[Storaxis]

It's still very expensive IMHO.

 

[Tano]

Ananda Nano will be my 2º option but I feel that move is an downgrade.
I Will try other pads. BEST pads? I see AHG Sheep, Dekoni elite/Sheep...i want to make It open.

If you want the best tecnicallities out of the clears and improved the imaging, just use the original Utopia pads

 

[Storaxis]

If you want the best tecnicallities out of the clears and improved the imaging, just use the original Utopia pads

It's 250$ ?!
I really can't understand the luxury at this point.

 

[Tano]

It's 250$ ?!
I really can't understand the luxury at this point.

They are stupidly expensive, but they improve the headphones in the technical area. They sound more airy and with better separation because of the pads.
I had the Utopia and the Clear OG at the same time. I swapped pads and couldnt tell the difference between both. Ended up selling the Utopias.

 

[Storaxis]

They are stupidly expensive, but they improve the headphones in the technical area. They sound more airy and with better separation because of the pads.
I had the Utopia and the Clear OG at the same time. I swapped pads and couldnt tell the difference between both. Ended up selling the Utopias.

Haha, that reduces drastically the price difference.^^

 

[Tano]

Haha, that reduces drastically the price difference.^^

totally. 250€ seems cheap compared to the price difference between both headphones. With a simple pad swap you can get surprisingly close to the Utopia performance.

 

[polymathic]

For the OG, another good option is the Dekoni Limited Sheepskin Stellia Pads. Cheaper, and makes them more like Utopias. Check this review's final graph, and compares to Utopias.

 

[Tano]

For the OG, another good option is the Dekoni Limited Sheepskin Stellia Pads. Cheaper, and makes them more like Utopias. Check this review's final graph, and compares to Utopias.

That's not exactly like the Utopia. Dekoni stellia pads gives it way more bass and mids until 1khz than the Utopia. The dekoni stellia pads aren't perforated, so it's normal to have more bass.

The Utopias original pads are the ones that gets the Clear closer to the Utopia, which is logical btw. I've tried swapping the Utopia with their stock pads vs the Clear OG pros with utopia pads and Id be hard pressed to get which is which on a blind test.

 

[Enther]

Eso no es exactamente como la Utopía. Los pads Dekoni stellia le dan muchos más graves y medios hasta 1 kHz que el Utopia. Los pads dekoni stellia no están perforados, por lo que es normal que tengan más graves.

Los pads originales de Utopias son los que acercan el Clear a la Utopía, lo cual es lógico por cierto. Intenté cambiar el Utopia con sus pads originales por los profesionales de Clear OG con pads utopía y sería difícil saber cuál es cuál en una prueba a ciegas.

how about dekoni audio elite?

 

[Tano]

how about dekoni audio elite?

Only tried the Dekoni sheepskin (non perforated) and didn't like the result on the Clears, It makes it too muddy in my opinion.
If you wanna make it the closest to the Utopia, I rather spend 200€ on the original pads than near 100€ on the Dekoni.

 

[markkr]

Dangit, this is going to force my hand on a pair of Utopia pads. Does it have to be the 2020 pads? or are the 2022 ones acceptable?

 

[Tano]

Dangit, this is going to force my hand on a pair of Utopia pads. Does it have to be the 2020 pads? or are the 2022 ones acceptable?

I tried it with OG Utopia pads. The 2022 Utopia pads could be different and make It closer to the new Utopia, which is a bit warmer, but still worth a try.

 

[dougms3]

Dangit, this is going to force my hand on a pair of Utopia pads. Does it have to be the 2020 pads? or are the 2022 ones acceptable?

They're all interchangeable between the focal headphones.

Each one offers a unique flavor. I have the dekoni sheepskin and the stock pads, they both sound good but I bought a mounting ring and use custom vesper pads.

It has a bit less bass than the dekonis but it opens up the stage a bit more than the other pads and helps subdue some of the sharpness in the treble peaks.

Its also alot more comfy for my ears as I have large ears.

 

[Storaxis]

@Shane D

I know you really like the Clear (I just begin but me too) : could you give me your opinion on this message ? The listening won't be long (the "problem" appears at the linked sequence) :
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/focal-clear-headphones.861727/post-17915190

 

[chesebert]

I listen to the Focal Clears for some weeks now and even at low volume, I'm pretty impressed by the details I hear. By the way, they also destroy some musics : for example ().
The choir voices crackle, seem saturated, and are not as "clear" (or crystalline) as I remember them being with other headphones... I also hear a sort of "stereo artefact" at 5:23. I also hear it in other headphones, but it's less noticeable.
I was expecting a musical slap in the face but in the end my expectations were too high.

very minor tape hiss, crack and pop, some compression in the vocal, 5:23 appears to be compression artifact, overall the sound is listenable and no crackle in choir vocal. This is a poorly recorded/youtube compressed piece. I would try to find the same track on Qobuz or Tidal or even better on CD/SACD and try again.