[longinc]

Hello,

I own and have been listening to the Focal Clear headphones for a few weeks now. It's a wonderful headphone in many regards. However, i find it a "tad bit" bright for me despite powering it off my Cary Sli-80 integrated tube amplifier. There is a spike in some of the treble frequencies (i think). Does anyone (who might own or have demoed the Clear's in comparison to other headphones) have a recommendation for an alternative that is a "tad bit" warmer but yet has the same level of detail, and neutral response (in the rest of the frequency range)? I like a reproduction that is closest to the natural voice and to the natural timbre of an instrument. I am not looking for anything more bassy, as the Clears has just the right amount of bass for me. Preference is for an open back headphone. Similar price range (or less) as the Focal Clear.

I listen mostly to vocals (esp female), jazz, acoustic guitar, classical string instruments, and some rock/pop.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Benno1988]

Aeon 2 Open?

Same price here in Aus, not sure if in your lands.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I own and have been listening to the Focal Clear headphones for a few weeks now. It's a wonderful headphone in many regards. However, i find it a "tad bit" bright for me despite powering it off my Cary Sli-80 integrated tube amplifier. There is a spike in some of the treble frequencies (i think). Does anyone (who might own or have demoed the Clear's in comparison to other headphones) have a recommendation for an alternative that is a "tad bit" warmer but yet has the same level of detail, and neutral response (in the rest of the frequency range)? I like a reproduction that is closest to the natural voice and to the natural timbre of an instrument. I am not looking for anything more bassy, as the Clears has just the right amount of bass for me. Preference is for an open back headphone. Similar price range (or less) as the Focal Clear.

Most likely Audeze LCD-4.

 

[Benno1988]

Most likely Audeze LCD-4.

Yikes. Jump right in. "Have you tried the Orpheus"

 

[longinc]

Thanks @Benno1988 , @ProtegeManiac ! Will check out the Aeon Open 2 and LCD4. The Orpheus is out of my price range

 

[Benno1988]

Thanks @Benno1988 , @ProtegeManiac ! Will check out the Aeon Open 2 and LCD4. The Orpheus is out of my price range

Was a joke on ol' mate mentioning the LCD4. Its about 3x the price of the Clear here in Australia, proper TOTL price.

Good luck! The Clear is very clear and dynamic and uniquely Focal, so anything else won't sound like it much.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Yikes. Jump right in.

LCD-3 might be too much in the other direction for him though.

 

[Mightygrey]

Hello,

I own and have been listening to the Focal Clear headphones for a few weeks now. It's a wonderful headphone in many regards. However, i find it a "tad bit" bright for me despite powering it off my Cary Sli-80 integrated tube amplifier. There is a spike in some of the treble frequencies (i think). Does anyone (who might own or have demoed the Clear's in comparison to other headphones) have a recommendation for an alternative that is a "tad bit" warmer but yet has the same level of detail, and neutral response (in the rest of the frequency range)? I like a reproduction that is closest to the natural voice and to the natural timbre of an instrument. I am not looking for anything more bassy, as the Clears has just the right amount of bass for me. Preference is for an open back headphone. Similar price range (or less) as the Focal Clear.

I listen mostly to vocals (esp female), jazz, acoustic guitar, classical string instruments, and some rock/pop.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated! Thanks.

Sennheiser HD650/HD6XX are an easy recommendation for this brief.

 

[Benno1988]

Sennheiser HD650/HD6XX are an easy recommendation for this brief.

Going from the Clear to the HD6xx is a stark difference in clarity though. I love the HD6xx, but when I had both it was hard to change.

Everyone should own a HD6xx though !

 

[longinc]

@Mightygrey Thanks. I have the 6xx arriving this friday and so will check that out. It might turn out to be 6xx for extended relaxed listening and focal clear for critical listening.

@Benno1988 and @ProtegeManiac i got a suggestion from the reddit forum to try an equalizer (to tone down some of the treble frequencies). I was curious whether you guys have an opinion about taking that route? (i've never used an EQ ever so don't really know what the unintended impact is of adding another piece of hardware in the signal path). In any case, if you've had success with an EQ in the past, any recommendations of an EQ to consider?

 

[Benno1988]

@Mightygrey Thanks. I have the 6xx arriving this friday and so will check that out. It might turn out to be 6xx for extended relaxed listening and focal clear for critical listening.

@Benno1988 and @ProtegeManiac i got a suggestion from the reddit forum to try an equalizer (to tone down some of the treble frequencies). I was curious whether you guys have an opinion about taking that route? (i've never used an EQ ever so don't really know what the unintended impact is of adding another piece of hardware in the signal path). In any case, if you've had success with an EQ in the past, any recommendations of an EQ to consider?

HD6xx is a keeper regardless of what you do.

Watch Metal571 video on EQ on YT bud. Should help.

 

[longinc]

HD6xx is a keeper regardless of what you do.

Watch Metal571 video on EQ on YT bud. Should help.

Thanks @Benno1988 . Out of curiosity, what amp are you driving your Focal Clear off? I have driven my Clears off my integrated tube amp (i use for my floor standing speakers) that has a headphone out, and I have also driven them off my Chord Mojo. Both are using CD quality/lossless sources. Granted one's a tube amp and the other is solid state, one would expect a sound difference, but for some reason my tube amp (max of 40W each channel) is able to bring out even greater clarity, tighter bass etc (it just has much better control over the headphones). I know the Clears are supposed to be sensitive enough to be driven off an iphone (and the mojo is more than sufficient power wise to drive the phones). I was somewhat surprised that the diff in power headroom between amps made such noticeable difference. I was wondering whether you had a similar experience with your Clears?

 

[NA Blur]

Aeon Flow Open and LCD-3 are great options. The LCD-4 has some driver failures so would avoid it honestly.

aAeon has more slam in the bass and a more uup-front sound signature.

LCD-3 has more detail and sounds more even in general, but it weighs a ton.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

@Benno1988 and @ProtegeManiac i got a suggestion from the reddit forum to try an equalizer (to tone down some of the treble frequencies). I was curious whether you guys have an opinion about taking that route? (i've never used an EQ ever so don't really know what the unintended impact is of adding another piece of hardware in the signal path). In any case, if you've had success with an EQ in the past, any recommendations of an EQ to consider?

I use the Xonar EQ on my desktop gaming rig but that's for casual listening like YT.

On my main listening rig and portable I use Android phones as music servers and portable players, and I use Neutron Music Player (with up to 10-band, variable center freq, variable parametric EQ; plus Crossfeed and proper USB drivers) for locally stored FLAC and then I use Neutralizer for global EQ (ie Spotify Premium and YT).

 

[knopi]

I had Clear one week at home and I had the same problem it was bright for me and obviously dynamic driver timbre. Look at the HE1000 and thier varitions Arya, HE1000v1/v2 (maybe even Edition v2 but this model was for me too soft dark) and new HEDDphone (did not hear) will be sure also more natural than Clear from descriptions and sure it has big potencial.
Also Audeze LCDX could be for you but it is not comfy so I do not recomend them and sound is more closed against above mentioned.