Review: Focal Clear MG | Fabulous Sound With Magnesium

The open Focal Clear MG are excellent headphones. The music sounds great with many layers of detail and a nice large midrange reproduction. The ... Skiptocontent Menu Menu SIGNUP FocalClearMG GeirNordby 2021-10-20-7:00am (1) Readlater Facebook Twitter E-Mail LinkedIn WhatsApp X Share Ouropinion Fabulousdynamicsandenergy.Themidrangeregisterislargeandfocused,andtheharmonicsarefullofdetail.Fastanddissolvedbass. Veryfew. Specifications Type:Open,over-ear Principle:Dynamic Foldable:No. Remote/microphone:No. Cables:3.5mm+6.3mmadapter(1.2m),XLR(3m) Drivers:40mmmagnesium Impedanceandsensitivity:55ohm/104dB/mW1kHz Weight:450g(withoutcable) Color:Nutbrownwithbronzedetails Web:focal.com Price1 200 Productpage Inarelativelyshorttime,Focalhasestablishedthemselvesasoneoftheworld’sbestmanufacturersofheadphones.ItdoesnotseempossiblefortheFrenchspeakermanufacturertomakebadheadphones. TheopenFocalClearwereprobablytheonesthatmadethebiggestimpressiononme,consideringtheprice.BecauseeventhoughthetopmodelUtopiaisbetteroverallheadphones,ClearwassocompletethatIdidnotmissanything.ThattheythenalsocostwellunderhalfofUtopiaisinitselfanachievement. Clearhasnowbeenupgraded,primarilywithbetterdrivers.Theyhavemembranesinpuremagnesium–henceMGinthename. (Photo:Focal) Magnesiumdrivers ThegoalofClearMGhasbeentomakeadiaphragmwithvanishinglylittlemass,whilestayingrigidenoughtohandlethefastestoscillationswithoutdistorting.AndthatinacheaperwaythanhasbeenthecaseonthewildlyexpensiveUtopiawithmembranesofberyllium. OnClear,itwassolvedwithanalloyofmagnesiumandaluminium.ButonClearMG,aluminiumhasbeendroppedinfavorofpuremagnesiumtoreproducetheentiretonerangewithmoreextremeprecisionandwithsuper-fasttransients–alsointhehighestrange. Ifyoulookatthediaphragminprofile,ithasanM-shape,whichistheshapeFocalhaschosenforalltheirheadphonestoachievethemostevenfrequencyresponse.Likethepredecessor,thevoicecoilismadeontheoutsideofatube,butinsteadairwoundwithaverystronggluetogivethelowestpossiblemass. FocalClearMGiseasilydrivenandworksgreatwithportableplayers.(Photo:Focal) Easyload Theimpedanceisatacomfortable55ohmscombinedwithafinesensitivityof104dB.ThismeansthatClearMGdoesnotrequireasmuchpowerase.g.theheavierSennheiserHD800Swhenplayingjustasloud.TheyarealsofarmoreeasilydriventhanmostflatmagneticheadphonessuchastheAudezeLCD-XortheHEDDAudioHEDDphonewiththespecialAMTdiaphragm. Thedrivers-or"speakerunits"-inFocalClearMGhavei.a.adiaphragminpuremagnesium.(Graphics:Focal) TheresultisthattheFocalheadphonesworkgreatwithportableplayersandDACs,andinfactjustfinedirectlyfromamobilephone.Butinthisclass,qualitymeansalot,notleastontheplayerandtheamplifier.SoIwouldhighlyrecommendaproperamplifier. YougetfarwithChordMojo,andofstationaryIcane.g.recommendRMEADI-2DAC.ImyselfuseAuralicTaurus(mkI)andSennheiserHDV820,andfortheoccasionIhavealsousedNaimUnitiAtomHE. ThehoneycombpatternontheoutsideoftheearcupsontheClearMGisvisuallybeautiful,butalsohasasonicfunction.(Photo:Focal) Asymmetricaldesign–inspiredbythegeometryofnature Thehoneycombdesignontheoutsideofthemetalearcupsisnotjustadelighttotheeye.Moreimportantly,itprovidesloweracousticresistance,givingthemagnesiumdriverasmuchleewayaspossible.Thehexagonsareatleastinnermosttowardsthecenterandgraduallybecomelargeroutwards. Theyhaveasizeratioclosetothegoldenratio(Fibonaccisequence),wheretheareaofalargerfigurecorrespondstothesumoftwosmallerfigures.Itisrepeatedinnature,aswefindpatternsthatfollowthissequenceinboththeplantandanimalkingdoms.Theideaoftransferringittoacousticsisthatitcreatesamoreharmoniousrelationshipbetweenresonancesandthusbettersound. (Photo:GeirGråbeinNordby) ProducedinFrance LikeotherexpensiveFocalproducts,ClearMGisproducedentirelyatFocal’sfactoryinSt.Petersburg.Etienne. Theheadphoneshaveleatherdetailsontheheadbandandastainlesssteelinnergrilletoprotectthedriver.Thegridhasthesamehoneycombpatterntogiveacoherentexpressionandthebestpossiblesound.Personally,IthinkFocalhashitthespotwiththedesign. ClearMGhasperforatedmicrofiberinboththeearpadsandtheheadband.Itshouldprovidemaximumventilationduringprolongeduse.Acarryingcasewithmatchingnutbrowncolorisincludedtoensuresafestorage.Alsoincludedisa3meterlong4-pinXLRcableforbalancedheadphoneamplifiersandashorter1.2meterlongunbalancedcablewith3.5mmplugand6.3mmadapter. (Photo:GeirGråbeinNordby) ThesoundofFocalClearMG IoncethoughtthatitspredecessorClearwasatleastasgoodastheSennheiserHD800S,i.a.withfatterbass.Sincethen,I’velistenedalotmoretotheSennheiserheadphones,andI’mnotasskepticalnowasIwasthen.BecausetheSennheisersarereallygood. ButsoarethenewFocalClearMGs.Heare.g.thedoublebassonthequirkycontemporaryjazznumberFormwela1withEsperanzaSpalding.ItislargerontheClearMGthanontheHD800Sandstandsingreatercontrasttothepiano,whichdoesnotperformsowellwiththeamplifierSennheiserHDV820,butmorewiththeNaimUnitiAtomHE.ThepowerfulAuralicTaurusalsobringsoutthebestfromthebass. TheyarebothexcellentpartnersforClearMG,butperhapsmostNaim.Thereissomethingaboutthespeedandimpactpower–especiallyinthemiddlebass–thatfitstheseheadphonesperfectly.Nowonder,sinceNaimandFocalaresistercompanies. TheHD800SislessbulkyinthebassrangethantheClearMG.Theybothgetthewholebassregisterandalotofdetails.ButClearMGhasmoreweightandvolume,morephysique. FocalClearMGfitsperfectlyinthecase.(Photo:Focal) Crystalclarvoices Singingvoicesarereallyclear.Bothwomenandmen.Clara-LaneLensandNickCavecomplementeachotheronthecompositionLitanyofGatheringUp fromtheplayLITANIES,akindofoperawrittenbyNickCaveandthecomposerNicholasLens,whoisthefatherofClara-Lane.NickCave’sdeepvoicehasaformidablefoundation,largerthanontheHD800S.AndwhereClara-Lane’svoiceislightanddetailedwithSennheiser,itseemstohavealargerregisterwithFocalClearMG. WheretheHD800Sexcelsisthesizeofthesoundscape.ItextendsalmostinfinitelybeyondthesidesandplacesinstrumentsfurtherapartinalargerspacethantheFocaldoes.ClearMGismorefocusedinthemiddleandisperceivedasabitmoremonitor-like.Formypart,theHD800Sisquiteexcellentformixingmusicon,buttheClearMGispossiblyatoothsharperinthatarea. Thebalanced4-poleXLRcablemeasures3meters.(Photo:Focal) Aboutthesoundlevel TheonlythingIwanttopointoutaboutClearMGisthatwhentheyreachtheirmaximumsoundlevel,youcanhearitbydiaphragmmakingclickingnoiseswhenitgoesbeyonditsstrokelength. Thisisnormalandtheimporterstatesthatitisnotharmfultothedrivers.Butwhereotherheadphonescanbepushedevenfurther–becausetheygointocompressioninstead–ClearMGsaysstopwhentheycannolonger.ThisalsoappliestootherFocalheadphones,anditisintentionallytogetfulldynamicsinthemusic. ClearMGalsohasahighermaximumsoundpressurethanbothitspredecessors,ClearandElear(MGalsohashighersensitivityandcanthusbeoperatedwithaweakeramplifier). SometimesIwanttobeabletoplayveryloud,whichIcanwithboththeSennheiserHD800SandtheclosedFocalStelliaandCelestee.ClearMGgivesearlierthanthese,andduringthetestIwasindoubtastowhetheritwasactuallyhighenoughinallcontexts.ButtheconclusionwasintheendthatIthinktheyplayabundantlyloud. (Photo:Focal) Conclusion TheopenFocalClearMGareexcellentheadphones.Themusicsoundsgreatwithmanylayersofdetailandanicelargemidrangereproduction.Thebassiscashwithoutbecomingdominant,andthetrebleiscrispanddetailedwithoutbeingscratchy.Andbestofall,theheadphonesarecomfortabletowearandworkfineevenwithoutapowerfulamplifier. Thestereowidthisnotaslargeasonsomeothers.ClearMGmaythereforebeperceivedasmoremonitor-like–butstilljustasmusical. AdDailyDeals 1thoughton“FocalClearMG” IhavetwoFocalUtopiasandnowoneClearMGheadphone.ThereisasubtledifferenceinfavouroftheUtopiasbutitissubtleandmightnotbeheardonmanysetupssopayingover2XasmuchfortheUtopiasmightmakenosense. Andyes,IalsohavetheSennheiserHD800SandconcurwiththereviewcommentsonsoundstageandaddthattheSenniesarefarmorecomfortablethaneitherFocals. Themusic(inmycasemainlyclassical)soundsverynicewithanyoftheseheadphones.TheUtopiasareunsurpassedtotheseearsbuttheClearMGscomeveryclosesoareexcellentvalue.Highlyrecommended. Reply LeaveaCommentCancelreply WelcometoLBTechReviewscommentfield.Wewanttoknowwhatyouthink.Sticktothetopic. Name Email Δ GeirNordby Isthisthebestnoisecancellationonthemarket? HegelbecomesRoonReady-finally B&WPanorama3promisesperfectsoundwithoutasubwoofer SurprisinglygoodfromBose