I have lost track of how things have evolved around MG since early reviews. Is there a consensus on tonality of Clear MG compared to OG? I have MG pro and OG non-pro. Clear MG is not dark or laid back compared to OG as many reviews and measurements suggest. Except for slight midbass boost on MG both are allmost the same. So I'm wondering if there is a wild unit to unit variations or if Focal did a silent revision on the MG's. Mine is from early 2022 I think.
It's worth noting that the notch in 5-7khz is a minidsp ears anomaly. It's hard to tell what really goes in there and if there are large differences between OG and MG in that region my measurements wont show it.
It says OG's pads are worn but those are still in quite decent shape. Not flattened but have lost some of the "bounce". MG pads have very low hours on them so OG's pads are worn compared to MG. Because MinidsP EARS is bad at measuring high frequencies is better not to focus on those. What I see here is that MG has a slight midbass boost. Another difference is that OG peaks higher at 1,5khz. Other than that these headphones are pretty much identical.
When I put on Fresh MG pads on OG measurements are even more similar. Midbass difference is not that big anymore but overall change is so small that I think it can be just difference in positioning the headphones. What is relevant is that the 1,5khz peak is now gone. Remember that for later.
New and allmost new MG pads on OG. This was just to rule out pad variances. Of course those can, and will exist but pads I have here have no such issues.
Now MG with OG pads. Notice that peak at 1,5khz is there again. So it IS definately caused by the pads. Bass is same with both pads so midbass hump on MG IS NOT caused by the pads.
This is my current Clear OG vs unit I measured in 2019. Difference in bass is either unit to unit variance or different seating on the measurement rig. I suspect the latter. What is noteworthy is that 1,5khz is quite similar. So either OG pads are different from MG in a way and cause that or 2019 unit had similar pad wear as my current unit.
Conclusions:
1) MG has a midbass hump. It is not caused by earpads. I actually suspect clamp force of the new (different?) headband not the tuning or drivers itself.
2) OG has more energy at 1,5khz but that is just because of the pads, because that region measures identical to MG when OG has MG pads.
3) Other than that OG and MG are allmost the same tonally.
So anyone want to guess why my MG is tonally 95% OG even though the tuning is supposed to be quite different?
It's worth noting that the notch in 5-7khz is a minidsp ears anomaly. It's hard to tell what really goes in there and if there are large differences between OG and MG in that region my measurements wont show it.
It says OG's pads are worn but those are still in quite decent shape. Not flattened but have lost some of the "bounce". MG pads have very low hours on them so OG's pads are worn compared to MG. Because MinidsP EARS is bad at measuring high frequencies is better not to focus on those. What I see here is that MG has a slight midbass boost. Another difference is that OG peaks higher at 1,5khz. Other than that these headphones are pretty much identical.
When I put on Fresh MG pads on OG measurements are even more similar. Midbass difference is not that big anymore but overall change is so small that I think it can be just difference in positioning the headphones. What is relevant is that the 1,5khz peak is now gone. Remember that for later.
New and allmost new MG pads on OG. This was just to rule out pad variances. Of course those can, and will exist but pads I have here have no such issues.
Now MG with OG pads. Notice that peak at 1,5khz is there again. So it IS definately caused by the pads. Bass is same with both pads so midbass hump on MG IS NOT caused by the pads.
This is my current Clear OG vs unit I measured in 2019. Difference in bass is either unit to unit variance or different seating on the measurement rig. I suspect the latter. What is noteworthy is that 1,5khz is quite similar. So either OG pads are different from MG in a way and cause that or 2019 unit had similar pad wear as my current unit.
Conclusions:
1) MG has a midbass hump. It is not caused by earpads. I actually suspect clamp force of the new (different?) headband not the tuning or drivers itself.
2) OG has more energy at 1,5khz but that is just because of the pads, because that region measures identical to MG when OG has MG pads.
3) Other than that OG and MG are allmost the same tonally.
So anyone want to guess why my MG is tonally 95% OG even though the tuning is supposed to be quite different?
