Focal Clear

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by The Alchemist, Nov 15, 2017.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,778
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    Thanks for the impressions. It sounds like the Clear might be worth purchasing for the SBAF loaner program. My concern is how Focal pricing seems to nosedive after a year.
     
  2. ufospls2

    ufospls2 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Likes Received:
    2,010
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Canada
    Gave these a trial this morning.

    Kinda…meh? Like an Elear with slightly more mid presence and slightly better technicalities. Not sure I would recommend it to be honest. The Utopia is great due to its clarity and excellent technicalities, but the clear kinda fell short of my expectations. I would rather buy the Elear and do a bit EQ if I wanted more presence in the mids. Comfort however, like the Elear and Utopia, is great

    ![​IMG]
     
  3. drgumbybrain

    drgumbybrain Science Nut

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2017
    Likes Received:
    2,219
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Lives in Fortaleza, Heart in Girona
    What source and amp did you plug them? I have tried them for 30-40 min in a UK store , source was 96k from Yggdrasil and I tube amp I can’t remember the name. It was from a UK factory. I could use several words to describe the sound, but none of the words would be MEH... no sir!
     
  4. slankoe

    slankoe Tongue tastes of LH butthole

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2017
    Likes Received:
    397
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Edmonton, Canada
    Any dirt on the Massdrop Elex?

    ...Currawongs review wasn't support helpful as usual
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2017
  5. chakku

    chakku Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    676
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NZ
    Elex thread maybe?
     
  6. slankoe

    slankoe Tongue tastes of LH butthole

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2017
    Likes Received:
    397
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Edmonton, Canada
    I'm thinking yeah
     
  7. slankoe

    slankoe Tongue tastes of LH butthole

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2017
    Likes Received:
    397
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Edmonton, Canada
    Ok I'll let you handle that :)

    Double edit: @David De LucenaAppreciate the reminder; I've been sorted out by a mod. Yes, I love the concept of keeping our S/N high, as this is the reason this forum has been helpful for me for quite a while before I made my account. It is mostly chock full of quality posts.
    It's a culture shock, but I'm starting to "get," this forum. You may not see too many posts from me but I'm around. It's an adjustment, and contributing to the good by calling me out is in the right. Thanks and seeya.
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2017
  8. drgumbybrain

    drgumbybrain Science Nut

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2017
    Likes Received:
    2,219
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Lives in Fortaleza, Heart in Girona
    Please, avoid text phrases like you have been doing in this thread. May I suggest the noise ratio information in the new users thread. Cheers
     
  9. Tyll Hertsens

    Tyll Hertsens Grandpappy of the hobby - Special Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,805
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Bozeman Montana
    Home Page:
    FWIW, I've measured two Clears and the channel matching and unit to unit consistancy was very good. Review by Sunday.
     
  10. jowls

    jowls Never shitposts (please) - Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2015
    Likes Received:
    4,495
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    42°S
    I sense a great disturbance in the Force, as if a room full of German product developers suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

    (To be fair, the price differential between Clear and HD666S is quite high though)
     
  11. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,474
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Like the quality differential between the hd650 Kiss and hd660s?
     
  12. Ringingears

    Ringingears Honorary BFF

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,659
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northern Californium Valley
    More like the profit margin differential. As Marv said there is no competition so they can overcharge all they want.
     
  13. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,723
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Phoenix
    Home Page:
    I did a 3 way shoot out of the Auteur, Clear, and PMx2 that had me kind of changing my perspective of the Clear. It ended up as a tie to me with the Auteur, winning and losing in some areas. I think the Clear is a really good headphone. I don't even care about an Elex, I doubt it will sound as good. If I am wrong that would be good for the market.
     
  14. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,778
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    There is a certain retailer tha supports this site. I can plug them now because there are no other sponsors (later on I'd have to be fair instead of playing favorites). I'd call them up. Whatever you do, don't hit the buy it now button anywhere on the Internet before you make the call. HINT: @netforce / Alan can probably help you too.
     
  15. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,999
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Tempe, Arizona
    Damnit Marv. It's between this and an OLED. I think I'll wait for the loaner on rhis to make my decision.
     
  16. netforce

    netforce MOT: Headphones.com

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3,111
    Trophy Points:
    93
    For sure, I predict we might have more Clear opinions soon from some new owners. :)
     
  17. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,474
    Trophy Points:
    93
    In what ways did the clear win out?
     
  18. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    12,285
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Colorado
    Home Page:
    OLED flat out. That's like a life changing move in the TV world. Going to the Clear is not, relatively speaking.

    I <3 my OLED so much.
     
  19. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,723
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Phoenix
    Home Page:
    Clear: More control throughout the frequency response, quicker and harder attacks, quicker decay, clearer and more open sound.
    Autuer: More fleshed out timbre realism, much larger soundstage and better imaging, better vocals, slightly more cohesive.

    I like the Clear a lot. I like the Autuer better but merit by merit makes the Clear pull right up to the Auteur and better it in some areas. The Clear is more precise and controlled with speed and punch on its side. The Auteur is much more enveloping and I can hear the reverb trails better on the Autuer, or at least the trails have more presence. The Clears smaller images sound like they lack a little bit of flesh on the bones when it comes to the images which makes them a little less believable to me than the Autuer. The Clear though makes the attacks bite better and has a clearer sound. The Auteur places you at the venue with the vocalists singing in front of you and some space in between. The Clear places the singers in your head a bit and is missing the whole venue feel. They both have a similar amount of bass. The Clear sounded a little nasally at first to me because unlike the 650 it doesn't have the warmth from the upper bass to thicken up the midrange a little so I kept focusing on the hump the Clear has in the mids. Neither of them are shouty at all but the Auteur has its peak closer to where the upper midrange is. The Clear is more precise, the Auteur is more natural and cohesive.

    The PMx2 places the vocalist in front of you as well but with more presence than both and less space in front of you than the Auteur. The PMx2 has the purist midrange of the three and a very black background but the sub bass is beaten by the others. I think that the PMx2 misses the edge of the Auteur and the Clear but it has good dynamic range, mid bass punch, and is actually pretty revealing. It bests the other two at showing some textures, or at least making them more upfront and easily visible. Also the PMx2 and Clear have excellent treble definition, the Auteur falls a little behind there.

    I think the Focals in general leave me wanting a more saturated timbre and larger more fleshy images. I think something like the LCD-4 would make up for that. I will be bypassing the Utopia and going for an LCD-4 next year for that reason alone. I like the Utopia though, I remember it having more depth and realism than the Clear. While the Auteur wins and loses in some areas, they seem to be the best all arounders through a play list because they can handle the sub bass but also place me in the venue of a live jazz and make the human voice real. The PMx2 can handle the EDM only a little bit and gets me jazz scene only okay but does the human voice really well. The Clear handles my EDM the best, but can't give me the live experience at all and sometimes sounds unrealistic. I actually find the 650 timbre a bit fleshy and for some reason it is easier for me to feel 'there' with the 650. BUT the way that the Clear snaps and punches is addicting and since its balance is very well done it got more head time than the PMx2s. The sub bass of the PMx2 sometimes felt wanting like as if it wasn't as controlled or solid, even if it was pretty clean. The clarity of the Clear kept me coming back for more.

    Well I am sleepy. I know the above is a blob of impressions..some of it repetitive. It will be all spelled out better when I post the shoot out because that is off the top of the head without looking at my notes... just me typing away.
     
  20. Artasia

    Artasia Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2015
    Likes Received:
    441
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Thanks for sharing your impressions. Were you using the Kenzie, AF, or both? Which headphones paired best with which amp, if I may ask?
     

Share This Page