Focal Clear

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

  1. Colgin

    Colgin Friend

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    I kind of get what you mean by vocals on the Clear, although they sounded pretty good to me nonetheless and I didn't find them bright. My concern with super short demos/auditions is that something that seems fine or non-fatiguing may not seem that way after longer listening time.
     
  2. TonyNewman

    TonyNewman Validated by Tyll removing Utopia from WOF

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    Really? Superior soundstage? Superior comfort? Having owned the Utopia and HD800, and current owner of HD800S, I highly doubt this.
     
  3. Besnia

    Besnia Facebook Friend

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    Yes.

    I find any of the top end Focal headphones more comfortable then the HD800 with those shallow pads. As for the soundstage, I'm primarily a speaker guy, so imo the HD800 soundstage is artificial to my ears and outright wrong. And in terms of sound in general, it's no contest... and I own 2 pairs of HD800.
     
  4. TonyNewman

    TonyNewman Validated by Tyll removing Utopia from WOF

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    Interesting. I found the clamping force of the Utopia excessive - but that might just be me. The soundstage was tunnel-like and I found that somewhat unsettling.

    Biggest gripes for me where the excessive treble energy/brightness and the very forward and aggressive character of the Utopia. If the Clear can address those last 2 points then it might just be a winner - and perhaps a HD800/HD800S killer. The level of detail and dynamics of the Utopia was impressive, as was the punch and impact, but after about an hour it was drilling holes in my skull.
     
  5. Besnia

    Besnia Facebook Friend

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    The clamping force probably varies from unit to unit. The force my Utopia band exerts on my head is actually weaker than Elear/Clear.

    I agree about the Utopia excessive brightness. The upper midrange energy is a bit excessive (at least not to my taste) and the clearly notable 6khz spike is a little sharpish to the ears. Utopia suffers from the same problem as HD800 but to a much lesser extent, that is the upper mids/lower treble lift masks the upper treble, so it feels as if the airy treble is not very present. And yes, the Clear is much better balanced. Resolution and detail-wise it's inferior to the Utopia, but the tonal balance is just right imo. As a result of that soundstage is also better, but still nothing like HD800. If that's your cup of tea, you probably won't like the stage.
     
  6. TonyNewman

    TonyNewman Validated by Tyll removing Utopia from WOF

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    Now that is the key to getting my interest in the Clear. The tonal balance of the Utopia was just wrong to my ears. The other things that it did well (often exceptionally well) just weren't enough to compensate for that fundamental flaw (YMMV).

    A 4K headphone should have decent tonal balance IMHO. Utopia doesn't. LCD-4 doesn't.
     
  7. Besnia

    Besnia Facebook Friend

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    Agreed. The Pros of Utopia don't outweigh the Cons when you factor in the 4K price tag. The LCD-4 is even worse imo. :)

    Actually, I wouldn't call the tonal balance of Utopia a "fundamental flaw". Girl-with-a-guitar type of music and chill out jazz sound great on the it, it just becomes a little too in your face with complex music.
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2017
  8. TonyNewman

    TonyNewman Validated by Tyll removing Utopia from WOF

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    I hope Tyll shows some balls and drops both the Utopia and LCD-4 from the WOF when he adds the Clear. 4K headphones with fucked tonal balance should not be getting such love IMNHO - but I digress.

    I re-read Tyll's Clear review. Makes me even more interested in the Clear, but after the 4K train wreck that was my Utopia purchase I am more than a little gun shy regarding Focal products.
     
  9. ipm

    ipm Acquaintance

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    Regarding your experience, is this crossover for you or some other factor that makes you say this?

    Please note that I don't doubt what you are saying at all. I'm just asking for a bit more information on this. I certainly have not yet had time or the opportunity to listen to high-end headphones in great detail like you and others on this thread have. This is why I am asking.

    In my listening, I often wonder why headphones sound off to me in some way relative to sound stage. I can't really place it, and it comes off as distracting to me in that I notice the sound stage where I suppose I should not, relative to what I want to hear which is a natural sound that simply happens.
     
  10. TMRaven

    TMRaven Friend

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    HD800 comfort is leagues ahead of the Focal offerings. Only way I see it not being that is if someone found the huge cups of the HD800 irritating on the jawline... and even then, the clamping force of the HD800 is non-existent.

    For me it's quite simple. HD800 is comfortable, Focals are not.
     
  11. g_mr_p

    g_mr_p New

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    As a bespectacled headphone user whose primary issue is the discomfort of the earcups pressing the arms of my glasses into the sides of my head, I find the Utopia quite agreeable. The fit of the cups and the softness of the earpads alleviate the problem to a large degree, and I don't find the clamping force overly high (though my head is likely on the narrower side). I imagine the Clear with its similar ergonomics would be a match for me as well.
     
  12. Erikdayo

    Erikdayo Friend

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    The only Focal headphone I've personally owned is the Elear. I too wear glasses and found no issues with the fit of the earpads. The issue I found at times is the Elear would put too much pressure on the very top of my head. So much so that it'd give me headaches fairly often. I'd say something like a 50/50 chance if I wore them for at least 1 hour or more on any given day. Some days it was awful. Some days it was hardly a bother. I suspect I am a bit more sensitive to pressure here than others since I've only seem maybe one or two others mention the same sort of discomfort with Focal headphones.

    The high praise from people I trust really makes me want to give the Clear a chance, but if the fit is about the same as the Elear I'm afraid I'll have to look elsewhere. Alternatively, if anyone that has had similar issues has a solution for this discomfort I would be glad to hear about it. Thanks!
     
  13. joeexp

    joeexp Don't ship this man FD-X1 ever

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    Because most music is produced/mixed to sound good on speakers not headphones....
     
  14. Larry Megugorac

    Larry Megugorac Craps on Filipino accents to ease inner poverty

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    I don't see how anyone uses the LCD 4....it's way too damn heavy I don't care how good it sounds....
     
  15. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    You're mad if you make a major purchase without ears-on, on the basis of a single review- no matter who the reviewer is.
     
  16. ductrung3993

    ductrung3993 Facebook Friend

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    Hey @Marvey, how's the synergy of Clear + ZDT jr?
     
  17. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us... very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad.
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2017
  18. TonyNewman

    TonyNewman Validated by Tyll removing Utopia from WOF

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    That simply isn't possible for those that live in (somewhat) remote places.
     
  19. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    "..matter of fact, it's all dark."

    You still need to super-sample, though, or you really are asking for trouble. Don't trust any one source, Tyll, Marvey or whoever. Even people whose taste normally meshes with yours aren't infallible, and it's putting a lot on their shoulders to expect complete consistency.
     
  20. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    ~

    If you have 4k to risk on a pair of headphones that you never heard before, then maybe it's safe to assume you could go to a meeting and actually experience and save yourself money, and trouble, before the next purchase.
     

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