The Clear is STILL the best Focal Headphone! Focal Clear Review!

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Focal Clear MG review - • OUTSTANDING VOCALS! - ...
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[@adrnik19]

Josh moved in Gotham or something... Cool

[@kaizoor]

The OLED creates the perfect illusion

[@jonchapman4072]

​@kaizoor waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawaawawaaaaawaawwawaaaaaaaaaawaaaaaaaaaaaawaaaaaaaa

[@_baniraaisu6711]

Housing price is crazy low there can you blame him? 😂

[@adrnik19]

@@_baniraaisu6711 lol good one

[@JonathanDano]

LOVE the "Normie Take" section its such a great addition to the discussion. Josh with the articulate pre-scripted sentences and then courtney with the unscripted "that looks cool as shit" moments are such a unique value that brings a little humor to the clean-cut reviews and visuals that josh is known for.

[@mopnem]

Nah, you just like seeing a girl bro. “Normie” Is effectively useless information in a review vid if we’re being honest

[@JonathanDano]

@@mopnem her gender is of no importance to me, and the info isn't useless if it provides entertainment. Which for me, it does. But you can believe whatever you want, you party pooper.

[@DMurdock]

@@mopnem nah normie takes are important to help filter out the audiophile placebo

[@mopnem]

@@DMurdock Audiophile is def a hobby that is subjective but arguably the biggest issue is opinions given by people without experience, so I disagree. Fun to get a “normies” perspective? ..perhaps, but needed? I’d def say no, sure she drove some clicks tho.

[@DMurdock]

@@mopnem there's definitely some cult-like chicanery in the audiophile space. People hear quality because they were told that they were supposed to. Some real emperor's new clothes stuff. High end speaker cables used to be a thing until it was discovered that audiophiles couldn't tell the difference between a high end speaker cable and a common coat hanger.

[@jeffm.8275]

Courtney's description of the bass being independent of volume level really tells me alot about the Clear. I honestly think it's one of the best descriptions I've ever heard someone make about a headphone's characteristics lol.

[@sheezy2526]

Simp

[@technologicalsingularity1788]

Is she his sister?

[@slimshadythe111]

That's one aspect that annoys me to no end with any headphones I listen to, where bassy tracks or bass in general seem to muddy the sound.

[@whero2770]

probably the highest production quality audio gear video i've seen on yt - great job and great balancing ;)

[@Slay3rOne]

I spent the last few days trying to figure out what pair of headphones I wanted to buy this time. I ended up on the Focal Clear, with some slight hesitation with the Meze 109 Pro. I was about to order right now. And then this one more review drops! Perfect timing, and it convinced me even more to get the Clear OG. Well done!

[@camoturtle18]

I have had the privilege of owning both the OG and MG versions of the clear, and for me, I really do love both but I am on team MG. The MG is more “specific” where the OG is a better all rounder, but for me I really love what the MG does better over the OG. The OG has a warm shift to the vocalist, where the MG has a much more correct sounding vocalist to my ear. It’s still a tad warm like the OG, but it also has upper midrange ontop of the warmth that makes the vocalist just sound huge and massive compared to the OG. The vocalist is more of a priority and a focus of the MG to my ear. The MG is also a little bit darker which some will not like, but I do like it since the OG has some treble peaks that irritated me time to time at around 6k and 8k. I will say though, the bass on the OG hits much harder than on the MG and the OG bass has much more character to it. That’s how I justify keeping both around for now anyways. But basically I think vocals specifically are a huge improvement in every way on the MG, even though the OG is a better all rounder headphone. OG is a true jack of all trades but master of mine. For those that want more detail on how I hear the differences in the midrange between the two, here is my attempt at an in-depth explanation. The vocalist on the OG is warm, and I hear the vocalist to the sides of me, not inside my head, and more coming from “below” my ears somewhat because the vocalist is emphasized in the lower frequencies. The MG is different because vocalists seem to not only come from outside my head, but also inside my head, meaning the vocalist sounds huge and massive in comparison to the OG. Since there is also proper upper midrange on the MG, the vocalist comes from “below” my ears from the warmth, as well as “above” my ears from the proper upper frequencies of the vocalist. Hopefully that made sense, let me know what you guys think!!

[@qupeter1224]

just based on your experience, i think i am ordering a clear og, huge fan of hd650 and having a hard time to find an upgrade with similar sound signature. if it doesn’t have a similar sound signature, based on the look itself i can use it as a gift to a family member

[@camoturtle18]

@@qupeter1224 that would be quite the gift I must say. If a headphone like the OG clear was given to me that would be my new favorite person lol. I’m sure you will love the clear coming from the 650. You will notice a huge improvement in the low end with way more lunch and real bass extension which the 650 struggles with. You will also notice a warm shift to the vocals and a less shorty upper midrange. Soundstage will be wider as well and the detail/resolution will be much better. You’ll love it I’m sure but make sure ti let me know what you think once you get it

[@pythagoras6938]

I had both in comparision and I really want to like the MG, because the headphone looks so much better, but I ended to buy the OG. For me the OG is much crisper. The MG has more bass, but is more muffled to my ears. Especially female vocals sound much better.

[@camoturtle18]

@@pythagoras6938 interesting, I found the OG to have more bass. They have similar sub bass, but in the mid bass and upper bass the OG is far more present to my ear. Much more slam and punch with the OG in my experience. Hopefully it’s not unit variation going on there.

[@qupeter1224]

@@camoturtle18 i have bunch of headphones in the similar price range, hd800s, he6, he6 v2 , arya, akg k812 i hope focal clear is the one i am searching for. if not it is kinda wasted owning so many headphones as a college student. plan to convince someone in my family join the hobby using focal clear

[@benniehill927]

The clear MG I got about a month ago and it’s the perfect all rounding headphone. It’s nice to not have to complain about the treble being too fatiguing my ears are happy 😃

[@xxsirxfuryxx6122]

Agreed 100%, I can't tolerate the old focal clear as the highs are loke a crazy banshee screaming in my ears, but the MG version is very gentle to my ears

[@shawnyhu]

I 've been using Clear MG almost 2 years, it's much more neutrual than the old one with even better resolving capability. And compare to Utopia it has a reletively reasonable price. The MG is in my opinion the overall BEST DD headphone.

[@camoturtle18]

I enjoy my MG more than my OG as well, mostly for the improved midrange though but the less peaky treble I definitely like as well

[@TheVeganVicar]

Does anyone know what the "MG" represents?

[@camoturtle18]

@@TheVeganVicar yes. It stands for magnesium. Because the new driver is a magnesium driver. (Made of magnesium lol)

[@matthewhilty4209]

Yup. If I didn't pick up a Utopia OG refurbished for 1/2 the price this would have been my first choice. I liked both a lot . The sound is 95% of the Utopia for a much better price. The Clear has better bass while the Utopia and better midrange. In my opinion the Clear should be a little more expensive and the Utopia should be half the price. That Firefly amp is pretty great looking and I am sure it is a great Combo. It was fun seeing Courtney react to the unboxing. Keep up the quick little informative vids . I loved the lighting contrasting between your scenes, Courtney shots bright and airy while your shots Dark and stormy (literally) giving a heroine versus villain vibe.

[@raphaelmeillat8527]

Love Courtney's take on everything hi-fi! Please more of this double-take review structure!

[@technologicalsingularity1788]

Is she his sister?

[@LencoTB]

@@technologicalsingularity1788I am also wondering if they are related

[@jamdoney4210]

Wow, really like your backgraoud, dreamy clean and calm , like a game scenario(of cause, the content is as great as usual)

[@DavidHorth]

The local store started selling the B stock so took a gamble and bought the OGs. Paired it up with a Vali++2 and just love the sound. Bought a ZMF Cresent Snap headband cover as the headband hurts my head after a while. Not looked back, now sounds great and feels great.

[@carmell17X]

man that background is really unique and amazing, reminds me of cyberpunk and anime with rain scenes. keep this background. Also the camera quality is top notch as always, when I get the notification of your vid, everytime I got the feeling that ah something new in that sexy 4k with awesome quality

[@yashmishra1212]

the visuals in all your videos are incredible, but this one just one ups them all

[@stevenf9298]

Agree, picked these up a year ago and they are so lovely to listen to music with. Only real issue for me is the wear on the pads as they are a sweat magnet, and I can't seem to find replacement pads for sale in the UK.

[@Lynxiro]

Can't you get third party ones from Dekoni?. I got the sheepskin ones from them few years back and they have held up well.

[@TheMstwntdLMSV123]

@@Lynxiro they alter the sound. It would ruin these headphones because they’re already so perfectly tuned

[@Fremmy]

Same. Bought a new pair of pads in july last year and the new ones has since gone from light grey to very dark grey. New pair of pads, 200 euros here in EU.

[@stevenf9298]

​@@Fremmy​I'm going to Paris next week, was wondering if they'd likely have them in a French Hi-Fi shop

[@Lynxiro]

@@TheMstwntdLMSV123 Ruin is a bit of a stretch. I dig out my stock pads to compare. There's definitely a difference. Stock pads do sound more open and are less heavy on the low end. Also stock pads are a bit more comfortable. It's going to end up being a cost to performance evaluation.

[@PaulPlay]

The background looks super cool - is it real? I'm wondering how that was done, could be a TV screen or something?

[@takuan650]

Interesting video. I bought the 'Clear' about 3 years ago after I 'researched' headphones being a clueless noob, and - BOOM - I hit the jackpot. I've listened to a number of headphone since and I have not found one so far that I'd like better. I got a better cable (Silver Dragon) and a JDS Labs DAC plugged into an Apple Studio computer and that's where it stays. The clarity and overall balance is striking and provides a beautiful listening experience. Thanks for bringing this up.

[@RX-rd4sc]

Are they running still fine without clipping or driver failure? I heard multiple news regarding these issues

[@filovirus1]

yup got my Clear OG 2 weeks ago and I'm done with buying headphones. btw, Joshua, I don't know if the cityscape background is real or not but man, it looks amazing.

[@eurly93]

I love the Focal Clear MG I have paired with a Rupert Neve Fidelice headphone amp. They are incredibly accurate without being fatiguing, or so detailed that it sounds flat and boring (which is where I find the HD 650s to be). Yes slightly less revealing, but honestly these just make all music sound good and that's exactly what I want.

[@chrisk3127]

weirdly when I was using headphones all the time and got the clear I wasn't super impressed I liked the radiance a lot more. however after rarely using headphones for a couple weeks and mostly using speakers I ended up bringing them back out and finding the clear to trade blows with the radiance

[@falcodarkzz]

The Clear demolish the Radiance. They are even better than the Stellia imo (I have both)

[@demimascot]

I bought my Clears partly because of your old video. And I want to say 'thank you for that opinion' once more.

[@Lynxiro]

I've had the OG Clears for multiple years now. I have some small gripes but that mostly applies to Focal as a whole. If you want the same pads as the stock ones get ready to pay an arm and a leg for them, The headband construction is kinda wonky (They seem to fail somewhat easily) ,and sourcing replacement parts etc is a pain.

[@KingdomKey57]

I agree, the headband gives me anxiety because it feels like it could snap with minimum force. Compared to Beyerdynamics solid construction of their headphones in the $400+ price range it is pretty unimpressive. Sound wise, they are great!

[@x3LightNinG]

@@KingdomKey57 no way.. ive had my hands on them and they feel solid as f no kap. how mych force are you putting on then bands lol

[@KingdomKey57]

@@x3LightNinG They make creaking noises every time I handle them gently. It isn't super loud but for the price it is unacceptable. I have also confirmed it is not just my pair, I have tried them at an audio store nearby and my Elegia does the same thing. The build quality is bad compared to my T1 Gen2.

[@x3LightNinG]

@@KingdomKey57 beyer build are definitely simplistic and solid tho ngl. dirt cheap in price too its almost a steal

[@KingdomKey57]

@@x3LightNinG Funny enough I have had problems with Beyer's lower end models. My experience is not most peoples though haha. My DT770's 250oh wire became loose after very little use. Their higher end headphones have been amazing for me though (T1 Gen2 and DT1990). Beyer definitive doesn't have the elegant look of Focal. I am not a fan boy of any company haha. Love the AKG K712 sound as well but that thing feels cheap af haha

[@sweetlemonade123]

Do you add some background effect to your videos, or are you living inside cyberpunk?

[@itzzDizZY]

Bought one on your recommendation and these are my all time fav headphones now for everything.

[@findingwithterry]

Is that a real background? Where the F are you? Wow! And happy to have a Clear re-review.

[@hansaya]

holy shit, we need a video on your studio setup! That looks sick

[@BrianReed66]

I have owned one for 3 years and have not found any can that makes me feel better when listening to them. The Clear rules for the price especially. They have nothing super sounding that sticks out but that is what makes them great. I doubt anyone can find anything better for this price range. Go Focal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@dtz1000]

Aune AR5000 are better and cost a lot less.

[@quincyfreeman2901]

What are the background tracks you have playing? Especially at 10:30. Beautiful video by the way!

[@leeviharmoinen]

Veri Peri by Molife

[@CAthomaselliott]

I got mine 3 years ago. I'm pretty sure that I saw your review before I made my purchase. Along with everyone else. For me, they are the perfect head clamp force, I can wear them for 8 hours, go have a snack and wear them for another few hours without getting tired. I bought them because they were open back, and I wanted to be able to hear my dog or my wife sneak up on me while I'm listening. However, I moved to a busy street in Philadelphia and it's challenging to have my listening sessions with background noise coming in from the street. I still love them. They are a perfect pairing with my ADI-2 DAC FS. I am constantly in awe at the detail and dynamic range of these headphones.

[@AnDr3w066]

So you havent had the issue with the headband breaking?

[@CAthomaselliott]

@@AnDr3w066 ...and yes, I do baby them. Every time I pick them up, i handle them as if they were $1500. They have a place to hang and if they ever travel anywhere further than my desk, they go back into the box.

[@TheRealAudioDidact]

I've had a Sennheiser HD800 pair since 2010 and I can't say I have ever desired another headphone since. I couldn't be happier and I'm so glad this is the case. Mind you, I play with amplifiers, cables, DACs and other that other stuff. But headphones themselves....anything in the top price range is probably going to be just fine for any audiophiles. For some reason, when it comes to full range speakers I can't say the same. I swap them out every few months and even build them now. I find MUCH more power and emotions from the large towers than the headphones.

[@flow5718]

As the car guys say there's no replacement for displacement.

[@AsreiMurasame]

It's a good idea to have someone who isn't an experienced audiophile like us step back and offer their opinion. So having Courtney experience them as well gives some good insight into what others without experience might think. All things aside my preference is the Elex over the Clear. Don't get me wrong the Clear is amazing. I love the impact of the Elex though, which it has slightly more of than the Clear. Sadly the only reason the Elex loses out hard to the Clear is the fact that the voice coil (presumed) seems to break often on them and I've yet to discover why that is. Although my absolute two most favorites are the DCA Stealth and Expanse just because of how neutral they are and their pads.

[@introvertguy11]

Absolutely. The best investment I've ever made. Soo good dynamics.

[@soulfulfool]

yea they are most dynamic out of all dynamics I have :D, maybe not perfect in technical aspects of sound but that kick and punch, they are energy cannon due to drivers soft suspension

[@aa-rt8fx]

If you listen to very bass heavy music like EDM or Rap, Focal Clear driver's have been known to start violently clipping (and by violent I mean you turn the music off wondering if you just broke them) at even moderate volumes. This occurred in a demo pair of Focal Clear Mg's as well as my personal pair of OG Focal Clear's; there are also reports of this online, just something to factor for any potential buyers.

[@ihave7sacks]

I like to listen loud and never got the "clip" xD Probably absolute noobs cranking every bass slider to max cause they have never used a pair of phones that can do bass properly without EQ and gain.

[@aa-rt8fx]

​@@ihave7sacks I was listening to them without EQ and using lossless files through a quality DAC and AMP, this is an issue that's been reported by multiple users. And what is a 'noob' in the headphone world? Spending $900 on headphones doesn't make you better than anyone LOL, and some may even say these Focal's are a 'nooby' headphone...

[@soulfulfool]

@@ihave7sacks haha in my case right driver is letting me know when I push too much power, kind of weird that left side is going strong

[@henryposadas3309]

Wow I can't help but be blown away by the quality of not only your sound recording (as expected since you concentrate on audio review) but also by your cinematography! Would you mind telling me what camera gear and lenses you use? I know this is not the subject of this channel but Im completely blown away. Hope to see more episodes as I just subscibed!

[@ftlaud911]

Very good review!!! Liked the second reviewer. Her feedback is was nice to see a normal listener reaction. Have done the same with friends and got the same results. I chased the dragon to find the ultimate HP. After many HP's I finally took the plunge on the Clears (ouch$$). From the second I started my HP demo playlist I was hooked. While the name is accurate I think I would name them "Balance instead. It is so balanced in all ranges and you don't want more anywhere. It's been about 2yrs now and still happy with my purchase. It also helped me actually catch the Dragon and haven't bought another HP. Ended my very expensive journey which I enjoyed.

[@soulfulfool]

Oh I loved my Clears when I bought them but I wanted more :) back then I would say its impossible to beat them with closed back...yet here we are I still own Clears and can say that one need to have headphones around twice their price to beat them. Thou their impact and punch of bass is one of a kind, that make Focal headphones unique

[@Shawns_snapshots]

After watching about 3000 headphone reviews, I found a pair of these for 600€ used. They’re every bit as good as you say they are. Thank you.

[@dtz1000]

I bought them too and thought they were rubbish. Selling them now.

[@aceofspades6667]

OG clears are one of my favorite headphones in my stable... It pairs well with an r2r dac and a decent SS amp.

[@soulfulfool]

oh it pairs well with otl tube amp's and ss dac's, simply said with everything

[@69Muscle]

I bought them 4 years ago too! I couldn’t agree more, the Clears are absolute legends now. The sound is as perfect as my 59 year ears will ever need.

[@Makaveli6103]

Vs Elex? I was going to pick one of these up and cannot decide.

[@tracygalloway8498]

I had the Clears OG for several years and loved them. Then got the Neze 109 and as a musician, thought they were inherently more musical in their presentation. Sold the Clears. Each to their own. As long as you find something to live music with.

[@sachinmajotra9665]

Bro how to get clear og sound on meze , like i wanna make meze as smooth or as similar as clear

[@thierryfaquet7405]

@@sachinmajotra9665 sell your meze, buy focal…

[@masterxyr]

I also could not refrain from noting how fresh and uncynical your friend is. The unabashedly way with which she expresses what grabs her focus and tickles her mind is very welcome in this sometimes harshly sarcastic and bitter world we all share.

[@raikozy35]

I was struggling between the OG and MG clear like over a year ago, but a lot of people said the clear OG sounds better + it's almost half the price and I don't think it's 50% of the performance lol. So I ended up getting the clear. A good decision on my end I guess since it's still a lot of money and I've spent way too much on KEF LS50 meta with amp and speakers. My only gripe with the OG is, the MG grill looks better lol.

[@jessieneurotica7433]

a cool idea would be to do price range shootouts with Courtney where you have her try 4 or 5 headphones in a given price bracket. for example, you can do a sub-$200 shootout with K361/K371, DT 770, HE-400 SE, HD 560 S, etc.

[@marcodarc9802]

hello which headphones would you choose in the range of 1000-2000 usd? and which dac/amp would you use on that pair.

[@S.B__]

I love the Clear MG Professional version, it's just a clear but with everything is just better quality in sound up a notch.

[@marley720]

Hi Josh, I have a pair of clears and am using magni modi stack. How much an upgrade improve the sound?

[@hazard_209]

10:15 Playing God by Polyphia. Solid choice Josh!

[@craiglamson9247]

Dark, moody, dramatic. No not the headphones, the photography. You just keep getting better and better.

[@ANiCKiN]

I am listening this on my Focal Elegia. And i think they are very fine for a closed back.

[@matthewhilty4209]

I have the Utopias and the Elegias and I still listen to my Elegias regularly. They are that good. I like the way the midrange pops and stands out especially on Vocals.

[@ANiCKiN]

@@matthewhilty4209 I had a bunch of headphones from 100-300€. And this is the first headphone where i was like: Yep, that is sound quality. I love them. I ordered them "used" online for around 280€. The first pair had a little issue with the drivers (slight bass increase made a strange noise - Focal says it's how they design the drivers - but i didn't want to accept it). I wanted to return them and the seller offered me another pair. So i went to the shop, but they didn't have a used pair so they gave me a brand new pair. :D This one also wasn't rock solid, but i increased the bass just a tiny bit and now they sound pretty natural with slight bass bump. If i have a night where i want head crushing bass i will just undust my AudioQuest Nighthawks (they are insane). I will add Dakoni leather pads to the Elegia once i get the itch.

[@matthewhilty4209]

@@ANiCKiN Cool. I don't normally believe break in is a noticeable thing but all of my Focals did sound better after a week or so of use.

[@shiyu84]

Thank you for this video which I found really very pleasant to look at. A little Proust's Madeleine for me: a few years ago, I was looking for good headphones and I didn't like all the studio references of the time. Until by chance I tried the focal clear, without knowing the price, which turned out to be a revelation. I had finally found THE headphones, but I had not planned such a budget. I bought it used and a second new one a few years later (at a good discount). It is with these headphones that the music transmits the most emotions to me, followed by the HD650. And it suits Courtney perfectly 😉

[@ArianTashakkor]

Josh, would you please let us know what wallpaper it is on Wallpaper Engine that you're showing off in the background in this video on the OLED? It gives cozy vibes

[@darktompol]

I found the pads to be too shallow. Any recommendations for deeper pads because I really like the sound

[@BilllieJean-e9y]

It’s insane that you don’t review Focal Utopia 2022, why Josh why 😅 ???

[@Cloudheaven]

One of the best video production of YT, kudos to this channel so underrated in the business.

[@MartinManweiler]

I bought the OG clear professionals but then got the Stellias and decided to give them to my friend. The beryllium drivers are just way better on the Stellias than the Aluminum Magnesium on the Clears. Eventually I’d like to get the Newtopias with a good tube amp, but for $5000 I’d rather get speakers.

[@KristianDowling]

Love the moody aesthetic in cinematic lighting used in this video. Creating the fake rain and dirty background is on point ;-)

[@tiffanyflanagan1892]

I think you would like the new Utopia. The tuning is similar to the clear, but the treble isn’t peaky. If I had to choose a model of clear, I prefer the MG because of that harshness, but the Utopia has beautifully treble.

[@goldenlightworker]

Josh, one question: I have a Focal Elex that I like a lot. What do you gain/lose with the Focal Clear? Are they redundant?

[@FLEXSON_007]

is it realy raining behind you ? thats the most awasome background ever :D

[@avefreetimehaver5154]

Bro your background is lit. How?

[@revelationsoundstudio]

I almost purchased the Clear's but I found I preferred the improved bass, and I really like the mid range clarity of the MG's. I do agree that the high's on the MG's could be a little brighter. So how do you fix that? Very simple, I got the treble control on my preamp and boosted the treble to 2 db. Problem Solved. Now they are perfect for me

[@ASAPSauce]

You forgot to mention that the focal clears can be found for a pretty good price on the used market. I got a pair for $500 on reverb in near mint condition, though it took pretty long to ship from canada, the wait was well worth it.

[@adrianomoreira1341]

Hey Joshua, how did you make that background? Is it a real window? A projection? Or monitors/screens?

[@JohnScheppler]

I was going to skip watching this review until I noticed Courtney was going to be in it, so I'm now watching. No disrespect, Josh, lol

[@aidencoder]

I love my OG clears (except the absolutely daft choice of colour) ... i still end up picking up my HD650 more often ... the clears can get overwhelming even if they dont quite reach fatigue

[@soulfulfool]

nothing punch like Clear, the amount of energy they are pushing into midrange is outstanding, Clear is like 650 after strong coffee 😆 at least mine on tubes ofc

[@fortheprofit2186]

sub par response in the bass and treble extension ;bloat in 100 to 500 hz and that 1.5k region.

[@chaoticorder532]

Great video, very informative. Thanks. Was trying to decide between the Clear or an open box LCD-X about the same price. Any ideas?

[@mikeg2491]

Honestly I prefer the lcd-x because the sub-bass reaches epic proportions, the clear has huge problems with driver rattling and I wish more headphone reviewers would dare call this out.

[@SpookySkeletonGang]

I auditioned the clears once and I had HUGE timbre issues with them? I dunno they just sounded wrong but I guess I'd have to have them at home for a bit to know for sure if I'd like em or not.

[@JohnSmith-oe4bw]

You're not the only one. I tried he Clear MG, and I didn't like it at all. It just sounded unnatural and off. The mids were forward, but in a weird and alien type of way. I wonder if the OG Clears are the same, but with more treble?

[@beergutzplatoon]

Had em with a topping e50 and a singxer sa1 sounded great huge soundstage and natural, had an asgard 3 and e50 sounded horrible even worse with the soncoz dac, bright harsh metallic

[@JohnSmith-oe4bw]

@@beergutzplatoon - Interesting. It's definitely not the e50 that's the problem. That's a great dac no matter how you slice it

[@kael13]

What’s your preferred? Planars?

[@beergutzplatoon]

@@kael13 only heard 2, hifiman deva pro and audeze mobius, deva pro was a lil bright at times, I think cause not enough sub bass but had a nice soundstage reminded me of the clear in some ways with less subbass and warmth and still pretty good soundstage, I liked the mobius tuning but had zero soundstage without the 3d feature, with it on it brought some treble harshness but still was a great headphone especially for movies and gaming with 3d on and solid for music a good all around, then the headband snapped, I heard they fixed alot of these issue with the maxwell, soundstage, smoother treble. And headband. Id say the clears are 3 times better then those, more dynamic, more resolving, better tuning more natural sounding, bigger soundstage, better imaging, more bass. Clears definitely need right dac and amp to make em work,

[@sca7531]

Actually I love utopia more but still clear is one of my favorite. so much better than other expensive recent headphones

[@ixwd]

Bought these last month based on the recommendations of you, DMS, and crinnacle! Any recommendations for a similar (but cheaper) amp that will compliment the clears?

[@SonGokuhSSJ]

Monolith Liquid Plat/Schiit Vali. The impedance of the Clear is too low for OTL tube amps but a hybrid tube amp is a decent pairing since it helps smooth out the highs a bit.

[@jamesk5323]

How does the WA7 stacks up against Xduoo TA-22?

[@OzSteve]

Great video. Where'd you get that raining background?

[@greatestsportslegends]

So curious to know if you think the Clear would pair well with the Topping DX3 Pro+.

[@Jack-oc2fc]

Dude wtf is that backdrop that looks fucking insane

[@vietanhnguyen7848]

How to protect the paint on the earcups?

[@kalebjen4506]

Can't be a coincidence that I have a pair arriving today!

[@Marian1st.]

For those who still have iSine20. Do these headphones from Focal sound better than iSine20?

[@Zimmy68]

Can anyone explain who Courtney is? I'm not sure it was ever addressed in any video unless I missed it. Family member. intern, staff???

[@soulfulfool]

a lover 🤣🤣

[@simhawk3986]

Great video.. I am about to pull the trigger on these and wanted some ideas of a great amp/dac to pair with it besides the one in this video which is currently sold out... lol

[@gdemirjian]

I like the Elix just a bit more for a richer presentation. Something about the cellulose drivers I believe. Very close.

[@taitjames]

Still the best 3 months later? Huge sale on them for me atm at the same price as the HIFIMAN Edition XS. Can't decide. This is kinda leaning me towards the Clear as I have had great experiences with (albeit in monitors) Focal in the past.

[@phreak1118]

I have these headphones and they are AMAZING. I like them WAY better than the Audeze LCD-X I had before.

[@soulfulfool]

they have so pleasant punch, midrange energy with decent clarity make them pure joy

[@TheVaeVictus]

how you manage to keep your clears that clean? mine are very dirty 😢 do you clean them? how?

[@gcb2101]

Really surprised that you like this. I like most headphones you like (my favorite is the Arya), but I hated the Clear. It has these shouty higher mids/lower trebles that made listening extremely unpleasant for me.

[@masterxyr]

I have just realised that your videos look a lot like the A90 sounds! These against the Aryas? sure more expensive but..?

[@yuunashiki]

I liked the Clear MG more than the OG, both sound and colours matching. But I'm happy with my end game headphone setup, and now I'm just waiting for my end game IEM.

[@meredithgordon4101]

I’ve tried the clear og, clear mg, radiance, utopia 2022, bathys, and elegia. The clears were too sibilant and clipped at normal listening volumes. I still think the radiance is the best focal to date. If it was between og and mg, I’d pick mg every time.

[@akaishuichi4609]

Totally agree. Radiance is a hidden gem imo. I usually describe it as a Harman bass HD600. Best tuning Focal to my ears.

[@petrpulpytel]

Agree, Radiance are great..

[@chrisasmith75]

Should I get these for 800 CAD or the Beyerdynamic dt1990 pro for 450 CAD?

[@beergutzplatoon]

Singxer sa1 and a good natural sounding dac with some body like topping e50 or better, huge stage and very natural warmish, anything under that they tend to sound harsh, bass light, and metallic

[@AleXRuja]

i love your friend reviewing stuff

[@Artaois13]

Have you tried the Elex pads that are black and a fraction of the price?

[@orthosympa6993]

While the Utopia is undoubtedly a better headphone both in term of technicalities and tuning (especially on tubes). The OG clear is one of the best bang for bucks in the high end market and one of the best all rounder out there.

[@brandonburr4900]

She has absolutely no filter! How can she be related to you?! The true test would be is she would actually buy and use a pair. Than you have truly converted her to audiofool land.if I recall these are very sensitive and easy to drive like say a audeze lcd x? Been shocked to see a old first generation soundblaster audigy soundcard from a old gaming pc driving the lcd x rather well with old version of foobar and files on external drive. Not sure If this headphone would be worth getting to contrast with a sennheiser 650, Mr speakers ether flow open 1.1 and audeze lcd x? Thanks for the review !

[@Morden97]

Focal Clear vs Meze 109 pro?

[@Esme_Weatherwax]

I could never get over that gulf from 3k-5k, takes a lot of bite out of the sound. Wound up back with a 650 because of how empty that region is.

[@camoturtle18]

Josh what do you think of the clear vs lcd-x 2021? I know you love the lcd-x 2021 as well and they are in a similar price range with a sound signature that is in the same ball park

[@Arda.zaman1]

How would you compare this to clear mg??

[@nigu]

I entered into the realm of headphones this year, learning as much as I could prior to purchases. I now own Focal Clear, Sennheiser 6XX, Hifiman HE400SE, Sennheiser PC38x, Sony XM5 and from a previous life, Beyer Dynamics DT990 PRO. I have to agree on all points made by Josh, the Clear's do everything very well and are very pleasant to listen to which will suit a majority of listeners. For anyone new to the game, from what I've learnt. The reality is, no 1 headphone will do it all if you have an eclectic taste in music, each has it's pros and cons, so finding something that will cover all bases becomes so costly! (Deep rabbit holes require deep pockets) But I believe the Focal Clears are the ONE, they're not amazing in any one facet but they are DAMN good on all. They're also SUPER easy to drive, sound fine without a AMP/DAC and adding one only improves the experience. Where is the Senn 6xx sound absolutely horrible with the wrong amp. If you are in the situation I was in, trying to save up for the end goal headphone but unsure what sound signature you prefer because you listening to everything. Then these headphone come highly recommended. Save heartache and money, buy these on sale. Don't look over to your pile of audio gear labeled "regret".

[@David-mg8zu]

Is this good for video editing?

[@AbuN0ah]

Had a question my guy. I was able to grab the utopias for 1800 brand new. I mainly game with it and watch movies. New to all this, should I keep it or try and make a profit and get a cheaper better headphone specific to my needs?

[@lrerosa]

I loved the Ghost in the Shell shot! (0:11) well done Sr.