[pataburd]

I am hoping to pick up the LCD-X 2021, possibly next week.
headphones.com has them open box, shipped, for $949.
Used to own the older LCD-2 (pre-fazor), and thought they were too laid back/rolled off in the treble.

Am enjoying the Ananda quite a bit: open, detailed, with a pure tonality.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

I am hoping to pick up the LCD-X 2021, possibly next week.
headphones.com has them open box, shipped, for $949.
Used to own the older LCD-2 (pre-fazor), and thought they were too laid back/rolled off in the treble.

Am enjoying the Ananda quite a bit: open, detailed, with a pure tonality.

Same experience with Audeze here, LCD-2 were lackluster and a torture device ergonomically. Looking forward to your impressions.

 

[pataburd]

Am really enjoying the Elear with minimal (or no) EQing and wired with the hybrid UPOCC solid silver + solid copper cable.

They seem to respond more favorably to EQ than do the Clear MG.

When EQing the MG (that is, in a more "OG-ish" direction), things get deadened/throttled a bit, soundstage depth collapses and imaging can get muddled.

It's the opposite case with the (EQed) Elear: they sound more open, spacious and pinpoint with their imaging.

Updated ranking of the Focal open headphones my ears have heard to date:
#1 Utopia
#2 Clear OG
#3 Elear (EQ)
#4 Clear MG

Chord Mojo due to arrive tomorrow.

 

[roskodan]

Am really enjoying the Elear with minimal (or no) EQing and wired with the hybrid UPOCC solid silver + solid copper cable.

They seem to respond more favorably to EQ than do the Clear MG.

When EQing the MG (that is, in a more "OG-ish" direction), things get deadened/throttled a bit, soundstage depth collapses and imaging can get muddled.

It's the opposite case with the (EQed) Elear: they sound more open, spacious and pinpoint with their imaging.





Updated ranking of the Focal open headphones my ears have heard to date:
#1 Utopia
#2 Clear OG
#3 Elear (EQ)
#4 Clear MG

Chord Mojo due to arrive tomorrow.

Try AutoEQ PEQ, Clear Mg (Crinacle) and Elear (oratory1990), settings with PEACE (Equalizer APO). These will correct them closer to Harman. AutoEQ presets use advanced algorithms to avoid artifacts in PEQ.

I made a .txt PEQ preset file for both Clear Mg and Elear, so just download these .txt files and import them into PEACE by hitting the "Import" button and selecting the desired .txt file. Save them into PEACE by hitting the "Save" button.

Download here

Any of the AutoEQ PEQ presets can be copy saved into a .txt file and imported into PEACE (Equalizer APO). Just make sure to select the PEQ file (headphone_name_ParametricEQ.txt), as there are FixedBandEQ.txt, GraphicEQ.txt and other files for each headphone as well.

 

[pataburd]

Try AutoEQ PEQ, Clear Mg (Crinacle) and Elear (oratory1990), settings with PEACE (Equalizer APO). These will correct them closer to Harman. AutoEQ presets use advanced algorithms to avoid artifacts in PEQ.

I made a .txt PEQ preset file for both Clear Mg and Elear, so just download these .txt files and import them into PEACE by hitting the "Import" button and selecting the desired .txt file. Save them into PEACE by hitting the "Save" button.

Download here

Any of the AutoEQ PEQ presets can be copy saved into a .txt file and imported into PEACE (Equalizer APO). Just make sure to select the PEQ file (headphone_name_ParametricEQ.txt), as there are FixedBandEQ.txt, GraphicEQ.txt and other files for each headphone as well.

Bookmarked the page.

Running the crinacle ParametricEQ Elear presets now.

Very well aligned with my listening preferences (and giving the Clear MG a real run-for-the-money(!)--and, dare I say, winning(?)--and, further dare I say, by a significant margin(??)).

The Elear sound delightful, remarkably close to the Clear OG (my primary auditory EQ target).

Great resources.
Thank you!

 

[pataburd]

Running the Mojo DAC line level into the SMSL SP200.
Much more detailed, lively, spacious and dynamic than the Dragonfly.
(Haven't taken the Elear off yet.)

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Running the Mojo DAC line level into the SMSL SP200.
Much more detailed, lively, spacious and dynamic than the Dragonfly.
(Haven't taken the Elear off yet.)

You don't even need the SP200.
Just the Mojo and you're good to go, imo.

 

[pataburd]

You don't even need the SP200.
Just the Mojo and you're good to go, imo.

Thanks.
Will try the Mojo solo later today, Deo volente.
(Forgot to mention that the bass is quite good from the Mojo through the Elear. In fact, the Mojo is very even-handed from top to bottom across the frequency spectra.)

 

[pataburd]

Just pulled the trigger, for better or for worse, on the Stax SR-L500 Mk.2 (found a good deal on eBay).
(Decided to forego the Arya Stealth and LCD-X 2021, for the time-being.)

These should complete the Mid-Fi varietal "triumvirate" of choice:

Electro-Dynamic: Focal Elear
Planar-Magnetic: HiFiMan Ananda
Electro-Static: Stax SR-L500 Mk.2 (still need to find a good deal on a driver, e.g. SRM-353X)

And I should be done for a while . . .

The MG will get their "farewell listen" later this evening, and then I hope to have some concluding notes to offer shortly afterwards.

 

[pataburd]

You don't even need the SP200.
Just the Mojo and you're good to go, imo.

Question:
Can I run the Mojo line-level with the battery removed, powering it only through the charging port, or does the battery have to be installed in order for the DAC to function?

Chain:
Lenovo G50-->iSilencer+-->DaBig Genius USB cable-->Wyred4Sound Recovery-->Mojo [DAC only]-->DakiOm R203-->SoundSilver Cosmos interconnects-->TriPhazers 2.0-->S.M.S.L. SP200-->UPOCC hybrid solid silver/solid copper cable-->Elear, Ananda, Clear MG

 

[pataburd]

Found the answer:

Great!

 

[pataburd]

IMHO, Focal should NOT discontinue the Clear OG.
It will be--well, it already is--a major marketing miscalculation.
They can build/maintain (rather than disaffect) an existing consumer base (with the OG) and build a brand new consumer base (with the MG).
My listening tastes, and many others' that I know of, tend toward the former.

 

[pataburd]

After midnight.

Am listening to Bruckner's 4th Symphony ("Romantic"), with the MG +Crinacle PEQ.

(an excellent rendering and recording of this opus)

The Mojo (optimally tempered by the SP200 THX) has apparently breathed new life into the MG.

Although ultimately lacking the top end air/transparency of the Elear, the MG compensate with a dynamic deftness/nimbleness, harmonic richness and remarkable tonal saturation/resolution/subtlety.

Was not expecting this, but am pleasantly surprised with the MG's self-exoneration.

Farewell? . . . Well, not quite yet. : )

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Anybody here who tried Dekoni Stellia LTD pads on Clear MG and didn't like them?

 

[robm321]

IMHO, Focal should NOT discontinue the Clear OG.
It will be--well, it already is--a major marketing miscalculation.
They can build/maintain (rather than disaffect) an existing consumer base (with the OG) and build a brand new consumer base (with the MG).
My listening tastes, and many others' that I know of, tend towards the former.

Agreed.