[Beagle]

Perhaps the challenge to create a really good closed can is to much for them, or they don't see the demand to do so, or I hope - one is already in the pipeline?

Yeah, maybe as big a challenge as it has been for HiFiMan?

 

[franz12]

Yeah, maybe as big a challenge as it has been for HiFiMan?

Good point. Does HifiMan produce any closed back headphones?

 

[Beagle]

Good point. Does HifiMan produce any closed back headphones?

Only the Edition S...and it was, er, not so good.

 

[robertbudding]

My Clears arrived today. No regrets!

 

[franz12]

Only the Edition S...and it was, er, not so good.

I see. They don't seem to bother to try another closed-back. HifiMan produces a very high-end product like Shangri-la costs $50,000. Somebody would wonder why they don't make a flagship closed-back phone.

 

[qrtas]

Trying to understand why some people want a close back focal headphone. Usually close back headphones don’t sound as good as open back ones. Are you listening on an environment that requires a close back headphone?

Just curious

 

[LaCuffia]

Unless living circumstances preclude a quiet listening environment or if you travel a lot and don’t mind wearing a couple of thousand dollars on your head, I am not sure why you would prefer a top of the heap closed headphone over an open one in terms of sound quality.

 

[Ekul61]

One reviewer. Sold his Clears in favor of his Sony closed back.

 

[franz12]

I don't think focal would bother to develop a flagship closed-back headphone. Rather than dealing with all the cup reflections, I guess they would develop high-end IEMs like HiFiman or Audeze.

Sennheiser is going to unveil its first flagship closed back headphone, but only long after they introduced a bunch of cheap closed cans. And to me, HD820 looks like a slightly modified version of HD800 with some glass outside. I thought Senn tried to minimize the risk of a failure by exploiting the design already they have in hand.

But Clear with some glass outside would be...unthinkable at least to me.

 

[Beagle]

Unless living circumstances preclude a quiet listening environment or if you travel a lot and don’t mind wearing a couple of thousand dollars on your head, I am not sure why you would prefer a top of the heap closed headphone over an open one in terms of sound quality.

Headphones are for private listening. Ones that leak like a sieve make the exercise not so private.

 

[LaCuffia]

If you are alone in a room it usually doesn’t matter how much it’s leaking sound but I get the appeal of the hermetic seal of the closed back and the intimacy it can bring.

 

[bgbkt]

Focal must be busy with Elex deliveries. I believe they will work on closed back after that. There is definitely market for closed back.

 

[swmtnbiker]

Headphones are for private listening. Ones that leak like a sieve make the exercise not so private.

And yet most TOTL headphones are open. Go figure.

 

[SigFrued]

I alluded to my basic issue in my post. For my ears, they are very fatiguing. They are very good phones and I can completely see how a lot of people will love these. They are impactful and exciting but for my taste, they push all the wrong buttons. To my ears they are thin and wiry with a shouty midrange. There is possibly too much separation and depth such that they lack coherence. In the end, they just don’t seem natural or musical. For $1500.00 they need to knock me out but time after time, I switch back to the HD650 and think ahhhh, that’s just right. Hope that helps.
And I do list an amp, the Simaudio Moon 230HAD which has paired well with a variety of phones.

The "$1500" one you referring to the Focal Clear or the Sennheiser HD800/S? Thanks for clarifying. Your input is appreciated.

 

[Paulo Abreu]

Closed just might not be Focals bag. They certainly have plenty of research and development money. Some of theses company’s. Have like.. one owner and one engineer. Very minimal money for research.

I think its really a question of time, closed headphones have a place of its own and Focal surely has an eye on that market - most probably already on their roadmap.
I guess they may be a bit concerned with the idea of some of their TOTL customers owning Utopia dreaming on Senn HD820 if they want a closed headphone.
My 2 cents