Ah man so I can't get a DAP like the ibasso dx300? Guess I could get a topping or an all-in-one for now. I'm big on portable and use headphones with the subpac. I think the subpac provides the other "half" headphones don't. To me, it's a complete headphone experience. I wanna wait and see if their new X1 model's built-in amp is worth its salt cuz they keep bragging about it lol. But they've been delaying it for over a year so I've gotten impatient and probably will get an amp of some sort. I had a fiio k5 pro but it shorted on me when my basement flooded.
Why not keep the 560 for portable and deliver the goods for the Clear experience? Schiit offers fantastic combo units to meet your needs. Something like a Jot 2 with a mb card should set you free. Lol
Why not keep the 560 for portable and deliver the goods for the Clear experience? Schiit offers fantastic combo units to meet your needs. Something like a Jot 2 with a mb card should set you free. Lol
I mean I kinda wanted them for portability, but no doubt they can double as both portable and an at-home reference setup with a dac and amp. If at-home was all I wanted, I woulda gotten something a little more expensive. But who knows. Let's see what these amps can do for the Clear. Thank you.
I mean I kinda wanted them for portability, but no doubt they can double as both portable and an at-home reference setup with a dac and amp. If at-home was all I wanted, I woulda gotten something a little more expensive. But who knows. Let's see what these amps can do for the Clear. Thank you.
I really don't! XD From my phone they're identical. From onboard PC audio, there is an opening in the bass for sure. The 560s doesn't open no matter what I plugged it into, even my amp before it got fried. Okay, I'll report back after I buy a Jot 2 or something similar in the midrange price.
I suppose underpowering headphones below their capability makes them sound like budget headphones cuz their speed and rigidity are not being utilized. Interesting what can be learned in this hobby.
My OG Clears decked out with black Geekria headband cover and Drop Elex replacement pads. I think I like this look better, and don't notice much if any audio differences with the Elex pads.
My OG Clears decked out with black Geekria headband cover and Drop Elex replacement pads. I think I like this look better, and don't notice much if any audio differences with the Elex pads.
My OG Clears decked out with black Geekria headband cover and Drop Elex replacement pads. I think I like this look better, and don't notice much if any audio differences with the Elex pads.
Is a mixed bag. It protects the underside fabric of the headband from getting soiled, but it also leaves impressions in the pleather top of the headband from the seams along the zipper on the Geekria cover. I decided I like the flexibility of changing the color of the headband and protecting the underside fabric more than worrying about the pleather indentations. It doesn't really alter comfort in any way for me.
I have the ifi Zen DAC (and the Zen CAN) and the Clear OG, and yes the ifi Zen DAC can drive the Clears, I use the stack (so normally the Can amp driving) but the DAC does them fine with or without the power match on. I didn't go passed half volume/12 O' clock (SPL meter suggests peaks roughly 92dB-C at this setting) with Power Match on and was happy with normal listening volume being @ 9 O'clock-ish. Power Match off I was comfortable at 12 O'clock on the dial (SPL reading 87dB-C) and didn't go passed 2 O'clock max. Other stacks I currently also use SMSL SU-9/SMSL SP400 or Topping D30 Pro/xDuoo TA-20.
Focal Clear is fairly easily driven and doesn't demand lots of power though as others have indicated they do benefit from an amp but then most headphones do in my findings even if they don't require one as such IMHO...YMMV
edit: if this questioning line was about the clipping with loud playback and heavy sub bass on the Clears, then it still happens using the Zen DAC. I'd never heard my Clears clip until trying the tracks a few pages back in this thread lol. I don't normally listen to playback quite that loud and there's better suited headphones for that kind of heavy bass.
2nd edit: just for the sake of interest I thought I'd try some planars and I could still clip them on that heavy track on the Zen but when I put them on my SMSL stack (SP400 amp) the planars play the track fine, so I tried the Focals again on that amp and wow... I was surprised I could go louder than I was game to even listen without clipping, Clipping did start but volume was @or over 100+dB-C which is madness....YMMV... I think my Clears are ok and working as intended in my case.
A very important point. Also, underpowered headphones may be the coin flipside of overpowered amp source - leading to distortion. And, underpowered headphones are less likely to exhibit their full dynamic range capability - taking away the excitement!
I have the ifi Zen DAC (and the Zen CAN) and the Clear OG, and yes the ifi Zen DAC can drive the Clears, I use the stack (so normally the Can amp driving) but the DAC does them fine with or without the power match on. I didn't go passed half volume/12 O' clock (SPL meter suggests peaks roughly 92dB-C at this setting) with Power Match on and was happy with normal listening volume being @ 9 O'clock-ish. Power Match off I was comfortable at 12 O'clock on the dial (SPL reading 87dB-C) and didn't go passed 2 O'clock max. Other stacks I currently also use SMSL SU-9/SMSL SP400 or Topping D30 Pro/xDuoo TA-20.
Focal Clear is fairly easily driven and doesn't demand lots of power though as others have indicated they do benefit from an amp but then most headphones do in my findings even if they don't require one as such IMHO...YMMV
edit: if this questioning line was about the clipping with loud playback and heavy sub bass on the Clears, then it still happens using the Zen DAC. I'd never heard my Clears clip until trying the tracks a few pages back in this thread lol. I don't normally listen to playback quite that loud and there's better suited headphones for that kind of heavy bass.
2nd edit: just for the sake of interest I thought I'd try some planars and I could still clip them on that heavy track on the Zen but when I put them on my SMSL stack (SP400 amp) the planars play the track fine, so I tried the Focals again on that amp and wow... I was surprised I could go louder than I was game to even listen without clipping, Clipping did start but volume was @or over 100+dB-C which is madness....YMMV... I think my Clears are ok and working as intended in my case.
So you said when you used the Clear with the SMSL SP400 amp, you can listen a lot louder without the clippings? That's good to know, so I guess a better / powerful amp might be needed for the Clear then. The SP400 is like $600 amp though.
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