[Mhog55]

When I auditioned the OG Clear I was put off by the treble, fatiguing to my ears. The Clear MG is definitely less bright than OG and for me at least, combines just the right degree of technicalities (detail retrieval, resolution, frequency extension) with slightly warm-leaning musicality and euphony.

Wow! That should be the description on the box! Have you listened to the Radiance by any chance?

 

[LoryWiv]

I've not heard the Radiance @Mhog55. Will make a point of it if I make it CanJam Chicago in June.

 

[Mhog55]

I've not heard the Radiance @Mhog55. Will make a point of it if I make it CanJam Chicago in June.

Thanks. I read that the Radiance has more energy and extension in the treble than that of the MG. Can anyone confirm or disregard this? It said that the Radiance is a brighter listen.

 

[mbj666]

hi thought would post initial thoughts on the clear mg pro with my ifi diablo pairing (diablo being fed off fiio m11 plus) am comparing them vs my previous hifiman anandas

would say much more dynamic, bass/mids and detail much more musical sound, would say the anadas more airy/open feel the
focals pair really well with the diablo and work best on normal mode but have to be careful with the vol dial find about 10am enough

need to do more a/b back and forth and also been using with audio ninja cable too so will a/b that vs normal cable they came with also

really enjoying my portable setup i have to say and has got me looking at desktop stuff

been looking at the ifi ican pro signature which seems to be a jack of all trades but DAC wise the idsd pro signature seems a lot of money when added and a lot of it seems redundent with ican pro

so was wondering better to go just one box idsd pro signature or a different DAC (topping D90 maybe?) and the ican pro signature amp, anyone any experience of these at all with focals ?


thx now back to the boogie

mat

 

[dan3952]

Yes I do EQ the MGs a little, mainly to address the very slight hump at 1.3 kHz and reducing the small peaks at 5.5 and 10.5 kHz, which are far less present than the original Clear. I prefer slightly recessed upper mids than Harman, so I leave the 2-4 kHz region as it is on the Clear MG. But as much as I like using EQ to get the perfect sound, I would be more than happy listening to the Clear MG with no EQ. My other main headphone the Hifiman HE-500 on the other hand, does need EQ in the mid bass and treble to sound as natural as possible.
I am curious about the LCD-X 2021 though, I've been reading reviews and comparisons recently to the Clear/Clear MG. Could you comment on what you like about the LCD-X more or less than the Clear MG? I would love to give it a try soon, I've heard great things about it.

I use the following EQ with my Clear Mgs:

Low shelf +1.6 db at 100 Hz, Q=2 (because they can't match planar driver bass, and there's a natural roll off)
-2.3 db at 1250 Hz, Q=3.5 (this is the stock "Focal nasal voice hump"; I try and flatten every headphone I've had to 2 kHz.).
+4.0 db at 4900 Hz, Q=6 (this is probably far less noticeable than the above).
+1.5 db high shelf, at 2400 Hz, Q=1.6 (this addresses the darkness that's the biggest difference from the Clear OGs)

I had used the Crinacle curve to come up with this (that man is brilliant).

I also use DSP in JRiver to expand the soundstage (which is lousy in the best of times, with any Focal headphone). I've heard the Utopias in Carrollton, TX, and even with that one, due to the size of its drivers, the soundstage isn't as big as even that of the LCD-Xs. The imaging, however was impeccable, within that soundstage. In fact, razor sharp. But, it should be for $4600. The LCD-5s are slightly less expensive, and the Meze Elites. New competition.

I haven't owned the HE-500s, but read those aren't exactly the last word in resolution. I have only owned the Arya v2s (which I feel out-resolve both the Clear Mgs and the LCD-X 2021s I currently own).

I can't hear above 13 kHz at my age, but this has no bearing on my decision to leave the region above 10 kHz alone, as I feel that only percussion overtones are present in this region, and are nowhere near as noticeable as the hump at 1250 Hz (which the Clear OGs had as well, which I happened to own for about a year).

Focal Clear Mg:
- lively signature, more "sharp edged" notes than the Audeze, but not as prominent as with Clear Ogs
- midrange focused headphone
- more technical
- better for vocals especially female, but not music that has a lot of content below 100 Hz
- better for simple tracks
- shows 40 mm dynamic driver characteristics (smaller perceived sound stage)
- Sennheiser HD800S and HiFiMan Arya beat this headphone handily in sound stage
- good punch and slam especially for an open back (Senny HD800S, and HiFiMan Arya are weak in this area)
- Sennheiser HD800S out-resolves anything below $2000 but isn't as enjoyable to listen to

Audeze (except for LCD-XC, LCD-5 and CRBN)
- dark signature
- thick, slightly warm, and rounded notes
- more musical
- bass focused headphone
- more body in bass notes due to planar driver, like if you turned your sub way up
- resolution about the same as Focal Clears and as good as any at their $1200 price point
- best for complex, wall of sound classic rock and EDM tracks (there is no other headphone I would listen to ZZ Top or the excessive Led Zeppelin songs like Kashmir with)
- prefer the Clears for The Rain Song
- two of my favorite synth heavy tracks that had come out while I was a teenager, U2's Where the Streets Have No Name, and Mothers of the Disappeared, sound nowhere near as good to me with any Focal headphone even the resolution king Utopias, we're getting to the physical characteristics of the planar driver here
- tracks that have a lot of synth and female vocals present a problem: the Focals are better at the latter, the Audezes, the former
- better perceived sound stage due to 106 mm drivers, a close to speaker like experience, but HD800S, Arya, HE-1000 are better still
- not as good for simple vocal focused tracks with little bass, they sound laid back compared to any Focal headphone, even with EQ, though they are closer to neutral than with previous products
- not the best Audeze headphone, but their best deal by far especially since you now get a case for your $1200 - I had LCD-3 for a bit and they're darker than LCD-X 2021 and don't out-resolve them
- LCD-3 has a wonderful warm, lush signature that's especially good for female vocals (the reason I had returned HiFiMan Arya v2s) but I still prefer the LCD-X 2021 for most music
- good punch and slam as well (few HiFiMan headphones do this as well)

Imaging isn't as good with either one of them, as with headphones that are over $2000.

My Martin Logan speakers out-resolve all of the above and are closer to the LCD-4, that's the main reason I hadn't spent over $2000 for something like the Verite Closed.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Very nice comparison, would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Arya as well, do you still own it?

 

[dan3952]

Very nice comparison, would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Arya as well, do you still own it?

Very nice comparison, would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Arya as well, do you still own it?

I had returned Arya v2s for full refund directly to HiFiMan, and had replaced them with LCD-3s in 2020, due to the Arya's plasticky hollow timbre that had been particularly noticeable with female vocals. It's still a special headphone at its price point. So is Sennheiser HD800S. The both of those, aren't as good with dynamics as some others, and I don't favor them for classic rock or EDM. All you have to do is play one track that has kick drum in it, to notice the difference. v3 will have repaired timbre. Resolution and sound stage very good with Arya v2 and better than LCD-3s. Extra resolution with Aryas noticeable over LCD-X as added texture in bass guitars, but not matched with the heft in the notes that Audeze offers. You are getting a warm, creamy, lush presentation with the LCD-3, and not extra resolution. My speakers out-resolve all of them, no small feat for towers that cost under $2000. Planar bass sounds cleaner than my speaker set up due to the following:

- no 60 Hz room node
- no 80 Hz resonant frequency
- no phase shift
- no sub and bass drivers interacting with each other and bringing about cancellation nulls

Two of my favorite EDM torture tests: The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up" and The Crystal Method's "Trip Like I Do": no Focal headphone can recreate that kind of bass.

 

[KaOs492]

hi thought would post initial thoughts on the clear mg pro with my ifi diablo pairing (diablo being fed off fiio m11 plus) am comparing them vs my previous hifiman anandas

would say much more dynamic, bass/mids and detail much more musical sound, would say the anadas more airy/open feel the
focals pair really well with the diablo and work best on normal mode but have to be careful with the vol dial find about 10am enough

need to do more a/b back and forth and also been using with audio ninja cable too so will a/b that vs normal cable they came with also

really enjoying my portable setup i have to say and has got me looking at desktop stuff

been looking at the ifi ican pro signature which seems to be a jack of all trades but DAC wise the idsd pro signature seems a lot of money when added and a lot of it seems redundent with ican pro

so was wondering better to go just one box idsd pro signature or a different DAC (topping D90 maybe?) and the ican pro signature amp, anyone any experience of these at all with focals ?


thx now back to the boogie

mat

I'd agree with you on the Diablo and mg pairing. Very dynamic, macro & micro. Fun bass and slightly forward mids but really clear. A real fun musical listen for the type of music I like.

 

[Mhog55]

I need to get my ears a little closer to the drivers. When I apply gentle pressure to the outside of the cups, things seem to liven up, and I find the overall sound more enjoyable. Which pads should I be looking at? Reading through the thread, it seems that the Dekoni Stellia pads seem popular. Are the dimensions on these a little smaller? Are they softer than the stock pads, perhaps a tighter seal? What other changes to the sound can I expect with them? Are there any other pads anyone would recommend for my intended purposes?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Nope, it's firm foam and deeper, which works for increasing soundstage a bit. I think if you continue using stock pads they flatten over time, you can just leave them under weight overnight.

 

[jriems]

I need to get my ears a little closer to the drivers. When I apply gentle pressure to the outside of the cups, things seem to liven up, and I find the overall sound more enjoyable. Which pads should I be looking at? Reading through the thread, it seems that the Dekoni Stellia pads seem popular. Are the dimensions on these a little smaller? Are they softer than the stock pads, perhaps a tighter seal? What other changes to the sound can I expect with them? Are there any other pads anyone would recommend for my intended purposes?

I'm loving the Dekoni Ltd Stellia pads on my OG Clear. But they'll move the drivers slightly further away from your ears as the pads are a bit thicker than stock. That's a good thing, though, as it leads to a slightly wider soundstage as Andrew_WOT mentions. This is a benefit, not a negative.

The pads also provide more bass presence, which is another plus in my book.

For these reasons, I would suggest a little more volume as opposed to trying to get the drivers closer to your ears.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

This /\
Bass is quite visceral with Stellia pads. I believe there is some jump in details as well, they sound less woolly.

 

[Mhog55]

Thanks guys. These are a little polite for my rock and metal. They sound more dynamic when my ears are closer to the drivers. Opposite issue I experienced with Kennerton. Those were a little too aggressive. These are definitely clean, "clear", and precise. The dynamics are definitely there, but I'd prefer a bit more excitement I guess.
Yes, I can turn up the volume, but I feel that these are always one upward click on the wheel from getting a tad shouty. I'm hearing the shout from higher pitched male vocals and guitars, though it's not terrible. Maybe just a little more sizzle in that area than I prefer, but only at higher volumes. Will this mellow out after some additional hours of use? I've only got about 30-35 on them so far.
Are there any other Focal ear pads that might tailor the sound in the direction I seek?

 

[Mhog55]

I guess the other thing that could be contributing to what I'm hearing, and what I desire to hear, is how open these cans sound. I've always been a fan of semi open, so these are a bit of a new experience. I was looking for both an open and closed back around the one thousand mark. Maybe I would prefer the Radiance?

 

[adeadcrab]

Thanks guys. These are a little polite for my rock and metal. They sound more dynamic when my ears are closer to the drivers. Opposite issue I experienced with Kennerton. Those were a little too aggressive. These are definitely clean, "clear", and precise. The dynamics are definitely there, but I'd prefer a bit more excitement I guess.
Yes, I can turn up the volume, but I feel that these are always one upward click on the wheel from getting a tad shouty. I'm hearing the shout from higher pitched male vocals and guitars, though it's not terrible. Maybe just a little more sizzle in that area than I prefer, but only at higher volumes. Will this mellow out after some additional hours of use? I've only got about 30-35 on them so far.
Are there any other Focal ear pads that might tailor the sound in the direction I seek?

In my experience the Utopia pads are quite a bit more shallow than my Clear (OG) Professional earpads.
The soundstage is smaller and more upfront. I was not a fan of it comparing side-by-side with the stock earpads. For your situation you may prefer it. Very nice quality leather, soft, good sound but quite shallow especially if you compress the earpads.

Personally I am looking at the Dekoni 'Stellia' earpads, now that Dekoni have finally realised they should be making earpads for Focal headphones with diffusion fabric.