[GearMe]

Same here...got a nice deal on the Clear Professional OG once the hype died down and have felt no need to 'upgrade'.

 

[HiFiRobot]

The Arya is a great headphone no doubt, until Hifiman release a Stealth V2 2023 edition and then that will become flavour of the month.

I am really interested in a tube amp for the clears now though....I have a really neutral and detailed set up and I can see how the clears will benefit from some warmth. Any recommendations?

I mostly run my Clears on Eddie Current ZDT Jr, Hagerman Tuba, Liquid Platinum, Cavalli Tube Hybrid, they all pair very well with the Clears but Tuba is the most different sounding compared to the other amps. I am torn between ZDT Jr, LP and Tuba as my favourite. Cavalli Tube Hybrid is a good budget option to my ears. Be prepared to do some tube rolling. Stock tubes on Liquid Platinum and Tuba were no fun at all with the Clears. Also interesting that I usually prefer the high Z out from ZDT Jr on the Clears.
When on solid state i tend to prefer Cavalli Liquid Carbon, I have the original not Drop version.
Focal Clear on clean, well-measuring, neutral solid state amps does not do it for me, as an example the THX AAA pairing just doesn't sound right. I am starting to believe these headphones were made to run on tubes or tube hybrids.

 

[jonathan c]

I mostly run my Clears on Eddie Current ZDT Jr, Hagerman Tuba, Liquid Platinum, Cavalli Tube Hybrid, they all pair very well with the Clears but Tuba is the most different sounding compared to the other amps. I am torn between ZDT Jr, LP and Tuba as my favourite. Cavalli Tube Hybrid is a good budget option to my ears. Be prepared to do some tube rolling. Stock tubes on Liquid Platinum and Tuba were no fun at all with the Clears. Also interesting that I usually prefer the high Z out from ZDT Jr on the Clears.
When on solid state i tend to prefer Cavalli Liquid Carbon, I have the original not Drop version.
Focal Clear on clean, well-measuring, neutral solid state amps does not do it for me, as an example the THX AAA pairing just doesn't sound right. I am starting to believe these headphones were made to run on tubes or tube hybrids.

…FR linearity may be the forte of THX AAA amps but ambience, decay, soundstage are left in the void. For Clear, a case of sonic suffocation…

 

[deafenears]

Not even really trying to knock Hifiman here honestly, but as a consumer I might get a bit annoyed if my headphone kept getting new, potentially improved versions on an almost yearly basis.

When you've hired engineers for R&D and such, they have to come up with something. Be it improving existing models, or adapting them to use parts from whatever new supplier or what's available (ESS vs. AKM, etc.), or creating completely new models. Can't just let them sit there getting paid to do nothing or to go help out on the manufacturing and assembly lines.

I don't understand why people get annoyed by new and improved versions or new models. May as well just give up reading online and enjoy what you have... that or sell off and "upgrade" (if it's even an upgrade, like in some cases).

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

Nothing fancy in my setup. I have a Modi Multibit that I wouldn't trade for anything and a Modius. I usually use my Modi Multibit with my Asgard 3 but changed things the other day. So, Audiolab 6000CDT transport to Modi Multibit to THX789. I tried my Focal Clear Pros with this lineup and liked it a lot.
I also have a Marantz CD-80 with the TDA1541A single crown in it and enjoy the Focal headphones plugged directly into its headphone jack.

 

[jonathan c]

It is Clear-ly time for :

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

It is Clear-ly time for :

Nice!

 

[bcaulf17]

Maybe I need an amp/DAC upgrade for my Clear but man…I just don’t want to spend too much. Thing is I’m not trying to alter the sound of the Clear, so I’ve been using my THX 789 because it’s “supposed” to just add volume. But I guess people don’t like this amp anymore either?

 

[alekc]

…FR linearity may be the forte of THX AAA amps but ambience, decay, soundstage are left in the void. For Clear, a case of sonic suffocation…

@jonathan c I mostly agree with your point of view, however from my experience it also depends strongly on dac pairing. I really like Hugo TT2 with Mytek Liberty THX AAA HPA with Focal Clears MG. The same setup of amp+cans does not work very well with other dacs I have mostly to the effect you have described above.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

Maybe I need an amp/DAC upgrade for my Clear but man…I just don’t want to spend too much. Thing is I’m not trying to alter the sound of the Clear, so I’ve been using my THX 789 because it’s “supposed” to just add volume. But I guess people don’t like this amp anymore either?

I posted earlier that I was using that amp with my Clears. I use an Audiolab transport to a Modi Multibit then to the THX 789 amp. I use the middle setting on the gain switch. I also use a Modius balanced to the THX 789 even though it's not a true balanced amp.
My HD600's love the THX789. My other headphone amp is an Asgard 3.

 

[pbarach]

Maybe I need an amp/DAC upgrade for my Clear but man…I just don’t want to spend too much. Thing is I’m not trying to alter the sound of the Clear, so I’ve been using my THX 789 because it’s “supposed” to just add volume. But I guess people don’t like this amp anymore either?

It doesn't add volume. The Clears are easy to drive; you can even power them to adequate volume from a cellphone (although they don't sound that great). I use the Clears with a 789 and a Topping D50s DAC, or with a Burson HA-160 amp connected to the analog outs from a Denon 3109 universal player. In the past I have used the Clears with a Marantz HD-DAC1. My experience is that the combo of the Topping DAC and the 789 gives me the most detail in thick classical orchestral passages. There isn't much soundstage depth, but that is generally what most of the Clear reviewers have found regardless of the electronics.

 

[dougms3]

It doesn't add volume. The Clears are easy to drive; you can even power them to adequate volume from a cellphone (although they don't sound that great). I use the Clears with a 789 and a Topping D50s DAC, or with a Burson HA-160 amp connected to the analog outs from a Denon 3109 universal player. In the past I have used the Clears with a Marantz HD-DAC1. My experience is that the combo of the Topping DAC and the 789 gives me the most detail in thick classical orchestral passages. There isn't much soundstage depth, but that is generally what most of the Clear reviewers have found regardless of the electronics.

Granted the Clears don't have much soundstage but I think it can be improved depending on the gear. I use an audio-gd di20he > denafrips ares ii > audio-gd master19 and the soundstage is huge compared to running the clears off my hiby r5g2 dap.

I agree with the jonathan c. From the thx amps that I've listened to, the thx circuit kills ambience, decay, soundstage and additionally it also compresses the sound and reduces bass as well. It reduces the background noise and sounds a bit more resolving but sacrifices alot of things in the process.

Some may prefer this or see it as a reasonable tradeoff but I'd rather have the noise than lose all of those attributes. To each their own.

 

[GearMe]

Maybe I need an amp/DAC upgrade for my Clear but man…I just don’t want to spend too much. Thing is I’m not trying to alter the sound of the Clear, so I’ve been using my THX 789 because it’s “supposed” to just add volume. But I guess people don’t like this amp anymore either?

Sounds a little like a case of FOMO to me. Everybody has different listening preferences; just because someone else prefers a certain combo, doesn't mean you necessarily will...just sayin'

Thing is -- if you like what you're listening to, no need to upgrade it...just enjoy the tunes!


FWIW, I learned (for me) I spent way too much on hardware back in 70s thru 90's in my 2 channel rig. Eventually, I realized money was better spent upgrading transducers once my dac/preamp/amp/TT/cartridge were 'good enough'...so I went in that direction. If I was happy with my speakers, then it made more sense to me to buy more music.

 

[bcaulf17]

I posted earlier that I was using that amp with my Clears. I use an Audiolab transport to a Modi Multibit then to the THX 789 amp. I use the middle setting on the gain switch. I also use a Modius balanced to the THX 789 even though it's not a true balanced amp.
My HD600's love the THX789. My other headphone amp is an Asgard 3.

Yeah I keep mine one the middle setting too. Never have to change it and get plenty of headroom. I use single ended too. When I tried XLR I kept it on gain stage 1 most of the time but sometimes had to change it to stage 2. Rather just keep the amp on one gain stage. Plus the XLR cable is too long for me.

 

[Flognuts]

To the poster who is looking for a dac/amp and bang for buck id personally find a used Mojo 1 and call it a day. Apparently the original mojo isn’t good anymore either haha.