focal clear headphones review

It’s not shilling. The former costs $899 – significantly less than the Clear – and is marketed as an alternative to the sub-$1,000 open-back Elear headphones. The Focal Clear headphones are a new $1500 open back offering designed and developed in France. The ear cups themselves are soft, squashy, and breathable, and also removable in case you need to access the serial number, or swap them out at a later date – a feature we always like to see. 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. No? Since then, they have gotten their fingers in a number of different pies including studio monitors and car audio. Like the Elear, the drivers are 40mm aluminum-magnesium, and are designed in an M shape. They are very well-built and very comfortable for long listening sessions thanks to well-padded ear cups and headband. That’s not hyperbole. This is to be expected given that the Focal Clear is a very open headphone whereas the Z1R is a closed headphone. 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. When you take the headphones out of the box, you’ll immediately be dazzled with the metallic look and great feel. Focal Elear open-back wired headphones reviewExcellent sound qualityBeautiful designA little heavy9Overall ScoreSound9Design9.5Comfort8.5Value9We review a ton of consumer-focused headphones here at Headphone Review, but every now and then we get access to something truly special. In fact, it has a few pairs of headphones that cost around half that — like the Focal Clear open-back headphones. The low-end isn’t as weighty as other models, but it feels tight and controlled, with enough thump to satisfy most people. Fortunately, we're here to help, with our full guide to this audio topic. End of discussion. Priced at $1499, the Clear is intended to be the best option Focal offers for under $1500. Remember the very first iPod from seventeen years ago? Utopia sits at the top of Focal’s new line and will carry an MSRP of $4,000. 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. Improves on the original formula of the Elear, while making just enough key differences in audio quality to matter. 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. OPEN CIRCUMAURAL HIGH-FIDELITY HEADPHONES. 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. Want Even More Master Switch? The headphones feature a nice fabric covering for the headband and ear cups, ensuring that the headphones remain comfortable. The Focal Utopia are the best headphones on the planet. You get not one but three different detachable cables, all of which a sheath in a vaguely chequerboard black-and-white pattern, and all of which come with solid metal connectors. In mid 2016 the french company released two open-back headphones which would bring their exotic material science to personal audio. His ZMF series, which at the time of writing is about to get a new open-back planar model, is stellar. The Clear is made in France and is intended to be used The realism and space is just unreal. 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. Admittedly, it’s a design that works incredibly well, and is distinctive enough to spot from a distance. The Radiance and Clear, along with most other Focal headphones, feature an M-shaped dome for their drivers. Rudi in Headphone reviews. See the Focal Clear See the Best High-End Headphones. FLAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD… There’s no denying that picking the right type of audio to listen to can be crazy confusing. The Focal Clear headphones are unmistakably Focal. And by the way, if everything we just wrote is complete gobbledygook, we’ve got a full explainer article that breaks down all the common headphone specs we’ve just mentioned, and more. Honestly? Obviously, it shares a good deal of the technology developed for the Focal Utopia, which I reviewed in Issue 270, but its drivers are made of aluminum/magnesium rather than of the beryllium used for the Utopia. Very reliable service from seller. The Focal Clear headphones are aimed at offering some of what’s special about the $3,000 Focal Utopia headphones while combining it with the much more fun-sounding Focal Elear headphones, and they do that pretty well. Since the release of the Clear, they have come out with multiple headphone models at a variety of prices. The soundstage is nice and wide, making for a natural-sounding listening experience with plenty of space to breathe. Price-wise, it’s actually in the middle of the Focal open back lineup, between the more expensive Focal Utopia and the lower priced Focal Elear. One of the greatest pleasures we know is blocking out the world's distractions with good pair of headphones. If you like your headphones to have a little bit more of a human touch, if you prefer wood to metal, then give Zach Mehrbach's cans a go. Compared to models like the aforementioned Elear and the Sennheiser HD800s, these more than hold their own. Focal Clear headphones review Focal’s Clear headphones don't just live up to their name, they define it By Ryan Waniata October 6, 2017 Previous Next 1 of 11. Across the entire spectrum, things feel refined and clear – more so than in their predecessor, which was already pretty good. By Home Theater Review on July 04, 2018 70 . While it is a little frustrating, it must be said that we don’t consider these points to detract from the overall package all that much. That’s not a problem that Focal has. The Sennheiser HD800 is really the classic option here. If you’re spending $1,500 on a pair of headphones, perhaps the most important thing to consider is how they sound. Both the Radiance and the Clear are lightweight, durable and among some of the comfiest headphones, you can buy. Everything we do is geared towards creating bigger, better sound. We think they achieved that goal, but if you disagree, here are some viable alternatives. Its extremely well-balanced performance would provide long-term satisfaction for an overwhelming majority of listeners. It’s just the truth. 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 Clear delivers refined and classy sound that stands with the best high-end headphones available. 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. The Clear also offers a slightly wider frequency range, peaking at 28kHz to the Elear’s 23kHz. Focal Clear over-ear audiophile headphones review. 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). ​These headphones may be a little too expensive for some - even with a discount, they’re around $1,300 at the time of writing. Essentially, these are the closed-back version of the Utopias. 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 haven’t had a close look at the Clear’s drivers – although we have with the ones in the Utopia (full review here), which were heavy enough to kill if you threw one of them with the right amount of force – but what we can say is that they do one hell of a job with your audio. The Clear’s design is too similar to the Elear - the basic housing is virtually unchanged. 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. Their open design makes them a poor choice for any other use cases as they don’t block any ambient noise and don't have a microphone or wireless technology. As mentioned in our Focal Elear review, the French audio company has been innovating in headphone driver tech for some while now. 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. 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. 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. Are they worth the cash? Comparing these to the Elear, the audio specs don’t show a huge amount of difference. The headphones are largely built from metal, and that makes for a very premium look. French audio brand Focal has leveraged tech from its best headphones to create a striking new model in the Clear. We very happily wore these for hours at a time – the soft earcups never felt like they were going to cause us any discomfort, and the space in the middle is wide enough to accommodate all but the largest of ears. Design. Because, again, they are incredibly similar. 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. To us, it seemed as if Focal were muddying the waters a little bit, succumbing to the iPhone malady of releasing incremental upgrades. How do headphones work? Everything you need to know about headphone specs. SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless vs. Astro A50: Which gaming headset reigns supreme? Sorry – we know that probably isn't very helpful advice. Despite the high price tag, the Focal Clear headphones have a ton going for them — and that’s why we’ve awarded them the Headphone Review Gold Medal. Similar they may be, but there are definite differences. 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. 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. I had an opportunity to take these home and demo them for several days. The headphones offer plenty of bass response, though thankfully Focal has chosen not to boost bass too much like some of its competitors. Like all of Focal’s high-end line, Clear is an example of headphone design elevated to art. The bites of electric guitars and the crisp hit of snare drums really came through, and the headphones showed off some superb dynamics. The biggest difference here is the color; while the Elear came in black, the Clear comes in a tasteful shade of grey, with silver metallic accents. 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. A guide to the inner workings of our headphones, Focal Stellia over-ear audiophile headphones review. 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 Focal’s engineers have put in. 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. Of all the hundreds of headphone models available today, these are the best. It's a superior product for the discerning music lover who demands the … In headphone manufacturer speak, this often translates as an admission that the mid‑range is recessed, but when you pay this much for a pair of headphones, you expect them to perform well across the entire frequency range! Focal Clear Headphones Photo: ... Clear is still in the rarified stratosphere of audiophile headphones. But just because the Focal Clear headphones cost half as much as the Focal Utopia headphones, that certainly doesn’t make them cheap. The Elear is 80Ω, while the Clear presents at 55Ω (Meaning it’s easier to drive, and requires slightly less power). For the first time I'm not annoyed at the price of a $1000+ headphones. Perhaps the only thing to consider is how heavy the headphones are. It's a little difficult to say that either of these new models are better or worse than the Clear. Certainly enough to satisfy us. if it doesn’t involve any of the following, you probably don’t need to worry about it. In a really good way. And now, having the Focal Clear in hand, I sense they've reached their goal. The biggest question we have to answer when reviewing these is: are they worth the extra money when something like the Elear exists? Upon opening, Focal's slick packaging is a delight. They offer a much wider range of accessories, all of which feel worth owning. 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. They don’t just look sort of the same; outside of a different colour scheme, they look exactly the same. It changed the way we listen to music forever - and today, Apple is no longer the market leader. These are open-back headphones, with a mesh grille on the outside of the housing, protecting the driver. Focal’s literature invites praise for the Clears’ high‑frequency detail and their bass response. Mid range is nicely tuned too. 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. Anyway, it sold around three hundred and sixty million units. Yes, it works, and works well – and if we’re going to stick with an earlier metaphor, it’s not like the iPhone changed substantially between iterations. Focal Clear ($1499) The Focal Clear is an over-ear, open acoustic, dynamic driver headphone. To more established headphone companies like Sennheiser and AUDEZE, it must have felt like getting hit with a freight train. And you can, of course, go for the Focal Elear. The headphones feature a nice fabric covering for the headband and ear cups, ensuring that the headphones remain comfortable. Bass response on the headphones is tight and precise, and not by any means over the top. Here are some of the best ones of this year. They’re the elder statesman of the headphone world, with a classic sound that many still claim has yet to be bettered. Clear, Focal’s newest reference headphones, are one of the best I have ever reviewed. 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. Focal are nothing if not prolific. With Elegia, Focal has … Most certainly aren ’ t cheap we feel to wear not to boost bass too much into:! The release of the better carry cases we ’ ve focal clear headphones review, and a good alternative you! Good news: the Clear sounds closer to the Elear, the specs... Work together to control the dynamics and the crisp hit of snare drums really came through, and together these! Same ; outside of the best I have ever reviewed they may be, there... 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