Focal Clear Mg Review & Measurements
Oct 14, 2021 at 11:46 AM Post #691 of 2,126
holy crap I think I'm experiencing what this guy experienced...

I'm in my early 30's. Is this really a thing? It would all make a lot of sense considering the Apple Dongle fails to properly reproduce the headphone's full capabilities. It was essentially masking this high frequency problem. Then when I plugged it into a real amp that fully powered the response, it essentially magnified whatever is going on. It’s super weird too because I’ve experienced fatigue with bright headphones and these are not. They sound rolled off to me like it does others so I don’t even know how this is possible. Did they boost ultrasonic frequencies or something? lol

Jesus I just bought a $1500.00 headphone that makes my ears bleed on anything more than a dongle. 🤦‍♂️
Any chance this is a unit specific problem rather than the whole line? Any young people out there have these and encounter this challenge?

Yes it's unit specific. I got a unit with this same ultrasonic issue and it made my ears bleed. I got a replacement and the current one I have is A-OK!

I would love to see what this reviewer would think if he got one without this problem.

Hope you can get a good one!
 
Oct 14, 2021 at 3:58 PM Post #692 of 2,126
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Oct 15, 2021 at 1:39 PM Post #693 of 2,126
Oct 15, 2021 at 3:01 PM Post #694 of 2,126
According to this article there are differences in sound between the MG and the MG Pros. I was surprised to see that:

https://audio46.com/blogs/headphones/focal-clear-mg-vs-focal-clear-mg-professional-review

Same here:



According to the YouTube video they are quite different HPs, even if there are similarities.

Anyone here heard both?


Either there was quite a big swing in unit variation (which there definitely could be), or this is audiophile comedy gold.

I swear, if you give half of the "professional reviewers" out there two pieces of identical equipment in different colors they'll happily tell you how they each of them cultivates semi-dynamic harmonic overtones differently (but still as the artist intended of course).
 

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Oct 15, 2021 at 3:12 PM Post #695 of 2,126
According to this article there are differences in sound between the MG and the MG Pros. I was surprised to see that:

https://audio46.com/blogs/headphones/focal-clear-mg-vs-focal-clear-mg-professional-review

Same here:



According to the YouTube video they are quite different HPs, even if there are similarities.

Anyone here heard both?

Yeah, I think this is a result of unit variation and most likely placebo too. Focal already stated multiple times that the Pro line is identical to the normal one, they just come in a different color, coiled cables and a extra set of pads. Unless someone is willing to spend a metric ton of money buying multiples non-Pro and Pro models to see if said differences are consistent between Pro and non-Pro models, I'll take Focal's word instead.
 
Oct 16, 2021 at 1:54 AM Post #696 of 2,126
I ended up getting the Meze 99 OFC cables for my Clear MGs. Really impressed with the sound, though I've got lots of other things going on also affecting the sound, but it sounds great. Only problem, and I wonder if others have this, the cables keep getting loose and the sound goes out if you move around too much. Especially just sitting up. I spent forever laying down and it was fine, only when I got up and moved around suddenly it happened often enough that I can tell it's a serious design flaw. They barely even plug into the headphones, kind of feel like they're just barely plugged in and dangling?

Anyone else have this issue? It's so odd to me how they don't seem to snap in at all, like what is with that design choice. Great otherwise, but if I'm gonna be going through this every time I use them I'll likely be inclined to find some other cables specifically made for the MGs that actually snap right in there.
 
Oct 16, 2021 at 10:57 AM Post #697 of 2,126
I'm using the meze 99 silver plated with mine and have zero issues with fitment. Nice secure / positive fit.
 
Oct 16, 2021 at 12:45 PM Post #698 of 2,126
holy crap I think I'm experiencing what this guy experienced...

I'm in my early 30's. Is this really a thing? It would all make a lot of sense considering the Apple Dongle fails to properly reproduce the headphone's full capabilities. It was essentially masking this high frequency problem. Then when I plugged it into a real amp that fully powered the response, it essentially magnified whatever is going on. It’s super weird too because I’ve experienced fatigue with bright headphones and these are not. They sound rolled off to me like it does others so I don’t even know how this is possible. Did they boost ultrasonic frequencies or something? lol

Jesus I just bought a $1500.00 headphone that makes my ears bleed on anything more than a dongle. 🤦‍♂️
Any chance this is a unit specific problem rather than the whole line? Any young people out there have these and encounter this challenge?

which DAC and AMP are you using?
 
Oct 16, 2021 at 2:45 PM Post #700 of 2,126
Yes it's unit specific. I got a unit with this same ultrasonic issue and it made my ears bleed. I got a replacement and the current one I have is A-OK!

I would love to see what this reviewer would think if he got one without this problem.

Hope you can get a good one!
very interesting. I will try to find some places to demo some other units
 
Oct 16, 2021 at 6:46 PM Post #701 of 2,126
That's also something one can EQ. EQ is not just for bass boost. :p

May also be that folks are listening way louder to compensate for the recessed upper mid range of the Clear Mg, with the treble then hitting higher SPL.

What bugs me is the seemingly noticeable unit to unit or batch to batch variation, again. :frowning2:
 
Oct 17, 2021 at 12:54 PM Post #702 of 2,126
That's also something one can EQ. EQ is not just for bass boost. :p

May also be that folks are listening way louder to compensate for the recessed upper mid range of the Clear Mg, with the treble then hitting higher SPL.

What bugs me is the seemingly noticeable unit to unit or batch to batch variation, again. :frowning2:
You know I did fumble around with EQ but couldn't really come up with any satisfactory results. Are there any already-made EQ settings for the Clear MG? Tried to find one from the venerable Oratory but only found the OG Clear settings.
 
Oct 17, 2021 at 2:17 PM Post #703 of 2,126
You know I did fumble around with EQ but couldn't really come up with any satisfactory results. Are there any already-made EQ settings for the Clear MG? Tried to find one from the venerable Oratory but only found the OG Clear settings.
If your Mg is exactly like the one I had with the ultrasonic issue, here's what I ran to help alleviate it (Equalizer APO with Peace):

clearfix.PNG


That said... even with this the issue didn't completely go away (but was much improved). I get the sense that it's not simply the diaphragm being extra sensitive to high frequencies, but something like a harmonic ringing going on that extends upwards. Maybe whatever they use for damping that was out of spec for a specific batch? Hope this helps in the meantime.
 
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Oct 17, 2021 at 3:06 PM Post #704 of 2,126
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Oct 17, 2021 at 3:30 PM Post #705 of 2,126
But, if the replacement pair fixed the issue, then by all means, better to get a replacement under warranty than to try to fix an issue that shouldn't have been there in the first place, especially with some half measures like EQ.
 

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