[ColSaulTigh]

Qobuz is the leader as far as SQ goes, and I've tried them all.

Qobuz is next to try after this $2/mo for 90 days expires...

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Qobuz is next to try after this $2/mo for 90 days expires...

They have 30-days trial too, at least you can directly compare head to head.

 

[KaOs492]

I use Tidal and mqa, to me personally I don't think it sounds like some crazy special track, it honestly just sounds like any other loseless track I've heard, I just don't think it sounds bad like some people say. It just sounds cd quality to me
With a fancy colored light on certain dacs lol

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

So I’ve been mulling over repurchasing a Clear - going a third round with the Focal. I really dig the overall linearity - especially the openness of Focal headphones attracts me.
I then realised that Focal hates Europe. French company no less…that sells an Elex to Americans for peanuts…also sells Clears for 1900$ in Denmark/the EU. This is a company that has had more driver failures than what Sennheiser, AKG and Beyerdynamic combined experience over a decade…and yet the company is still pumping up the prices?
Additionally to that little unsavory detail..ALL Focals eventually start creaking and croaking like an old boat which can be downright detrimental to one’s listening experience..plus the pads are overpriced and they couldn’t make a cable to save their lives….all of this exceedingly poor form from the company…and well suddenly I realise that I effectively am boycotting their business until they start offering fair prices in the EU.
I’m sure I can find a properly built headphone for 2k that doesn’t start sounding like arthritic giraffe after a year’s worth of usage

 

[cactus_farmer]

Has anyone found official Focal replacement pads for the Clear Mg and/or Clear Mg Pro for sale?

Currently I can only find replacement pads for the original Clear... Are they the same pads?

 

[ColSaulTigh]

Has anyone found official Focal replacement pads for the Clear Mg and/or Clear Mg Pro for sale?

Currently I can only find replacement pads for the original Clear... Are they the same pads?

Same pads but in black, so they don't match the looks. If you can get past that, you're ok.

 

[shafat777]

Has anyone found official Focal replacement pads for the Clear Mg and/or Clear Mg Pro for sale?

Currently I can only find replacement pads for the original Clear... Are they the same pads?

I .currently using the focal elex pads on my mg. I got those from Drop.com. sounds pretty close to stock, but they are in black.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Same pads but in black, so they don't match the looks. If you can get past that, you're ok.

These are drop Elex pads. I have seen OG (champagne) for cheap on headphones.com.

 

[pataburd]

Has anyone found official Focal replacement pads for the Clear Mg and/or Clear Mg Pro for sale?

Currently I can only find replacement pads for the original Clear... Are they the same pads?

Headphones.com has Clear OG pads for $99.

 

[pataburd]

So I’ve been mulling over repurchasing a Clear - going a third round with the Focal. I really dig the overall linearity - especially the openness of Focal headphones attracts me.
I then realised that Focal hates Europe. French company no less…that sells an Elex to Americans for peanuts…also sells Clears for 1900$ in Denmark/the EU. This is a company that has had more driver failures than what Sennheiser, AKG and Beyerdynamic combined experience over a decade…and yet the company is still pumping up the prices?
Additionally to that little unsavory detail..ALL Focals eventually start creaking and croaking like an old boat which can be downright detrimental to one’s listening experience..plus the pads are overpriced and they couldn’t make a cable to save their lives….all of this exceedingly poor form from the company…and well suddenly I realise that I effectively am boycotting their business until they start offering fair prices in the EU.
I’m sure I can find a properly built headphone for 2k that doesn’t start sounding like arthritic giraffe after a year’s worth of usage

What Focals did you have for the first and second rounds?
Yoke creak is typical for all Focals, up to and including the Utopia. It has never been an issue for me while listening, though.
I have owned four Focals, in this order: Clear OG, Utopia, Clear MG and Elear. Of these four, the Utopia were defective on arrival (channel imbalance), but were subsequently replaced under warranty.

 

[jonathan c]

What Focals did you have for the first and second rounds.
Yoke creak is typical for all Focals, up to and including the Utopia. It has never been an issue for me while listening, though.
I have owned four Focals, in this order: Clear OG, Utopia, Clear MG and Elear. Of these four, the Utopia were defective on arrival (channel imbalance), but were subsequently replaced under warranty.

Good Lord! Just what we need! Another Head-Fi ailment: ‘yoke creak’. Who has the Head Express directory?….

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

What Focals did you have for the first and second rounds.
Yoke creak is typical for all Focals, up to and including the Utopia. It has never been an issue for me while listening, though.
I have owned four Focals, in this order: Clear OG, Utopia, Clear MG and Elear. Of these four, the Utopia were defective on arrival (channel imbalance), but were subsequently replaced under warranty.

I’ve had the Clear, Elear and Elex twice as well as one round with the Utopia. They all end up sounding like an old boat. If they stopped making noises once they were on my head, no problem…but they don’t. With every head movement I make I get old sailboat sounds cutting into my music.
One of the Elex’s had a channel imbalance whilst one Elear had one cup that didn’t work at all.
Focal’s general track record does not align with the type of prices they want for their gear. As it is I feel it’s a crapshoot buying a headphone of theirs. I know I’ll be getting the boat-experience eventually..but having to cross my fingers and hope that I receive a properly functioning headphone with both cups working equally well..that’s just too much. I’ve never had any concern buying a brand new headphone before. With Focal I do.
Add on the unfair prices we get here in Europe and my interest is long gone. It’s a little mad that a French made headphone gets cheaper when you send it across the Atlantic Ocean

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Wow, someone's girlfriend ended up with Focal sales rep, so much hatred?

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

^I can translate my previous post into a different language if that helps you understand
I can do a take in Danish fx.

 

[pataburd]

KR,
I understand your frustration (and laud your facility with the English language).
Focal has no doubt disaffected other, perhaps many other, potential customers besides yourself (which should concern Focal).
As-to their apparent hostility toward the European marketplace, more research on my end is required to better understand the "why" of such a thing; e.g. is it partly "EU-induced"?
Aside from the bothersome creaking, what was/is your assessment of Focal's sound?
Generally, I tend to like what I have heard from the Focals that I have owned, even though my listening preferences tend more toward planars at the moment.