We think they achieved that goal, but if you disagree, here are some viable alternatives. We’ll admit: when we first saw the Focal Clear, we were sceptical. Before you ask, no, they’re not quite on the same level as the Focal Utopia headphones — but they come pretty close, and at half the price. The biggest question we have to answer when reviewing these is: are they worth the extra money when something like the Elear exists? These don’t just feel like a simple reskinning of a core concept; rather, they offer definite improvements, and they act as a very effective bridge between the sub—$1,000 Elear and the $3,995 Utopia. The headphones offer plenty of bass response, though thankfully Focal has chosen not to boost bass too much like some of its competitors. The biggest difference here is the color; while the Elear came in black, the Clear comes in a tasteful shade of grey, with silver metallic accents. Improves on the original formula of the Elear, while making just enough key differences in audio quality to matter. Because, again, they are incredibly similar. With Elegia, Focal has … In fact, it has a few pairs of headphones that cost around half that — like the Focal Clear open-back headphones. You get a 4” cable with a 3.5mm plug for smartphone use, a 10” cable with the standard 6.3mm plug, and you even get a 10” balanced cable with a 4-point XLR connector. If the Elear didn’t exist, these would be revolutionary. Focal are nothing if not prolific. Since the release of the Clear, they have come out with multiple headphone models at a variety of prices. Upon opening, Focal's slick packaging is a delight. The latest of these headphones, and among the more expensive, are the Focal Elear headphones… There are three cables in the box, including a one-meter cable with a 1/8-inch connector, a three-meter cable with a 1/4-inch connector, and a three-meter cable with an XLR connector. Everything that comes in the box with the Focal Clear headphones In the box you’ll get a nice hardshell carrying case, with the headphones tucked away nicely inside. Obviously, having decent amplification always helped, but even when we listened to them off  simple smartphone, they performed well. As it is, they are merely very, very good. That’s not a problem that Focal has. He graduated college with a Bachelor of Science in Music Technology, and has been producing music, writing about tech, and trying out new headphones ever since. They offer a much wider range of accessories, all of which feel worth owning. They are just different. All the cables come with nifty velcro straps built in, to help you hold things in place while not in use. If you don't want to spend what you would for the Clear, these are well worth looking at, and remain an excellent pair of headphones. Focal Clear has a tighter bass slam. When French speaker manufacturer Focal made the decision to push deep into the headphone market, few would have predicted that they’d have this level of success. By Home Theater Review on July 04, 2018 70 . This is to be expected given that the Focal Clear is a very open headphone whereas the Z1R is a closed headphone. Price-wise, it’s actually in the middle of the Focal open back lineup, between the more expensive Focal Utopia and the lower priced Focal Elear. I had an opportunity to take these home and demo them for several days. If you’re spending $1,500 on a pair of headphones, perhaps the most important thing to consider is how they sound. Inside, foam inserts hold the headphones in place, and there is a space for your chosen cable. While we did occasionally wish that the mids were just a touch warmer and more forward, the clarity these presented was unmatched in this particular price range. Type: DynamicImpedance: 55ΩSensitivity: 104dBWhat We Like: Refined and classy sound, great build and accessories.What We Don't: Very similar to other Focal models, quite expensive.See the Focal Clear. Focal Clear over-ear audiophile headphones review. Focal Clear ($1499) The Focal Clear is an over-ear, open acoustic, dynamic driver headphone. How do headphones work? It must be said that if you already own the Elear, you’re not going to get an absolutely enormous upgrade by buying these, and while there are definitely differences, they do share the same sound signature – as you might expect. Focal , while relatively new to the headphone scene, is quickly becoming one of the leaders when it comes to design, style, innovation and quality. The bites of electric guitars and the crisp hit of snare drums really came through, and the headphones showed off some superb dynamics. At The Master Switch, we spend an awful lot of time thinking about audio. And despite our misgivings about the headband, it’s very comfortable to wear. Want Even More Master Switch? The low-end isn’t as weighty as other models, but it feels tight and controlled, with enough thump to satisfy most people. The Focal Clear headphones are aimed at offering some of what’s special about the $3,000 Focal Utopia headphones while combining it with the much more fun-sounding Focal Elear headphones, and they do that pretty well. It feels comfortable to listen to for hours on end, so I’m confident that those who just want to listen to music or those who are making mix decisions would both benefit from using the Focal Clear Pro. Conclusion. It took me a few seconds to adjust. Consider this the ultimate explainer. When we first wrote this review, his lineup consisted of exclusively closed-back models, but that's changed. Thankfully, the Focal Clear headphones sound absolutely incredible. One of the things that really set the Utopia apart from the competition was just how comfortable it was to wear for long periods. Fortunately, we're here to help, with our full guide to this audio topic. Anyway, it sold around three hundred and sixty million units. We saw a similar setup with the PSB M4U-8 (full review here), and we rather liked it - it got the job done, without being overly flashy, or getting in the way. The Clear sounds closer to the Utopia than it does to the Elear. Focal Clear Review - Still a $1500 benchmark headphone in 2019? December 31, 2017 Luckbad 0. Focal Clear Headphones Photo: ... Clear is still in the rarified stratosphere of audiophile headphones. Overall, the Focal Clear Professional is a great option for a myriad of folks looking for headphones in this range. The Clear is their first real test of longevity: a headphone that aims to bridge the gap between the company’s high-end models. It must be said: Focal definitely don’t skimp on the accessories. Focal clear comfort and fit At nearly a pound (15.8 ounces), the Clear is in the same weight class as the Elegia, but far heavier than most noise-cancelling headphones. ​The Clear comes with substantial accessories, and one of the better carry-cases we’ve encountered. Review written by @Chrono Review unit provided on loan by headphones.com Introduction The Clear is an open-back dynamic headphone designed by Focal that retails for $1,499, and it utilizes Focal’s full-range speaker driver with an ‘M’-shape Aluminum/Magnesium dome. We don’t think they are quite as good as things like the Eikon, but they still do a very solid job, especially for the money you pay. The packaging for the Clear is good, if unspectacular. While it is a little frustrating, it must be said that we don’t consider these points to detract from the overall package all that much. Focal is a French company that started in 1979 in the home audio world making speaker drivers and loudspeakers (originally, the loudspeakers were released under the brand name JM-lab, named after the Focal founder Jacques Mahul). Damn, we're old. ). The ear cups themselves are soft, squashy, and breathable, and also removable in case you need to access the serial number, or swap them out at a later date – a feature we always like to see. But on a technical level, much has been re-engineered to account for the different configuration. They look absolutely stunning! We very happily wore these for hours at a time – the soft earcups never felt like they were going to cause us any discomfort, and the space in the middle is wide enough to accommodate all but the largest of ears. In headphone manufacturer speak, this often translates as an admission that the mid‑range is recessed, but when you pay this much for a pair of headphones, you expect them to perform well across the entire frequency range! Not with quite as much volume, to be sure, but still solid. Of all the hundreds of headphone models available today, these are the best. That’s to say, while they have a number of different design elements than other Focal headphones, including color offerings, they carry that classic Focal headphones look, the beautiful mesh grills on each ear cup, and so on. All these headphone designs are circumaural open back designs. Like the Elear, the drivers are 40mm aluminum-magnesium, and are designed in an M shape. They don’t just look sort of the same; outside of a different colour scheme, they look exactly the same. Everything you need to know about headphone specs. Everything we do is geared towards creating bigger, better sound. To us, it seemed as if Focal were muddying the waters a little bit, succumbing to the iPhone malady of releasing incremental upgrades. It’s a consistent surprise just how well the HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 headphones have endured over the years. The Focal Clear headphones are a new $1500 open back offering designed and developed in France. See the Focal Clear See the Best High-End Headphones. Design. In a really good way. Review: Focal Clear Headphones Offer Enrtry Point to Audio Luxury John Scott Lewinski 11/20/2020. The Clear ups the ante, sharpening everything we liked about the sound while adding its own special flavour. Headphone Impedance And Sensitivity Explained, WAV vs. FLAC vs. MP3: Audio File Formats Explained, breaks down all the common headphone specs we’ve just mentioned. The frequency tweaks are subtle enough to make for a very natural listening experience. A simple DAC upgrade can do wonders for your audio playback, as for example, a 4K-capable TV might change your movie viewing experience. Bass response on the headphones is tight and precise, and not by any means over the top. When you take the headphones out of the box, you’ll immediately be dazzled with the metallic look and great feel. While we did occasionally wish that the mids were just a touch warmer and more forward, the clarity these presented was unmatched in this particular price range. The Focal Clear headphones are unmistakably Focal. ​These headphones may be a little too expensive for some - even with a discount, they’re around $1,300 at the time of writing. Or do they sacrifice too many features? And now, having the Focal Clear in hand, I sense they've reached their goal. The Focal Clear headphones, as mentioned, are built with plenty of padding and quality leather, and as such they’re pretty comfortable for long periods of listening. Clear are our brand new open-back high-fidelity headphones made in France by Focal. We tested these on a variety of amplifiers, ranging from a $99 Schiit Fulla (full review here) to a $10,000 Goldmund Telos 2, and they always performed at the top of their game. We put the Focal Clear headphones to the test to find out. Like its older brother, Clear uses a 40mm aluminium-magnesium m-shaped dome driver. And really…that’s kind of it. The Focal Utopia are the best headphones on the planet. French audio brand Focal has leveraged tech from its best headphones to create a striking new model in the Clear. It must be said that if you own the former, you’ve got very little reason to buy these, but if you don’t, this could be a very classy entry into the high-end headphone world. Remember the very first iPod from seventeen years ago? End of discussion. Utopia sits at the top of Focal’s new line and will carry an MSRP of $4,000. The cavity in the middle is also perfect for storing the three cables that it comes with, two of which are 10-feet long. Comparing these to the Elear, the audio specs don’t show a huge amount of difference. Read more about us. At 450 grams, or around 1 pound, the headphones aren’t necessarily light — but considering the padding and nice-feeling materials, we never felt like the headphones were getting too heavy. It’s not shilling. Essentially, these are the closed-back version of the Utopias. Good news: the Clear don’t just sound good, they sound distinctive. We disagree - they’re good, but advancements have been made since then, and they can sound just a touch thin now. For $1,200, you can buy yourself a ZMF Aeolus (full review here), an exquisite pair of open headphones that more than compete with the $1,499 Clear. Jun 21, 2019. They are higher quality than the Clear, and a good alternative if you have cash to burn. Yes, it works, and works well – and if we’re going to stick with an earlier metaphor, it’s not like the iPhone changed substantially between iterations. For the first time I'm not annoyed at the price of a $1000+ headphones. In fact, at $1,500, these headphones most certainly aren’t cheap. The Sennheiser HD800 is really the classic option here. They have virtually identical design, similar specs, and at the base of it, a similar sound signature. A reskinned version of the Elear? But: when it comes down to it, we think the Focal Clear sound more refined and slightly more elegant than their younger sibling, with quantifiable evidence that work has been done to improve the overall experience. It makes things confusing, and difficult to tell the headphones apart. It changed the way we listen to music forever - and today, Apple is no longer the market leader. They’ve hung in there, easily competing with headphones twice their price. The Radiance and Clear, along with most other Focal headphones, feature an M-shaped dome for their drivers. Focal Elear open-back wired headphones reviewExcellent sound qualityBeautiful designA little heavy9Overall ScoreSound9Design9.5Comfort8.5Value9We review a ton of consumer-focused headphones here at Headphone Review, but every now and then we get access to something truly special. In our Focal Clear headphones review, we explain how the headphones … The catch is that it’s sometimes 2 times … There’s a level of detail that isn’t present in the cheaper (by about $500) Elears, and a certain class and clarity to the low end that we found refreshing. At 450 grams, or around 1 pound, the headphones aren’t necessarily light — but considering the padding and nice-feeling materials, we neve… A guide to the inner workings of our headphones, Focal Stellia over-ear audiophile headphones review. Across the entire spectrum, things feel refined and clear – more so than in their predecessor, which was already pretty good. While we do think that they don’t sound quite as assured as the Clear, they make up for it by having some of the best soundstage we’ve ever come across. You'll get your money's worth with the Focal Clear. It's a superior product for the discerning music lover who demands the … Both the Radiance and the Clear are lightweight, durable and among some of the comfiest headphones, you can buy. And this trick, of releasing a slightly more expensive reskinned version, is something that plenty other manufacturers have tried before – to highlight just one example, when Mr Speakers released the very good Ether Flow headphones to replace the original Ether, the design remained largely unchanged. To more established headphone companies like Sennheiser and AUDEZE, it must have felt like getting hit with a freight train. Their open design makes them a poor choice for any other use cases as they don’t block any ambient noise and don't have a microphone or wireless technology. It’s just the truth. Very reliable service from seller. But just because the Focal Clear headphones cost half as much as the Focal Utopia headphones, that certainly doesn’t make them cheap. If anything, there’s an embarrassment of riches here. It was clear from the very start that these sounded like a different, newer pair of headphones, thanks no doubt to the tuning work that Focal’s engineers have put in. When comparing them to my Sony MDR-Z1R, they certainly sound a bit brighter, with less bass. It’s one of the better carry cases we’ve seen, and is easy-to-use, flipping open in a clamshell design. The Focal Clear headphones, as mentioned, are built with plenty of padding and quality leather, and as such they’re pretty comfortable for long periods of listening. It shies away from the standard black-box-with-foam-inserts as seen with the Elear and the Utopia, going for more of a flower-like design that opens out into multiple sections. That’s not hyperbole. The Focal Clear Professional are a set of high- end headphones aimed to match the experience of listening to studio monitors. The realism and space is just unreal. It’s a beauty to behold, although I can’t say I preferred the brighter look of Clear over the darker Elear, they’re both stunningly modern designs. Continuing in the spirit of Utopia and Elear and using the best of Focal technologies, Clear offer the sensation of listening to your favourite music in a space that no longer has limits. So don’t read too much into it: this is still an exceptionally well-designed pair of headphones. In this review, we break down the Clear’s sound, design, comfort and fit, packaging and accessories, specs and more. But if you’re going to make something look identical to its predecessor, and not even change the name beyond a single letter, it doesn’t really add to the illusion that you’ve put a lot of thought into it. No? For the record, we still prefer the Focal Utopia, but we would never say no to a listening session with these. The headphones feature a nice fabric covering for the headband and ear cups, ensuring that the headphones remain comfortable. Priced at $1499, the Clear is intended to be the best option Focal offers for under $1500. Focal Clear is more engaging to me because it's the lesser warm sounding between the two along with its bass quality mentioned above. Weirdly, the hinges are actually spring-loaded, meaning the cups drop back into a resting position after you push on them. One of the greatest pleasures we know is blocking out the world's distractions with good pair of headphones. The other main accessory is a terrific carry-case, with a hard, textured surface and a substantial zip running around it, as well as a useful carry handle. The Clear is made in France and is intended to be used The Clear also offers a slightly wider frequency range, peaking at 28kHz to the Elear’s 23kHz. SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless vs. Astro A50: Which gaming headset reigns supreme? The highs are, well, clear. Obviously, it shares a good deal of the technology developed for the Focal Utopia, which I reviewed in Issue 270, but its drivers are made of aluminum/magnesium rather than of the beryllium used for the Utopia. There are changes to the surround and motor system aiming to optimise dynamics and detail reso… FLAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD… There’s no denying that picking the right type of audio to listen to can be crazy confusing. At the end of the month, French speaker manufacturer Focal will launch an impressive new line of headphones, and according to the company, the three new models – Utopia, Elear and Listen – will carry the full weight of its 35-years of experience in high-end audio. Rather than a compiled retrospective review, I decided to present stream of consciousness impressions. Rudi in Headphone reviews. His ZMF series, which at the time of writing is about to get a new open-back planar model, is stellar. While the Stellia’s 40mm Beryllium dome drive unit is heavily based on that used by the older model, the closed design means that Focal’s engineers have had to rework it considerably. IT shouldn’t be glossed over how basically all of Focal’s headphones have incredibly comfy, circumaural fits. Focal’s literature invites praise for the Clears’ high‑frequency detail and their bass response. Here are some of the best ones of this year. They are very well-built and very comfortable for long listening sessions thanks to well-padded ear cups and headband. The latter is very much a high-end model that is second only to the groundbreaking Utopia: a closed-back, leather-wrapped, $2,999 monster but makes mincemeat of any song you put through it. if it doesn’t involve any of the following, you probably don’t need to worry about it. Perhaps the only thing to consider is how heavy the headphones are. The two most stand out in our minds are the closed-back Elegia and Stellia. All the same, they’re a classic for a reason, and while we think the Clear is slightly better these headphones will satisfy all but the most demanding listeners. The former costs $899 – significantly less than the Clear – and is marketed as an alternative to the sub-$1,000 open-back Elear headphones. These are open-back headphones, with a mesh grille on the outside of the housing, protecting the driver. Until now, Focal’s flagship over-the-ear headphones—including the $1,499 Clear I reviewed for TechHive last year—have all been open-back models. The Clear delivers refined and classy sound that stands with the best high-end headphones available. Since the Clear’s debut, Focal released the Elex, which is also almost identical to the Elear. As mentioned in our Focal Elear review, the French audio company has been innovating in headphone driver tech for some while now. In mid 2016 the french company released two open-back headphones which would bring their exotic material science to personal audio. The headphones are beautifully designed, very comfortable, and offer a sound quality that’s perfect for the audiophile looking for something a little more fun. Coupled with the fact that these headphones feature a nice fabric covering, braided nylon cables, and so on, and you have a pair of headphones that not only looks great, but is clearly nice and strong too. Christian has always been fascinated with both music and technology. What they had to prove to us was that they represented enough of a leap forward to justify the extra five hundred bucks. Be warned, if you do decide to go for the Aeolus, you will be in for a long wait – not because they are out of stock, but because each one is handmade to your specifications. If you like your headphones to have a little bit more of a human touch, if you prefer wood to metal, then give Zach Mehrbach's cans a go. We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. You wouldn't expect headphones to need any special equipment to work. Are they worth the cash? Focal’s premium headphones aren’t necessarily cheap, but after reviewing the Focal Utopia and Focal Stellia headphones, it’s easy to say that they’re worth the money for the right buyer. The subject of this review, however, is the “ Focal Clear ” ($1,499) - an open-backed/open-acoustic, circumaural, dynamic-driver headphone, and the third model to enter Focal’s range. High frequencies are super detailed, and instruments are clearly separated in the mix, making for a listening experience in which you’ll discover something new every time you listen. Admittedly, it’s a design that works incredibly well, and is distinctive enough to spot from a distance. It was clear from the very start that these sounded like a different, newer pair of headphones, thanks no doubt to the tuning work that Focal’s engineers have put in. Purchased these headphones from Audio Advice via Amazon. And by the way, if everything we just wrote is complete gobbledygook, we’ve got a full explainer article that breaks down all the common headphone specs we’ve just mentioned, and more. The Focal Clear is an exquisite-looking and brilliantly executed pair of headphones. The Focal Elear are good open-back critical listening headphones. Focal Elear Studio Headphone Review. Like all of Focal’s high-end line, Clear is an example of headphone design elevated to art. Read full InnerFidelity review here: https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/focal-clear-over-ear-open-headphones Other high-end models, like the AUDEZE LCD-4, can be difficult to wear after a couple of hours, on account of the fact that eventually the muscles in your neck stop being able to hold them up. In design terms, these headphones are functionally identical to the Elear. And if you take away one thing from this, it's that Focal put out a huge range of headphones, and the one you go for is very much dependent on the size of your wallet, and the way you like your music. Focal Clear is more balanced in bass, mids and treble. The Focal Clear headphones are a benchmark design that is one of the top performing headsets I’ve experienced. Similar they may be, but there are definite differences. 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