Focal Clear

Welcome to critica actual writen review!
Today it's time to do a special review. One of those reviews that makes me excited because I think it is a really good product. We are going to analyze the Focal Clear in its original version.
This Focal has been on the market for a few years now, a headphone that sold for no less than €1,400-€1,500 and had that price until the end of 2021 when it was reduced to around €1,000. Now it can be found at around €800-900, a price that is still very high but that I think may be justified because one has not yet been made that is equally complete both in terms of tonality and technical level.
This focal is one of the brand's family of headphones, where I would highlight the Focal Radiance, the Celestee as a slight renewal of the one already seen on the channel, the Elegia and of course the Utopia. This Focal Clear is somewhere in the middle and could be the closest to the almighty Utopia.
So, will this Focal Clear be worth it?
The presentation of the product is simply spectacular. Something superior to the Elegia which I consider, along with the Sivga Sv023, to be the most premium presentations I have seen. We have a rigid carrying case, comfortable to the touch and not very large, which allows the possibility of transporting the headset from one place to another without major problems. It is how covers should be...the color seems very successful to me because it is not flashy but elegant.
As for cables, we have an assortment of them. This version of the Focal Clear is the new one that comes with a rubberier and more manageable 3.5mm cable. It is a cable that complies, although I do not highlight it because it seems relatively normal to me. On the other hand, we have a box that is presented as if it were worth... I don't know... €150 where when we open it we have a 3 meter 6.3mm cable and another of the same length of 4 pin XLR. We also have adapters and brand papers with product information.

DESIGN, weight and comfort
The design of the headset since I saw it gives me the impression of an elegant and beautiful headset. It has that luxury component and a more elegant design than that of the Elegia...which opted for an elegant design but that gave the sensation of being sporty.
Focal is a brand that, apart from paying attention to the sound, usually also puts a lot of care into the fit and comfort of its headphones. The weight is about 440 grams and it feels very light and comfortable. It doesn't feel heavy or uncomfortable. We have soft pads, of good thickness, made of foam with micro perforations that allow better perspiration to occur and prevent the foam from being crushed excessively.
The headband is quite flexible and wide. On the upper part we have leather and on the lower part a kind of memory foam pad similar or the same as the material of the pads... it is very white so it will be susceptible to collecting sweat and dirt so I recommend cleaning it or putting it on. the black cotton cloth to cover it.
The clamping force is pretty good...it doesn't tighten or feel loose. It's at the right point.
Both in unboxing experience, accessories, comfort, design... I must give it an outstanding rating. Now let's get to the sound...

During my first listen to the Focal Clear headphones, I decided to try operating them with just my smartphone. The truth is that I was impressed by how well they worked directly with the phone, although in general the dynamics of the music suffered considerably. Although I recommend listening with an amplifier, if you need to listen with a phone, you can get by from a purely technological point of view...
I describe the sound of the Focal Clear as a neutral or slightly bright neutral with extension in the bass area and a little emphasis in the treble area. Mediums rich in nuances and with enough body. We will talk in depth now, before...
Isolation
As for isolation, we have one that, being an open headphone, is not very good...although I do not consider it to be as open as the Hifiman egg-type headphones. Therefore, its use is reduced to a domestic one where there are no noises around you. The sound that comes out or leakage is normal. I don't consider it to be anything dramatic to be honest and I sincerely consider that it ejects less than what could be expected from an open over ear. Consider this as unimportant because if you buy a closed headphone you can or should expect good isolation but if you buy an open one... I think you already know this.

Will a powerful amplifier be needed?
Regarding amplification, we find a headphone that on paper has 55 ohms of impedance and 104 decibels of sensitivity. Very standard values and in principle they indicate that it is an efficient product but I believe that is not entirely the case. Obviously I consider that it is more efficient than a Hifiman Ananda Nano or Edition XS, ARYA, but it is honestly very close. It needs some amplification to get the most out of it. This headphone reveals the source you have connected to very clearly and its scale, i.e. the ability to improve with better and more amplification and dacs, is relatively low. Try to give about 200mw to those 55 ohms of the headphone and you will already be enjoying outstanding quality. For example, you can give the IFI Hip DAC the balanced output or, if you don't have a balanced cable like me. Well, choose a gryphoon or a similar product. With your cell phone or a laptop it already sounds very good, but if you give it more amplification you will not remember the price it is worth so often.

SOUND SECTION – TECHNIQUES
In the sound scene I highlight its ability to envelop you in the music. The Focal Clear has a wide scene. Its height is good, although a greater extension in the high frequencies would have made it even more airy and precise...but I consider that it is fine as is since more extension can make it somewhat more aggressive than it is.
I am aware that there are many reviews where they say that the Focal Clear has a somewhat narrow scene...but I don't think that is the case at all. If I compare it using memory vs a senhesiser hd 660s I consider that the focal length gives a wider scene...if I compare it using memory against the edition xs the difference in scene is reduced to a little more height in the edition xs due to the size of the controller but more immersion in the focal. Regarding the Ananda nano, a video that I will dedicate in its entirety, I think they are quite even but I do believe that in the spatial section the ANANDA NANO with amplification is somewhat more spectacular on a first listen but I still find it less immersive. Therefore, its scene does not feel small at all, but rather very well distributed. It doesn't have a massive width comparable to that of an HD800s or an ARYA but the sound surrounds you giving a good feeling of depth and height if the track desires it. I want to highlight that like the Utopia and the Elear, the Clear does not have extreme depth. Its depth becomes more evident in particularly dynamic recordings, such as orchestral music or well-amplified jazz.
The image and instrumental separation is top class. You will be able to guess...or rather literally see where the sounds in orchestras come from...a sensation that few headphones have given me and that, as is normal, becomes more spectacular the more price they have. With the Focal Clear I don't find songs where it sounds congested...I can maybe feel a sound closer to me but the magic of this product makes everything sound in its place.
Another aspect that I want to highlight is the dynamics and resolution. Aspects also very well achieved in the headset. Everything sounds very...very lively...a little more than in the SV023 which I consider to have very good dynamics and with a resolution that does not sound artificial, although sometimes you may think that you don't need more information. A resolution that is not synonymous with enhanced treble, although that slightly bright signature accentuates everything a little...however I will talk frequency by frequency below.

SOUND SECTION – BASS
With well-recorded bass tracks I notice how quickly the headphones react to low frequencies. The kick drum is detailed and punchy, and has good separation between it and the low-mid frequencies of the bass. I know that many people wonder how the bass response is compared to the more recent models like the edition excellent. At frequencies below 50 Hz they could use a little more energy but for a dynamic driver I consider that few do anything similar...so far only the R9 has the bass of this headphone. Although not everything.
What I need to note is that there seems to be a slight, broad boost around 80 Hz, resulting in a more audible and balanced bass response.

SOUND SECTION – MIDS
The mid frequencies of the Focal headphones are thought-provoking because, although they are clear and detailed, they are not exaggerated at all. I think they are the most beautiful media I have ever heard. They have body, detail, dynamics... basically like those of the elegy...maybe even a little more natural but they feel broader.
There is a mid-bass boost around 200Hz, which adds thickness to the guitars, while maintaining clarity and warmth. I also notice a boost in the mid-highs, around 4 kHz. It's not over the top, but it gives the vocals a little more detail. And although the midrange as a whole is detailed, it is still relaxed…or at least not fatiguing. Its overall sound is more balanced and coherent than one with too much personality, but this fact makes it unique among other headphones in the same price range.

SOUND SECTION – TREBLE
The high frequencies of the Focal Clear are closer to the Focal Elear than the Focal Utopia.
They are well balanced, but have a boost between 10kHz and 12kHz. It's not a very airy sound, but I think it doesn't need an extra spark. Perhaps in some songs and for certain people it may seem aggressive at higher volumes because although it does not have a huge extension there is an enhancement... but I think that its bright neutral character does it more good than harm. Listening with the balanced cable seemed to improve the higher frequencies, and as a result imaging and detail.


Recommending a headset worth more than €200 is already difficult for me. It must be good and stand out from the competition for me to publicly recommend it here. This headset is worth over €900, therefore its recommendation is based solely on one question. What do you expect from him? You are looking for a very clean sound, a natural timbre, an immersive scene, good dynamics, good bass and sub-bass, relatively efficient...this is your headset.
If you are looking for a very good sound without spending such a large amount of money, I recommend that you watch the video and future videos on my channel!!

I´m also on YouTube!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMtfbMXFzOKe07X-ZstZ_Bg

This review was originally published here on Headphones.com, but I am re-posting it for readers on Head-Fi.

Introduction ​

Based out of France and purveyor to some of the world’s finest audio transducers, Focal’s a brand that’s been on my radar for some time. The Focal Utopia, in particular, has afforded me many a moment of yearning. And angst, I should add, looking at that price tag! For mere mortals like myself, then, the Focal Clear was the clear alternative that promised comparable performance at a fraction of the Utopia’s cost. And yes, I’ll try and refrain from more bad puns going forward. Anyways, courtesy of Headphones.com, I’ve been evaluating the Clear for the last couple months.

I know I’m quite late to the party with my review. And if you’ve read any other reviews, then I think it’s already been well-established that the Clear is a pretty awesome headphone. There’s not much fun (for me, at least) in parroting those reviews, so I’m going to do what I do best: Let the critic in me run wild. This is not a review for the faint of heart; however, if you’re interested in a more critical perspective on this highly-acclaimed headphone, then I encourage you to read on.

Source & Drivability ​

Critical listening was done off of a Burson 3X Conductor, iFi iDSD Micro BL > Macbook Air > Audirvana > lossless FLAC files. That being said, the Clear is a remarkably easy headphone to drive due to a low impedance of 55 Ohms. I was able to listen using a number of portable sources like my iBasso DX300 without an issue. For music used, check out the end of the review where you can find some of the tracks I use for my listening.

The Tangibles​

The Clear arrives in a large, black cardboard box with Focal’s branding on it. The following accessories are included:

• Hard-carrying case w/ storage for one cable
• 1.2 meter cable w/ 3.5mm jack
• 3 meter cable w/ 6.35mm jack
• 3 meter cable w/ XLR 4-pin connector

I really like the included carrying case. It also has a slot for a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter so you can get away with just bringing the 1.2mm cable. I think my biggest complaint about the included accessories would be the tactility of the cables. They are fairly...well, janky, for lack of a better word, and I would like to have seen higher quality cables included. They look like the same cables you might find off a desktop lamp from Ikea (no really, I encourage you to check out some posts in the r/headphones subReddit). Then again, you’re getting three separate cables, so maybe that’s fair.



The Clear itself sports a substantial build. It has an aluminum frame, leather headband with perforations, and memory foam cups with perforations for breathability. There is some play to the yoke when moving the cups from side-to-side, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it affords a more comfortable fit when the headphone is being worn. The cups themselves also have a very cool spring system which contours the cups into place so you don’t have to worry about adjusting the headphone as much. Again, really solid stuff overall. The only thing I’m somewhat on the fence about is the lighter color of the pads. They’re prone to discoloration given time (and replacement pads are not cheap!).

For fit and comfort, the Clear is certainly not as comfortable as something like the HD800S, but it is far from being the least comfortable headphone that I have worn. I think most people would be fine, as I’m quite picky about headphones and don’t wear them often. Because this is an open-back headphone, do be aware that there is zero isolation. I wouldn’t purchase this headphone expecting to use it on public transportation or in louder environments.

Sound Analysis​

Twitter-review summary: The Clear presents a neutral-warm sound signature that’s reasonably well-balanced sans some quirks in the upper-midrange and treble. In tandem with its technical presentation, it is a forward, engaging listen that demands attention.

I actually have the venerable Sennheiser HD800S on-hand at the time of this writing. Suffice it to say that I was not impressed with the HD800S’s bass response, and switching to the Clear presented an immediate improvement. The Clear’s bass is pretty much exactly what you would expect of a higher-end, dynamic driver headphone. It is near-neutral and extends fairly deep. I would say it’s on the faster end of dynamic driver bass; neither the hardest hitting nor crazy clean like a planar, but simply...good. I would certainly prefer more sub-bass quantity; of course, that’s personal preference. Oh, and before I forget: If you're wondering about the oft-cited driver clipping, for better or worse, I don't listen remotely loud enough for it to occur.

The midrange is where things get more dicey. The Clear transitions into the lower-midrange properly - it’s dead flat - followed by a peak at roughly 1.5kHz. This part actually sits fine with me. While it certainly contributes to the Clear’s slightly boxier presentation, I immediately noticed that it flies superbly with the likes of piano. I’m no musician, but to my ears, piano tones sound incredibly exuberant and rich on the Clear. In general, the Clear is a headphone with a focus on the lower-midrange. Now, I think the Clear’s second midrange quirk will be more contentious. It is a dip at roughly 4kHz. This is not necessarily an issue standalone - in fact, many of my favorite transducers recess this region - but the Clear contrasts this with a minor peak at 6kHz in the lower-treble.

The end result is a double-whammy, as I hear substantial amounts of sibilance and grate with female vocals. If you’re not familiar with the term sibilance, it’s when certain consonances are emphasized over others with a hissing characteristic. A quick example I can point to is Girls Generation’s “Flyers” at 0:45 on the lyrics “peace sign”. It almost sounds like the “s” has shifted into an abrupt whistle. Before you say “It’s your garbage K-Pop tracks!”…well, yes, it is partially baked into the track, but I don’t hear this on any of my other transducers, or at least not to this degree. The Clear also has what I would consider a fairly textured timbre (it certainly leans more textured than, say, the Sennheiser HD6XX). To my ears, these instances of sibilance unnaturally highlight the texture to the degree of which I use the word “grate”.

You know, it’s unfortunate that the Clear’s 6kHz peak contrasted to the 4kHz dip is just enough to result in sibilance. Because despite measurements citing that fairly pronounced 6kHz peak on the Clear, the peak was barely audible based on sine sweeps I ran by ear. I want to say that the Clear’s treble response is actually more mid-treble oriented. Like so, I observed a peak somewhere at roughly 9kHz, followed by a significantly stronger one at 11kHz. After this point, the Clear slopes off not unlike the Sennheiser HD6XX; it's not a particularly airy headphone to my ears. But frequency response only tells us so much. How does this actually translate to practice?

To my ears, then, the initial impact of percussive hits are pulled out longer than they should be, and there’s a type of dirty resonance that harkens to my brief stint with the Hidition Viento-B. I don’t think it ever quite comes across as smeared - the Clear has fairly good nuance - however, it contributes to what some might describe as a “metallic” timbre. Doesn’t sound pleasant, right? But here's the thing: I have to admit that I don’t dislike it. It’s a peaky treble response to be sure, but there’s an edge of authenticity to the Clear’s treble that appeals to me. For example, when the opening cymbals of SawanoHiroyuki’s “Cage” drop, they sound oh-so-authorative; it’s almost like you’re on stage right next to the hits.

Technical Performance​

But while the Clear’s a brighter-leaning headphone, I don’t get the impression that it’s using frequency response to compensate or “fake” the perception of detail. Indeed, the Clear is a remarkably strong performer for a sense of internal detail. I would mainly point to the Clear’s microdynamics - reverb trails, decay, and the nuance of individual instrument lines. I freely admit that I struggle to hone in on this stuff, and at the end of the day, it’s mostly me acting on gut instinct. Nonetheless, most readers will know that I come from a strong IEM background where (in my opinion) microdynamics are largely non-existent. The few IEMs I have heard with the ability to scale more intimate fluctuations tend to have a certain, say, “micro-texture” to the way notes decay. The Clear definitely has this quality, and I think it pays compliment to its macrodynamic ability.

Speaking of which: the Clear’s excellent macrodynamic contrast. In any given track, there are decibel peaks and valleys; macrodynamic contrast is indicative of a transducer’s ability to scale said gradations. Pro tip? A hallmark of a headphone with good dynamic contrast is one where you find yourself turning up the volume on quiet sections of tracks and, conversely, turning down the volume on louder parts of tracks. The Clear is not a headphone for listeners who want to kick back and relax after a long day’s work; believe me, this is a headphone that demands your attention. So watch those listening volumes with the Clear!

That said, I still have bone to pick concerning the weight, the second derivative of macrodynamics to my ears, with which the Clear rides dynamic swings. What do I mean? If you have ever heard a 2-channel system - heck, even some IEMs like the 64 Audio U12t and Tia Fourte - you might notice that there is a sense of intensity, pressure, as certain tracks build. On Taeyeon’s “Make Me Love You,” for example, the opening bassline should successively wash you with a gentle, yet firm sense of authority. Then when the song transitions into the chorus at 0:50, it should be the auditory equivalent of a wave slamming into you. In this instance, the Clear’s a fairly punchy headphone with a good sense of immediacy to be sure, but I think its ability to articulate that more innate sense of body, gravity if you will, could use some work.

Of course, this is me nitpicking. For most listeners, I think the Clear’s most apparent weakness will be soundstage size. The stage of the Clear is a more intimate one. If I had to guess, this is due equal parts to the forwardness of treble and to the bump at 1.5kHz. This is particularly evident relative to the HD800S which chooses to cut the 1kHz region; instruments sound slightly squeezed on the Clear. To be fair, these headphones are going for two very different things. The Clear is certainly warmer, and I think it maintains solid imaging chops - at least on the front of positional accuracy. Like most headphones, I don't think the Clear's soundstage depth is something worth commenting on.

The Verdict​

The Clear was not quite what I expected it to be. In many ways, it is the antithesis of my time with the Sennheiser HD800S. I felt that the HD800S sacrificed microdynamic engagement and bass in the pursuit of a more analytical sound. By contrast, the Clear is a more visceral, energetic expression of what’s possible from a dynamic driver headphone. Here, I want to reiterate that I have been intentionally critical throughout this review. While it’s far from perfect, the Clear is still a fantastic headphone in my books, one that I once considered purchasing for myself. So if you're looking for a headphone intent on keeping you at the edge of your seat - and can live with some minor flaws - then it’s my pleasure to recommend the Focal Clear.

Reference Tracks​

• Aimer - Hakuchuumu
• David Nail - Let It Rain
• Everglow - DUN DUN
• Girls’ Generation - Galaxy Supernova
• Illenium - Broken Ones
• Joe Nichols - Sunny and 75
• Keith Urban - Defying Gravity (2009)
• Keiichi Okabe - Weight of the World (NieR:Automata Original Soundtrack)
• Sabai - Million Days
• Sawano Hiroyuki - Best of Vocal Works Remastered (2020)
• Taeyeon - My Voice (2017)
• Tiffany - I Just Wanna Dance

Great disappointment.

Never never never buy headphones based on reviews, especially don't trust the major headphone reviewers, the "stars" of the headphones review world on Youtube. They are mostly just pushing gear, reviewing headphones on loan - snake oil salesmen, that is what they are.

I fell for them. And ordered the Clears.

Tonal balance:
There is a lot of blabla about how clear they sound and balanced etc etc etc .... How in the world do headphone reviewrs forget to talk about sensitivity to the placement? Yes headphone are to some degree sensitive to placement but these... these ...
You want to know about their tonal balance (frequency response)?
They don't have one - in that they have many. Especially upwards from the mids.
So there is no use talking about the tonal balance of these headphones.

Unless you screw some docking mechanism in your skull and jawbones so that they can be attached to the exactly same place on your head.... there is no point talking about tonal balance with these.

So how's the sound? Watch/read reviews and you'll get to know how these CAN sound with a caviat (placement, see above)

Cables:
Unacceptable for headphone that cost a tenth of the price.

Microphonic cable connections:
Unacceptable for headphone that cost a tenth of the price.


PS: sorry for not writing many many paragraphs about how I perceive their sound detailing mids, lows, highs, and imaging and all that stuff - I am just a mastering engineer that does not care for hi-fi folklore and the negative points I made above just make these headphones useless as a reference tool in the studio. And that is what I am looking for in headphones.

Focals, never again, no headphones, no studio monitors, nothing, never never never.