Awesome impressions all around here. I am waiting on a Focal Clear from the headphones.com run and am very excited to get the OG model since I love the Celestee.
Focal Clear MG loaner program @TTVJAudio.com
- Thread starter Todd
- Start date
fjlabs
100+ Head-Fier
Finally got the info on the next recipient in line! Everything's packed up and ready to go on Monday!
First of all, thanks Todd for the tours. As part of the tour I had the opportunity of having the Focal Clear MG for a couple weeks, and here are my impressions.
Build and looks
I wasn't sure about the brown-ish color but once I saw them in real life I really liked the color, it looks very premium and nice. The build is very similar to all the other Focal headphones, over all the same general shape. The pads and bottom of the headband are made of some alcantara-like material. Clamping force is ok, it's enough to hold them securely but it doesn't crush your head. The driver is very visible from inside the cup, it's protected by a honeycomb structure and a thin mesh. The driver looks like other Focal drivers but this one is made of Magnesium, and that's why the "MG" on the name, according to Focal using Magnesium is a good thing and it improved the sound.
The cables are adequate, nothing special about them, it includes a 4 pin XLR cable which is nice for balanced sources. The headphone side is terminated in dual 3.5mm and the body of the connector fits tightly inside the cup which works as a strain relief for the socket. Third party cables work fine.
Sound
The sound signature feels flat, nothing feels boosted, it has great clarity in the mids, good low end and the highs can be a little harsh with some sources. I think Clear is a good name for the headphones, it matches my experience with the sound signature.
A very balanced plus good performance makes them competent and enjoyable, but I don't think I can pinpoint something special about the sound, they sound great and that's it.
Pairings
I only tried them with 4 amps: Flux FA-12, Benchmark HPA-4, iFi iDSD NEO and Cayin C9. Results were adequate with all of them, but my least favorite was the iFi iDSD NEO, that pairing made them harsh with some music. For a not so expensive setup the Flux FA-12 is good for low impedance dynamics, and pairs nicely with the Focal Clear MG.
Conclusions
Competent headphones with a flat sound signature, capable of reproducing great detail. Build and looks are very nice, they look premium and the construction feels solid. I cannot say anything bad about them.
Build and looks
I wasn't sure about the brown-ish color but once I saw them in real life I really liked the color, it looks very premium and nice. The build is very similar to all the other Focal headphones, over all the same general shape. The pads and bottom of the headband are made of some alcantara-like material. Clamping force is ok, it's enough to hold them securely but it doesn't crush your head. The driver is very visible from inside the cup, it's protected by a honeycomb structure and a thin mesh. The driver looks like other Focal drivers but this one is made of Magnesium, and that's why the "MG" on the name, according to Focal using Magnesium is a good thing and it improved the sound.
The cables are adequate, nothing special about them, it includes a 4 pin XLR cable which is nice for balanced sources. The headphone side is terminated in dual 3.5mm and the body of the connector fits tightly inside the cup which works as a strain relief for the socket. Third party cables work fine.
Sound
The sound signature feels flat, nothing feels boosted, it has great clarity in the mids, good low end and the highs can be a little harsh with some sources. I think Clear is a good name for the headphones, it matches my experience with the sound signature.
A very balanced plus good performance makes them competent and enjoyable, but I don't think I can pinpoint something special about the sound, they sound great and that's it.
Pairings
I only tried them with 4 amps: Flux FA-12, Benchmark HPA-4, iFi iDSD NEO and Cayin C9. Results were adequate with all of them, but my least favorite was the iFi iDSD NEO, that pairing made them harsh with some music. For a not so expensive setup the Flux FA-12 is good for low impedance dynamics, and pairs nicely with the Focal Clear MG.
Conclusions
Competent headphones with a flat sound signature, capable of reproducing great detail. Build and looks are very nice, they look premium and the construction feels solid. I cannot say anything bad about them.
Todd
Headphone Vinyl Meister
Member of the Trade: TTVJ Audio
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Looks like we are a bit short on reviews for the Focal MG loaner...
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