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
As another poster said, Liquid Platinum with some warmer tubes is a good way to calm the sound a bit -- it helped me tremendously with the same problem from my Utopia. Actually, even my Liquid Carbon X helped quite a bit, though at the cost of a bit too much lost high frequency information/energy.
While Clears are easy to drive, lower frequencies do require more juice, so a more capable amp of any tonality will probably help some.
You can also try to get a solid lambskin pads by dekoni. That might help with the treble harshness but at the cost of slightly lower crispness and detail retrieval. I use my clears with sylvania 6922 d getter tubes in my LP and it calms the treble while maintaining low end authority.
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 am also having difficulties to enjoy my new Clears, even after burning them in for 5 days and spending some time with them every day.
And I also found out that they react very strongly to the source I connect them to, tested with a Chord Hugo 2, the Chord Mojo and a lowly HiBy R3 which I usually use as transport for the Mojo. The Clears sound bright but a little more open with the R3, quite good and smooth with the Mojo, but on the Hugo the mid bass is so prominent and punchy that it overpowers the mids and pushes vocals into the background, kind of creating a veil.
I was hoping for a natural, clear and transparent sound with the H2, my best source. They sound very enjoyable and natural with some tracks, especially simple acoustic setups, but with Rock or Orchestra I find them rather tiring. They don't make me feel like being at the concert but a bit like the music is forced into my ears.
I will spend some time in a headphone store tomorrow to listen to other HPs but I think I'll have to return the Clears.
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.
I am also having difficulties to enjoy my new Clears, even after burning them in for 5 days and spending some time with them every day.
And I also found out that they react very strongly to the source I connect them to, tested with a Chord Hugo 2, the Chord Mojo and a lowly HiBy R3 which I usually use as transport for the Mojo. The Clears sound bright but a little more open with the R3, quite good and smooth with the Mojo, but on the Hugo the mid bass is so prominent and punchy that it overpowers the mids and pushes vocals into the background, kind of creating a veil.
I was hoping for a natural, clear and transparent sound with the H2, my best source. They sound very enjoyable and natural with some tracks, especially simple acoustic setups, but with Rock or Orchestra I find them rather tiring. They don't make me feel like being at the concert but a bit like the music is forced into my ears.
I will spend some time in a headphone store tomorrow to listen to other HPs but I think I'll have to return the Clears.
If you can consider tube/hybrid headphone amps, I e suggested in another post the Monolith Liquid Platinum to calm the Clears without loss of range or detail. If not, you might try amp/DAC combos that use the AKM 4490 series chip (latest is the 4499). These DACs tend to provide a more “organic” sound than those with the ESS 9018 / 9028/ 9038 chip which provide a more “forensic” or analytic sound. Availability might be an issue since the AKM factory was destroyed in a fire...
For me, the best amp that ive heard with my Focal clears is the Hagerman Audio tuba. This amp really tones down the highs and bring out the mids while also increases the punchness of the clears. Its my favorite amp for my clears. Period. Its even better than my elise (not an exaggeration). You can research tuba + clear synergy and find out for yourself. Tuba +Nos RCA El84 black plates+ clear + Nirvana.
I am also having difficulties to enjoy my new Clears, even after burning them in for 5 days and spending some time with them every day.
And I also found out that they react very strongly to the source I connect them to, tested with a Chord Hugo 2, the Chord Mojo and a lowly HiBy R3 which I usually use as transport for the Mojo. The Clears sound bright but a little more open with the R3, quite good and smooth with the Mojo, but on the Hugo the mid bass is so prominent and punchy that it overpowers the mids and pushes vocals into the background, kind of creating a veil.
I was hoping for a natural, clear and transparent sound with the H2, my best source. They sound very enjoyable and natural with some tracks, especially simple acoustic setups, but with Rock or Orchestra I find them rather tiring. They don't make me feel like being at the concert but a bit like the music is forced into my ears.
I will spend some time in a headphone store tomorrow to listen to other HPs but I think I'll have to return the Clears.
I recently just bought the brand new iFi NEO iDSD amp/DAC.
Even though I'm currently using it single ended...it sounds pretty amazing with my Clear Pros. I say this as someone who is very sensitive to hot treble.
The NEO iDSD has a great soundstage and a tight articulate bass as well as a very musical, slighty warm sound. If you have the opportunity, I would recommend a listen.
I am also having difficulties to enjoy my new Clears, even after burning them in for 5 days and spending some time with them every day.
And I also found out that they react very strongly to the source I connect them to, tested with a Chord Hugo 2, the Chord Mojo and a lowly HiBy R3 which I usually use as transport for the Mojo. The Clears sound bright but a little more open with the R3, quite good and smooth with the Mojo, but on the Hugo the mid bass is so prominent and punchy that it overpowers the mids and pushes vocals into the background, kind of creating a veil.
I was hoping for a natural, clear and transparent sound with the H2, my best source. They sound very enjoyable and natural with some tracks, especially simple acoustic setups, but with Rock or Orchestra I find them rather tiring. They don't make me feel like being at the concert but a bit like the music is forced into my ears.
I will spend some time in a headphone store tomorrow to listen to other HPs but I think I'll have to return the Clears.
Something more analytical in chain would be an overkill for me with clears. Not that clears has piercing highs, but it's presentation is quite aggressive, I'm mainly listening to japanese ambient with them which by nature has soft highs/slower pace/synth. Many other genres becomes a bit too much for me. Not rushing with decision yet and waiting for topping e30 combo to arrive.It is cheap'o, but has good reviews and uses same AKM dac chip as Lotoo S1, which I enjoyed way more than my macbook headphone jack. Even though I love technicality of the headphone I'm not that of a detail freak, for me musicality is more important. Earsonics EM10 tuning is amazing, but it has weak BA drivers bass and soundstage with IEM is limited.. I've read that sennheiser 650 carries that type of magic, but scared of it's very intimate presentation and lack of bass. The only other headphones that I tried in similar tier was Ananda, more laid back compared Clear, but somehow sounding thin and not very natural. Even going by the memory Clear outperformed Ananda. Unfortunately auditing of such headphones is not available here and I need to trust and go with other users impressions
I am also having difficulties to enjoy my new Clears, even after burning them in for 5 days and spending some time with them every day.
And I also found out that they react very strongly to the source I connect them to, tested with a Chord Hugo 2, the Chord Mojo and a lowly HiBy R3 which I usually use as transport for the Mojo. The Clears sound bright but a little more open with the R3, quite good and smooth with the Mojo, but on the Hugo the mid bass is so prominent and punchy that it overpowers the mids and pushes vocals into the background, kind of creating a veil.
I was hoping for a natural, clear and transparent sound with the H2, my best source. They sound very enjoyable and natural with some tracks, especially simple acoustic setups, but with Rock or Orchestra I find them rather tiring. They don't make me feel like being at the concert but a bit like the music is forced into my ears.
I will spend some time in a headphone store tomorrow to listen to other HPs but I think I'll have to return the Clears.
MacBook Pro > Denafrips Ares II > Icon Audio HP-8 > Focal Clear > Tidal > Melody Gardot - Sunset In The Blue > Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Single Malt.
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