[Ekul61]

‘Better’ is a broad term. Would appreciate more specificity. Not heard clear, heard the other 2. From reading tons of opinions, they seem tonally better balanced compared to ‘thick, warm’ lcd3 and ‘lean, bright’ 800S. Also hazarding a guess
Bass: lcd3>clear>800S
Soundstage: 800S>clear=lcd3.
Feel free to correct me. What about other aspects. Mids, treble, imaging, dynamics, transients? Just curious of your opinion.

No correcting . You pretty much summed i up.

‘Better’ is a broad term. Would appreciate more specificity. Not heard clear, heard the other 2. From reading tons of opinions, they seem tonally better balanced compared to ‘thick, warm’ lcd3 and ‘lean, bright’ 800S. Also hazarding a guess
Bass: lcd3>clear>800S
Soundstage: 800S>clear=lcd3.
Feel free to correct me. What about other aspects. Mids, treble, imaging, dynamics, transients? Just curious of your opinion.

Yes a good headphone. I believe you've made it to the point of. Buying the headphone with the option of return.

 

[donlin]

‘Better’ is a broad term. Would appreciate more specificity. Not heard clear, heard the other 2. From reading tons of opinions, they seem tonally better balanced compared to ‘thick, warm’ lcd3 and ‘lean, bright’ 800S. Also hazarding a guess
Bass: lcd3>clear>800S
Soundstage: 800S>clear=lcd3.
Feel free to correct me. What about other aspects. Mids, treble, imaging, dynamics, transients? Just curious of your opinion.

I would disagree with your assumptions. To pick out certain aspects of the sound misses the point. For me, the Clear is on a different level than those other headphones when it comes to musical involvement and immersion in the experience of listening. They are just plain better at making the music seem real.

 

[mcanaday]

Are the clears best matched with tubes or solid state? Which particular amps would match well (under 3k)?

 

[Fatdoi]

Have anyone compared Clear to ZMF Auteur?

 

[Matro5]

Are the clears best matched with tubes or solid state? Which particular amps would match well (under 3k)?

So far, the most interesting pairing I've seen rec'd here is the Chord Mojo. Seems to be some sort of synergy there that people are enjoying. But, I'm still curious about the same question. My Clears don't seem particularly hard to drive, but it's difficult to audition amps outside of a Meet situation, so the the more impressions, the better.

 

[donlin]

Are the clears best matched with tubes or solid state? Which particular amps would match well (under 3k)?

I’m loving the clear from the Simaudio Moon 230HAD. I use it as a headphone amp only, not a dac.

 

[bidn]

Agreed re the Utopia sound quality but I can manage a lot more than 15 minutes with them. I, do, however, know exactly what you mean. With the Clears you just don't get that issue.

I fully agree with you S-O8.
I have listened several times for several hours to fatiguing high-pitched metal with my Utopia without fatigue,
while with my unmodded HD 800 I was never able to do this for more than one hour, and hardly more with my unmodded K812.

What is great with Tyll is that he honestly tells negative things, unlike most reviewers (I suspect many reviewers are paid for their reviews and will only say positive things... = not useful...)
But the possible downside with Tyll is that he gets so involved in his thorough testing and assessments that he may not distance himself and in the end some points and conclusions may come out a exaggerated, direction black vs white.
The Utopia used to be praised as being neutral... (probably because compared to HD 800 etc.).
I can agree that it may be a bit bright, but very little re. mine.
The only times when I have issues is when I have headaches (happens often to me), then if the headache is not to strong I will listen to my Elear, and if it is strong I will listen to hps I find really dark (LCD-X or XC, PM-2...).

In my case, owning already the Utopia and Elear,
I have been content with only ordering the pads of the Focal Clear
I ordered them directly in France here :
https://www.son-video.com/article/a...soires-casques/focal/coussinet-clear-la-paire
I have consistently read on forums in different countries and languages that they make the Utopia more neutral,
so I will put them on my Utopia when I receive them
... sorry for those who find this pairing of black and grey awfully ugly looking ....

 

[Paulo Abreu]

[...] I have been content with only ordering the pads of the Focal Clear
I ordered them directly in France here :
https://www.son-video.com/article/a...soires-casques/focal/coussinet-clear-la-paire ....

I believe the pads they sell are from Clear but the picture isn't correct - those pictured pads are very different from the Clear originals.

 

[bidn]

I believe the pads they sell are from Clear but the picture isn't correct - those pictured pads are very different from the Clear originals.

You are right, they don't look the same,
Thank you so much, the shop hasn't shipped them so I have contacted them, asking them to verify and to cancel the order if the pads do differ.

 

[llamaluv]

Are the clears best matched with tubes or solid state? Which particular amps would match well (under 3k)?

I'm using it on two setups: the Cayin iDAC-6 + Cayin iHA-6 and the Woo WA7 + WA7tp.

I haven't had either setup for very long (I've been on a buying spree late this year ), but I'm finding the Clear to sound great on both, and able to bring out the strengths of each respectively. Dynamic and a little more punchy on the Cayin stack, deeper bass extension. Smooth and musical on the Woo. Full of detail and texture on both; no graininess; great instrument separation. And loving the tonal balance, not feeling the need to play with EQ'ing on either.

 

[SaddleSC]

Just received tracking info from FedEx...it looks like they will be delivered tomorrow (one day earlier than expected)...super excited!

 

[Wildcatsare1]

‘Better’ is a broad term. Would appreciate more specificity. Not heard clear, heard the other 2. From reading tons of opinions, they seem tonally better balanced compared to ‘thick, warm’ lcd3 and ‘lean, bright’ 800S. Also hazarding a guess
Bass: lcd3>clear>800S
Soundstage: 800S>clear=lcd3.
Feel free to correct me. What about other aspects. Mids, treble, imaging, dynamics, transients? Just curious of your opinion.

It’s almost always subjective when anyone uses “best,” I can only speak for myself, but I feel the Clear has equal resolution to the 800/800s, but superior tone, body, dynamics, and perhaps imaging within the head stage. The only area where the 800 is “better” is that head stage, but since this is quite “artificial” compared to good two channel or live sound it doesn’t carry the day, for me.

To me the 800/800s are and enigma, I spent years building a system around them. IMO, it’s the old cliche of trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. You can spend $5K+ trying to make the 800 sound good, or just buy the Clear and have it sound great day one (I’m loving mine with the Mojo).

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Have anyone compared Clear to ZMF Auteur?

@grizzlybeast has done extensive comparisons between these two headphones.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Are the clears best matched with tubes or solid state? Which particular amps would match well (under 3k)?

Tyll’s review indicates Solid State, but I believe it’s more those with a higher ohm output, the MicroZOTL 2 plays well with mine though.

 

[S-O8]

I fully agree with you S-O8.
I have listened several times for several hours to fatiguing high-pitched metal with my Utopia without fatigue,
while with my unmodded HD 800 I was never able to do this for more than one hour, and hardly more with my unmodded K812.

What is great with Tyll is that he honestly tells negative things, unlike most reviewers (I suspect many reviewers are paid for their reviews and will only say positive things... = not useful...)
But the possible downside with Tyll is that he gets so involved in his thorough testing and assessments that he may not distance himself and in the end some points and conclusions may come out a exaggerated, direction black vs white.
The Utopia used to be praised as being neutral... (probably because compared to HD 800 etc.).
I can agree that it may be a bit bright, but very little re. mine.
The only times when I have issues is when I have headaches (happens often to me), then if the headache is not to strong I will listen to my Elear, and if it is strong I will listen to hps I find really dark (LCD-X or XC, PM-2...).

In my case, owning already the Utopia and Elear,
I have been content with only ordering the pads of the Focal Clear
I ordered them directly in France here :
https://www.son-video.com/article/a...soires-casques/focal/coussinet-clear-la-paire
I have consistently read on forums in different countries and languages that they make the Utopia more neutral,
so I will put them on my Utopia when I receive them
... sorry for those who find this pairing of black and grey awfully ugly looking ....

I found the Utopia too bright on my Pioneer U-05 amp ... an amp I loved with my other headphones. I changed amp to a Sony TA-ZH1ES and the Utopia is no brighter than the Clear - in fact after both have done 250 hours of music the Clear actually seems brighter ! The difference is the impact of the Utopia's which can mean your listening is not as relaxed as the Clear. The Clear is definitely a set of headphones that are in no way fatiguing. I think it is the 'delivery' of the Utopia as opposed to the brightness that can tire you ... but in a stunning way.

I can listen to the Clears for ages and not even think about them. The Utopia are stunning but very impactive - not bright in my view but then if paired with my Pioneer amp they would be and were !!