[Luckyleo]

While I have a pair of Focal Elears, I thought I’d mention that I have been very happy with them paired with my Feliks Audio Echo. It is within your budget, well-built, and the stock tubes are quite impressive. I’d definitely recommend the Echo for first-time tube amp owners.

I have the Feliks Audio Espressivo (now discontinued) but they and the Clears sound magical. Really brings my listening enjoyment up more than a couple notches....

 

[AudioDuck]

I have the Feliks Audio Espressivo (now discontinued) but they and the Clears sound magical. Really brings my listening enjoyment up more than a couple notches....

Very cool, and not surprising to me. I continue to be very, very impressed with the Echo. Obviously taste in sound signature varies greatly (life would be boring without that diversity!), but considering the Echo’s capabilities vs. the Violectric V200 I just sold, I see the Echo as a MASSIVE bargain among headphone amps.

In an ideal world I’d be able to keep both and have solid-state nth degree of detail and clarity, but I expect I’d use the Echo at least 80 percent of the time for all genres. To me it really is that good, and in the areas where it falls short of the V200s high standards (deepest sub-bass impact, high treble detail), it isn’t by much- and the areas where the Echo “wins” are more important to me (organic midrange, mid-bass detail, treble smoothness).

Enjoy the Espressivo/Clear combination!

 

[Eldair]

Ye i have lots of tubes in Mj2 and have rolled them and there is nothing wrong with sound it is exceptional. Just askin cause now i have hp i have wanted years and i have some cash to burn in this hobby

 

[roskodan]

Hm, I would proably get another headphone, like an Audeze, to switch between the two. Which is actually what I did, got the LCD2C and HD800, after the Clear, very satisfied with them all (PEQ-ed tho, except the Clear). If one wants to optimize the sound further, maybe PEQ, to boost the bass etc.

 

[rickydenim]

I haven't heard of channel imbalance on the Clear, but when I bought my Clear I noticed the same issue. I swapped the pads from one side to another, and the imbalance shifted, too. I then took the pads off, and one was slightly thicker than the other... still waiting on Focal to send me a set of replacement pads, which they agreed to do. Crin also wrote recently about how different the pads were on the new MG than on the OG Clear. I would guess that's not a new design choice, but just poor pad quality control and lack of consistency. There's also a post on the headphones.com forum by someone who purchased a replacement set of pads for their OG Clear, and the replacements are noticeably thinner than the stock pads.

Interesting! I'll give this a try tonight, might be the cause.
I also just watched the Clear Mg review that Joshua Valour did and he actually got a pair with channel imbalance.

 

[CT007]

How is the Clear soundstage size? As big as HD660(love 660, but not 600 or 650)? Bigger? I have Clear as my current top pick between LCD-X/2/3/GX, Arya and MEST, but am mainly torn with Arya for the better stage/imaging/separation.

 

[roskodan]

Size wise it's nothing to talk about, but it will open up with amps that are good at stageing. It's among the best in terms of layering and details tho.

 

[Golyatx]

Size wise it's nothing to talk about, but it will open up with amps that are good at stageing. It's among the best in terms of layering and details tho.

Im thinking about adding thx 789 between rme adi 2 dac FS and Focal Clear, do you think this will be good? Or do you have any other reccomendations?

 

[Golyatx]

edit: and im total beginner in terms of separate amp and dac, i only had all-in-one units.
how do i connect theese two? the cables come with amp? or do i have to buy the cable?

edit2: hmm, this edit 1 was pretty bad i guess xd

 

[roskodan]

LOL. Yes, you need cables, RCA or XLR.

As for what amp, it depends on what you don't like about the RME. From the specs it looks good on power.

Maybe you need just some help from PEQ (Parametric EQ) to get them rocking.

 

[Golyatx]

LOL. Yes, you need cables, RCA or XLR.

As for what amp, it depends on what you don't like about the RME. From the specs it looks good on power.

Maybe you need just some help from PEQ (Parametric EQ) to get them rocking.

Ye this device is pretty good.
But I heard some amps can push it even further (sound. quality). So Im interested in trying it out.

I already have some PEQ done and its much better now then stock for my ears.

The thing I hate on Clears is I cant blow my head away when I sometimes want. = play giga loud.
Because there is that mechanical driver limit. (i think for example lcd X are very good for this?)

So Im always scared that it will clip again which is very uncomfortable sound.

And last thing - https://tidal.com/track/573293
On this well known song Eminem Without me, it clips even on "normal" volume in time 0:47. Can anyone confirm?
The sound is very disorted here(in this part 0:47, otherwise the song is good) by the mastering, but it also hit some 60hz (i think) and in this very moment 0:47 it cause Clears to mechanicaly clip.

So this is what I hate on Clears - I always need to be aware of volume because it can clip and that sound tears my ears. Otherwise they are godsent.

ed: and yea if there is any possibility of adding more soundstage I would love that. will thx 789 do the trick?
and... should we start the cable discusion?

 

[Guidostrunk]

90db peaks on my Clear last night and no clipping. It's actually too loud to my ears at that volume over an extended period. I can't imagine anyone listening at clipping levels.

 

[dontfeedphils]

Ye this device is pretty good.
But I heard some amps can push it even further (sound. quality). So Im interested in trying it out.

I already have some PEQ done and its much better now then stock for my ears.

The thing I hate on Clears is I cant blow my head away when I sometimes want. = play giga loud.
Because there is that mechanical driver limit. (i think for example lcd X are very good for this?)

So Im always scared that it will clip again which is very uncomfortable sound.

And last thing - https://tidal.com/track/573293
On this well known song Eminem Without me, it clips even on "normal" volume in time 0:47. Can anyone confirm?
The sound is very disorted here(in this part 0:47, otherwise the song is good) by the mastering, but it also hit some 60hz (i think) and in this very moment 0:47 it cause Clears to mechanicaly clip.

So this is what I hate on Clears - I always need to be aware of volume because it can clip and that sound tears my ears. Otherwise they are godsent.

ed: and yea if there is any possibility of adding more soundstage I would love that. will thx 789 do the trick?
and... should we start the cable discusion?

If you're clipping at reasonable listening levels (less than 85-90dB) I'd make a warranty claim. There seem to be some sets out in the wild that clip at somewhat normal levels when they shouldn't clip until 90+dB.

 

[dougq]

Ye this device is pretty good.
But I heard some amps can push it even further (sound. quality). So Im interested in trying it out.

I already have some PEQ done and its much better now then stock for my ears.

The thing I hate on Clears is I cant blow my head away when I sometimes want. = play giga loud.
Because there is that mechanical driver limit. (i think for example lcd X are very good for this?)

So Im always scared that it will clip again which is very uncomfortable sound.

And last thing - https://tidal.com/track/573293
On this well known song Eminem Without me, it clips even on "normal" volume in time 0:47. Can anyone confirm?
The sound is very disorted here(in this part 0:47, otherwise the song is good) by the mastering, but it also hit some 60hz (i think) and in this very moment 0:47 it cause Clears to mechanicaly clip.

So this is what I hate on Clears - I always need to be aware of volume because it can clip and that sound tears my ears. Otherwise they are godsent.

ed: and yea if there is any possibility of adding more soundstage I would love that. will thx 789 do the trick?
and... should we start the cable discusion?

You won’t hear any improvement beyond the rme amp. It’s literally transparent and powerful enough to power almost any headphone. It sounds almost identical to my Asgard 3 for example

 

[dontfeedphils]

You won’t hear any improvement beyond the rme amp. It’s literally transparent and powerful enough to power almost any headphone. It sounds almost identical to my Asgard 3 for example

Depends on what constitutes an improvement to you. Add in a nice tube amp that plays well with low impedance sets and you'll hear a nice difference, typically in stage size and a reduction in "rough edges".