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Old 10-11-2020, 01:42 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Default Focal Clear Professional headphones review

The Focal Clear Professional headphones arrived a few hours ago and I've been A/Bing them against my MassDrop HD 6xx headphones (which are essentially Sennheiser HD 650 cans). The MassDrop is a really good set of headphones. I've been using them for a few years and they've really served me well.

The Focal Clear Pros first showed up on my radar when I saw this review by Warren Huart in which he says at one point the headphones brought tears to his eyes.


It took me many months to pull the trigger on these. There's so much hype in audio gear and $1500 is a lot of coin to drop on a pair of headphones. I was prepared to be somewhat disappointed.

The first song I tested them with was "Tramp the Dirt Down" by Elvis Costello. I chose that song for no particular reason but it turned out to be very revealing. I played the intro a couple of times in each set of headphones. There wasn't a huge difference in what I was hearing. The Focals had a bit more clarity and for some reason the sound felt a bit closer to my ear (if that makes sense) but my initial thought was to hope there was more to them than this. I listened to the first vocal lines and while the Focals were certainly a better listening experience, I wasn't sure it was worth the price of admission.

Then the song hit the second verse and the fuller production kicked in with drums and bass. Now I was hearing things on the Focals that I couldn't on the MassDrops, especially in the lower end. The bass had a focus and clarity that I've not heard in any other headphones. The bass seems a little louder in the mix but I'm not sure if that's a result of hearing it better or if the headphones are pushing the lower frequencies a little. There's no mud at all in the bass on these phones. It becomes much more evident on the Focals that the bass is a double-bass and not an electric because you can hear that sort of string wobble thing that distinguishes the two. That difference is not quite as evident on the MassDrops.

The production features a glockenspiel, acoustic guitar, bouzouki, and Uilleann pipes which are often all playing at the same time. The Focals really let you zero in on a particular instrument without any smearing between them.

This is probably a good time to mention the headphones are comfortable. Certainly no less comfortable than any other pair I own or have owned.

Next song up was "I was in the House when the House Burned Down" by Warren Zevon, and again, not for any particular reason. But what was instantly noticeable was the lack of smearing across frequencies, both low and high. These Focals have clarity in spades. I hear things in the transients that just don't come through as well with the MassDrops.

The next test was jazz. Almost all of my jazz collection is older stuff but I have one recent cd by a guy who calls himself Dr. Saxlove. It's a quartet featuring drums, double-bass, piano, and yes, saxophone. I'm going to repeat what I've already said about these headphones... clarity. It really is quite remarkable what you can hear with these. The first track has some drum stick clicks going on. I'm not sure if he's hitting the sticks together or if he's hitting the rim of the snare, but even something as simple as that comes through with better clarity on the Focals.

Last up, something in the singer-songwriter vein, "There Goes Mavis" by Richard Shindell. I gave this one a listen through the MassDrops first. I immediately noticed that it was very difficult to hear the individual bass notes in the beginning of the song. The bass line was there but it felt like a pastel drawing that someone has smudged enough that colors ran together in some places. I put the Focals on and those same notes were much more defined.

In the video, Huart talks about hearing the stereo field much better. I didn't focus on that in my listening today. I'll have to find the right song to evaluate that and I can't think of one off the top of my head that I already own. But my initial impression is that Huart wasn't just hyping a product. These headphones deliver. Whether they deliver enough to warrant the price tag, well, that's the question, isn't it? But as I was listening, I started thinking about how these might help in a mastering context and thought about the times when I listened to a mix and felt it could do with a bit more clarity in the bass and then set about creating that clarity. I'm wondering if I'd have made those same decisions if I had these headphones. So clearly there's going to be a learning curve as to how to apply the new information these headphones give me. Perhaps a sticky on the computer reminding myself to proceed with caution wouldn't' be a bad idea.

By the way, the steep price tag hurts less having taken advantage of 48 months, 0% financing, at Vintage King.

This is what Focal says about these headphones:
The Focal Clear Professional headphones offer many improvements to the open-back design. The classic 1.6” M-Profile Aluminum/Magnesium drivers now include a copper coil greatly improving the frequency response across the entire spectrum, while providing further attention to detail in the sub-bass and ultra-high frequencies. With low mass moving drivers, the Clear Professional can accent the finest details in the highest frequencies, covering a frequency response from 5 Hz all the way up to 28 kHz.

The solid aluminum yolk ensures that Clear Professional mould to the shape of your face. An all natural leather headband and 20 mm memory foam ear cushions with perforated microfiber fabric provide the ultimate level of comfort for extended periods of use. The Clear Professional is so comfortable you’ll feel as though you’re mixing with your favorite studio monitors and not headphones.

Also included is a rigid carrying case with space to store an iLok (not provided), a 16.5’ unbalanced coiled cable, 3.9’ unbalanced cable, 3.5 mm to 6.5 mm jack adapter, and two spare cushions.
Features:
  • Professional open-back headphones
  • Remarkable tonal balance over the entire spectrum
  • Bass articulation, down to the very lowest frequencies
  • Great detail in the high frequencies
  • Listening experience very close to a pair of monitor speakers
  • Comfort and ergonomics
  • 2 cables supplied to meet all types of use (mixing deck, audio interface, laptop computer)
  • Rigid carrying case supplied, with space to store an iLok key (not supplied)



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2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
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along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

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  #2  
Old 10-13-2020, 11:51 PM
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Cocobolo Kid Cocobolo Kid is offline
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Smile Focal Headphones

Very nice review. Thanks for posting it.

I have been thinking about upgrading from my current B&W P7 headphones, and the upper end Focal headphones are certainly on my list of contenders. It's too bad the Focal Stellia don't come in the attractive red and black color scheme like the ones you bought. I refuse to buy a copper colored headphone. They can call it "Cognac and Mocca" but it's still ugly.
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Last edited by Cocobolo Kid; 10-13-2020 at 11:57 PM.
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Old 10-14-2020, 07:58 AM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cocobolo Kid View Post
Very nice review. Thanks for posting it.

I have been thinking about upgrading from my current B&W P7 headphones, and the upper end Focal headphones are certainly on my list of contenders. It's too bad the Focal Stellia don't come in the attractive red and black color scheme like the ones you bought. I refuse to buy a copper colored headphone. They can call it "Cognac and Mocca" but it's still ugly.
I hear you about the color of the Stellia ...copper accents are nice but copper overload isn't.

When I was doing my research on these, I saw a fair amount of comparisons to the Audeze LCD-X headphones which seem to be the main competitor to the Focal Clear Pro. The consensus seemed to be the Audeze was a little better on the lower frequencies while the Focal was better on the upper frequencies. I didn't have a chance to try the Audeze so I can't comment on how much different they are, but I suspect it's fairly minimal because there's nothing at all disappointing about how well the low end transfers on the the Focals.

The Audeze comes in cheaper at $1199 but the Focals come with two cables (a short and a long), an extra set of ear cushions, and a case. If the price tag isn't scary, the Focal Clear Pro are impressive.
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Jim
2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce

along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

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Old 10-14-2020, 08:09 AM
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Hey Jim,
Are you using some form of equalization to compensate for the response curve of the headphones?

What are you using for your headphone amp?

I recently went with Sennheiser HD600s ($300-$350 street price). The downside for me, as I understand, is that they don't have the resolution or realism of the more expensive headphones. As I'm using them only for acoustic guitar the limitations on the low end is not an issue for me. The upside is that their response curve is relatively flat (neutral).
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Last edited by ChuckS; 10-14-2020 at 08:17 AM.
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Old 10-14-2020, 08:31 AM
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KevWind KevWind is offline
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Great review and glad you are not regretting and really liking your purchase (It is nice when a product lives up to, or even exceeds the hype and or personal expectation). I felt the same way about my Amphion speakers.

Because in the end while there is certainly steady improvement in electronics quality per dollar spent , and there are some very good real value per dollar spent individual products throughout the various price ranges ,,, the old adage "you tend get what pay for " has not entirely disappeared ....... congrats
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Old 10-14-2020, 10:00 AM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
Hey Jim,
Are you using some form of equalization to compensate for the response curve of the headphones?

What are you using for your headphone amp?
No equalization software but I do plan on checking out the Sonarworks Reference4. I'm not using a standalone amp, just plugging into my Apollo X8p.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckS View Post
I recently went with Sennheiser HD600s ($300-$350 street price). The downside for me, as I understand, is that they don't have the resolution or realism of the more expensive headphones. As I'm using them only for acoustic guitar the limitations on the low end is not an issue for me. The upside is that their response curve is relatively flat (neutral).
A lot of people like the 600s and I think for most people, the Focals are overkill. They may even be that for me but I won't know until some mastering work starts to roll in and I give them a shot in that context. But I'm not going to lie... it's a quite different listening experience with those Focals. And if someone wants to lighten their wallet, there are worse things to buy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by KevWind View Post
Great review and glad you are not regretting and really liking your purchase (It is nice when a product lives up to, or even exceeds the hype and or personal expectation). I felt the same way about my Amphion speakers.

Because in the end while there is certainly steady improvement in electronics quality per dollar spent , and there are some very good real value per dollar spent individual products throughout the various price ranges ,,, the old adage "you tend get what pay for " has not entirely disappeared ....... congrats
I really was ready to be disappointed. And I'll admit to feeling a bit stupid when I ordered them.
I love the look of the Amphions. There's something almost art-deco about the face of them.
As for cost, I resist the urge to cheap out these days. At some point in my life I realized cheaping out leads to too many disappointments. I can't think of a time in my life where I've regretted spending money for quality. So these days, I get what I really want to get, and if I can't afford it at that moment, I'll wait until I can.

Following along with that philosophy, the current object of my lust and desire is a Tone King Sky King amp. I've never had a really great amp. I own a Line 6, a little Fender Super Champ X2, and the three Fender Pawnshop series amps but I've never owned anything I'd call great. That Sky King has tone that speaks to my soul. I'm going to live with the idea for a couple of weeks before I make a decision.
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2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce

along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

YouTube
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Old 10-14-2020, 12:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jim1960 View Post
No equalization software but I do plan on checking out the Sonarworks Reference4. I'm not using a standalone amp, just plugging into my Apollo X8p.



A lot of people like the 600s and I think for most people, the Focals are overkill. They may even be that for me but I won't know until some mastering work starts to roll in and I give them a shot in that context. But I'm not going to lie... it's a quite different listening experience with those Focals. And if someone wants to lighten their wallet, there are worse things to buy.



I really was ready to be disappointed. And I'll admit to feeling a bit stupid when I ordered them.
I love the look of the Amphions. There's something almost art-deco about the face of them.
As for cost, I resist the urge to cheap out these days. At some point in my life I realized cheaping out leads to too many disappointments. I can't think of a time in my life where I've regretted spending money for quality. So these days, I get what I really want to get, and if I can't afford it at that moment, I'll wait until I can.

Following along with that philosophy, the current object of my lust and desire is a Tone King Sky King amp. I've never had a really great amp. I own a Line 6, a little Fender Super Champ X2, and the three Fender Pawnshop series amps but I've never owned anything I'd call great. That Sky King has tone that speaks to my soul. I'm going to live with the idea for a couple of weeks before I make a decision.
The Amphions looks are primarily a form follows function design . Amphion started in Europe in the high end (audiophile) consumer audio market. And the focus was very accurate sound reproduction.
Here is a short blurb on their design


In their designs, they emphasize controlled directivity to minimize the effect of room reflections on sound quality. They call this principle uniformly directive diffusion. The company's signature design approach is the use of specific waveguide and very low crossover point (audio crossover). The low crossover point (at 1600 Hz) puts it outside the human's most critical hearing range (between 2000 and 5000 Hz) which makes the crossover between the tweeter and woofer undistinguishable. Waveguide is also used to align the drivers timewise and unify their dispersion throughout a wide frequency band. Amphion's home loudspeakers and studio monitors work as point sources and in phase coherent manner.

And they also use a Passive Radiator design for the Bass

The line up for the consumer market was white boxes . The white "waveguide" face plate technology for the tweeter was use in that market . I am assuming they just decided to use the same components but reverse the box color for to their studio monitor products by painting the boxes black, given that is the traditional studio monitor color .


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Old 10-14-2020, 02:25 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Very cool. Is their entire lineup passive?
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2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi
2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood
2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar
2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce
2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce
1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce

along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos.

YouTube
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Old 10-14-2020, 03:34 PM
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Originally Posted by jim1960 View Post
Very cool. Is their entire lineup passive?
Yes and they do also now make one Class D amp a 2x700. However when I got mine which has been probably 5-6 years ago they made a 100 and 500. I purchased the 100.( I don't why they dropped lower power models ?)
But many users also pair them with numerous other good quality hi fi 3rd party amps.
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