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Focal Clear Mg Review & Measurements
Apr 30, 2021 at 9:46 PM Post #333 of 2,141
Update with my OG Focal Clears with my newely purchased Dekoni Limited Sheepskin Stellia Pads, the tonality is now much more like the HD 650 which I absolutely love, the harshness of the upper mids is gone but it is not too recessed like the HD 650, the low end and mids are boosted, I can even hear more extensions in the bass and mids than before the pad switch. The soundstage especially is more closer to your ears/head than with stock pads.

Overall this was a successful tonality change.
 
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Apr 30, 2021 at 10:31 PM Post #334 of 2,141
I too have purchased the Dekoni Limited Stellia sheepskin pads. I agree with most of the post above in regards to the tonality change with these pads.
I'll start with saying that these pads should have been the pads that came with the OG Clear! Of course made by Focal themselves.

To note also, I've never heard any harshness from the Clear with the stock pads, or any pads I've rolled.

What these pads deliver is amazing. Especially for vocals. The transition throughout the midrange to the furthest treble registries is magical. The sense of realism is unbelievable. It's the most balanced I've head to date with the Clears.

Add in the sub bass extension , cleaner imaging, and prat. It's a huge win by Dekoni with these pads.

Now where I differ with the post above is the soundstage. I feel the sound has expanded in depth and height. Width seems the same. Imaging is much more holographic and life like. It's engulfing. When I switch back to the stock pads the whole stage shifts forward taking away that behind the head extension and nuance. Things I hear in the music with the Dekoni Stellia pads are not in the same place as the stock. Stuff behind the head shifts more to the side of the head taking away that 3D feel. With that said I can see some feeling the stage is more intimate with the Dekoni beings the width is more emphasized with stock but it sounds less layered and more on a 2D plane left and right.

To wrap it up. These pads for me are it! I purchased a second pair to keep in the drawer should something fail with my first pair. I can't recommend these pads enough for the OG Clear. Tonality is spot on and the increase in the realism factor, vocal presence, 3D imaging, and sub bass extension is amazing.

With anything sound. This is just another subjective opinion by another user on an audio forum. You may hear it differently.
 
Apr 30, 2021 at 10:34 PM Post #335 of 2,141
I think I meant it had more soundstage depth with the Dekoni Limited Sheepskin Stellia Pads the soundstage width becomes more closer to my ears, this is an excellent tonality change in the respects of the HD 650 imo.

Here is a review and side by side comparison and graphs between the stock pads and the Dekoni LTD Sheepskin Stellia Pads for the OG Clears,
Miniklangwunder (The review is in German, you have to translate the page. Scroll down to the Focal Clear Pro section)
 
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May 1, 2021 at 7:40 AM Post #337 of 2,141
Ordered one of these today :)

Any tips on what headphone stand to buy? There are some versions

Would like to not spend another 100 dollars on these lmao
 
May 1, 2021 at 8:58 AM Post #338 of 2,141
I vote for rooms stand, like the look better and don't understand why would you compress your pads and stretch your headband when your not listening (?)
One more thing those omega type of stands, with headphones on them, remainds me of the actuall wig on a stand :)
 
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May 1, 2021 at 1:22 PM Post #339 of 2,141
Guidostrunk said:
I too have purchased the Dekoni Limited Stellia sheepskin pads. I agree with most of the post above in regards to the tonality change with these pads.
I'll start with saying that these pads should have been the pads that came with the OG Clear! Of course made by Focal themselves.

To note also, I've never heard any harshness from the Clear with the stock pads, or any pads I've rolled.

What these pads deliver is amazing. Especially for vocals. The transition throughout the midrange to the furthest treble registries is magical. The sense of realism is unbelievable. It's the most balanced I've head to date with the Clears.

Add in the sub bass extension , cleaner imaging, and prat. It's a huge win by Dekoni with these pads.

Now where I differ with the post above is the soundstage. I feel the sound has expanded in depth and height. Width seems the same. Imaging is much more holographic and life like. It's engulfing. When I switch back to the stock pads the whole stage shifts forward taking away that behind the head extension and nuance. Things I hear in the music with the Dekoni Stellia pads are not in the same place as the stock. Stuff behind the head shifts more to the side of the head taking away that 3D feel. With that said I can see some feeling the stage is more intimate with the Dekoni beings the width is more emphasized with stock but it sounds less layered and more on a 2D plane left and right.

To wrap it up. These pads for me are it! I purchased a second pair to keep in the drawer should something fail with my first pair. I can't recommend these pads enough for the OG Clear. Tonality is spot on and the increase in the realism factor, vocal presence, 3D imaging, and sub bass extension is amazing.

With anything sound. This is just another subjective opinion by another user on an audio forum. You may hear it differently.
Click to expand...
I too received the Dekoni Limited Stellia sheepskin pads today for my Clear MGs, and am in broad agreement with the above posts.

The Dekoni pads have removed a touch of upper-mid harshness that was my only misgiving about the Clear MG. In the real world, instruments and voices don’t have that glare and are a lot darker, though I accept some recordings do introduce it. Through my DAVE DAC in particular everything sounds far more natural and properly balanced, timbre-wise. Overall, the sound may feel initially like its lost some zing but once your ears becomes acclimatised it’s very more-ish. Definitely worth sticking with.

At some point I’ll turn my attention to a replacement cable for the rather short single-ended cable supplied. I’ve used an adaptor to convert the balanced cable to single-ended but wonder if anyone has any recommendations as my limited research suggests that Focal don’t produce a long version of that cable.
 
May 3, 2021 at 12:05 AM Post #340 of 2,141
I'm a fan of the Dekoni Elite Velour on the Clear MG Pro. Tames some of the upper frequencies. I used these pads on the Elex and they made them a bit too dark. I'm running the Clear MG pads on the Elex now (I assume they're the same as the Elex/Clear pads, just different color) and I think that's the best combo for them. My Elex pads are buried in a box somewhere so I haven't compared them.
 
May 3, 2021 at 2:51 AM Post #341 of 2,141
Guidostrunk said:
I too have purchased the Dekoni Limited Stellia sheepskin pads. I agree with most of the post above in regards to the tonality change with these pads.
I'll start with saying that these pads should have been the pads that came with the OG Clear! Of course made by Focal themselves.

To note also, I've never heard any harshness from the Clear with the stock pads, or any pads I've rolled.

What these pads deliver is amazing. Especially for vocals. The transition throughout the midrange to the furthest treble registries is magical. The sense of realism is unbelievable. It's the most balanced I've head to date with the Clears.

Add in the sub bass extension , cleaner imaging, and prat. It's a huge win by Dekoni with these pads.

Now where I differ with the post above is the soundstage. I feel the sound has expanded in depth and height. Width seems the same. Imaging is much more holographic and life like. It's engulfing. When I switch back to the stock pads the whole stage shifts forward taking away that behind the head extension and nuance. Things I hear in the music with the Dekoni Stellia pads are not in the same place as the stock. Stuff behind the head shifts more to the side of the head taking away that 3D feel. With that said I can see some feeling the stage is more intimate with the Dekoni beings the width is more emphasized with stock but it sounds less layered and more on a 2D plane left and right.

To wrap it up. These pads for me are it! I purchased a second pair to keep in the drawer should something fail with my first pair. I can't recommend these pads enough for the OG Clear. Tonality is spot on and the increase in the realism factor, vocal presence, 3D imaging, and sub bass extension is amazing.

With anything sound. This is just another subjective opinion by another user on an audio forum. You may hear it differently.
Click to expand...
Is there any info on how these differ from the Elite Sheepskin? I bought those for my Elegia but have not had a chance to try on the Clear OG yet. Looking at my AUS supplier, the LTD Stellia ones aren't available. Would be very keen to try these!
 
May 3, 2021 at 6:11 AM Post #342 of 2,141
May 5, 2021 at 10:49 AM Post #344 of 2,141
Since the Mg is not hard to drive I would eye the DAC/AMPs combos, which basically mean better DAC and lesser AMP, which is not a bad thing in this case.

I would suggest Sokeris 2541, you've got balanced cable right of the box so you can play a little.

Try to get good return policy and if you end not digging the piece, well, you know the rest.
 
May 5, 2021 at 2:08 PM Post #345 of 2,141
I love the iDSD Signature. It has such a satisfying form factor and the features are great to have. I got it for the portability.

Sonically it sounds sounds the same as my JDS O2 + OL Dac, which is great because that sounds perfect.

cans1.jpg
 
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