Focal Clear review: Are these $1500 headphones worth it?

Focal Clear review: Are these $1,500 headphones worth it? Focal Clear's sound profile is even higher-end than its price. By Alex ... 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For Distortion-freesound Luxurydesign Soundreproductionisstellaronallaudiodevices Sturdyandsleekaesthetics Spacious,durablecarryingcase Against Lackofaccessories,controls,andextrafeatures Noiseisolationispracticallynon-existent Veryexpensive Tom'sGuideVerdict Farfromcheap,theFocalClearsellsyouonbeautifulsoundandbuildqualityforahigher-than-normalpremium. Pros +Distortion-freesound+Luxurydesign+Soundreproductionisstellaronallaudiodevices+Sturdyandsleekaesthetics+Spacious,durablecarryingcase Cons -Lackofaccessories,controls,andextrafeatures-Noiseisolationispracticallynon-existent-Veryexpensive Youhavetobeaseriousaudioheadtoconsiderspending$1,500onapairofheadphones.Ifthat’sthecase,thentheFocalCleardeservesyourfullattention.Theseopen-backcircumauralheadphonescombinethebrand’sprestigiouscraftsmanshipandproprietarytechnologiestorecreatethedynamicsoundofitsloudspeakers. Theresult?Sheersonicblisshousedinaluxuryshell.However,theClearhaszeronoiseisolationandlacksextrafeaturesthathelppersonalizeyourlisteningexperience,whichmayswayyoutoconsiderotherexpensivemodelsliketheAudezeLCD-3.Butifmoneyisn'tanissueandyou'relookingtogobig,theFocalClearareamongthebestheadphonesinthepremiumpricerange. FocalcleardesignFocalknowshowtocreateattractiveaudiohardware.Itsentry-levelElegiaheadphonesarewellconstructed,andthesepriciercanssharesimilarattributes,butwithamoreelegantlookthatstaystruetothecompany’sdesignpedigree.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)Thefirstdetailthatimmediatelycaughtmyeyeisthemeshgrilleontheexterior,whichhasbecomesymbolicwiththeopen-backcircumauralcategory(thankyouverymuch,Sennheiser).Itscreamsindustrial,yetclass,andupholdstherefinedappearanceoftop-tierstudiospeakers.Theetchedlogointhemiddleisasweetfinishingtouch.Eventhoughtheyokesdon’thavethesamedistinctivearchastheElegia,theystillhaveathinandsolidframe.Itwillrequirealotofforcetobend.Butit’stheslate-grayfinishthatgivestheseheadphonestheircharm.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)TheonlyothernoticeabledifferenceindesignbetweentheElegiaandCleararetheearcups.Bothmodelsusethesamemicro-fibermaterial,buttheClear’searcupshaveperforationstocooldownoverheatedears.Theheadbandfeelsjustascomfywithpremiumleatherwrappedaroundit.FocalclearcomfortandfitAtnearlyapound(15.8ounces),theClearisinthesameweightclassastheElegia,butfarheavierthanmostnoise-cancellingheadphones.Despiteitsmassiveframe,theCleardoesmakeforapleasantwear,aslongasyoulimitlisteningtoareasonabletimeframe;Irecommend1to2hoursmax.Theperforatedearpadsmaximizecomfortbyventilatingsweatyears.Theyalsohavepliantcushioningthatdoesn’tpressuphardagainstoraroundtheears.I’malsofondofthecircularcutoutsthatofferagenerousamountofspaceforlistenerswithlargerearshapes.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)TheClearhasafirmerheadbandthantheElegia,butitdoesn’tapplythesameunwantedpressureatopthehead.Thisprovidessomereliefwhenzoningouttoplaylistsforlongstretches.Theyokesappearshorteraswelltoensureamoresecurefit.FocalclearaccessoriesExpectnothingdifferentthanwhatcomesbundledwiththeElegia.Thisincludesa3.5mmauxcable,gold-plated3.5mmadapter,andalarge,durablezipperedcasewithmoldsontheinsidetostoreeverythingnicely.Iwillsaythatthequalityisremarkableonallofthese,primarilythecase,whichcanholdextraEDCitems,ifnecessary.Theauxcableshouldn’tbeoverlookedeither,wrappedinaheavy-dutywovenfabricwithaVelcrostraptoconvenientlywrapupwhentravelling.Ifonlyitwaslonger.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)Aluminum-magnesiumpowerLiketheElegia,thesecansemployFocal’sproprietary‘M’-shapealuminum/magnesiumdriver.Pairedwithanewcoppervoicecoil,thesetwocomponentsaresaidtoimprove“dynamicsovertheentirespectrum,”producingtighterbassandhighs.WhileIwasn’tabletotestthecompany’solderandmorebelovedberylliumdriverforcomparison,Icansaythatthisalternativedeliversonitspromise.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)TheClearhasanimpedanceof55ohmsandasensitivityof104db.Tosimplifythetechnicaljargon,thedriverdoesn’tjustoptimizevolumelevelsacrossdifferentaudiosources(e.g.laptops,smartphones,etc.),butalsoeliminatestheneedofanyextrahardwarelikeaheadphoneamptoboostsound.Separationbetweenfrequencieswasimpressive,butitwasbetteronplantarmagneticdrivers;thetransitionfromlowstomidswassmootherontheAudezeLCD-3.FocalclearsoundqualitySeeinghowtheElegiaandClearsharethesamedriver,audioshouldsoundthesame,correct?Notexactly.TheClearhasaflattersoundsignaturethatrevealsthepurestdetailsfromthemostcomplexrecordings. Acapellasreallysoaronthesecans.LooknofurtherthantheintrotoQueen’s“BohemianRhapsody”forconfirmation.Thegroup’sharmoniesatthestartoftherecordsoundbeautifulandcrisp;thesynthesizedvocalshaveanaturalnesstothem.Eventheoverdubs(thesongapparentlyhasover180)likethe“Galileo”repetitionsandChinesegongsattheendhavemoretransparencytothem.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)TheacousticguitaronOasis’“Wonderwall”pulledmeinwitheverystrum,butitwasthedifferentstringarrangementssprinkledthroughouttherecordingthatmadethelistenmoreenchanting.I’venevernoticedthiswhentestingpopularmid-luxuryheadphonesliketheBose700andSonyWH-1000xM3.Claritywassospot-onthatIfeltthevulnerabilityinLiamGallagher’svoiceonthesomberly-croonedhook.TheLCD-3gavemethesamefeels,althoughitslowendfelttamer.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)BasslevelsontheCleararecarefullybalancedaswell.WhenplayingbouncyselectionslikeNotoriousB.I.G.’s“MoMoneyMoProblems,”thedrumsandguitarlickshadastrikingpresencethatmadevibingalongtotherecordjoyous.However,noteverysongshowedthislevelofperformance.WasitintriguingtohearTheWhiteStripes“SevenNationArmy”withoutitssignaturedistortedeffects?Yes.Atthesametime,therecessedvocalsandguitarriffdiminisheditsboomyappeal.IpreferredtheLCD-3andWH-1000xM3forbass-heavycontent,butIalsoappreciatedhowwellbalancedthelowendwasonthesecans.FocalclearnoiseisolationTheClearhaszeronoiseisolation.Itwastoughlisteningtomusicoutsideduetoalloftheenvironmentalinterferencethatmadeitswayontothesoundscape;carhornsandconstructiontoolssoundedlikebackgroundeffectsonhip-hopsongs.Beingindoorsdidn’tfareanybetter,asIcouldhearanalystsspeakingduringlivefootballgameswiththeTVatlowvolume.Raisingtheheadphonevolumedidn’tfixthisissue.Theonlythingworsethanthenoiseisolationistheamountofsoundthesecansbleed.MyfiancéeidentifiedeveryJay-ZsongIplayedfromabout25feetaway.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)FocalclearportablesoundAsifpoornoiseisolationdidn’talreadymakethesecansimpracticalforportableuse,girthalsofactorsintotheequation.Theywillyourweighyoudownduringcommutes.It’sashametooconsideringhowmuchtheClearimprovessoundqualityonmusicandvideoapps.WhenIdidgetthechancetopullupSpotifyinaprivatesetting,hip-hopsongshadmoreoomphtothem.I’vealwayslovedtheWH-1000xM3’sstrongbassperformanceonmobiledevices,buttheClearwasn’tasoverpoweringonmyearsandelevatedvocalclarityontheGooglePixel3XL.(Imagecredit:ReganCoule/Tom'sGuide)BottomlineWhiletheElegiaiscapableofofferingasimilarsonicexperienceforalowerprice,theClearremainsthebetter-lookingandsoundingpairofheadphones.Youcanonlymarvelatitsclean,premiumaesthetics,whicharealmostaspristineasthesoundprofile.Audioisalsomoreuniformwithsmootherfrequencyresponse.ButifyouthoughttheElegiahaditsfairshareofcompromises,theClearpresentsthebiggestwithitsnoiseisolationstruggles.Theperforatedearcupsdonothingtoblockoutambientnoiseandbleedsoundasloudlyassomeportablespeakers.Thesearenotheadphonesdesignedtobewornoutside,andifworninside,you’llwanttobeinasecludedareatofullyenjoythem.Again,$1,500isalottoaskforanypairofheadphones,butaninvestmentworthconsideringifyouwantnatural-soundingcansthatlookandsoundthisgood.Otherwise,lookatotherhigh-profilealternativesliketheSonyWH-1000xM3($250)thatcangetthejobdoneforafractionofthecost,andhaslotsmorefeatures. AlexBracetti Alifestylejournalistwithanaffinityforconsumerproducts,AlexhasoveradecadeofexperienceandhasworkedwithpopularpublicationssuchasComplex,Thrillist,Men’sHealth,GearPatrol,AskMen,andHoopMagazine.Hecurrentlyfocusesonaudio,reviewingthemostcovetedheadphonesinthemarketforbothTom’sGuideandLaptopMagazine. Seeallcomments(3) 3Comments Commentfromtheforums HiAlex, Iappreciatethereviewbutjustacouplenotes: Theseare,asyoumentioned,open-backheadphones.Thismeanstheydonothaveanymaterialbehindthedriverotherthanthemeshyousee,unlikeclosed-backheadphonessuchastheElegia.Therearereasonsforthiswhichyouarefreetolookinto,butthepointIwanttomakeisthatopen-backheadphonesarenotdesignedto,donot,andwillnotisolatesound.Shinealightthroughtheback,andyouwillseeitinthecup.Soundiscompletelyfreetobothenterandescapetheearcups;thisiscommontoallopenbackheadphones.Ifyourequiresoundisolation,whethertoblockoutsidesoundfromgettinginortoavoiddisturbingotherpeopleintheroom,youshouldgetclosed-backheadphones.Ifthatisn'tenough,lookintonoisecancellingheadphones.Notfornothing,buttheperforatedearpadsarealsodesignedtoaffectthesoundstage,notjustkeepyourearscool. Additionally,regardingaccessories,ifyoudigaroundinthepackagingabitmoreyouwilllikelyfindanotherboxwithathreemetercableendingina1/4"TRSjack,andanotherthreemeterbalancedcableendinginanXLR4-pinconnector.Ifnot,callyourdealerbecauseyou'remissingparts.Asforcontrolsforyourphone,whichI'massumingiswhatyouwerereferringtointhe"against"column,you'rejustnotgoingtofindthoseatthislevel.Extrastuffonthewirecanmesswiththesound,andthesoundistheonlyfocusofthisproduct. IhaveapairoftheseandapairofBoseQC35s.Theyarebothverygoodatwhattheydo,buttheydodifferentthings.TheBosearegreatattakingcalls,cancellingnoiseonaplaneoracommute,andsoundingprettyokwhilelisteningtomusicstreamedfrommyphone.TheFocalsareabsolutelyexceptionalatreproducingmusicbeautifully,andnothingelse.Bothareheadphonesinthesamewaythataboxtruckandaracecararebothvehicles.Yeahthetruckcanprobablymakeitaroundatrackbutit'llbenothinglikewhatthecarcando,andthecarwillbeabsolutelyterribleathaulinglumber.Alwaysbesttousetherighttoolforthejob. Allthebestandhopeyou'rewell Reply Verywellsaid.IhavethoseheadphonesandIhavetosaytheyareexpensive.ButwhenItestedtheminthestoreIlovedtheirsignature.Theyareverygoodforwhattheydoanddeliver.IfindmyselfturningmyheadsometimeswhenlisteningtomusicasI'mtryingtolocateaninstrument.Thisishowyouknowyougotsomereallygoodheadphones😊.Theyareexpensiveforareason.I'dratherhaveoneofthisthan5ofcheaperheadphones Reply TheseareopenbackheadphonesAlex.Fineexpectnoiseisolation.Noopenbackheadphonesoffernoiseisolationandiftheydoyoumissoutonwhatmakesopenbackheadphonesgreat. Reply ViewAll3Comments BeIntheKnow Getinstantaccesstobreakingnews,thehottestreviews,greatdealsandhelpfultips. ContactmewithnewsandoffersfromotherFuturebrands Receiveemailfromusonbehalfofourtrustedpartnersorsponsors ThankyouforsigninguptoTom'sGuide.Youwillreceiveaverificationemailshortly. Therewasaproblem.Pleaserefreshthepageandtryagain. 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