Focal Clear Over Ear Open Headphones Page 2 ...

The Focal Clear is what an enthusiast headphone should be: It's gorgeous; it's comfortable; its accessories are spectacular; and its sound is clear as a Montana ... LOGIN|JOIN Searchform Search REVIEWS Loudspeakers Floorstanding Stand/Bookshelf Subwoofers Amplification TubePreamps TubePowerAmps SolidPreamps SolidPowerAmps IntegratedAmps PhonoPreamps DigitalSources CD Hi-RezDisc DigitalProcessors ComputerAudio MediaServers AnalogSources Turntables Tonearms PhonoCartridges FMTuners Featured BudgetComponents AudaciousAudio J.GordonHolt InnerFidelity Accessories Cables PhonoAccessories Powerline RoomTreatments Stands/Racks Headphones Miscellaneous Music RecordingoftheMonth RecordsToDieFor AlbumReviews Music/RecordingFeatures RECOMMENDED Equipment RecommendedComponents ProductsoftheYear Music RecordingoftheMonth RecordsToDieFor StereophileRecordings More AudiophileEssentials EISAAwards COLUMNS Columns AnalogCorner AsWeSeeIt GramophoneDreams MyBackPages Re-Tales Revinylization RetiredColumns&Blogs ArtDudleyListening MusicintheRound TheFifthElement AudioStreams TheEntryLevel FaceTheMusic FineTunes JanaDagdagan JasonVictorSerinus RobertBaird FredKaplan StephenMejias ArielBitran WesPhillips SHOWS ConsumerElectronicsShow CES2019 CES2018 RockyMountainAudioFest RMAF2019 RMAF2018 AXPONA AXPONA2019 AXPONA2018 MontrealAudioFest Montreal2022 Montreal2019 Miscellaneous CanJamNYC2022 CapitalAudioFest2021 T.H.E.Show2021 FloridaAudioExpo2020 TorontoAudiofest2019 MoreReports NEWS FORUMS GALLERIES SUBSCRIBE PrintMagazine DigitalMagazine Renew SubscriberServices GiveAGift HeadphoneReviews FocalClearOverEarOpenHeadphonesPage2 SoundQuality TheClearis,inaword,clear.It'sgotalovely,warmbass;coherentandevenmids;andresponsivetreblethat'sneithertoobrightortoomuted.It'sclearlyrightdownthemiddleand,moreimportantly,verywellbalancedthroughout.SomehavesaiditsplitsthedifferencebetweentheslightlytoobrightUtopiaandslightlytoomutedElear,butIseeitabitdifferently. Myimpression—andthisisjustalittlefantasyinmyhead—isthatFocalknewtheyweretryingtobuildtheworld'sbestheadphone,anddecidedthewaytogoaboutitwastobuildano-holds-barredversion(theUtopia)andthenbuildaheadphoneasclosetoitastheycouldthatretailedunder$1000(theElear).Bydoingsotheywouldlearnabunchofstuffandthenbeabletoenterthemarketwiththe$1500headphonetheyreallywantedtobuild. The$3999Utopiaisabeautifulheadphoneandhassomereallynicecharacteristics(terrificresolve),buthassomeflawsaswell(cablestoofat;nocarrycase;andarazorsharpbiteat6kHz).The$999Elearislikewiseaverygoodheadphoneatitsprice(terrificpunch;warmcharacter),butithasitsfailingsaswell(bigmissingregionbetween4kHzand8kHz). IliketothinkFocalreleasedthesetwocansintothewildinordertostartgettingareturnontheirR&Dinvestment—nothingwrongwiththat,theyaresolidofferingsrelativetothemarket—butalsotogetfeedbackinordertofinetunetheirunderstandingofwhatthemarketreallywantsinahigh-endheadphone...andthenproduceakillerproductat$1500. Well,tomyearsandeyes,theynailedit.TheFocalClearisaspectacularhigh-end,endgameheadphoneineveryway.Forthefirsttimein...well,25yearsormore...Ifindmyselftemptedtoreachintomywalletandpayrealmoneytobeabletocallaheadphonemyown...ifIwasn'tspendingeverythingIhaveonmystepvancamperbuild. Isitperfect?No,nothingis,butit'sdamnednear.Ithinkthebasscouldbeabitmoretexturallyresolving,andthemildbassaccentuationdoesgojustalittleintothemids.Midrangeislovely,buttheUtopiaedgesitoutwithamoreeffortlessliquidity.Thetreblehasjusttheslightestedgetoit.IkeepwantingtothinktheClearisabitbright,butit'snot,there'sjustahintofedgetoit.TheClearisalsolikeitssiblingsinthatitcanbealmostunsettlinglydynamic,which,tome,makestheimagerathershallowduetobeingsopotentlysnappy. Butthat'salljustnit-picking.TonalbalanceisthebestI'veheard.BassextensionisabitbetterthantheothertwoFocals,andbassresponseoverall(thecombinedbalanceoflevelemphasis,dynamicpunch,andtexturalresolve)maybethebestofanyopen,dynamicheadphoneI'veheard.Midrangetonalbalanceisgreat.Vocalsare'youarethere'spotoninthebalanceoffundamentalsandovertones.Trebletonalbalanceisspotonandwonderfullyresolving.Cymbals,strings,andtrumpetssoundfantasticallytruetonature. OneofmyveryshortevaluationtracksisTigerOkoshi's"Bootsman'sLittleHouse"fromtheColorofSoilalbum.Histrumpetisdynamicandintense,andifthetrebleisnotrightitcandrillholesinyoureardrumorfallflat.RenderedontheClearsitwasspectacular!Simultaneouslymeatyandbright,intenselysnappyandorganic.Iwasabletolistentothistracksnippet—thefirstfewbarsasheblastshiswayintothetrack—muchlouderwithoutwincingthananyotherheadphoneI'veheard.Quitetheaccomplishment. I'llreiterate,theoverallcharacteroftheClearisclarity.I'vesaidbeforethatonceyougetclosetoneutraldeviationsbecomecharacter.TheMrSpeakersAeonFlowOpen,forexample,hasasortofmuffleddeviationfromneutralthatbecomesawarmandinvitingcharacterquitequicklyasonesmindadapts.Ilikepeoplewithcharacter,andI'mfinewithsomeheadphonesthathavecharacter. AndthereinmaybetheonepotentiallyproblematicpointfortheClear:Ithaslittlecharacter,otherthanjustbeingclear.Sometimesheadphonesthatareclosetoneutralandwithouttoomuchcharactersoundboring,whichcanbeagoodthinginsomeways.Idon'tthinktheClearfallsintothiscategory;it'sneutralwithoutbeingboring.Still,somefolksmaynotlikethisinthelongrun. Me?Ithinkit'sgreat.TheFocalClearisprettymuchexactlywhatI'mlookingforinareferenceheadphone.Absolutelystraightdownthemiddletransparency.Noattentiongrabbingcharacteristics,eithergoodorbad,justwellreproducedmusicinmynoggin.Lovely. Summary TheFocalCleariswhatanenthusiastheadphoneshouldbe:It'sgorgeous;it'scomfortable;itsaccessoriesarespectacular;anditssoundisclearasaMontanawintersky.It'snotbright,ordark,orliquid,oreven—someoddway—neutral.It'sjustcompetentlyandconfidentlytruetothemusic. Itdoesn'thavethetightestbassI'veeverheard,northemostliquidmidrange,northesmoothesttrebleresolve,butitisthebestallaroundheadphoneI'veeverheard.Weakpointsareabitlackinginbassresolveandmidrangeliquidity;averyslightglareinthetreble;andnotmuchimagedepth.(Also,notagoodmatchforhighoutputimpedancetubeamps.)Strongpointsarefantasticoverallbalance;greatdynamics;andterrificvocalandtreblerealism. ForthefirsttimeIcanunreservedlyrecommenda$1000+headphone.Ifyou'vecautiouslymadetheheadphoneenthusiastapprovedtreckfromaKossPortaPrototheSennheiserHD600/650,andhavefoundyourcarefullyprotectedwalletstucktherewithoutasurefirestepup,nowyouhaveit.Evenifit'safinancialstretch,theFocalClearisworththestruggleforanend-gameheadphone.That'snotarecommendationImakelightly. Ohyeah,theFocalishittingtheWallofFame,andhittingithard.I'mgoingtohavetodosomesoulsearchingoverthenextweekorsotofigureouthowmanyheadphonesit'sgoingtoknockoffthewall,buttherewillbecasualties. Video WatchonYouTube Resources FocalhomepageandClearproductpage. Superbestaudiofriends.orgthreadshere,here,andhere. Head-Fithreadandreviews. NEXT:Measurements» COMPANYINFO FOCALNORTHAMERICA 9641-82Ave EDMONTON,ABT6C0Z9 17804393901 http://www.focal.com/usa/ ARTICLECONTENTS Loginorregistertopostcomments Related Latest Galleries Recommended ThreeMarch2022FollowUps:iFi,Pro-Ject,Canton QuestyleAudioM12portableUSBD/Aheadphoneamplifier SchiitAudioVali2+headphoneamplifier SennheiserHE60headphones StaxSR-Omegaheadphones KossPRO-4,PRO-4AandPro/4AAAPlusheadphones MezeAudio99Classicheadphones ShureBluetooth5.0EarphoneCommunicationCable ShureKSE1200SYSelectrostaticin-earheadphonesystem 64AudioA18tIn-EarMonitor UltimateEarsReferenceRemasteredCustomIn-EarMonitors 1MoreTripleDriverOverEarHeadphones SkullcandyCrusherWirelessOver-EarSealedHeadphoneswithHapticBassDrivers HiFiMANSundaraAround-EarOpenPlanarMagneticHeadphones PSBM4U8Over-EarWirelessNoiseCancelingHeadphones MrSpeakersAeonclosed-backheadphones Book/MusicReview:ExcavatedShellac:AnAlternateHistoryoftheWorld'sMusic MagicPictureShows AnalogCorner#270:RegaResearchRP10turntableandAphelionMCphonocartridge EngströmMonicaMk3linepreamplifier Revinylization#28:Coltrane'sLiveattheVillageVanguardandCrescent,fromImpulse!andAcousticSounds FinalWords AnotherMotetRoom(withPlinius,KLH) TheAsona–InnuosRoom TheMartinLogan/PlanèteHaute-FidélitéRoom LeStudioduSon Re-Tales#19:Old-schoolvsInternet TheTri-Cell/L'AtelierAudio/HearkenAudioRoom AnalogCorner#320:DYLPphonocartridges,SMEModel6Classicturntable,LoricraftPRC6irecordcleaningmachine TheCapitalSoundRoom TheAcoraAcoustics/AudioExcellenceRoom TheArtetSonRoom Eagle2Amplifierhandmadepowercable. 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