Since usually - as others have stated - the jacks on most AVRs/receivers/etc are an afterthought and merely a result of tying the speaker outs to the headphone jack via resistors, they are pretty much unusable for decent headphones.
I posted measurements of my Clear from all 3 sources at home earlier in this thread. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/focal-clear-headphones.861727/post-15844092
Technically speaking, the Rode AI-1 (unknown output impedance) would sound most neutral but I prefer my Titanium HD with it's 35Ω, which clearly underdamps the Clear (55Ω) since it adds a little warmth.
The AVR is unusable for music since you lose a lot of detail... fun in movies though. I admit it: there is a tiny basshead inside me that wants to let loose now and then.
As you can see, this is NOT a small difference at all, all 3 are noticeable even to non golden audiophile ears like mine.
They use paracords so it's very light, flexible and coils easily when you put them away. You can choose the connector types and the color of the cables.
MacBook Pro > Denafrips Ares II > Icon Audio HP-8 > Focal Clear > Tidal > Melody Gardot - Sunset In The Blue > Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Single Malt.
Is there an easy way to soften the sound of clears ? Many years I've used headphone with rolled back treble, wanted to try something different and here all the details are thrown in your face and I do get tired quickly. There will be some degree of brain burn in as it was only 2 weeks, but I find it difficult to stick with clears for longer than 30min-1hr listening sessions. Clears seems to be easy to drive, but my macbook headphone jack makes them kind of shouty, via portable USB lotoo dongle it's better due to amps warmer tonality, but still...I think that my source does not give clears enough justice, ordered a desktop, let's see when it will arrive, but my thoughts are spinning for a trade. I've read that tube amps are a very good match to "relax" clears, but these thingies cost a lot and are over my budget
Is there an easy way to soften the sound of clears ? Many years I've used headphone with rolled back treble, wanted to try something different and here all the details are thrown in your face and I do get tired quickly. There will be some degree of brain burn in as it was only 2 weeks, but I find it difficult to stick with clears for longer than 30min-1hr listening sessions. Clears seems to be easy to drive, but my macbook headphone jack makes them kind of shouty, via portable USB lotoo dongle it's better due to amps warmer tonality, but still...I think that my source does not give clears enough justice, ordered a desktop, let's see when it will arrive, but my thoughts are spinning for a trade. I've read that tube amps are a very good match to "relax" clears, but these thingies cost a lot and are over my budget
Haven't found the need to do this but we all hear differently
As far as tubes go, the sound of the 'right' tube amp with the 'right' headphones can be great (i.e. OTL amps with high end Senns and Beyers). But I found it not worth the bother...and it was actually led to me acquiring the Clears and getting rid of my HD800 and T1.
Is there an easy way to soften the sound of clears ? Many years I've used headphone with rolled back treble, wanted to try something different and here all the details are thrown in your face and I do get tired quickly. There will be some degree of brain burn in as it was only 2 weeks, but I find it difficult to stick with clears for longer than 30min-1hr listening sessions. Clears seems to be easy to drive, but my macbook headphone jack makes them kind of shouty, via portable USB lotoo dongle it's better due to amps warmer tonality, but still...I think that my source does not give clears enough justice, ordered a desktop, let's see when it will arrive, but my thoughts are spinning for a trade. I've read that tube amps are a very good match to "relax" clears, but these thingies cost a lot and are over my budget
I think you may have problem with recording quality of your choice of songs. Or, you simply don't get used to with Clear's character yet.
Please try this song, and let me know your opinion (whether still sound too bright or just fine or great with your set up):
Personally this song is my "reference" for mainstream recording. Not bad at all, acceptable to most set up out there, but definitely not super great quality like something from Stockfisch recording.
Is there an easy way to soften the sound of clears ? Many years I've used headphone with rolled back treble, wanted to try something different and here all the details are thrown in your face and I do get tired quickly. There will be some degree of brain burn in as it was only 2 weeks, but I find it difficult to stick with clears for longer than 30min-1hr listening sessions. Clears seems to be easy to drive, but my macbook headphone jack makes them kind of shouty, via portable USB lotoo dongle it's better due to amps warmer tonality, but still...I think that my source does not give clears enough justice, ordered a desktop, let's see when it will arrive, but my thoughts are spinning for a trade. I've read that tube amps are a very good match to "relax" clears, but these thingies cost a lot and are over my budget
If your budget goes to around $400, you might look at the Monolith Liquid Platinum (by Cavalli) on sale (399.99 usd). To my ears, the LP is a great match for the Clears: full frequency range, quick transients, and no “metallic sheen” that I hear when driven by some other h/p amps.
I think you may have problem with recording quality of your choice of songs. Or, you simply don't get used to with Clear's character yet.
Please try this song, and let me know your opinion (whether still sound too bright or just fine or great with your set up):
Personally this song is my "reference" for mainstream recording. Not bad at all, acceptable to most set up out there, but definitely not super great quality like something from Stockfisch recording.
This track sounds decent, but a bit too bright for me...Maybe clears need more juice/something with warmer tone? This is powered from portable usb/dac amp now.... Some of my listening was done on soundcloud mixes and clear is unforgiving headphone to poorly recordings. On vinyl rips all these click/pops are so loud here. I heard this metallic/unnatural sound like with high hat's sometimes, but that's not a prob, the way it represents higher frequencies I can't enjoy even good recorded albums, it somehow pushes everything to you. Will wait till my desktop rig will arrive, for sure there should be a brain burn in, i've used my oppo pm3 nearly exclusively for more than 3 years, some reviews say it's dull due to rolled of treble, but I can listen for them without any fatigue for whole day.
If your budget goes to around $400, you might look at the Monolith Liquid Platinum (by Cavalli) on sale (399.99 usd). To my ears, the LP is a great match for the Clears: full frequency range, quick transients, and no “metallic sheen” that I hear when driven by some other h/p amps.
Thanks if this monolith is available in europe I might give it a go, EQ is hard for me I usually end up disrupting whole tonal balance instead of fixing things...
Please try this song, and let me know your opinion (whether still sound too bright or just fine or great with your set up):
Personally this song is my "reference" for mainstream recording. Not bad at all, acceptable to most set up out there, but definitely not super great quality like something from Stockfisch recording.
Did you stretch yours out at all? I picked this up the American version of this item a while back, and it was tight enough to leave marks on the top of the leather headband after removing it. Unsure if they just mailed me the wrong size, or if the American version is different. It was difficult to get it on there.
I love the look of it, I just don't want to trade protecting the bottom for injuring the top! Thankfully the indents mostly went away after I left it breathe for a few days, but It spooked me enough that I've been using the less flattering knit version as it is looser fitting.
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