[descloud]

(some of us do listen to mono recordings!). My point is that if you get a solid, narrow center image with a mono recording, you'll know that any perceived problem with a solid center image is NOT caused by the headphones.

Maybe I should've praised that more appropriately - "some of us don't listen to music in mono setting".

Honestly, your proposed test doesn't make much sense from being able to deduce this perception of the center stage for the Clear. Comparisons for a few of the same tracks on my other headphones already verified that panning in the center image. If the mono recording shows a "narrow center image", what does it prove? That it is NOT caused by the headphones? So what are the other possibilities then?

I listen to a variety of tracks from Spotify, Tidal and my own FLAC collection. That being said, I can only think of a few other possibilities based on your preconceived conjecture:

• All my other headphones and ones I've had before (HE-500, Audeze Sine, Alpha Dog, Oppo PM-3, TH-X00, Koss ESP950, HD650) have poor imaging or center imaging - which is highly unlikely unless you're implying every headphone listed above are unable to render center image properly? A bold claim to say the least.
• My hearing is poor - possible, but inconclusive to say the least given the consistent imaging from other sources I've listed above, and how I don't find any issues in center imaging from various other setups like car speakers, home theater, desktop speaker

So really, if it's not the headphones or a property of the headphones, are you saying it's my hearing that is the issue? Or is it the other headphones I've owned and tried that has an issue?

 

[roskodan]

1. The Clear are revealing, so you can hear the drivers being mismatched.
2. The Clear are revealing, so you can hear your ears being mismatched.
3. The Clear are revealing, so you can hear records are not mixed "perfectly".

Imo, it's the combination of 2 and 3. So, use pure tones and test so that you first wear the headphones normally and then wear them backward (i.e. left cup on right ear and right cup on left ear). If the imbalance stays on the same side, it's your ears, if it changes side when wearing them backwards, it's the headphones. If you are lucky, it's just the recordings showing their true selves, and you won't hear any imbalance when using pure tones.

https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/

 

[pbarach]

So really, if it's not the headphones or a property of the headphones, are you saying it's my hearing that is the issue? Or is it the other headphones I've owned and tried that has an issue?

I have no theories about why you don't hear a solid center image. One possibility is that your ears have different "frequency responses." Have you had your hearing checked recently?

Another possibility is that your particular pair of Clears has the left and right drivers wired out of phase with each other. Easy to check that using a test tone like this one:

'm sure there are other possibilities, but since I have no problem with getting a solid center image on Clears or my other headphones, I wouldn't want to speculate.

 

[descloud]

1. The Clear are revealing, so you can hear the drivers being mismatched.
2. The Clear are revealing, so you can hear your ears being mismatched.
3. The Clear are revealing, so you can hear records are not mixed "perfectly".

Imo, it's the combination of 2 and 3. So, use pure tones and test so that you first wear the headphones normally and then wear them backward (i.e. left cup on right ear and right cup on left ear). If the imbalance stays on the same side, it's your ears, if it changes side when wearing them backwards, it's the headphones. If you are lucky, it's just the recordings showing their true selves, and you won't hear any imbalance when using pure tones.

https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/

Like I answered on a previous comment, it is not a channel imbalance, nor a driver mismatch. I checked the audio tests from here prior to even posting my observation. And so far it is present in almost all modern recordings I've listened to (modern songs that are in stereo).

I have no theories about why you don't hear a solid center image. One possibility is that your ears have different "frequency responses." Have you had your hearing checked recently?

'm sure there are other possibilities, but since I have no problem with getting a solid center image on Clears or my other headphones, I wouldn't want to speculate.

What I'm referring to seems to be misunderstood often here. There is a center image, but it is not cohesive, or there seems to be a thinning of placement of vocals and instruments when going to the center image.

If I were to best describe the center stage from the picture I made below (forgive the poor editing as I'm just in a rush in doing it), the Focal Clear has a center stage of figure A. Every other headphone I've heard has a more even stage as in figure B.

As you can see in Figure A, any instrument/vocal in the center is either muted or thinned out that it makes the presentation lack cohesiveness or fluidity. Note that Figure B does not mean there is an overlap from the right stereo audio to the left, it's just my quick mock up of the point I'm making.

So it is possible I have a different ear for certain things, or maybe my hearing has been skewed by working in a jazz concert for 10 hours straight. I'm not saying my hearing is better or worse than others, but maybe I have different sensitivities than a good number of people on this thread.

Either way, I already mentioned on a previous comment that using crossfeed fixes the issue I've encountered.

 

[DaYooper]

It's the argument with high entertainment value.

 

[Pandacup]

Like I answered on a previous comment, it is not a channel imbalance, nor a driver mismatch. I checked the audio tests from here prior to even posting my observation. And so far it is present in almost all modern recordings I've listened to (modern songs that are in stereo).


What I'm referring to seems to be misunderstood often here. There is a center image, but it is not cohesive, or there seems to be a thinning of placement of vocals and instruments when going to the center image.

If I were to best describe the center stage from the picture I made below (forgive the poor editing as I'm just in a rush in doing it), the Focal Clear has a center stage of figure A. Every other headphone I've heard has a more even stage as in figure B.

As you can see in Figure A, any instrument/vocal in the center is either muted or thinned out that it makes the presentation lack cohesiveness or fluidity. Note that Figure B does not mean there is an overlap from the right stereo audio to the left, it's just my quick mock up of the point I'm making.

So it is possible I have a different ear for certain things, or maybe my hearing has been skewed by working in a jazz concert for 10 hours straight. I'm not saying my hearing is better or worse than others, but maybe I have different sensitivities than a good number of people on this thread.

Either way, I already mentioned on a previous comment that using crossfeed fixes the issue I've encountered.

Do you hear any shifting of the tones between ears in frequency response sweeps or the like? My ears are definitely unequal at certain frequencies.

(Nice pic btw)

 

[ozz]

I had that on vinyl and yes it would actually cause the needle to jump out of the groove if you had the tracking on the lite side it was also a speaker driver destroyer if the volume was to high.

 

[ubs28]

My Focal Clear's are also not particular strong with a centre image. Other headphones do a better job in this regard.

 

[descloud]

Do you hear any shifting of the tones between ears in frequency response sweeps or the like? My ears are definitely unequal at certain frequencies.

(Nice pic btw)

I'm not sure I follow what you're asking. Can you PM me so we can discuss further there so this thread doesn't get crowded with this issue that appears to only affect one or two individuals? Thanks!

 

[Guidostrunk]

Makes you wonder if there's drivers in some of the Clears that are wired wrong. Almost seems like there's a phase issue collapsing the image for some people.

 

[DaYooper]

It's good to be unencumbered by audiophile tendencies.

 

[roskodan]

Rule of thumb, don't try to make sense of those that refuse to make any sense.

 

[DaYooper]

How sensible.

 

[PointyFox]

Are the drivers further from the ears than other headphones?

 

[descloud]

Are the drivers further from the ears than other headphones?

Depends which headphones you're comparing to. The Clear have angled drivers with evened/flat pads. Other headphones have flat drivers with angled pads (i.e. Hifiman, Audeze), so your question doesn't have a direct answer without reference and actual measurements.