Focal Radiance, Closed Back For Bentley

Latest headphones from Focal, the Radiance. $1299

• Type: Circum-aural closed-back headphones
  
• Impedance: 35 Ohms
  
• Sensitivity 101dB SPL / 1mW @ 1 kHz
• THD 0,1% @ 1kHz / 100dB SPL
  
• Frequency response 5Hz – 23kHz
• Speaker driver: 15/8" Aluminium/Magnesium "M" shape dome
  
• Weight 22.05lbs (435g)
  
• Cables supplied: • 1 x 4ft. (1.2m) OFC 24 AWG cable with 1/8" (3.5mm) unbalanced TRS jack connector • 1 x jack adapter, 1/8" (3.5mm) point socket – 1/4" (6.35mm) point plug

Ear pads are real leather, I asked my Focal rep if they were an Elegia with just Bentley branding and a few more bells and whistles. They are indeed a different/new headphone. They both are 35 Ohms but differ in weight and sensitivity (5 grams more on Radiance and 4dB difference in sensitivity).

I got some more pictures I can share of it in a bit.

 

Those who care about sound over looks will have to test their beliefs on this one. Looks cringey as f**k but I'm willing to try it out, even if the headband sucks. I'm thinking this is closer to technicalities level on a Clear but lower than a Clear on technicalities.

 

I kind of wish focals headbands were replaceable. they always look moldy on the part that touches your head on all the used ones I've seen. If I ever bought focals I'd wrap that bitch with something velour or leather.

 

It’s fully closed. Whereas the Elegia and Stellia are semi open, the F symbol being an opening with acoustic material behind it. Unless there’re vents around the rear circular bronze/black plate on the Radiance which aren’t visible.

 

I think this looks much better than the ugly two-tone Elegia and Tryptophobia-triggering Stellia imo. Wish they didn't have that copper accent and instead went for all black like Elex :/

I'd be interested in a loaner tour nvm lol

 

Given the cups and baffles are the same in terms of build as all the other Focal closed backs, and the drivers are still the same size and shape, I'm thinking the biggest difference here vs Elegia sonically will mostly be due to a swap of pads. These look like Stellia pads, just black.

Edit - the pads can make a pretty big difference though. I mean, Elear vs Elex is proof of that. Stellia pads on Elear was one of the few basshead-worthy open-back configurations out there. If these sound like Elegia, pass. If they have a more Stellia-like tone at a lower price, I'd see that as a potential win for some.

 

So basically a reskinned Elegia with Stellia pads? Boo

 

This is giving me serious Klipsch vibes based on the color scheme.

Would also be very curious about what those pads sound like on my Clears. Always looking for ways to make the clears sound slightly less agressive. Definitely would want to give these a listen at some point.

 

Wait until you hear it before you sell off half your collection.

I'll reserve judgement when/if I hear one.

 

So perhaps Clear driver reworked for closed back duty. I recall Eligia was Elear's driver reworked (it had less physical driver movement, off the top of my head 4mm vs. Elear's 5mm (my numbers could be off)).

 

Will the drivers bottom out?

 

I recall reading somewhere, maybe it was @Torq 's new site, that because the Eligia was closed back (non open baffle) and the resultant acoustically-coupled-damped-box thing (to use some jargon that I neither understand nor have even used properly ), the driver did not need the same amount of movement to produce bass frequencies as the open baffle driver.

 

Why does it come with a purse?

 

Tried the Elegia at a noisy show last week and was glad I sprung for the Stellia. I love the tonality of my Stellia. This would be great for those looking for something closed at a more reasonable price.

I tried the Stellia pads on my Clears, and though I don't remember exactly what they sounded like, it wasn't good and I immediately pulled them off.

Looks like the same portable case as the Stellia, so some savings for Focal there.


Edit:

You can always take a Sharpie to the Bentley logo

I have a knitted headband cover on my Clear that serves dual purpose of keeping the grey suede free of hair-oil and holding foam wedges to get rid of the hotspot on top. The Stellia has thicker padding and doesn't have as much of a hotspot for me, and the brown leather isn't looking too bad after a few weeks of constant use. The Radiance looks to have some kind of woven synthetic material on the underside of the headband, so likely wouldn't have the oil-sucking problem.

 

Small correction - the utopia doesn't come with the case included; you need to purchase the "utopia bundle" which is about $400 more expensive ($4400 vs $4000). Something something focal being greedy

Example source ("2020 version"): https://bloomaudio.com/products/foc...yllium-dome-headphones?variant=32352942784587

Also as a bit of commentary, the focal case feels premium and solid, and is perfectly molded to fit their headphones so it's not that bulky (a lot smaller than the zmf pelican case, by example). I loved having the case for my clear enough that I bought one for my utopia - just being able to transport/move my utopia between locations safely comes in handy much more times than you expect (when moving, house cleaning, visiting a friend's place, etc).

 

Black and copper is the nouveau riche equivalent of black & red edgelord looks.

Never going to give anyone money for that headband design but I wonder how they sound.

 

Word dude! I am going to do just that before mine start looking manky!

 

Radiance measurement pasted from headphones.com



Also attaching Stellia measured in a similar gras configuration -- copied from crinacle.com



Lows seem similarly voiced as Stellia. But highs might be much politer than any of previous focals. Note that Harman 2018 doesn't very differ from SBAF comp at 200hz and upward. At least, overall fr quite feels like "Bentley" anyway.

 

I. What.

Every time I look at Focal FR I wonder if its all a joke by the designer who's just trying to make it look like their favourite alpine skyline.

The headphones.com graph's gone up and down near-as-makes-no-difference 30 f'ing dB by the time it hits 2k.

That's a bit much for the asking price innit?

This coming from someone who dailies Universe Leather VC, so I'm no stranger to interpretative transducers.