[Luke Thomas]

It is. I have both and the Utopia is stunning ... but different. If I only had one pair it would be the Utopia ... sorry !

. I listened to the Utopias for 2 weeks. The first 15 minutes, were exactly as you claim. But unfortunately after 15. The level of clarity and treble becomes too much. I found myself always turning the volume of the Utopias down. Fatiguing. I only have one pair now and it's the Clears. Plus I have a extra $2000 in my pockets. Sorry!

 

[S-O8]

. I listened to the Utopias for 2 weeks. The first 15 minutes, were exactly as you claim. But unfortunately after 15. The level of clarity and treble becomes too much. I found myself always turning the volume of the Utopias down. Fatiguing. I only have one pair now and it's the Clears. Plus I have a extra $2000 in my pockets. Sorry!

I find the Clear brighter ... I think it is down to what amp, etc. My Pioneer U-05 was too bright with the Utopia. My Sony is superb with the Utopia and no fatigue ... but the Clear is definitely brighter with the Sony amp.

As I said, I own both and both stay - they are different. I found my Oppo PM-2 suited my needs more than both yesterday ... so they stay too !

 

[donlin]

Thx for the input but I think I took the path I’m limited to by headfi. I’ve never been a fan of the 800’s or S. So in that I have to be neutral. I’m not one that suggests purchasing anything in particular. I’m more one that gives the data that may help you (plural) make an educated choice.

Fair enough.

 

[Luke Thomas]

I find the Clear brighter ... I think it is down to what amp, etc. My Pioneer U-05 was too bright with the Utopia. My Sony is superb with the Utopia and no fatigue ... but the Clear is definitely brighter with the Sony amp.

As I said, I own both and both stay - they are different. I found my Oppo PM-2 suited my needs more than both yesterday ... so they stay too !

Must be the amp. Most online reviews claim. Utopias are much more detailed, brighter, and less bass than th Clears.

 

[uelover]

Must be the amp. Most online reviews claim. Utopias are much more detailed, brighter, and less bass than th Clears.

That's what make audio such an exciting (and somethings irritating) hobby!

There are no absolute best headphone, and you have to find the one that works best for your system and for your preference.

 

[LaCuffia]

The Clear seems to be the most universally hyped and praised headphone in quite some time. It’s not a criticism at all - I think it’s pretty cool that it generates so much excitement. I thought the Elear was pretty good but not the game changer it was initially touted as being...that sort of dampened by enthusiasm for the Clear but I am starting to think that’s a narrow minded view.

 

[Bob Foster]

I've had HD650 clamped on my noggin for years and looking forward to a comparison between now three different headphones. I really only wanted to upgrade to the Focal Clear but because I'm impatient and didn't want to wait any longer so I decided yesterday to go ahead and order the Audeze LCD2 Classic. I'm told it might be a while until Focal Clears will be back in stock in Canada. I would buy them right now too if they were available with the intention of keeping both. I'm not a return it kind of guy. I was told by the Headphone Bar in Vancouver BC yesterday that Focal just switched their Canadian distributor which makes me wonder even more how long it will be before they actually get them back in stock. This was the added incentive to order my second choice right away which are the Audeze LCD2c. The price for the quality of LCD Classics seemed very reasonable based on the more learned opinions I'm reading.

I'll make my comparisons with all three; HD650, Clear and LCD2. I think it's going to be yin and yang type of thing...I know they will sound different and one might suit my mood more than another depending on the type of music I might be listening to at the moment. Most of my listening tends to be small ensemble jazz but I'm all over the place.

I would agree with the remark made earlier that sometimes things sound a little thin in the highs on the HD650s and the bottom end not definite enough for my tastes. I've been running them through a little Aune T1 24 with a Mullard so it's not fair to criticize them too much. I ordered a Mjolnir 2 recently to upgrade my old unit and sourced a pair of Amperex Bugle Boy 6DJ8 tubes (pre-1959 version D-getter) to pop into it.

Reading many of the reviews describing each headset I'm most looking forward to the Clears. The guy at the Headphone Bar called the Clears "a solid upgrade". I've read every single thing I can everywhere on them. I have to find out for myself why so many seem to be gushing all over these Focal Clears.

 

[uelover]

I have posted my comparison between the LCD2C and the Focal Clear a moment ago on the LCD2C thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aud...ressions-thread.862174/page-108#post-13973528

Extract:

I have the Focal Clear and LCD2C with me for more than a week now, driven through my RME ADI-2 Pro DAC/Amp.

It was an initial tough choice between these two headphones (with LCD2C so easy to listen to for long hours and the Focal Clear so technically competent but mildly tiring for prolonged listening). However, things started to change after a week and the choice becomes easier:

• Initially, if I could only own one of them, I would pick LCD2C over the Focal Clear. Why? Because while the Focal Clear would kick the ass out of the LCD2C, I could not get past 10-15 mins without slight listening fatigue. There is simply too much of a good thing.
• Switching from the Focal Clear to the LCD2C felt like a drop in a grade or two in the sound quality but I could listen to it for long hours.
• I was on the verge of sending of the Focal Clear back because it didn't make sense to own something that I can't really 'use'.
• I stuck on with them for a week and after 100+ hours of burn-in, things started to change - Focal Clear becomes easier to listen to (the top end has smoothened out quite a bit). Skeptics might argue that its brain burn-in but, whatever, you get my point.
• Now, I would find myself always reaching for the Focal Clear for any music I listen to. I could not move past the fact on how the LCD2C sounded so restrained dynamically beside the Focal Clear, not to mention its inability to portray the same level of details and realism as the Focal Clear.

Below are my personal impressions of the headphones:

LCD2C

Strength:

• Sumptuous bass
• Easy listening for long hours
• Comfortable to wear
• Cheap at US$599 - I am talking about relative sense here for a headphone that used to cost close to a grand and in a world with many headphones costing over a grand.

Weakness:

• Sorely lacking in dynamics making music sounded boring/unexciting. Yes, I could listen to it for long hours, but I really get bored by it that I do not want to listen to it that long.
• It cannot handle complex passages well (instruments/vocals get drown/muddied out)
• Rolled off treble makes it harder to perceive details in the top end
• Shines only when listening to at loud volume, which is not good for the ears

Focal Clear

Strength:

• Extremely balanced sounding and excellent tonality across the board. Usually a balanced sound signature means the jack of all trade and the master of none. But the Focal Clear is the master of many because everything sounded so good from it
• Extremely dynamic sounding
• Extremely technically competent
• Comfortable to wear

Weakness:

• Those looking for coloured sounding headphones have to look elsewhere (e.g. the Audeze warm house sound, the Audio Technica unmatched reproduction of female vocals)
• Not for those looking for a warmer sounding headphones
• Bass not as thunderous as LCD2C (we are talking about one of the best headphone in bass reproduction here). It is very impactful nevertheless.
• Light grey/silver colour - some people (like me) would have preferred an all-black headphone. But it is rather beautiful to behold still.
• Not the most pocket friendly headphone at US$1,499

Afternote: The headphone I enjoyed the most till date is still a well-driven HE1000. But I am unwilling to spend that much money to get a TOTL tube amp. The Focal Clear gives me a different kind of sound, but its something that I could live with

 

[Luke Thomas]

The Clear seems to be the most universally hyped and praised headphone in quite some time. It’s not a criticism at all - I think it’s pretty cool that it generates so much excitement. I thought the Elear was pretty good but not the game changer it was initially touted as being...that sort of dampened by enthusiasm for the Clear but I am starting to think that’s a narrow minded view.

Yes. With headphones there's either to much bass and not enough clarity or visa versa. The Clears have hit a nice spot.

 

[mtmercer]

My impressions of the LCD2C match @uelover. It sounds like I’m going to have to sell a few items and purchase the Clear.

 

[donlin]

My impressions of the LCD2C match @uelover. It sounds like I’m going to have to sell a few items and purchase the Clear.

Unless the LCD2C is way way better than the LCD2, the Clear has to be superior across the board, no contest.

 

[LaCuffia]

Unless the LCD2C is way way better than the LCD2, the Clear has to be superior across the board, no contest.

The LCD-2 F is better than the 2C. The 2C is good value at $599 but it’s a bit hazier sounding and not as impactful as the 2 F.

 

[mtmercer]

Unless the LCD2C is way way better than the LCD2, the Clear has to be superior across the board, no contest.

I’d say the LCD2C at $599 is a great value for me as I really like its sound and character. It’s shortcomings don’t bother me and allow me to listen for extended periods of time.

The description of the Clear sounds technically superior and is something I’m interested in as for what will be aTOTL HP for me.

I imagine the more apples to apples comparison would be between the Ether Flow Open which I recently acquired and the Clear. I very much enjoy the Ether Flow and consider it to be a neutral and very technically capable HP. If anyone has both the Ether Flow Open and the Clear I would love to hear an in depth comparison.

 

[donlin]

I’d say the LCD2C at $599 is a great value for me as I really like its sound and character. It’s shortcomings don’t bother me and allow me to listen for extended periods of time.

The description of the Clear sounds technically superior and is something I’m interested in as for what will be aTOTL HP for me.

I imagine the more apples to apples comparison would be between the Ether Flow Open which I recently acquired and the Clear. I very much enjoy the Ether Flow and consider it to be a neutral and very technically capable HP. If anyone has both the Ether Flow Open and the Clear I would love to hear an in depth comparison.

That comparison has been done several pages back in this thread.

 

[Paulo Abreu]

I have posted my comparison between the LCD2C and the Focal Clear a moment ago on the LCD2C thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aud...ressions-thread.862174/page-108#post-13973528
[...]

• I stuck on with them for a week and after 100+ hours of burn-in, things started to change - Focal Clear becomes easier to listen to (the top end has smoothened out quite a bit). Skeptics might argue that its brain burn-in but, whatever, you get my point. [...]

Although I keep trying to convince myself its brain burn, it isn’t, its a mix of both with a bigger role on headphone burn, in my believing . Namely the smoothness on top end was very noticeable for me, as you referred. There is a caveat however, I was simultaneously “burning” the Clear and the desktop AMP so this sums 3 burnings ... LOL. I don’t really think the AMP add much to the equation so I give all the credit to Clear - It was great from day 1 and stunning after some workout