Focal Clear ($1499) The Focal Clear is an over-ear, open acoustic, dynamic driver headphone. They’ve hung in there, easily competing with headphones twice their price. OPEN CIRCUMAURAL HIGH-FIDELITY HEADPHONES. The cavity in the middle is also perfect for storing the three cables that it comes with, two of which are 10-feet long. Everything we do is geared towards creating bigger, better sound. The low-end isn’t as weighty as other models, but it feels tight and controlled, with enough thump to satisfy most people. But having spent a few weeks listening to these, we’re satisfied that this is a significant enough upgrade to get it out of iPhone 5CXS+ territory. It makes things confusing, and difficult to tell the headphones apart. The headphones are beautifully designed, very comfortable, and offer a sound quality that’s perfect for the audiophile looking for something a little more fun. The other main accessory is a terrific carry-case, with a hard, textured surface and a substantial zip running around it, as well as a useful carry handle. December 31, 2017 Luckbad 0. And if you take away one thing from this, it's that Focal put out a huge range of headphones, and the one you go for is very much dependent on the size of your wallet, and the way you like your music. At 450 grams, or around 1 pound, the headphones aren’t necessarily light — but considering the padding and nice-feeling materials, we never felt like the headphones were getting too heavy. When French speaker manufacturer Focal made the decision to push deep into the headphone market, few would have predicted that they’d have this level of success. The headphones offer plenty of bass response, though thankfully Focal has chosen not to boost bass too much like some of its competitors. For $1,200, you can buy yourself a ZMF Aeolus (full review here), an exquisite pair of open headphones that more than compete with the $1,499 Clear. The Clear is made in France and is intended to be used It's a superior product for the discerning music lover who demands the ⦠Priced at $1499, the Clear is intended to be the best option Focal offers for under $1500. They’re the elder statesman of the headphone world, with a classic sound that many still claim has yet to be bettered. It must be said that if you own the former, you’ve got very little reason to buy these, but if you don’t, this could be a very classy entry into the high-end headphone world. A simple DAC upgrade can do wonders for your audio playback, as for example, a 4K-capable TV might change your movie viewing experience. The realism and space is just unreal. It was clear from the very start that these sounded like a different, newer pair of headphones, thanks no doubt to the tuning work that Focalâs engineers have put in. You'll get your money's worth with the Focal Clear. The subject of this review, however, is the â Focal Clear â ($1,499) - an open-backed/open-acoustic, circumaural, dynamic-driver headphone, and the third model to enter Focalâs range. Focal is a French company that started in 1979 in the home audio world making speaker drivers and loudspeakers (originally, the loudspeakers were released under the brand name JM-lab, named after the Focal founder Jacques Mahul). It changed the way we listen to music forever - and today, Apple is no longer the market leader. Very reliable service from seller. In this review, we break down the Clear’s sound, design, comfort and fit, packaging and accessories, specs and more. While we did occasionally wish that the mids were just a touch warmer and more forward, the clarity these presented was unmatched in this particular price range. That’s not hyperbole. Inside, foam inserts hold the headphones in place, and there is a space for your chosen cable. Other high-end models, like the AUDEZE LCD-4, can be difficult to wear after a couple of hours, on account of the fact that eventually the muscles in your neck stop being able to hold them up. The soundstage is nice and wide, making for a natural-sounding listening experience with plenty of space to breathe. The latest of these headphones, and among the more expensive, are the Focal Elear headphones⦠Admittedly, it’s a design that works incredibly well, and is distinctive enough to spot from a distance. Overall, the Focal Clear Professional is a great option for a myriad of folks looking for headphones in this range. The Clear sounds closer to the Utopia than it does to the Elear. Of course, the one question that's probably on a lot of minds is whether or not Focal's Utopia headphone is a definitive winner over the Clear. Conclusion. Focal’s premium headphones aren’t necessarily cheap, but after reviewing the Focal Utopia and Focal Stellia headphones, it’s easy to say that they’re worth the money for the right buyer. But Focal does have some headphones that cost less than $3,000. It’s not shilling. Like its older brother, Clear uses a 40mm aluminium-magnesium m-shaped dome driver. Focal Clear Review. These don’t just feel like a simple reskinning of a core concept; rather, they offer definite improvements, and they act as a very effective bridge between the sub—$1,000 Elear and the $3,995 Utopia. Clear, Focalâs newest reference headphones, are one of the best I have ever reviewed. But on a technical level, much has been re-engineered to account for the different configuration. Bass response on the headphones is tight and precise, and not by any means over the top. For $500 more? Similar they may be, but there are definite differences. This is to be expected given that the Focal Clear is a very open headphone whereas the Z1R is a closed headphone. There’s a level of detail that isn’t present in the cheaper (by about $500) Elears, and a certain class and clarity to the low end that we found refreshing. As you might expect, Focal has hit a home run with the Focal Clear headphones. Focalâs literature invites praise for the Clearsâ highâfrequency detail and their bass response. Focal Clear has a tighter bass slam. And this trick, of releasing a slightly more expensive reskinned version, is something that plenty other manufacturers have tried before – to highlight just one example, when Mr Speakers released the very good Ether Flow headphones to replace the original Ether, the design remained largely unchanged. It’s just the truth. A reskinned version of the Elear? Or do they sacrifice too many features? It feels comfortable to listen to for hours on end, so Iâm confident that those who just want to listen to music or those who are making mix decisions would both benefit from using the Focal Clear Pro. A guide to the inner workings of our headphones, Focal Stellia over-ear audiophile headphones review. Here are some of the best ones of this year. As with all Focal products, it feels well built and substantial, but we just can’t help thinking that the design is perhaps a little bit lazy. Until now, Focalâs flagship over-the-ear headphonesâincluding the $1,499 Clear I reviewed for TechHive last yearâhave all been open-back models. Continuing in the spirit of Utopia and Elear and using the best of Focal technologies, Clear offer the sensation of listening to your favourite music in a space that no longer has limits. Coupled with the fact that these headphones feature a nice fabric covering, braided nylon cables, and so on, and you have a pair of headphones that not only looks great, but is clearly nice and strong too. The Radiance and Clear, along with most other Focal headphones, feature an M-shaped dome for their drivers. The headphones feature a nice fabric covering for the headband and ear cups, ensuring that the headphones remain comfortable. But: when it comes down to it, we think the Focal Clear sound more refined and slightly more elegant than their younger sibling, with quantifiable evidence that work has been done to improve the overall experience. Everything that comes in the box with the Focal Clear headphones In the box youâll get a nice hardshell carrying case, with the headphones tucked away nicely inside. If you’re spending $1,500 on a pair of headphones, perhaps the most important thing to consider is how they sound. To us, it seemed as if Focal were muddying the waters a little bit, succumbing to the iPhone malady of releasing incremental upgrades. You get a 4” cable with a 3.5mm plug for smartphone use, a 10” cable with the standard 6.3mm plug, and you even get a 10” balanced cable with a 4-point XLR connector. Sensitivity is identical, at 104dB, although the Clear has slightly lower Total Harmonic Distortion (at 0.25%/1kHz to the Elear’s 0.3%/1kHz). ). Since the release of the Clear, they have come out with multiple headphone models at a variety of prices. But if you’re going to make something look identical to its predecessor, and not even change the name beyond a single letter, it doesn’t really add to the illusion that you’ve put a lot of thought into it. The Sennheiser HD800 is really the classic option here. Mid range is nicely tuned too. One of the greatest pleasures we know is blocking out the world's distractions with good pair of headphones. They are just about as simple as audio equipment gets. Compared to models like the aforementioned Elear and the Sennheiser HD800s, these more than hold their own. The Elear already sounded spectacular. Itâs a beauty to behold, although I canât say I preferred the brighter look of Clear over the darker Elear, theyâre both stunningly modern designs. While we do think that they don’t sound quite as assured as the Clear, they make up for it by having some of the best soundstage we’ve ever come across. Want Even More Master Switch? These may be bulky over ear headphones, but when you’re wearing them, they certainly don’t feel like it. In a really good way. And now, having the Focal Clear in hand, I sense they've reached their goal. One of the things that really set the Utopia apart from the competition was just how comfortable it was to wear for long periods. Sometimes, you just need to break the bank. All the same, they’re a classic for a reason, and while we think the Clear is slightly better these headphones will satisfy all but the most demanding listeners. In fact, it has a few pairs of headphones that cost around half that — like the Focal Clear open-back headphones. To more established headphone companies like Sennheiser and AUDEZE, it must have felt like getting hit with a freight train. And nothing would have torpedoed the Focal Clear headphones faster than having an identical sound signature to their younger brother - the identically-designed Elear. These headphones may be a little too expensive for some - even with a discount, they’re around $1,300 at the time of writing. In mid 2016 the french company released two open-back headphones which would bring their exotic material science to personal audio. Are they worth the cash? At The Master Switch, we spend an awful lot of time thinking about audio. They look absolutely stunning! While we did occasionally wish that the mids were just a touch warmer and more forward, the clarity these presented was unmatched in this particular price range. Since the Clear’s debut, Focal released the Elex, which is also almost identical to the Elear. All the cables come with nifty velcro straps built in, to help you hold things in place while not in use. All these headphone designs are circumaural open back designs. Christian has always been fascinated with both music and technology. So why not take the jump? At 450 grams, or around 1 pound, the headphones arenât necessarily light â but considering the padding and nice-feeling materials, we neve⦠The latter is very much a high-end model that is second only to the groundbreaking Utopia: a closed-back, leather-wrapped, $2,999 monster but makes mincemeat of any song you put through it. Focal are nothing if not prolific. The Focal Clear headphones, as mentioned, are built with plenty of padding and quality leather, and as such they’re pretty comfortable for long periods of listening. The Focal Clear headphones, as mentioned, are built with plenty of padding and quality leather, and as such theyâre pretty comfortable for long periods of listening. As mentioned in our Focal Elear review, the French audio company has been innovating in headphone driver tech for some while now. Focal clear comfort and fit At nearly a pound (15.8 ounces), the Clear is in the same weight class as the Elegia, but far heavier than most noise-cancelling headphones. We saw a similar setup with the PSB M4U-8 (full review here), and we rather liked it - it got the job done, without being overly flashy, or getting in the way. But we've tested more headphones from Focal than just about any other company, and that's the way we feel. They are just different. But just because the Focal Clear headphones cost half as much as the Focal Utopia headphones, that certainly doesn’t make them cheap. I had an opportunity to take these home and demo them for several days. Focal Clear is more engaging to me because it's the lesser warm sounding between the two along with its bass quality mentioned above. There are three cables in the box, including a one-meter cable with a 1/8-inch connector, a three-meter cable with a 1/4-inch connector, and a three-meter cable with an XLR connector. They have virtually identical design, similar specs, and at the base of it, a similar sound signature. The Focal Clear headphones are a new $1500 open back offering designed and developed in France. That’s to say, while they have a number of different design elements than other Focal headphones, including color offerings, they carry that classic Focal headphones look, the beautiful mesh grills on each ear cup, and so on. The Clear ups the ante, sharpening everything we liked about the sound while adding its own special flavour. It took me a few seconds to adjust. The Clear delivers refined and classy sound that stands with the best high-end headphones available. Focal Clear has a touch better detail retrieval and is more dynamic. They are higher quality than the Clear, and a good alternative if you have cash to burn. It must be said: Focal definitely don’t skimp on the accessories. Not with quite as much volume, to be sure, but still solid. Anyway, it sold around three hundred and sixty million units. The highs are, well, clear. The catch is that itâs sometimes 2 times ⦠Because, again, they are incredibly similar. Their open design makes them a poor choice for any other use cases as they donât block any ambient noise and don't have a microphone or wireless technology. Focal Clear is more balanced in bass, mids and treble. Focal Elear Studio Headphone Review. There are changes to the surround and motor system aiming to optimise dynamics and detail reso⦠if it doesn’t involve any of the following, you probably don’t need to worry about it. In the box, apart from the beautifully-designed headphones themselves, you’ll also get a nice hard case and very strong and premium cables. Focal , while relatively new to the headphone scene, is quickly becoming one of the leaders when it comes to design, style, innovation and quality. Everything you need to know about headphone specs. The bites of electric guitars and the crisp hit of snare drums really came through, and the headphones showed off some superb dynamics. Utopia sits at the top of Focalâs new line and will carry an MSRP of $4,000. He graduated college with a Bachelor of Science in Music Technology, and has been producing music, writing about tech, and trying out new headphones ever since. Focal Clear over-ear audiophile headphones review. These headphones perform exactly as several reviewers have described: clear, detailed, with no detectable distortion or brightness in the upper range (even for my 70-year old ears! While the Stelliaâs 40mm Beryllium dome drive unit is heavily based on that used by the older model, the closed design means that Focalâs engineers have had to rework it considerably. You wouldn't expect headphones to need any special equipment to work. Read more about us. It shies away from the standard black-box-with-foam-inserts as seen with the Elear and the Utopia, going for more of a flower-like design that opens out into multiple sections. Upon opening, Focal's slick packaging is a delight. Demand is low for COVID-19 antibody drugs but shortages loom. Both the Radiance and the Clear are lightweight, durable and among some of the comfiest headphones, you can buy. Remember the very first iPod from seventeen years ago? It’s not that it’s an especially new concept – swappable ear cups have been around since the days of the old Bowers & Wilkins P7 headphones, which came out in 2016 (and which you can now buy for under $200, which you should, because they are awesome). Review written by @Chrono Review unit provided on loan by headphones.com Introduction The Clear is an open-back dynamic headphone designed by Focal that retails for $1,499, and it utilizes Focalâs full-range speaker driver with an âMâ-shape Aluminum/Magnesium dome. We don’t think they are quite as good as things like the Eikon, but they still do a very solid job, especially for the money you pay. Obviously, having decent amplification always helped, but even when we listened to them off simple smartphone, they performed well. Since then, they have gotten their fingers in a number of different pies including studio monitors and car audio. It must be said that if you already own the Elear, you’re not going to get an absolutely enormous upgrade by buying these, and while there are definitely differences, they do share the same sound signature – as you might expect. We got into a lot more detail about how these headphones differ to the Clear in the review above, but we can say that as the price continues to drop, they will continue to be one of the best pairs of headphones currently available. Comparing these to the Elear, the audio specs don’t show a huge amount of difference. At the end of the month, French speaker manufacturer Focal will launch an impressive new line of headphones, and according to the company, the three new models â Utopia, Elear and Listen â will carry the full weight of its 35-years of experience in high-end audio. Jun 21, 2019. By Home Theater Review on July 04, 2018 70 . The Focal Clear headphones are unmistakably Focal. We disagree - they’re good, but advancements have been made since then, and they can sound just a touch thin now. The Clear comes with substantial accessories, and one of the better carry-cases we’ve encountered. The central element, with the company logo surrounded by a circle detailing not only the material the driver is constructed from (aluminum-magnesium, since you ask) but also that the headphones were Fabrique en France, feels as well-built and substantial as it did on the Elear. It’s a consistent surprise just how well the HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 headphones have endured over the years. In headphone manufacturer speak, this often translates as an admission that the midârange is recessed, but when you pay this much for a pair of headphones, you expect them to perform well across the entire frequency range! IT shouldnât be glossed over how basically all of Focalâs headphones have incredibly comfy, circumaural fits. They are surprisingly light, and although they require a fair amount of power to drive properly, they will reward you with clear and elegant sound that takes full advantage of the open back design. That’s not a problem that Focal has. For the first time I'm not annoyed at the price of a $1000+ headphones. Improves on the original formula of the Elear, while making just enough key differences in audio quality to matter. It’s one of the better carry cases we’ve seen, and is easy-to-use, flipping open in a clamshell design. No? They offer a much wider range of accessories, all of which feel worth owning. Be warned, if you do decide to go for the Aeolus, you will be in for a long wait – not because they are out of stock, but because each one is handmade to your specifications. 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