[luishi5000]

Well, it's good that I hadn't spent all that money, then on the Verites, though their soundstage must be something.

I probably will go back to using my Martin Logan 60XTs most of the time once I buy a house. Or, wait until I get a deal on a ZMF product and use them in place of a set of bookshelf speakers. The speakers had out-resolved every set of headphones I've had. I had sold both Clear OGs and Audeze LCD-3s over those, and hadn't bought Clear Mgs until I had been banished to a small hotel room. Signature, with their aluminum drivers, is closer to the Focal headphone signature than the Audeze one (a lively midrange). They also have mid bass resonance and phase shift problems that I don't face with headphones; it will never be as clean below a certain frequency. I will likely keep my IEMs and sell my open back headphones, once my situation changes. The imaging of the Moondrops being almost as good at the Utopias (at least the ones that have DLC dynamic drivers), had changed things for me.

I had Arya v2s, and had liked the soundstage, but they had a hollow, plastic timbre that I had noticed the most with female vocals and simple guitar tracks. I had returned them after a month. The soundstage was so large, that it had sounded unnatural. Audeze soundstage is in between HiFiMan and Focal's (just right). With the Arya v3s, they would have fixed this and probably improved dynamics, but I can't justify owning two sets of open back headphones. I had loved how the synths had sounded when playing Lorde's Royals on the Arya v2, but not her voice. I have to say I prefer HiFiMan bass over Audeze (though it always sounds thinner in true HE-1000 fashion).

I boost the bass with my Clear Mgs too, and still feel that you need a closed back to get the most natural sounding bass below a certain frequency. Of course, this can differ depending on what type of instrument you're listening to. I can try and repair natural declines, but I can't cheat open baffle physics with any EQ I apply.

The Audeze LCD-X 2021s I had sold, have completely different sounding bass to HiFiMan or Focal, but had problems of their own: what I perceive to be lesser microdynamics. Those, had provided a larger sound, but had always felt closer to omnipresent, one note, "brawn over finesse" bass, when compared to the Clears, even after EQ. I could hear more textures in bass guitars with the Clears and the Arya.

LCD-3s have a wonderful organic warm midrange, but sound dark even after EQ, and don't measure up compared to newer headphones, to me. Probably a slow seller for them and are $450 more than the Clears. Neither of the Audezes had sounded flat and balanced even after EQ.

The Verites were my next catch after the Mg. They have this incredible enveloping soundstage that invites you in - compared to the Clear's HERE LOOK AT THE MUSIC presentation.

The Mg is for when I want to have fun and get energized. The Verite is when I want to get immersed or relax; they give music this romantic texture that is hard to describe, it's pretty much that description that made me get them to begin with - and boy is it worth it. Anything that reverberates / things like synths get a whole extra dimension, pure magic.

Few notes on technicals - the bass on the Verite is phenomenal, very textured and present. While the Clear has more slam and air movement, the Verite has what feels like more pressure; sub bass has more presence even though it doesn't have the same immediate impact. The Verite mid bass on the other hand has more punch, drums sound much more realistic.

The Verite somehow sounds both more and less clear than the Mg, at the same time. The holographic soundstage effect which envelopes you also "blurs" the peripheries of the music as a consequence, yet once you peer through it you can hear more detail than the Mg. This is why the Mg sounds more crystalline by comparison.

After owning both I also got the Arya Stealth - which has about the same soundstage, bass pressure, detail as the Verite, while also having the clean-ness of the Mg since it doesn't have the holographic effect of the Verite. Though like I said before, it's not nearly as fun as the Mg, and they have that "plucked" character which occasionally sounds less natural with certain music.

That said, I love all 3 equally - each has their own unique qualities which shine a light on different aspects of the music.

 

[N0sferatu]

I'm assuming this is the owner's thread. At least from what I could find. Still breaking them in but so far so good. I've had a lot of headphones throughout the years but most recently my Hifiman Arya died. Not their fault, the amp's fault. Search for recent posts by me for details (hint the A90 Discrete thread). EDIT: If bored, here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/topping-a90-discrete-aka-a90d.963858/page-16#post-17111288

With that said, having mostly been using Arya exclusively for the past 2+ years I don't see how other reviewers on YouTube give the Mg a bad wrap. I heard the OG Clear and Arya side by side back in 2020 and I picked the Arya because planar drivers. Does it go as wide as my Arya? No. Does it still get wide? Yes. I think the Arya has a bit more air to it's high notes but I think the mids have more resolution on the Clear Mg. I'll do a better A/B once I get my Arya back from Hifiman and proper break-in on the Clear as I'm only about 8 hours in. Bass is pretty stout and I'm still on break-in. I have used Peace APO (software EQ) now on hardware EQ (Schitt Lokius because MQA decoder now) and I feel like Clear Mg stock is pretty punchy, With the EQ it's silly. Anyways, glad to be an owner.

 

[cubemacplayer]

Has anyone had any problem with a loose emblem / logo making a slight rattling noise when moving your head left/right. New Clear MG and with this so small but annoying issue.

Update on my Clears, I sent it back and it was replaced by a new unity. Perfect now.

Sound wise - it's here to stay. It's what I was looking for a headphone to be honest, right of the bat, without EQ, does everything right.

*Headphones I own/owned: Ananda, Sundara, HD800, HD650, HD600, HD599, Fidelios X2.

 

[loopfreak]

I'm noticing more and more that Mg is one heck of a 'phone for electronic music just as well.

Listening to Boris Brejcha Space Diver and Mg is truly ripping trough those beats. And when good synth drops in it's just, yeah baby that's what I was looking for.

 

[cubemacplayer]

Electronic and

I'm noticing more and more that Mg is one heck of a 'phone for electronic music just as well.

Listening to Boris Brejcha Space Diver and Mg is truly ripping trough those beats. And when good synth drops in it's just, yeah baby that's what I was looking for.

Give it a try with Trentemøller - Moan - Remix and Take Me Into Your Skin, Nightwalker too.

The way the Focal Clear MG play those songs, it's very impressive. The microdetails, the surround effect, separation, the bass is super controlled but with impact.

"The Last Resort" album, you can just hit play in the start and trip.

 

[cubemacplayer]

Back here to say that Dekoni Elite Velour Pads are a good alternative to the pads on the Clear MG.
The pads are the exact same height as the original MG pads - *different material, giving a mid bass bump and taming the highs by a bit.

*Edit1: After listening more, the mid bass is a bit pronounced (not by much I believe) and the highs are rolled of a litte. Still a good pad, but not perfect. Needs EQ.


*Edit2:

WHY this is not mentioned more I truly do not know.

After seeying the graph measuring the OGs from crinnacle, he also writes:

.... And so, because these are headphones we are dealing with here, the more likely explanation is not that the driver’s tuning has been tweaked to the significant extent, but rather because the pads themselves are slightly different.

We are talking about around 3db in the 5hz region and around 5db in the 8hz region. Well, that is the difference between both OG and MG + an elevated upper treble around 15/16hz, considering both have the same PADS.

Some things left to know:
IF FOCAL changed how the Pads for the MG/OG are made - because both headphones are basically the same with minor tweaks.
Someone should find a new OG pad, if they are still available, and put in the MG - they should measure identical with some minor tweaks - case of HD650/HD600.


TLDR: The Dekoni Pads, that are the same height as the MG pads and do exactly the same effect to the OG and to the MG - excluding those small tweaks mentioned above.

 

[loopfreak]

Give it a try with Trentemøller - Moan - Remix and Take Me Into Your Skin, Nightwalker too

I'll check it out.

"The Last Resort" album, you can just hit play in the start and trip

It's a classic, as far as I'm concerned. Have it in my car for late rides, it's a great album top to bottom. Have seen him live on festival in a fortress, good times.

The way the Focal Clear MG play those songs, it's very impressive. The microdetails, the surround effect, separation, the bass is super controlled but with impact.

You hit the nail on the head. Mg just envelops you with outstanding imaging and bass response. What is even more surprising is that the mids really shine, without that typical V type of response that we are all accustomed aka Denon/Fostex bio-cellulose.

 

[Soundizer]

My environment has changed to a noisy one and feel I need to move to a closed back. Considering Focal Radiance.

I put my Focal Clear MG in classifieds for £900 UK Pounds shipping to UK address only.

 

[thomasu]

Has anyone tried the ZMF focal pads? Wondering how they compare to Dekoni's offerings or even the OG clear pads/OEM utopia pads

 

[cubemacplayer]

Has anyone tried the ZMF focal pads? Wondering how they compare to Dekoni's offerings or even the OG clear pads/OEM utopia pads

I would go for the OG Clear Pads or Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin

 

[cubemacplayer]

I pretty much am doing the same exact thing. I posted earlier that I bought the dekoni fenestrated pads and the clear og pads. I want to keep this one because the build on this headphone feels nice. The pins holding the yoke and the ear cups do not move and feel solid. Unfortunately my Stellia's pins move a little. Crutchfield is expecting a new shipment to arrive soon but I wouldn't want to risk getting a lower quality feeling pair of headphones.

Sorry to quote so late, I'm reading pass things about the Clear MG, did you try with the OG pads? If so, how was it? Cheers.

 

[Tubewin]

Sorry to quote so late, I'm reading pass things about the Clear MG, did you try with the OG pads? If so, how was it? Cheers.

The OG Clear pads with the MG is great. It's how I listened to the MG's and never looked back.

 

[cubemacplayer]

The OG Clear pads with the MG is great. It's how I listened to the MG's and never looked back.

Thank you so much, it just goes into my line of research.
I believe this is how the MG was supposed to be in the first place, with thicker pads.
Idk why they changed the pads to the thinner version. Do you have an idea?

Also @thomasu this is for you!

 

[thomasu]

Thank you so much, it just goes into my line of research.
I believe this is how the MG was supposed to be in the first place, with thicker pads.
Idk why they changed the pads to the thinner version. Do you have an idea?

Also @thomasu this is for you!

Okay you were totally right. Just swapping to the OG clear pads I can already hear a clear difference

 

[dennisgerrard]

Okay you were totally right. Just swapping to the OG clear pads I can already hear a clear difference

how's the difference comparing to the origninal pad?