[arielext]

I just checked the top of my Celestee and can see 2 lines forming already, pity.
Back to the woollen cover it is.

 

[jincuteguy]

So I just got the Focal Clear MG brand new headphones from headphones.com couple days ago. And every time I play a song with decent / deep Bass, it makes these crakle / popping noises. I've recorded a little video here. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with my headphones? And anyone with the Clear or Clear MG have this issue as well? any infos would be appreciated it.

 

[Guidostrunk]

So I just got the Focal Clear MG brand new headphones from headphones.com couple days ago. And every time I play a song with decent / deep Bass, it makes these crakle / popping noises. I've recorded a little video here. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with my headphones? And anyone with the Clear or Clear MG have this issue as well? any infos would be appreciated it.

Oh my. That does not happen with mine. I'd disconnect everything and reconnect it to make sure there's no connection issues. If it happens again I'd be looking into a replacement.
I run mine on a Mjolnir 2 on high gain and jam pretty loud(85db peaks) and everything is pristine sounding.

 

[jincuteguy]

Oh my. That does not happen with mine. I'd disconnect everything and reconnect it to make sure there's no connection issues. If it happens again I'd be looking into a replacement.
I run mine on a Mjolnir 2 on high gain and jam pretty loud(85db peaks) and everything is pristine sounding.

Yea I've tried with different cables and different DAC / Amp as well as 2nd PC too. And the issue still persist. So you think I should return it and get another one? or should I just go for the Hifiman Arya?

And no one else on this forums have this issue with their Focal Clear / MG?

The song I was testing in the video is this
Can anyone else listen to this song and tell me if you have this popping noise issue with your headphones? Also don't put the headphones on your head, just leave it open on the desk.

 

[Guidostrunk]

Yea I've tried with different cables and different DAC / Amp as well as 2nd PC too. And the issue still persist. So you think I should return it and get another one? or should I just go for the Hifiman Arya?

And no one else on this forums have this issue with their Focal Clear / MG?

The song I was testing in the video is this
Can anyone else listen to this song and tell me if you have this popping noise issue with your headphones? Also don't put the headphones on your head, just leave it open on the desk.

I'll definitely give it a listen when I get home. Does that noise happen with all music or just that song?

 

[kith86]

Yea I've tried with different cables and different DAC / Amp as well as 2nd PC too. And the issue still persist. So you think I should return it and get another one? or should I just go for the Hifiman Arya?

And no one else on this forums have this issue with their Focal Clear / MG?

The song I was testing in the video is this
Can anyone else listen to this song and tell me if you have this popping noise issue with your headphones? Also don't put the headphones on your head, just leave it open on the desk.

Instead of that track, try this dude, this is more extreme than yours imo, i wonder if you experience the same, i had elear instead of clear MG, I listened your track and yes, the pop/crackle happened but only on very loud volume, it's not bothering me in normal level listening, try also this track and in same volume level maybe it's more apparent, this track need me to do lower adjustment even more than your track to avoid those crack/pop issue.

 

[surfgeorge]

Can anyone else listen to this song and tell me if you have this popping noise issue with your headphones? Also don't put the headphones on your head, just leave it open on the desk.

Since these are headphones, designed to be used sealed against the head, testing them lying open on the table is outside the design parameters.

The Focal Clears are known to have excursion limits which can be reached when listening to music with very low frequency content at very high volume. When my original Clears were new, I was able to reach that limit with the Bladerunner track, linked above. I tried your track and the Bladerunner track now, and was not able to reach the limits, playing as loud as I could comfortably listen.
So either my Clears don’t have this issue any more, or I can’t listen as loud any more as I did 8 months ago

 

[jincuteguy]

Since these are headphones, designed to be used sealed against the head, testing them lying open on the table is outside the design parameters.

The Focal Clears are known to have excursion limits which can be reached when listening to music with very low frequency content at very high volume. When my original Clears were new, I was able to reach that limit with the Bladerunner track, linked above. I tried your track and the Bladerunner track now, and was not able to reach the limits, playing as loud as I could comfortably listen.
So either my Clears don’t have this issue any more, or I can’t listen as loud any more as I did 8 months ago

So you mean it is caused by the Excursion limit inside the headphones? And it is not an issue with the headphones?

 

[jincuteguy]

I'll definitely give it a listen when I get home. Does that noise happen with all music or just that song?

That song and any song with a deep bass

Instead of that track, try this dude, this is more extreme than yours imo, i wonder if you experience the same, i had elear instead of clear MG, I listened your track and yes, the pop/crackle happened but only on very loud volume, it's not bothering me in normal level listening, try also this track and in same volume level maybe it's more apparent, this track need me to do lower adjustment even more than your track to avoid those crack/pop issue.

Yea the Blade Runner soundtrack is worst.

 

[surfgeorge]

So you mean it is caused by the Excursion limit inside the headphones? And it is not an issue with the headphones?

Not necessarily.
The Clears are simply not designed for massive sub bass at very high volume. Closed headphones or planar magnetics are a better choice for that.
But to test if this is a limitation for your use case you have to listen to them, on your head. The test you are describing, playing them open on the table, is meaningless and you might kill your headphones by overloading the drivers. It makes no sense and does not tell you anything meaningful.

 

[jincuteguy]

Not necessarily.
The Clears are simply not designed for massive sub bass at very high volume. Closed headphones or planar magnetics are a better choice for that.
But to test if this is a limitation for your use case you have to listen to them, on your head. The test you are describing, playing them open on the table, is meaningless and you might kill your headphones by overloading the drivers. It makes no sense and does not tell you anything meaningful.

I put them on my head, I can still get the popping noises, but it's less when I have them on my head.

 

[dontfeedphils]

I put them on my head, I can still get the popping noises, but it's less when I have them on my head.

I'd just request a replacement. Seems like every so often a pair clips at a lower volume than you'd expect. If the replacement does it as well then it might be time to try another set.

 

[Guidostrunk]

I'd just request a replacement. Seems like every so often a pair clips at a lower volume than you'd expect. If the replacement does it as well then it might be time to try another set.

Exactly this! ☝

 

[Guidostrunk]

I have listened to your song and I'm very familiar with the blade runner track. Not sure what decibel levels you are reaching to get the MG to make those noises but I can not get my MG pro to do it. I maxed out what my ears are capable of hearing longer than 30 seconds and I'm 46 and don't have the best hearing. I couldn't get my OG pro to clip with the blade runner track when the topic came up last year.

So... yeah. Definitely get a new pair and go from there.

 

[trellus]

Yeah, one of the first tracks I tested with my brand new Focal Clears and I hear nothing unusual - but my listening level usually tops at about 87 dB, I can’t listen much louder than that or it just hurts.