[pfurey89]

Didn't hear the Clear, but I just heard the Utopia for the first time and WOW. Jesus f'n C. It sounded so real and lifelike even my non-audiophile brother was astounded (normally, he's like 'meh' about everything). Truly incredible. I hope the Clear is close-ish. The Elear is too... sucked away and dead sounding to me vocally.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Didn't hear the Clear, but I just heard the Utopia for the first time and WOW. Jesus f'n C. It sounded so real and lifelike even my non-audiophile brother was astounded (normally, he's like 'meh' about everything). Truly incredible. I hope the Clear is close-ish. The Elear is too... sucked away and dead sounding to me vocally.

The Utopia is silly goose my friend... totally the Clear is much different from the Elear, due to the more neutral character of the Clear I think it's easier to hear the detail. Need more time to hear how close the Clear comes to the Utopia. First impressions it doesn't have the sparkle in the that the Utopia has. I think the beryllium driver is the real deal but it comes at a cost. Interested to hear your impressions of it.

I'll be doing a YouTube video of all 3 whenever I get the Clear in the store. I feel it could help a lot of people

 

[JaKo]

I hope the Clear is close-ish. The Elear is too... sucked away and dead sounding to me vocally.

Well, often measurements and real life audible experience vary, and I do hope it will be the case with Elear/Clear. However, this is what we can read right now based on sources provided in the last two pages...

 

[zkeller]

Quick question, does the Chord Hugo 1 fit in the cable bay of the Clear carry case?

Tx
Zane

 

[makne]

I'm curious to hear if there is more resolution. My only gripes with the Elear were worked out in the response curve with the Sonarworks plugin. The cables and case are a great addition, but Im curious how much of the extra cost over the Elear is down to the case and cables, and how much actually went to improvements in the headphone. I'd be curious if the Clear pads balance out the Elear frequency curve a bit.

After buying aftermarket balanced cables for the Elear, and getting them in the September trade in discount, I don't feel like there's enough in it for me to 'upgrade', but if I hadn't already got the Elear, I'd probably be ordering them right now...

Totally agree! The Sonarworks calibration removes all the issues that it seems the Clear tries to "fix" from the Elear. The Clear would have to be an objective upgrade in resolution and quality, more than just a different signature, for me to upgrade.
I've also ordered an aftermarket cable, so added accessories are not a reason to upgrade for me either. Still looking forward to hearing the Clear though.

 

[S Crowther]

Crackling as in physically cracking ? It is funny that people makes fun of the Utopia the way it is engineered without even trying to understand why.

Utopia has the most heavy and powerful Magnet ....ever on a Headphones until now. Therefore the Utopia need to be able to cramp down, and while not slipping away or drop on the floor, and that is why it yolks are not rotating. Focal made Fiber Carbon for the frame because it is the lightest and strongest materials for it purpose. A too well thought design if you ask me. I don’t care if it crack or squeals, just as long as there is no cracking or squealing when it is on my head with great comfortability and awesome performances

And whoever thought Clear will be on Par with Utopia...well...marketing aside. Beryllium is the most expensive Metal, and is also the highest Sonic velocity property, lightest. Aluminum-Magnesium alloy will not even come close. Technically speaking, Utopia is the most advanced headphones, period.

Now, everybody can say that they personally prefer Beats, or Bose, or Skull Candy, it doesn’t matter. Facts is that Utopia is the most advanced headphones in Dynamic technology yet.

Another facts is that Utopia can sing so well out of even an IPad....now, go do that with HD800. Yeah, when you put Hd800 into any expensive amplifier, preferences aside, the Hd800 “vastly scale”....so does the Utopia . See where the differences come from ? Giving both are “references, flagship”

All true but in the

Crackling as in physically cracking ? It is funny that people makes fun of the Utopia the way it is engineered without even trying to understand why.

Utopia has the most heavy and powerful Magnet ....ever on a Headphones until now. Therefore the Utopia need to be able to cramp down, and while not slipping away or drop on the floor, and that is why it yolks are not rotating. Focal made Fiber Carbon for the frame because it is the lightest and strongest materials for it purpose. A too well thought design if you ask me. I don’t care if it crack or squeals, just as long as there is no cracking or squealing when it is on my head with great comfortability and awesome performances

And whoever thought Clear will be on Par with Utopia...well...marketing aside. Beryllium is the most expensive Metal, and is also the highest Sonic velocity property, lightest. Aluminum-Magnesium alloy will not even come close. Technically speaking, Utopia is the most advanced headphones, period.

Now, everybody can say that they personally prefer Beats, or Bose, or Skull Candy, it doesn’t matter. Facts is that Utopia is the most advanced headphones in Dynamic technology yet.

Another facts is that Utopia can sing so well out of even an IPad....now, go do that with HD800. Yeah, when you put Hd800 into any expensive amplifier, preferences aside, the Hd800 “vastly scale”....so does the Utopia . See where the differences come from ? Giving both are “references, flagship”

Crackling as in physically cracking ? It is funny that people makes fun of the Utopia the way it is engineered without even trying to understand why.

Utopia has the most heavy and powerful Magnet ....ever on a Headphones until now. Therefore the Utopia need to be able to cramp down, and while not slipping away or drop on the floor, and that is why it yolks are not rotating. Focal made Fiber Carbon for the frame because it is the lightest and strongest materials for it purpose. A too well thought design if you ask me. I don’t care if it crack or squeals, just as long as there is no cracking or squealing when it is on my head with great comfortability and awesome performances

And whoever thought Clear will be on Par with Utopia...well...marketing aside. Beryllium is the most expensive Metal, and is also the highest Sonic velocity property, lightest. Aluminum-Magnesium alloy will not even come close. Technically speaking, Utopia is the most advanced headphones, period.

Now, everybody can say that they personally prefer Beats, or Bose, or Skull Candy, it doesn’t matter. Facts is that Utopia is the most advanced headphones in Dynamic technology yet.

Another facts is that Utopia can sing so well out of even an IPad....now, go do that with HD800. Yeah, when you put Hd800 into any expensive amplifier, preferences aside, the Hd800 “vastly scale”....so does the Utopia . See where the differences come from ? Giving both are “references, flagship”

Crackling as in physically cracking ? It is funny that people makes fun of the Utopia the way it is engineered without even trying to understand why.

Utopia has the most heavy and powerful Magnet ....ever on a Headphones until now. Therefore the Utopia need to be able to cramp down, and while not slipping away or drop on the floor, and that is why it yolks are not rotating. Focal made Fiber Carbon for the frame because it is the lightest and strongest materials for it purpose. A too well thought design if you ask me. I don’t care if it crack or squeals, just as long as there is no cracking or squealing when it is on my head with great comfortability and awesome performances

And whoever thought Clear will be on Par with Utopia...well...marketing aside. Beryllium is the most expensive Metal, and is also the highest Sonic velocity property, lightest. Aluminum-Magnesium alloy will not even come close. Technically speaking, Utopia is the most advanced headphones, period.

Now, everybody can say that they personally prefer Beats, or Bose, or Skull Candy, it doesn’t matter. Facts is that Utopia is the most advanced headphones in Dynamic technology yet.

Another facts is that Utopia can sing so well out of even an IPad....now, go do that with HD800. Yeah, when you put Hd800 into any expensive amplifier, preferences aside, the Hd800 “vastly scale”....so does the Utopia . See where the differences come from ? Giving both are “references, flagship”

All true but at the end of the day what do they sound like? To my ears the Utopias sound artificial and too bright: hard edged digital sound.

 

[AutumnCrown]

I wish I someone would compare the Clear and the HD800S, or at least some other comparable headphone. Until there are several such comparisons, I, and I suspect others are going to waste a lot of time looking for them on these forums. Has anyone actually received a Clear yet?

 

[makne]

I wish I someone would compare the Clear and the HD800S, or at least some other comparable headphone. Until there are several such comparisons, I, and I suspect others are going to waste a lot of time looking for them on these forums. Has anyone actually received a Clear yet?

It seems like the Clear is not a vast change from the Elear, a bit brighter and more neutral but carrying the same basic traits. In the meantime you could read up on Elear vs hd800s comparisons. I've heard both (but not the Clear) and they are completely different beasts, both in sound signature and overall presentation. The Elear is warmer with more midbass and more lower midrange thickness, it sounds more full-bodied. The HD800S is far thinner sounding, with more pronounced upper mid/lower treble that enhances detail retrieval and brings it forward. HD800S is also far more lively in the top end.
Soundstage and imaging is vast and exansive on the Senn, with a holographic-like, super-precise imaging. The Elear is far more intimate and narrow, and lacks that pin-point imaging precision. The Elear still has great layering though, and (imo) makes up for lost soundstage with it's amazingly engaging dynamics.

From what I've read of impressions and reviews, and looking at FR-graphs, I believe a comparison between the Clear and HD800S will give roughly the same results. Less lower midrange thickness and a more pronounced upper-mid/low treble on the Clear, but I suspect not enough to change the comparison drastically.
Hope this helps some

 

[Shetzu]

It seems like the Clear is not a vast change from the Elear, a bit brighter and more neutral but carrying the same basic traits. In the meantime you could read up on Elear vs hd800s comparisons. I've heard both (but not the Clear) and they are completely different beasts, both in sound signature and overall presentation. The Elear is warmer with more midbass and more lower midrange thickness, it sounds more full-bodied. The HD800S is far thinner sounding, with more pronounced upper mid/lower treble that enhances detail retrieval and brings it forward. HD800S is also far more lively in the top end.
Soundstage and imaging is vast and exansive on the Senn, with a holographic-like, super-precise imaging. The Elear is far more intimate and narrow, and lacks that pin-point imaging precision. The Elear still has great layering though, and (imo) makes up for lost soundstage with it's amazingly engaging dynamics.

From what I've read of impressions and reviews, and looking at FR-graphs, I believe a comparison between the Clear and HD800S will give roughly the same results. Less lower midrange thickness and a more pronounced upper-mid/low treble on the Clear, but I suspect not enough to change the comparison drastically.
Hope this helps some

Your inputs do enlighten with information and comparison. However, if I conclude you mean to say Clear is almost similar to 800s in soundstage and brightness right. How about Clear compared to the Audeze LCD2. Of what I have heard from some the Elear has a bit of bass and is narrow sounding and the highs have a bit of distortion. But the Clear is more transparent and neutral. I maybe wrong.

 

[makne]

Your inputs do enlighten with information and comparison. However, if I conclude you mean to say Clear is almost similar to 800s in soundstage and brightness right. How about Clear compared to the Audeze LCD2. Of what I have heard from some the Elear has a bit of bass and is narrow sounding and the highs have a bit of distortion. But the Clear is more transparent and neutral. I maybe wrong.

Oh what I meant to say was that the Elear is very different from the HD800S, way more narrow and intimate. And the Clear is very similar to the Elear in that sense (I haven't heard it so don't take my word for it, just what I've gathered from impressions, reviews and the fact that the voice coil material is the only change sound-wise), so it should still be very different from the HD800S. There's very few headphones that can compete with the HD800S' soundstage width, depth/height, airiness and imaging. The Elear is very far from being a competitor (it focuses on other things), and I suspect that the Clear is closer to the Elear than to the HD800S.

Yes the Elear has a bass-boost in the low/mid-bass, but has a typical dynamic-driver roll off in the sub-bass (still good extension though, great for a dynamic driver). However, with the Sonarworks reference 4 calibration for the Elear, I'm getting very impressive sub-bass response, far better than stock, almost to the level of an LCD-2.
The Clear seems to have a slightly leaner bass-response, more neutral and leaning more towards the Utopia's signature.
On the treble, the Elear's is a little toned down but still has some decent sparkle and air to it. Some people complain about a 10k peak, but personally I haven't noticed it (I know it's there from FR graphs etc, but it's not an issue for me personally). The Clear's treble seems to be more forward than the Elear's, again more like the Utopia signature. Clear also reduces the 4k dip in the Elear's upper-mid, which is the main problem I'm seeing people having with the Elear.

The LCD-2 will probably be more similar to the Elear/Clear than the HD800S is, but still definitely not the same . To me, the LCD-2 (with fazor) has a more recessed treble than the Elear, which results in a less airy and more "closed-in" sound imo. The mids on the LCD-2 does not have the same 4k dip as the Elear, and as a result vocals will have more presence. I will argue that the Elear has better resolution, layering and separation in the mids though. The bass is where the LCD-2 shines IMO, just like all Audeze products I've heard. The bass is just so instant, clean, fast, powerful and extremely well extended. Audeze headphones are probably my favourite for bass.

at the end of the day, it's up to preference. Fans of the HD800S will probably think the Elear/LCD-2 is closed-in, lacks air, dull-sounding without details being brought forward in the mix. Fans of the Elear/LCD-2 will probably think the HD800S lacks body, wheight and warmth, and (for me) it's too lively in the treble. I experience the Senn's treble as harsh and fatiguing while I have no problems with the Elear/LCD-2, but then again I'm treble sensitive. Also, soundstage preferences will vary. To me, the Senn's soundstage is impressive but ultimately sounds unnatural and a little too distant. I prefer the more intimate presentation of the Elears, but I could easily see why a lot of people disagree with me. The best advice is to go demo and see for yourself

 

[Goodman247]

I have a pair of Beyerdynamics dt 990 pro and I love them because it's really great for movies and games. With that said, would the Elear or the Clear be a whole different experience for music? I am into all types of music but lean towards favoring songs with strong bass which the dt 990 is great for, however I feel like its lacking in all other aspects. I guess what I mean is I'm looking for a more "balanced" headphone and would the Elear or Clear do the job?

 

[makne]

I have a pair of Beyerdynamics dt 990 pro and I love them because it's really great for movies and games. With that said, would the Elear or the Clear be a whole different experience for music? I am into all types of music but lean towards favoring songs with strong bass which the dt 990 is great for, however I feel like its lacking in all other aspects. I guess what I mean is I'm looking for a more "balanced" headphone and would the Elear or Clear do the job?

The DT 990 is like a 100-200$ can, anything in the 1000$ range will obviously be a huge objective upgrade. You can't really compare it, and if you haven't heard headphones on this level before, you'll have to hear for yourself to know what the experience is like. For bass-heavy music the Elear is the most logical choice of the two, as it has more bass than the Clear. Also check out the LCD-2, same price range and amazing bass.

 

[Goodman247]

The DT 990 is like a 100-200$ can, anything in the 1000$ range will obviously be a huge objective upgrade. You can't really compare it, and if you haven't heard headphones on this level before, you'll have to hear for yourself to know what the experience is like. For bass-heavy music the Elear is the most logical choice of the two, as it has more bass than the Clear. Also check out the LCD-2, same price range and amazing bass.

Understood, I never tried the Eleanor before but My coworker has an Utopia and I think that is the best headphones I ever listen to before, so I do believe you get what you pay for. However, I don’t think I will ever be able to afford a pair of Utopia, so I’m wondering if Elear or potentially the clear might be the most logical potential upgrade.

 

[Me x3]

The DT 990 is like a 100-200$ can, anything in the 1000$ range will obviously be a huge objective upgrade. You can't really compare it, and if you haven't heard headphones on this level before, you'll have to hear for yourself to know what the experience is like. For bass-heavy music the Elear is the most logical choice of the two, as it has more bass than the Clear. Also check out the LCD-2, same price range and amazing bass.

That's not right.

DT990 offers plenty for the money and can be a very enjoyable headphone if you happen to like its sound signature.
Going up in price, diminishing returns strikes quite hard and then what should be a "huge objective upgrade" is more often than not a slight upgrade overall.
Paying 5 o 10 times the price of an already good headphone won't necessarily buy you a huge upgrade.

You surely can compare DT990 with 1000usd headphones and that's usually very useful because it put things in perspective.
I'm sure many would find the DT990 to provide a bigger more open stage than the Elear and the LCD-2, also more extended in the treble region which can be useful to spot background noise on the recordings. DT990 is also lighter so many can find it more comfortable for long sessions.

I have a pair of Beyerdynamics dt 990 pro and I love them because it's really great for movies and games. With that said, would the Elear or the Clear be a whole different experience for music? I am into all types of music but lean towards favoring songs with strong bass which the dt 990 is great for, however I feel like its lacking in all other aspects. I guess what I mean is I'm looking for a more "balanced" headphone and would the Elear or Clear do the job?

I wouldn't say "a whole different experience", but you'll get more precision and better balance across the board.
DT990's bass lacks some neutrality and layering that you can find on headphones like the Elear or the Audeze LCD-2.
You might find that these headphones are less bright than your DT990 so more often than not they present the music in a smoother, more balanced way.

If you like slightly raised bass (and coming from DT990) the Elear might be more suitable for your prefences than the Clear.

 

[DivaFonda]

Beyerdynamics DT 990 Pro looks like a capable headphone, but seems like it needs more power than both the Elear and Clear(if 990 really are 250ohm). That's one big difference right there.

Also, IMO you can compare any two or more headphone. No one should stop you from doing that. But with certain price ranges being so vastly different, sometimes it is a little like apples to oranges. Depending on how well the headphone does it's job, that is. For instance, people keep saying the Utopia is so much better. Since the other headphones people often compare to are the other two Focals and other headphones in the $1K range, Utopia better sound like it's worth it to spend more. At 3-4 times the price, I would expect the TOTL Focal to outperform. Then other people say some of the higher priced HiFiMans and Audeze are not worth their price. But Aeons are under $1K and DO compete easily with higher priced sets, so say dedicated fans. AEONs aren't exactly budget though, to be fair, but they are still under a grand. Comparison is not an exact science IMO. So I don't really have a problem with people who compare high to low.