[Roses54]

I disagree. The Focal Utopia is far superior to the Focal Clear for "pro audio". It's easy to hear what is exactly wrong with the Focal Utopia, with the Focal Clear not. Also the Focal Clear has problems with monitoring the bass as it lacks slam and definition / resolution.

With the Focal Utopia, the final results translate to all my speakers and headphones (even on crappy bluetooth headphones like the AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000Xm3). Saves me alot of time.

At some point I was even considering buying the Sennheiser HD 600 (to replace the Focal Clear and Sennheiser HD 650 as the final results never were 100% correct with these headphones), but apparently the Focal Utopia did the trick. As a disclaimer, I am using a very expensive cable for the Utopia as the stock cable is bad. But that is a whole other topic that I will not get into.

Now ofcourse, you need to know what you are doing. A bad producer will still make bad music even with the Focal Utopia.

The Clear lacks slam and definition/resolution? Well, thats an interesting take..

 

[pataburd]

Focal did not launch the "Utopia Pro" for some reason, then.
Affordability among the recording industry rank-and-file?

 

[Chris Kaoss]

I disagree. The Focal Utopia is far superior to the Focal Clear for "pro audio". It's easy to hear what is exactly wrong with the Focal Utopia, with the Focal Clear not. Also the Focal Clear has problems with monitoring the bass as it lacks slam and definition / resolution.

With the Focal Utopia, the final results translate to all my speakers and headphones (even on crappy bluetooth headphones like the AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000Xm3). Saves me alot of time.

At some point I was even considering buying the Sennheiser HD 600 (to replace the Focal Clear and Sennheiser HD 650 as the final results never were 100% correct with these headphones), but apparently the Focal Utopia did the trick. As a disclaimer, I am using a very expensive cable for the Utopia as the stock cable is bad. But that is a whole other topic that I will not get into.

Now ofcourse, you need to know what you are doing. A bad producer will still make bad music even with the Focal Utopia.

You both may be right, and wrong, ofc.

It depends from where you came and where you're heading to.

I for one do lean more towards a slightly warmer tuning, hence my interest in the MG, i guess.
I've to hear what the Utopia is about somewhere in the future.

Didn't like the OG for its "metallicness", if that description makes any sense.

 

[Chris Kaoss]

Hi guys!

If you want to test how good is the subbass on Clear Mg I recommend this song:

I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to this piece after quite a while - I rediscovered it anew

Nice pick.
Like what I hear right now.
It's not the low bass, what sticks out for me.
It's the ambient and stage what makes me enjoy the tracks.
Well produced.

 

[pataburd]

You both may be right, and wrong, ofc.

It depends from where you came and where you're heading to.

I for one do lean more towards a slightly warmer tuning, hence my interest in the MG, i guess.
I've to hear what the Utopia is about somewhere in the future.

Didn't like the OG for its "metallicness", if that description makes any sense.

Metallic high frequency is a chief complaint among those not enamored with the Clear OG--and even among a few adamant OG users.

I have always leaned toward the cooler side of neutral; hence, my bent toward the OG.

Truthfully, I am still "on the fence" with the MG*: they seem to walk a tightrope between a touch warm and a touch cool. The MG's presentation is bordering on the warmest I can tolerate and still enjoy a (minimal) modicum on my favorite side of neutral.

Focal has performed quite a feat with these headphones, I have to admit.

However, I still think it would be wise for Focal to keep the OG on the market, at least until they can implement some refinements that bring it closer to the OG "ideal" that resides in the minds of many Head-Fiers (myself included).

[NOTE:] *The MG are packed and ready to be returned--for the third time, now. And I am already, once again, planning to unpack them and have "just one more" (fateful?) audition.

. . . Meanwhile, I will seek solace and/or diversion with the (Crinacle PEQed and recabled) Elear . . .

 

[Andrew_WOT]

[NOTE:] *The MG are packed and ready to be returned--for the third time, now. And I am already, once again, planning to unpack them and have "just one more" (fateful?) audition.

Not adventurous to try pad rolling before they go? I have Stellia pads coming, hoping they'll add some missing zing, air, and clarity.
https://www.miniklangwunder.de/kopf...elestee-und-clear-pro-interessante-eindrucke/

 

[pataburd]

A_W,
May do some pad-rolling with the Elear. They respond well to equalization and tend to provide that "zing, air, and clarity" that you allude to.
But then again, PEQing is in force already. (Although I think I noticed that some of the PEQ presets take pad-swapping into consideration.)

Will definitely try some more cable- and amp-rolling with the MG.

Have just committed to a Stax set-up: the SR-L500 Mk.2 and a Mjolnir SRD-7 Estat Transformer are on their way, along with a set of Harmonic Technologies 14AWG jumpers to connect the SRD-7 to one of my DAC/integrated amps.

Broke down the Mojo/SMSL SP200 set-up and put the Wadia 151PowerDAC mini set-up back in place. The Elear sound very good with the Wadia. Will reintroduce the MG and see if the "last farewell"gets postponed indefinitely.

current configuration:
Lenovo G50 [Tidal Master]-->iFi iSilencer+-->AQ Jitterbug-->DaBig Genius USB cable-->Wyred4Sound Recovery-->Uptone Audio USPCB-->USB Disruptor-->Wadia 151PowerDAC mini-->Ted Allen UPOCC speaker bananas-to-4-pin XLR adapter-->teknorob23 Neotech UPOCC solid silver/solid copper cable-->Focal Elear [Crinacle PEQ]

 

[Andrew_WOT]

They are totally eclipsed by HE-6SEv2, to the point that I haven't event touched Focals for 3 days.
Pads definitely won't turn them into another beast, but might help just a bit, I hope.
I tend to keep phones unless it's something I completely dislike, so they will probably stay, but definitely not gonna be one of my favorites.

 

[pataburd]

Still have a pair of the HE-6se v2 in the Adorama queue!
Need to first sell some things to free up the funds, though.

 

[pataburd]

Swapped in a 4x Neotech 22AWG UPOCC solid copper cable with the (PEQed) Elear and everything sounds just about right.
Clear MG are still packed away in their shipping box.

 

[KaOs492]

Love this combo.

 

[pataburd]

OK.
The MG are unpacked.
The Wadia 151 and copper cable await.

. . .

The MG, queued and un-EQed, sound quite good with the Wadia(!).
I should have left them in the box, where they could do me no "harm"(!).

They must be fully broken in by now (w/close to 75 combined hours of pink noise, brown noise and unattended music, plus another 25 hours of actual head time). Everything sounds balanced and replete. That upper midrange glare seems to have gone away.
Well . . . I'll be . . .

. . .

Andrew_WOT,
Just picked up a pair of HE6se v2 with the Grill Mod.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Andrew_WOT,
Just picked up a pair of HE6se v2 with the Grill Mod.

Oh man, if you have a beefy amp, get ready for some reassessment of what you've heard before.

 

[pataburd]

Oh man, if you have a beefy amp, get ready for some reassessment of what you've heard before.

Amps on deck [for the HE6se v2]:
(1) SMSL SP200 (about 1.5W/83ohms)
(2) Wadia 151PowerDAC mini (about 3W/83ohms)
(3) bel canto e.One C5i (about 7.7W/83ohms)
(4) Wyred4Sound mINT (about 23.7W/83ohms)

(2), (3) and (4), all Class D, will be implemented via speaker bananas-to-4-pin XLR adapter.

Plan to start with the Wadia, Deo volente.
The bel canto will be the last amp to roll, since it is currently driving my outboard speakers and will have to be disconnected with much ado.
The W4S packs the most punch, but has my least favorite onboard DAC, so might run it, alternatively, with an outboard DAC (Mojo) via analogue inputs.

Plan to try the Elear, MG and Ananda with amps (3) and (4) at some point.

Right now, though, with the MG (running straight from the speaker outputs of the Wadia), I have zero complaints.





"Focal, ya got me! . . . ag'in!"

 

[pataburd]

Here's my current combo of choice:



[~33% tweaks]