I am gonno say this one more time, even though focal claimed that the clear pro retains the sound quality of the clear (i only have the clear pro) i must say that the pros sounds very very heavy on the bass even though it is separated from the mids and highs it just sounds boom! boom! boom! like cheap sub woofers in most cars. For me it is literally beats on open Back! Who else has the pro version?
Compare the pro and regular Clear back to back with the same music segment. Perception of bass is very much affected by the music segment, volume level, and how your ears/brain are working at the time you're listening. If Focal says they're the same, I think you can assume they're the same.
The Z Reviews story is the most fascinating story since his pre-Pasta and post-Pasta reviews have a different zing! to them. He is in LUB, so remember that the roller coaster of emotions will play in his reviews. Get those big grains of salt out. His focal reviews were entertaining, but he didn't describe the differences between the three all that well to justify the price gaps. Anyway, this guy's legendary status grows daily.
Regarding Bass. I know everything is subjective, but I just read another's post here that runs counter to the standard evaluation, and I must agree with him. Don't shoot me, but I think the bass for the Focal Clear is certainly de-emphasized. Not that it's "tight" or "well-controlled" or "not boomy." It just isn't there all that much, or less than I really wanted to be there. What is there sounds fine. But a lot less is there than I've noticed in all my previous headphones going back 20 years (most of which are of decidedly inferior overall quality). I notice it. I do notice it. And sometimes I retreat to Master and Dynamics cushy headphones because I am feeling deprived. Even though overall they are not as good. Problem is that they have a bit too much, not a lot too much, but a bit.
I am running the FC from an SE100, and it otherwise sounds good. I thought maybe a headphone amplifier would do something, but I haven't found one that does much, and I am not spending most than $3-400 just to get more bass. And the tweaks on the SE100 don't do all that much.
From measurements (and to my ears), the Clear’s bass is pretty much on neutral harman-style. You probably prefer/are used to a bit more bass than that. Personally I use the HEX v2 when I want something with just a bit more bass. The Clear does respond quite well to eq (at least when driven properly), so you could try boosting the bass with 3dB or so
I don't like headband covers. I like to look of Clear and I want nothing to add there.
So only option is just to treat them gently and enjoy the sound i guess
I like my Clears but the headband is as bad as it can get. Unusable for more than 20 min, it starts hurting bad on the top of the head. Probably people who have lot of hair do not have this problem, but I use the same head (I am not bold) with all my headphones, and this only happens with this one, and this one costs more than all the others together. Weight may contribute to this, but my Philips X2 weights near the same and is a pleasure to use, apart from being even hotter than the Clear.
To add to that, Silver Clear head band has light color below, which gets dirty very quickly. I love the color scheme, but obviously they should have put the light grey on top and the darker grey below (and on the ear pads too).
So headband cover is really necessary, but even then not enough, additional padding must be use inside the cover.
An alternative is a strap as described some months ago in this thread, but not so easy to do.
It just makes me sad when what could be a perfect product is let down by silly things. But it can be partially fixed.
Same here...just got the Pro's a few days ago; boomy bass is not what I'm hearing. Initial impressions are that they have a nice balance and work well across genres.
This very much matches my experience when comparing Clears with HD600/650. While Senns still have excellent tonality and mids, they just end up sounding somewhat flat and lacking dynamics when compared with Clear, they can't express that lifelike dynamism that Clear is able to deliver. Personally I ended up getting Clears because I wanted headphones that are "like Senns, but more exciting", and they sure have fulfilled that purpose.
To my ears, there are plenty of headphones that are really good and could serve as my last and only headphone. But there are still some differences, and if you like variety and change, and think of this as a hobby, the search for something new can go on indefinitely. The other reason the search may not end is that someone is looking for perfection, and IMO that’s not possible - I can find tracks that sound pretty crappy with all of my headphones, and no headphone can fix a poor recording.
FWIW, I'm not returning these unless they have a QC issue...
If you envision ordering additional gear (headphones, amps, cameras, etc.) from them, their VIP360 program ($50/yr) provides 2 day shipping, 1yr accident protection, 60 day returns w/free shipping, 'members-only' deals, etc. - https://www.adorama.com/g/VIP360
I haven't signed up for VIP360 as I tend to buy best price for NIB...that said, I've been very pleased with the value of my purchases from them.
To my ears, there are plenty of headphones that are really good and could serve as my last and only headphone. But there are still some differences, and if you like variety and change, and think of this as a hobby, the search for something new can go on indefinitely. The other reason the search may not end is that someone is looking for perfection, and IMO that’s not possible - I can find tracks that sound pretty crappy with all of my headphones, and no headphone can fix a poor recording.
Sound thinking and advice. I've been filling in gaps in headphone sound profiles and styles to expand my knowledge and experience. I would like to experiment with a few more brands as well. One of the things I don't have but ultimately would like to settle on is a high quality headphone that compares to the 600 (which I've spent time with) but adds some flavor. Finding the flavor and style I would prefer is part of my current goal along with just enjoying the technology and music. Fortunately I'm not chasing perfection.
FWIW, I'm not returning these unless they have a QC issue...
If you envision ordering additional gear (headphones, amps, cameras, etc.) from them, their VIP360 program ($50/yr) provides 2 day shipping, 1yr accident protection, 60 day returns w/free shipping, 'members-only' deals, etc. - https://www.adorama.com/g/VIP360
I haven't signed up for VIP360 as I tend to buy best price for NIB...that said, I've been very pleased with the value of my purchases from them.
Just remember...Adorama isn’t an authorized dealer (they don’t show up in the search on the Focal dealer locator site), so warranty support might be a problem.
Regarding pads, I could welcome alternative pads to the Clear stock pads to provide some more bass and at same time have a larger inside area (the stock pads have 60x50mm).
I read the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin can enhance bass, what about inside space? Any other alternatives for these two goals?
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