Celestee, Utopia, etc.) that have a huge impact on the sound so using "something else" like the Dekoni Velours isn't going to cut it in terms of sound because it makes them sound as if they were stuffed with cotton. Unfortunate.
I couldn't agree more. I was able to get a $100 gift card with my purchase of the OG Focal Clears and buy a second pair of earcups for around $5. No earcup should be around $100 plus USD (not sure what that is in Euro)
@@KingdomKey57 At this point 1 $ = 1 €, though the € used to be worth more in the past years (~ $ 1.20) which would equate to up to 240$ incl. taxes
I bought a bunch of elex ear pads, they sound identical to the stock clear pads and they don't get dirty or discolored.
Lol I Future proofed myself.
How long until the pad wears? Similar time than the Senns?
@@FabioKasper for me it didn't wear out at all even after nearly 2 years of use.
My head is on the small side maybe that's the reason.
But what I mainly dislike about the stock pads is their color, they get discolored pretty quickly and need constant cleaning.
For me they seem to last very long.
I also used a tube amp (Schiit Vali 2+) with my Focal Clear (Professional version, USD 840 new) and it improves the bass and sub-bass. As some has said, the provided cables are terrible for this price; waiting for my custom cable from Arctic Cables.
haha yes cables are horrible
DMS is exactly correct about the OG Clear with an OTL amp. I have more expensive headphones and much more expensive amps, but i gave to say my favorite sound of all my equipment comes from a Focal Clear OG plugged into a Dark voice amp with a reissue tung sol 6sn7gtb and rca 6as7g nos tube. For some reason that combination just sounds fantastic to me. Thanks DMS for being right on point as usual with your opinions. The only downside was the tung sol tube took 8 full days of being on to stop humming and going to dead silent.
Full quote, thank you sir ❤️
I loved their crystal clear mids and articulate bass when I had them, but felt they were too creaky at the sides! Compared to something like an Audeze I was pretty underwhelmed with build quality.
Agreed. The praise is too high on the build when they use a generic off-the-shelf headband just polished up with a leather wrap. The wobbliness and creaks of the headband take away from the premium feel and they shouldn't be there at all at this price point. Fortunately I was able to remedy much of the creaks with spraying teflon dry lube into the slide mechanisms but it still doesn't feel great especially when compared to my HD 800.
@@voop00p what do you mean off the shelf headband? Who else is using it?
@@blejzerosamigos6115 I've seen discussions saying some Monoprice Monolith headphone models use the same headband. When comparing photos they look very similar except the padding and covering they use.
@@voop00p yep they creak and I heard teflon help, must try it on my pair
These hps are hit or miss.
Known driver issue.
My Focal clear brought in 02/2022 is distorting at medium to higher volume specially on bass heavy tunes.
Seems QC still not improved after so many years.
Hmm, currently have the Ananda, SMSL SU-8s and Douk P1 tube amp. Just got the SU-8s and am waiting for the MT-604. Was thinking about upgrading from the Ananda next. Pretty much have decided on the Arya Stealth. Now I am thinking I could save some money by getting the Clear. I can say my sound preference is, detail, openness, airiness with the appropriate amount of bass. Maybe neutral with a slight bass elevation(?). Since I don’t have a lot of experience with other headphones, I was hoping I could get some nice comments about differences I might expect between the Clear and Arya Stealth? Thank you and happy listening one and all.
Get the Aryas .. totally better all round
Yes,...I feel vindicated....The purists naysay this and the Elear/Elex on tubes but my absolute favorite combination is the OG Clear on my Darkvoice. I thought maybe I was losing parts of my hearing because others warned of bloated bass. I LOVE rolling tubes with my focal. Rock on DMS!
Burson Soloist or Singxer SA-1, tubes are great with Clear but class A like those 2 can change any headphone into gold
Love the dark voice definitely underrated
Sold my Clear pre-pandemic. Watching this makes me miss them a bit as they're so darn sexy.
Wow look at all the negative comments lol.
Seriously guys, the fact that you can get something that sounds this good for $900 or less these days is insane. I don’t know why everyone is so negative towards the Clear these days but there’s a reason they’re still recommended and not every headphone is perfect, not even the Arya, which seems to be the critical darling around this price range. Yeah the timbre is a little “metallic” I guess but honestly even compared to the HD6XX it didn’t stick out to me and I think the soundstage comments are really overblown too. What the hell do you expect, speakers? It might not be as wide as the HD800 but I think headphone soundstage is exaggerated, as long as it images well it sounds open.
I don’t know guys, it’s a really well tuned and technical headphone, it’s high end at a really affordable price these days. Yeah it might not have anything that sticks out compared to other headphones but I like that I can just plug them into anything, listen to the music and have everything sound good, and not have to worry about feeling like I overpaid.
This is pretty much exactly how I feel about my Elex, minus some tuning things of course
Got the Focal Clear OG a couple of weeks after watching this video and doing further research, and I am loving it! Got it for only 999 Au$ ($695) brand new!
Thanks for such an informative video, DMS!
I got the Clear Pros about 4 years ago. Never looked back. Sold my TH-x00, and two pairs of Focal Elex.... I don't even know why I had two pairs of Elex
haha I was wondering why the hell 2 of those 🤣🤣
You are an audiophile. We don't operate inside the normal parameters of rationality, ha-ha!
I really wanna see a video comparing the
Og Clear, The MG and MG Profesional
Love this headphone.
I was thinking about getting the poor person's Clear, the Elex, while it's on sale but so many reports of comfort issues I decided to save some more dollars so I can get an Arya stealth instead.
cant go wrong with Arya or Clear they both are fantastic
@@soulfulfool thanks, at the moment I can get Clear on sale. I think I'll have to get one.
Not enough people are talking about the lack of serviceability with the obscenely overpriced earpads and non-purchasable headband, it's the main thing stopping me from moving from my DT1990 Pro. Is anyone really pad rolling these with non-matching earpads after spending 4 figures on them in the uk/eu?
It brings the meze 109 pro into my radar as an alternative.
Great review. I bought them based on this review and love them. Here’s the question- So IF these sound great on the Darkvoice, and the XDUOO ta-26 is the second coming of the Darkvoice. Do I assume I should get the TA-26 to pair with these?
The Clear with the DV sounds exactly like the Elex, IMO. I still need to try the MG.
i have owned the clears for 3 or 4 years and use them with rme adi2 dac ,
have always been very happy with them but recently purchased
hifiman arya organic and wow there on another level , and so comfy like
you got nothing on your head ...........
the only problem now is were do you go from here ?
First issue I had, being from a sound engineering background, was the extreme flavors of this hobby. Everything gave up something somewhere and studio monitoring headphones weren't as enjoyable. Speakers are still the best option overall but you can't use them all the time, especially at home.
ooh i was wondering if you'd make a video ever since your tube amp tweet 👀
How do they compare with MG? I have MG and don't like them. Sound is anything but clear. Soundstage is along the headband only. IEMs at half the price perform much better than these!
Yep. I own the Abyss 1266 Phi TCs and a ton of equipment, and the Clears are still one of my favorite pairs ever. I have the Stellias for my walkaround pair, and honestly I regret giving up the Clears for them. The Clears obviously have less detail than the Stellias, but *shrug* they just sound natural and beautiful. The Clears are the best deal in headphones I've ever personally encountered.
same I have Stellia & Clear. Both have their place, Stellia are superior overall imo, but Clear have this very natural, effortless quality. The fact one can an own an use both is a testament to how great the Clear are at that price point
Hi, nice video :). Do you think that a Mayflower O2/Odac will pair well with a Focal Elex or it may not unleash all the potential those headphones can offer? Thanks :)
Focal seems to have ditched the stiff, easily kinked cable that the Clears came with in the past.
I seriously want to see someone review the new hifiman ananda stealth magnet version On the headphone show
I find that the sub-base is nowhere and sometimes vocals don't get there but everything else is great.
Thank you DMS, I've been eyeing this headphone out all year basically and it looks like a great upgrade to my HD600 (I just hope it's in stock then I get it). It's either this, the LCD 2, or the or the Aeon Noire 2. Though this looks like the one...maybe
Don't buy Noire, that's my opinion. Or you know what? Maybe I should sell my own copy, then buy noire, but barely used :^) super deal. But seriously, those headphones have one weakness - they're dead-sounding, and better amp just eases the problem to some degree, but doesn't fix it.
@@DzejSiDi gotcha my dude. I will probably not choose those then
@@DzejSiDi I wouldn't call them dead sounding, but they are definitely not as dynamic as Focal (nothing is really). I would argue that the frequency response and timber is better on the Noires though. They are very easy to listen to, everything sounds great on them. Of course, mileage varies.
Clear hands down are my favourite dynamic driver headphones, you cant go wrong buying them. Crystal clear highs, midrange not too thin nor veiled, bass and sub bass well defined but here it can be tricky because drivers tend to clip at high SPL
Just keep the 600’s and spend the money on a Amp. The 600’s will sound like.. the amp… the more you spend on the amp the 600’s will scale to it and sound better than clears on a cheap amp.
the whole headband design being made of plastic and non replaceable padding is the biggest issue for me
Great review,how does it compare to the Neuman ndh30?
I still use this when i need something with a faster attack than the Atrium thats my new daily driver
Great video ♥️👏👏👏
he said the same thing about buying the HD800S with his own money lol
guess he already sold them by now after every reviews
DMS has a bunch of headphones.
It really is a high end middle of the road option. I feel if it had a wider presentation and a flat bass shelf I’d be completely satisfied. It’s great that they’re never sibilant for me but I do think at times they’re not as noticeably fast if the content is recorded warmer. Oh and the cables are pretty terrible.
From a long time owner, the cables relax with time and use.
@@frankhorvath7495 that’s great but for the amount of care they put into the presentation and for the price you’d think they’d have cables that don’t hold their shape straight out of the box.
Super veiled treble and no bass on these
@@PostLagone lol
@@PostLagone haha sure you never heard them
Man I loved how they sounded for the most part but I’ve had 2 pair that clipped at low volume like crazy.
mine clipped a lot with subbass at first (the batman theme, 2049 from blade runner 2049), but it seems to have stopped doing that in the past few months!
@@PKiX my still are clipping if I push them at specific sub bass notes but I dont care anymore since there are only few songs that cause a problem and I got other headphones that can handle it
Hi and thanks for the video :) how do you compare it to Elex? (I bought Elex after your videos about it lol)
How would you compare to the less expensive Senn 560S?
Has anyone heard the Clears and the Elegia? I’m wondering if I’ll get better bass by upgrading
I wanted these headphones for a while but then I came across so many posts on reddit talking about how the headband has a terrible design that makes it break in 2 parts from the middle. And I realised that if I spend $890 on a pair of headphones, I would definitely want them to last atleast 10 years even if I use them for like 10 hours everyday. So I decided that they probably weren't for me.
Compared to other brands like Beyerdynamic these are fragile AF. My T1 feel like a tank compared to my Clear and Elegia.
They also have clipping issues when listening to at high volumes or if you EQ more bass. It's a smart move to look elsewhere.
It's 2023 and I can get the OG Clear for AUD$999 vs the Clear MG for AUD$2100.. I want to experience the Focal open back experience, is the OG a no brainer in this case? Is the MG that much better than the OG to pay full retail for?
They are mostly the same. For the price, I would go OG, it's a bargain. I have been using my OG Professional (they are black, nothing else changes) for 4 years, still my favourite.
@@darknesseclipse538 have you had no issue with the headband? The snapping issue is worrying me before buying them
@@AnDr3w066 My headband is intact. I store them in their case (no headphone stand) and use them appropriately. I do believe you can snap them if you do it on purpose, applying pressure on the top by bending the sides, or throw them around violently. But I wouldn't suggest expensive headphones if you treat them like that. This is just a thought, wouldn't dare. :)
Yea timbre was the deal-killer for me, as much as I love the Clear. This is why I still prefer the Elex more because it is an arounder like Clear, albeit a bit worse, but has better timbre. I see a lot of people compare Aurorus Borealis versus Clear.
How DOES IT COMPARE TO THE ELEX?
I want to buy the OG Clear but am concerned about spare parts replacements down the road (pads, headband).
I was wondering DMS if you will check out to review Focal's $3000.00 closed back headphone, the Stellia's. Will you do a review of Focal Stellia?
I just bought these and am quite happy but sadly my ears seems to be a bit too big since they touch the driver.. Have been looking around for any xl pads that could add some depth but haven't been able to find any so far sadly.
I want these badly. Alas I am poor. One day I'll own something this nice.
they come up used for $700 frequently if you looked hard you could probably get a pair for 650
What headphones do you own?
@@ANSWERTHECALLOFJESUSCHRIST I have the Sennheiser 599 and 6XX as well as a few IEMs. The 7HZ Timeless (incredible) and the Ikko OH10 (quite good). I just bought the Sennheiser IE 200 for Prime Day it should be arriving today. I'll be using that as an inexpensive set to wear out and take on trips hopefully.
What amp/DAC do you recommend for the focal clear? I have the MacBook pro-2021. Do I need an amp/DAC? Any recommendation for under $500-$1000?
How do the Focal Elegias compare with the Clear in terms of technical performance? Can I get them close if I EQ the Elegias?
Absolutely not. The Elegia are closed, for one, and when I had them the Sundara was a much better and more rounded set, EQ or not. The Elegia have a weird sound character that no amount of EQ can remove. You can't EQ a 'phone to get the same performance as a higher end model.
The Clear Pro's that I have at the moment (due to be returned as they were marketed as open box but are actually used) are the best headphones I have heard. The high end isn't sibilant, but the highs are obvious and, compared to the MG are more revealing. In fact, the MG is a bit poor in comparison.
Thanks! DMS!
How to protect the paint on the earcups?
Great review thx! So IF the Xudoo TA-26 is the second coming of the Dark Voice, do you recommend this pairing? I bought the Clears and love them - now looking for the best pairing for my amp. Thx
Xduoo - if it matters…
when do we get a video review of DMS mustache?
I have the Mg version. They’re awesome.
Anyone know where one could grab these in Europe?
Just bought one on your site.
How do these compare to the Arya Stealth? I assume they have different sound signatures being dynamic vs planar?
I demo'd the clears last summer, along with the 800s and the diana phi v2, and honestly I hated the clears a lot. They sounded VERY unnatural and closed in and I was honestly shocked considering how many positive reviews there were of it. I liked the diana phi and I LOVED the 800s. And I was listening to some bass heavy music with em too. TBH I would put the clear below my blessing 2 dusks and my 6XX, but it's one of those things where I feel like my opinion might change if I had a set for a week.
The Clears are a warm neutral headphone. They aren't bass cans, hence the word "clear". It excels in every bit throughout the spectrum.
My Clears took many hours to get their (speaker) drivers loosened up - they indeed sounded unnatural (metallic) and closed in (compressed and fatiguing) straight out of the box. Not anymore.
I have two pairs of focal clears, and I'm experiencing some weird behavior from both. One of them sounds like it has a wider soundstage and a little bassier. The other has a similar soundstage, although not as wide, a little less bass, but is better at sound retrieval. Is one of them defective? If so, which one? Or is that normal for both pairs to have different characteristics even though they're the same headphones. I'm using a babyface pro fs as my dac/audio interface.
I am curious how this panned out, 9 months later. Could it be that one of yours had more playing hours than the other? My Clears took many hours to loosen up - and playing at low volume didn't seem to do all that much.
I ended up returning both because of my frustration. Although, I am interested in purchasing a new pair to see if the issue still persists.@@alphaniner3770
I got this under 750$ from clearance stock in my country.
But it doesn't have mics for calls right?
DMS I wonder how you feel it pairs with WA7 compared to the OTL tube amp?
So the clear with an OTL is kind of like a Clear MG stock? XD
This sounds exactly what I'm looking for. Everything else seems to be geared for specific use cases. Sounds good with this music, sounds bad with that ect. I just want a good all arounder that does everything good, not a one trick pony, HD800s. I'm questioning however, is the juice worth the squeeze when you have something like the 7Hz Timeless AEs? I don't have any reference points for headphones.
Short answer Yes, these are an end game headphone...if you can still find the OG that is.
@@doma4947 I'll abstain. Me to self: life is a journey, not a destination. If I go directly to the top, it leaves nothing to the imagination. I have cash to burn, I'll just walking through the midrange, 6xx, sundara, dt1990, then go from there. Makes it more fun that way.
Does anybody has issue with "clipping" driver on Clear OG?
Had them, but found the high mids too harsh and metallic.
Wait so DMS ate a gummy bear and bought a focal clear all in one day nice!
Subjective sound? Or do you mean subjective appreciation?
Hello DMS been loving the content lately. I have a question. If my budget is infinite what would i get to take the Sennheiser HD6XX to its logical conclusion.
My favorite 3 headphone in my sub $1K collection are 1) Clear OG on DIY class A solid state 2) Aeon 2 Noire on Mojo 2 and 3) 6xx on OTL tubes. All stuff DMS recommended. Thanks!
Would you recommend turning the gain down on a different OTL tube amp like the LD MKIII? I have been hesitant to try the clears on the high gain setting, but wonder if it would cause issues.
I use my Clear's with LD MK3 on middle gain
Love my clears too !!! Changed the Pads and also the cable to suit my needs haha !!! Only the headband is shit and also the paint job (they dont last at all)
Focal has a selection of pricey Headphones....although, back in 2018 they intro'd a sub-$300 set of cans.....but NOPE....my "Jack" is the far less expensive Senn HD 600 / 6XX. They just scale so well with "better" Amps. Sadly, I believe Sennheiser recently sold their consumer line to Swiss holding company Sonova (they make hearing aids among other things). Could be worse...they coulda got absorbed by a Chinese company. Stay Indy, Focal.
I thought it wasn't safe to use a lower impedance can with a tube amp with a high output impedance
not rly :) I even used IEM's with tubes
Well I just bought these at 4:00A.M. last night. Don't let me down DMS.
Why get the Clear when the Elex is far cheaper.....?
Bc the Clear is clearly better than the Elex. I bought the Elex and then sold it for the Clear. Anyone considering the Elex should just get the Clear.
i had the elex and sold them to get the clears. Clears sound better to me
Good point. The clear is almost twice the price of the Elex. I'd be surprised if they sound that much better.