But on a technical level, much has been re-engineered to account for the different configuration. We’ve gathered some of the most exciting converters currently on the market. They are very well-built and very comfortable for long listening sessions thanks to well-padded ear cups and headband. They are surprisingly light, and although they require a fair amount of power to drive properly, they will reward you with clear and elegant sound that takes full advantage of the open back design. What they had to prove to us was that they represented enough of a leap forward to justify the extra five hundred bucks. They’re the elder statesman of the headphone world, with a classic sound that many still claim has yet to be bettered. 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. If you’re spending $1,500 on a pair of headphones, perhaps the most important thing to consider is how they sound. 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). 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. That’s not hyperbole. Focal , while relatively new to the headphone scene, is quickly becoming one of the leaders when it comes to design, style, innovation and quality. To see how it stacks up, see our list of the best high-end headphones. 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. Sensitivity is identical, at 104dB, although the Clear has slightly lower Total Harmonic Distortion (at 0.25%/1kHz to the Elear’s 0.3%/1kHz). With Elegia, Focal has … But just because the Focal Clear headphones cost half as much as the Focal Utopia headphones, that certainly doesn’t make them cheap. The Elear is 80Ω, while the Clear presents at 55Ω (Meaning it’s easier to drive, and requires slightly less power). 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. It’s a consistent surprise just how well the HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 headphones have endured over the years. Like all of Focal’s high-end line, Clear is an example of headphone design elevated to art. 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. Like the Elear, the drivers are 40mm aluminum-magnesium, and are designed in an M shape. As you might expect, Focal has hit a home run with the Focal Clear headphones. The Focal Utopia are the best headphones on the planet. They are just different. Read more about us. Focal Elear Studio Headphone Review. And despite our misgivings about the headband, it’s very comfortable to wear. It changed the way we listen to music forever - and today, Apple is no longer the market leader. OPEN CIRCUMAURAL HIGH-FIDELITY HEADPHONES. 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. And really…that’s kind of it. It has an identical weight to the Elear (just under a pound), and the clamping pressure feels perfectly engineered – something to do, no doubt, with those spring-loaded hinges. The Elear already sounded spectacular. They have virtually identical design, similar specs, and at the base of it, a similar sound signature. We’ll admit: when we first saw the Focal Clear, we were sceptical. For the first time I'm not annoyed at the price of a $1000+ headphones. Priced at $1499, the Clear is intended to be the best option Focal offers for under $1500. Conclusion. The Clear is made in France and is intended to be used Thankfully, the Focal Clear headphones sound absolutely incredible. Since then, they have gotten their fingers in a number of different pies including studio monitors and car audio. The Focal Clear headphones are a benchmark design that is one of the top performing headsets I’ve experienced. Or do they sacrifice too many features? Focal Clear is more balanced in bass, mids and treble. How do headphones work? Focal Clear ($1499) The Focal Clear is an over-ear, open acoustic, dynamic driver headphone. 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. Since the Clear’s debut, Focal released the Elex, which is also almost identical to the Elear. The realism and space is just unreal. The Clear ups the ante, sharpening everything we liked about the sound while adding its own special flavour. 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. The Clear sounds closer to the Utopia than it does to the Elear. 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. That’s not a problem that Focal has. 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