[nlwouter]

I don't know man, compared to my DT-880, sometimes the Clear hits me like a truck on Kickbass. I doubt I could withstand a "bass heavy" can for long w/o getting a headache. :X

The focal clear bass is great in quality, but not so much in quantity. Although the clears bass can really change with the use of different amps. For example i once tried the clears on an integrated denon amp and the bass was crazY (litteraly like a sub strapped on my head)

 

[Dulcebeat]

which amp would you chose to get a great amount of bass for the clears ?
the ifi idsd or the questyle 400 ?

 

[Phronesis]

I’ve found the bass of the Clear to depend on the recording but not the amp. For most recordings, the bass of the Clear is about right, and rarely lacking or excessive to a degree that’s problematic. But the bass does have a distinctively ‘energetic’ quality which may not be desirable when in the mood for a more relaxed bass. Overall though, I find the Clear to be superb.

 

[Phronesis]

It is not arbitrary at all. Different headphones have different degree of openness. That is the FACT.

However, you may disagree with my perception that the Clear sounds more open than the Utopia.
So I already said in my previous post to my ears.
I also have seen some people reported that the Clear sounds more airy than the Utopia. I do agree with them. But you are entitled to disagree with their perception.

This perception may be partly due to the Clear not being quite as bright as the Utopia, which may make it sound a bit more distant, and therefore more open. I didn't perceive a substantial difference in openness when I extensively compared them, but overall I preferred the Clear a bit more because I found the sound be more neutral, realistic, and accurate. The Utopia had a bit more 'sparkle' - which has an appeal - but I found that sparkle to be slightly artificial, like adding a bit too much salt to a dish that was already just about perfect.

 

[Paulo Abreu]

which amp would you chose to get a great amount of bass for the clears ?
the ifi idsd or the questyle 400 ?

Isn’t Ifi idsd a portable amp? Maybe a desktop amp will deliver more "juice” for the bass? Generally I mean.
I post since I own Questyle 400 and am very happy. I agree with @Phronesis ? above that said Clear bass is very good, if the recording had the bass then Clear will show it, no doubt.

My 2 cents

 

[makne]

The bass quantity on the Clear doesn’t really have that much to do with power, as they’re pretty easy to drive. You can put them on an amp with a high output impedance (like I suspect the integrated Denon amp mentioned above has) and that will boost the midbass a lot. I do not recommend it usually though because it screws a lot woth the frquency response.

 

[franz12]

This perception may be partly due to the Clear not being quite as bright as the Utopia, which may make it sound a bit more distant, and therefore more open. I didn't perceive a substantial difference in openness when I extensively compared them, but overall I preferred the Clear a bit more because I found the sound be more neutral, realistic, and accurate. The Utopia had a bit more 'sparkle' - which has an appeal - but I found that sparkle to be slightly artificial, like adding a bit too much salt to a dish that was already just about perfect.

While I do agree that the Clear has better FRs, I do think the Clear is more open even after taking into account that factor.
Just see and compare their look. Their outside cover is obviously different each other, and it is obvious that the Utopia has more cup isolation. I mean RELATIVELY to the Clear.
In my view, this cup structure might allow the Utopia to have better bass responses. Very textured which I like a lot.

 

[dontfeedphils]

In my view, this cup structure might allow the Utopia to have better bass responses. Very textured which I like a lot.

I would probably attribute that to the entirely different driver material and magnet structure. Also, while the outer cup structure on the Clear might be more open around the circumference, it's more closed in the center, and the Utopia is vice versa. To me they look and sound equally open.

 

[Phronesis]

While I do agree that the Clear has better FRs, I do think the Clear is more open even after taking into account that factor.
Just see and compare their look. Their outside cover is obviously different each other, and it is obvious that the Utopia has more cup isolation. I mean RELATIVELY to the Clear.
In my view, this cup structure might allow the Utopia to have better bass responses. Very textured which I like a lot.

For me, the perception of openness of a headphones seems to be mostly about how the bass is handled. Open headphones seem to typically have more accurate bass with less tendency towards 'boominess' than closed backs. For some tracks with weaker bass, like some older rock recordings, the bass character of closed backs can work to be an advantage.

For me, there's no perfect headphone, and it comes down to finding a good synergy between the recording, the headphones, and how my ears/brain are working at the time.

 

[franz12]

I would probably attribute that to the entirely different driver material and magnet structure. Also, while the outer cup structure on the Clear might be more open around the circumference, it's more closed in the center, and the Utopia is vice versa. To me they look and sound equally open.

A good picture.
What I don't know is whether the special outer cup design of the Utopia is purely motivated from the design perspective. It may or may be not.
But for me, it is more logical to think that the special cup design is motivated to give the Utopia some special sonic attributes. I guess it has something to do with the Utopia's bass which I think really exceptional for a dynamic driver.
But it may be just to give them a nicer look. I don't know. That may be Focal's trade secrets.

 

[up late]

I would probably attribute that to the entirely different driver material and magnet structure. Also, while the outer cup structure on the Clear might be more open around the circumference, it's more closed in the center, and the Utopia is vice versa. To me they look and sound equally open.

your explanation seems "more logical" to me

 

[Ifalna]

I would probably attribute that to the entirely different driver material and magnet structure. Also, while the outer cup structure on the Clear might be more open around the circumference, it's more closed in the center, and the Utopia is vice versa. To me they look and sound equally open.

Eerm it's early in the morning, I may be not quite awake yet but am I seeing double or are there two Utopias on your couch?!

 

[dontfeedphils]

Eerm it's early in the morning, I may be not quite awake yet but am I seeing double or are there two Utopias on your couch?!

Unfortunately only one Utopia and the Hugo 2 are mine, the rest were the shop's that I was visiting.

 

[Ifalna]

Unfortunately only one Utopia and the Hugo 2 are mine, the rest were the shop's that I was visiting.

"Unfortunately" he says *chuckles*.
Though if one owns the Utopia, I guess there is no need for the rest of the open Focal family.

 

[dontfeedphils]

"Unfortunately" he says *chuckles*.
Though if one owns the Utopia, I guess there is no need for the rest of the open Focal family.

After owning the Elear for 6 months, and auditioning the Clear/Utopia against each other after deciding the Elear wasn't for me, it was a pretty easy choice for me.