[Tekunda]

^^^^^^
It’s simply amazing how we all hear so differently. I don’t find anything about the Clears fatiguing but again, that’s me. I actually think the upper mids and lower treble is pretty smooth and if there’s any sibilance, it’s ALL from the way the track was laid down. Also, they’re no basshead HP’s but it’s tight and punchy.
I don’t know, I think this is one fine headphone and could be considered an all arounder for me.
I’m just glad you found some pads so you can keep them and enjoy.

I second anything you wrote.

 

[Enigma29]

I have the Marantz and Focal Clears as well. I'm using LOW gain; what seems different to you about the MEDIUM setting? All I notice is that the output is louder on MEDIUM.

I find the bass gets a bit more punch to it, might be just in my head though since I got no proof.

 

[Mani ATH 87]

I’ll help you with your understanding of that. It was always 5 years on Utopia if purchased at a Focal Authorized “Displaying” dealer. It was just a few months back that Focal made this a uniform and for more than just the first owner. Only those Focal “Premium” headphones NOT purchased from an authorized dealer have any warranty jeopardy.

I just bought my Focal Clear brand new from an authorized dealer in Canada about 2 weeks ago. Registered the headphones online as soon as I get home and I see 2 years listed on the warranty.

I bought the Focal Elear a few months back from the same authorized dealer and registered those online right away. The warranty lists 5 years on the Elear.

 

[TSAVJason]

I just bought my Focal Clear brand new from an authorized dealer in Canada about 2 weeks ago. Registered the headphones online as soon as I get home and I see 2 years listed on the warranty.

I bought the Focal Elear a few months back from the same authorized dealer and registered those online right away. The warranty lists 5 years on the Elear.

It’s just an error as they transfer ownership direct to Focal Naim North America

 

[Mani ATH 87]

So I've had the chance to spend a couple of weeks with the Focal Clear now and thought I'd share a few impressions.

First a small backstory: I originally auditioned the Elear the Clear and the Utopia - I ended up with the Elear. I thought the Elear was a great value at its new (seemingly normal) lower price. Fast forward a few months with the Elear and a fire broke out in my building. It started on the top floor, I live on the bottom floor, so although my condo survived the fire, the water damage is extensive. Long story short, most everything I own is gone, including my headphones and related gear.

Really enjoying the Focal house sound and headphones I decide pretty quickly I need to replace the Elear. This time there's $500.00 off the Clears, they are still significantly more expensive then the Elear, but what the hell? I lost all my belongings so I'm going to indulge. The current deal for Canadians is to trade in any working headphone to receive the $500.00 discount. I went to Walmart and bough some $10.00 headphones and traded those in, so technically I got $490.00 off....

Design: Like the rest of the Focal line up, the design is fantastic. I love the aesthetics of the Focal lineup, they look really great. The silver and grey colors of the Clear are pretty striking, but there is some concern about them "staining" over time from oils, sweat, etc. I bought a cheap fabric "headband cover" to avoid this with the headband, just in case. The pads are nice and soft - they feel nicer and a bit softer/smoother then the Elear pads. The headphones are a little heavy but like the rest of the Focal lineup the weight is distributed well so they are quite comfortable. They do feel like they have slightly tighter clamp then the Elear and Utopia. I'm sure most of the design has been covered so I won't get much more into it.

They come with multiple cables, which is also a bonus. To be honest, the look of the cables is awesome, but I don't love how stiff they are. They don't feel super flexible and are pretty kinked. I don't think I dislike them enough to worry about buying something custom, but time will tell.

Sound: The Clears live up to their name and sound very CLEAR. They are a mostly neutral sounding headphone with pretty flat bass response, a mostly flat or slightly forward midrange and a touch of brightness in the treble. I find them notably brighter then the Elear, but just a tad less bright then the Utopia. They do present some rumble and thump is the sub bass, but it's a step back from the Elear which has more elevated bass. While they are a bit brighter then my personal preference, they aren't harsh or fatiguing so far for me. The Clear is not laid back though, so if your looking for an improved HD650 type signature, this is a different path. I mention the 650 because I think a good number of people are looking for the next logical step up from those headphones. The Clear are definitely a superior headphone from my perspective, but a different sound. The Clear is very detailed in the mids and highs, much smoother sounding then the more uneven Elear. They aren't as detailed or resolving as the Utopia. The sound stage isn't very wide, but I do hear a bit more width then the Elear. The separation of instruments and depth is great. These are a really great "jack of all trades" headphone. They sound pretty good with most all genres but especially good with Rock, Jazz, Blues. They sound good with bass heavy genres as well like Hip Hop and EDM, but some people might prefer a bit more sub bass here.

Overall: the Clear are a great headphone and a great addition to Focals lineup. I think each of their headphones does enough to distinguish itself from the others. Depending on your preferred sound, all three I've auditioned are wonderful. I've been using the Clear with the new Schiit Asgard 3 with installed Multibit DAC. It's a mostly neutral sounding amp, brighter then the warmer sounding Asgard 2. A warmer sounding amp might work well too if you maybe want to pull back a bit on the brightness of the Clear.

If your looking for a mostly neutral, slightly bright very detailed and crisp sounding headphone, the Focal Clear deserves your consideration.

Equipment/Source:

Laptop

Focal Clear

Schiit Asgard 3 with Multibit DAC

Foobar2k

FLAC files from my own collection

Note: I've also been listening to the Clear with Oratorys EQ settings based on his Harman Target measurements. This profile raises the sub bass a noticable amount and dials back the brightness in the treble. It also pushes the mid range back slightly and adds a bit more width to the sound stage. It forces the Clear to sound just a bit more laid back and less "in your face". I do feel they lack a bit of detail using these EQ settings, but I guess it's a trade off if you find them too bright. I personally don't think I'll be using any EQ with these going forward.

 

[Xinlisupreme]

I don’t find anything about the Clears fatiguing but again, that’s me. I actually think the upper mids and lower treble is pretty smooth and if there’s any sibilance, it’s ALL from the way the track was laid down. Also, they’re no basshead HP’s but it’s tight and punchy.
I don’t know, I think this is one fine headphone and could be considered an all arounder for me.

Dear @koover i quote 100% your feedback!
Really I think the same about my Focal Clear, i own also Elear pads, but i prefer stock clear pads!
I listen with Chordo Hugo (V1) and I'd like a little more open sound, maybe i'll test Fiio M11 or others DAC / DAP
Can you suggest me something?
I also need to connect IMR R1 Zenith and Final Pandora Hope VI.
I loved Pandora Hope VI with iFI xDSD but i didn't test it with Focal and IMR...

 

[NovaFlyer]

So I've had the chance to spend a couple of weeks with the Focal Clear now and thought I'd share a few impressions.

First a small backstory: I originally auditioned the Elear the Clear and the Utopia - I ended up with the Elear. I thought the Elear was a great value at its new (seemingly normal) lower price. Fast forward a few months with the Elear and a fire broke out in my building. It started on the top floor, I live on the bottom floor, so although my condo survived the fire, the water damage is extensive. Long story short, most everything I own is gone, including my headphones and related gear.

Really enjoying the Focal house sound and headphones I decide pretty quickly I need to replace the Elear. This time there's $500.00 off the Clears, they are still significantly more expensive then the Elear, but what the hell? I lost all my belongings so I'm going to indulge. The current deal for Canadians is to trade in any working headphone to receive the $500.00 discount. I went to Walmart and bough some $10.00 headphones and traded those in, so technically I got $490.00 off....

Design: Like the rest of the Focal line up, the design is fantastic. I love the aesthetics of the Focal lineup, they look really great. The silver and grey colors of the Clear are pretty striking, but there is some concern about them "staining" over time from oils, sweat, etc. I bought a cheap fabric "headband cover" to avoid this with the headband, just in case. The pads are nice and soft - they feel nicer and a bit softer/smoother then the Elear pads. The headphones are a little heavy but like the rest of the Focal lineup the weight is distributed well so they are quite comfortable. They do feel like they have slightly tighter clamp then the Elear and Utopia. I'm sure most of the design has been covered so I won't get much more into it.

They come with multiple cables, which is also a bonus. To be honest, the look of the cables is awesome, but I don't love how stiff they are. They don't feel super flexible and are pretty kinked. I don't think I dislike them enough to worry about buying something custom, but time will tell.

Sound: The Clears live up to their name and sound very CLEAR. They are a mostly neutral sounding headphone with pretty flat bass response, a mostly flat or slightly forward midrange and a touch of brightness in the treble. I find them notably brighter then the Elear, but just a tad less bright then the Utopia. They do present some rumble and thump is the sub bass, but it's a step back from the Elear which has more elevated bass. While they are a bit brighter then my personal preference, they aren't harsh or fatiguing so far for me. The Clear is not laid back though, so if your looking for an improved HD650 type signature, this is a different path. I mention the 650 because I think a good number of people are looking for the next logical step up from those headphones. The Clear are definitely a superior headphone from my perspective, but a different sound. The Clear is very detailed in the mids and highs, much smoother sounding then the more uneven Elear. They aren't as detailed or resolving as the Utopia. The sound stage isn't very wide, but I do hear a bit more width then the Elear. The separation of instruments and depth is great. These are a really great "jack of all trades" headphone. They sound pretty good with most all genres but especially good with Rock, Jazz, Blues. They sound good with bass heavy genres as well like Hip Hop and EDM, but some people might prefer a bit more sub bass here.

Overall: the Clear are a great headphone and a great addition to Focals lineup. I think each of their headphones does enough to distinguish itself from the others. Depending on your preferred sound, all three I've auditioned are wonderful. I've been using the Clear with the new Schiit Asgard 3 with installed Multibit DAC. It's a mostly neutral sounding amp, brighter then the warmer sounding Asgard 2. A warmer sounding amp might work well too if you maybe want to pull back a bit on the brightness of the Clear.

If your looking for a mostly neutral, slightly bright very detailed and crisp sounding headphone, the Focal Clear deserves your consideration.

Equipment/Source:

Laptop

Focal Clear

Schiit Asgard 3 with Multibit DAC

Foobar2k

FLAC files from my own collection

Note: I've also been listening to the Clear with Oratorys EQ settings based on his Harman Target measurements. This profile raises the sub bass a noticable amount and dials back the brightness in the treble. It also pushes the mid range back slightly and adds a bit more width to the sound stage. It forces the Clear to sound just a bit more laid back and less "in your face". I do feel they lack a bit of detail using these EQ settings, but I guess it's a trade off if you find them too bright. I personally don't think I'll be using any EQ with these going forward.

Sorry about your loss from the fire and water damage. Glad you've recovered and were able to replace your gear.

A quick question about the fabric headband, do you remember what company made it? I looked on Amazon, based on an early thread comment, and found one made by Geekria that looks very similar. Thanks!

 

[Mani ATH 87]

Sorry about your loss from the fire and water damage. Glad you've recovered and were able to replace your gear.

A quick question about the fabric headband, do you remember what company made it? I looked on Amazon, based on an early thread comment, and found one made by Geekria that looks very similar. Thanks!

That's the brand! It's the large grey version. Fits pretty snug but seems to do the job!

 

[NovaFlyer]

That's the brand! It's the large grey version. Fits pretty snug but seems to do the job!

Thanks a lot!

 

[Mani ATH 87]

After owning the Elear for a few months I notice that the Clear has a bit more clamp force. The clamp of the Clear is hurting my head a little bit. Anyone can confirm if the clamp loosens a bit over time? Is there anything I can do to alleviate this a bit? Thanks!

 

[Paulo Abreu]

After owning the Elear for a few months I notice that the Clear has a bit more clamp force. The clamp of the Clear is hurting my head a little bit. Anyone can confirm if the clamp loosens a bit over time? Is there anything I can do to alleviate this a bit? Thanks!

I have it for almost 2 years and I can't say it has loosen a bit - that's a good thing, although not in your case. Someone here mentioned stretching it, if you do it carefully (opening all the way and firmly securing where the metal band enters the headband) it might work.
Anyway, after some time the pads will compress a bit, I guess maybe 2-3 mm, and that might weaken the clamping force
My 2 cents

 

[racebit]

The compression clamp can be changed by manually forcing it in or out (but better not more than one or two times) .
When I received them brand new I though the clamp was not too high, as when I bent my head forwards they could slip a bit due to the weight. So I forced them in. Howver then I noticed that due to the higher clamp force they would get hotter, so I forced them out back to the original clamp force, and have been that way ever since.

Yes, you can force them in or out, no problem. Try smaller forcing, try it, and increase it until it reaches your desired clamp.
But note, with high clamp force it gets hotter, and with smaller clamp force it can slip a bit when we bend forward, due to the weight. I had to choose.

 

[Mani ATH 87]

Yes, you can force them in or out, no problem. Try smaller forcing, try it, and increase it until it reaches your desired clamp.
But note, with high clamp force it gets hotter, and with smaller clamp force it can slip a bit when we bend forward, due to the weight. I had to choose.

What do you mean by "force in and out" ?

 

[racebit]

What do you mean by "force in and out" ?

Force out (what you need) is force the drivers apart from each other. Force in is forcing them closer, even to the point of going paste each other, so crossing. But as I said, try by incresing steps so that you don't go behing what you need.

 

[Mani ATH 87]

Force out (what you need) is force the drivers apart from each other. Force in is forcing them closer, even to the point of going paste each other, so crossing. But as I said, try by incresing steps so that you don't go behing what you need.

I'd be way to nervous to bend the headphones like that...too much money invested