Focal Clear vs Clear MG sound comparison.

[Andrew_WOT]

https://www.headphones.com/communit...i-pad-rolling-adventures-with-the-focal-clear

BUT, if you can get your hands on Stellia pads.
https://www.miniklangwunder.de/kopf...elestee-und-clear-pro-interessante-eindrucke/

 

[Liberte]

I've gone through a few reviews and it seems the OGs are considered the more natural of the two but there's a lot of conflicting reviews - the MGs having more upper end bite or less than the OG, being more laid back or more intense, being an improvement in every way, being a stepback in every way/further from Utopia.

I'm coming from an Elex and would like more of what that brought when I upgrade - detail, air/space, delicacy, bass, fullness. I have the impression the MG would be the most different from the Elex but not necessarily the better. I'm in no rush for another headphone if the MG is the one to go for as it'll be around for a while. If the OG is the one then time is tighter, as the used market will only be getting more used from here.

 

[dougms3]

I've gone through a few reviews and it seems the OGs are considered the more natural of the two but there's a lot of conflicting reviews - the MGs having more upper end bite or less than the OG, being more laid back or more intense, being an improvement in every way, being a stepback in every way...

I'm coming from an Elex and would like more of what that brought when I upgrade - detail, air/space, delicacy, bass, fullness. I have the impression the MG would be the most different from the Elex but not necessarily the better. I'm in no rush for another headphone if the MG is the one to go for as it'll be around for a while. If the OG is the one then time is tighter, as the used market will only be getting more used from here.

I have the OG and listened to the MG at canjam. I didn't get alot of time with them but I remember them being more neutral with less energy in the treble vs the OG.

I thought the MG sound very similar to the elex with a little more body and thickness to the sound.

I think the elex is probably the best value to performance one can get as far as headphones go.

 

[loopfreak]

I'm coming from an Elex and would like more of what that brought when I upgrade - detail, air/space, delicacy, bass, fullness. I have the impression the MG would be the most different from the Elex but not necessarily the better. I'm in no rush for another headphone if the MG is the one to go for as it'll be around for a while. If the OG is the one then time is tighter, as the used market will only be getting more used from here.

I have Elex and Mg an they are way more complementary than similar that's for sure. Mg is very forcefull. Snare hits are just pure pleasure, which many headphones and speakers fail miserably and sound like brocken toothpicks.

 

[Dcipar81]

I've gone through a few reviews and it seems the OGs are considered the more natural of the two but there's a lot of conflicting reviews - the MGs having more upper end bite or less than the OG, being more laid back or more intense, being an improvement in every way, being a stepback in every way...

I'm coming from an Elex and would like more of what that brought when I upgrade - detail, air/space, delicacy, bass, fullness. I have the impression the MG would be the most different from the Elex but not necessarily the better. I'm in no rush for another headphone if the MG is the one to go for as it'll be around for a while. If the OG is the one then time is tighter, as the used market will only be getting more used from here.

I own both. I bought them together thinking they would be similar, but I would determine which I liked more and return/sell the other. Well, they're more different than I thought. The actual sound comparison is so subjective and there are so many confounding variables that it's really hard to determine which differences are due to equipment and biology (ear shape, perception of sound). We already know everyone hears and reacts to treble differently, well that's true of all frequencies.

Anyways point is, sound wise and which is "better" is 100% subjective. What I hear for differences between the two is the MG is much more "present" and full sounding. OGs are more "distant", but you get a more full, even picture.

An analogy would be the MGs are like sitting Front and Center at a show. Everything is full and in your face, but a little more difficult to separate locations and sounds. The OGs are like sitting a few more rows back. You lose some of that fullness, but you're able to see the whole stage at once, you can pinpoint locations better.
Similar would be like sitting courtside NBA. You can hear the players talk, see expressions on their face, etc, but you might miss some angles/plays ate either end of the court. The OGs are sitting some rows back. You lose out on that visceral experience, but you gain a full view.

Hopefully that helps shine some light on the differences. Again, they both sound AMAZING and I kept both so that's also an indication of how you really can't go wrong.

They're both very Focal, but the OG sounds more like their headphone sound, the MG more like their stereo speaker lineup (I own some of their bookshelves as well - a bit of a budget Focal fanboy here).

Last thought: I think a lot of the bad reviews of the MG from the OG owners are because they are pretty different and I could totally imagine having owned the OG for a couple years and considering them my go to, and then hearing MG and thinking is sounded really "wrong". However, coming in blind and hearing them side by side for the first time together, I can say they're both amazing, but different.

 

[Liberte]

Thanks for the replies, I listen to a lot of ambient music, so a touch of low end warmth and eased off highs is sometimes welcome, which brings to mind the MG. At the same time I can listen to the DT1990's highs all day, love the detail and somewhat miss it with the Elex, so wonder if the MG would be too dark.



The Elex which measures similar to the Clear OG1 sounds darker in comparison to the DT19902 in measurement and experience, so I imagine the MG being somewhat darker in measurement than the OG3 would sound even darker in comparison to the DT1990, unless that 12-20khz brings some light. I'm only refering to graphs as I haven't heard the headphones except the Elex and DT1990 and subjective reviews are mixed.
1

2

3


I saw one reviewer making a direct OG vs MG comparison and mentioned the MG is much better at presenting reverb tails, which has me interested to hear it as reverb is one of my favourite qualities of the Elex and listening in general.

I can wait until CanJam next year to test the MG along with others. The brand new second hand OGs will be gone by then, but the reviews are mixed over how much of an upgrade over the Elex the Clear really is, the vast majority suggesting it's not twice as good.

 

[Revelation Sound]

I found the Clear top end could be a little shrill. I like that the MG's tamed the top end a little.

 

[dougms3]

I found the Clear top end could be a little shrill. I like that the MG's tamed the top end a little.

I agree, theres a sharpness in the treble at certain frequencies. Its nowhere near as bad as the Utopia though.

I forgot, I modded mine to reduce that high freq resonance.

I guess it depends if the listener is sensitive to treble, I'm very sensitive to sharpness in the higher frequencies.

Thanks for the replies, I listen to a lot of ambient music, so a touch of low end warmth and eased off highs is sometimes welcome, which brings to mind the MG. At the same time I can listen to the DT1990's highs all day, love the detail and somewhat miss it with the Elex, so wonder if the MG would be too dark.



The Elex which measures similar to the Clear OG1 sounds darker in comparison to the DT19902 in measurement and experience, so I imagine the MG being somewhat darker in measurement than the OG3 would sound even darker in comparison to the DT1990, unless that 12-20khz brings some light. I'm only refering to graphs as I haven't heard the headphones except the Elex and DT1990 and subjective reviews are mixed.
1

2

3


I saw one reviewer making a direct OG vs MG comparison and mentioned the MG is much better at presenting reverb tails, which has me interested to hear it as reverb is one of my favourite qualities of the Elex and listening in general.

I can wait until CanJam next year to test the MG along with others. The brand new second hand OGs will be gone by then, but the reviews are mixed over how much of an upgrade over the Elex the Clear really is, the vast majority suggesting it's not twice as good.

Its definitely not twice as good. I said it before but I'll say it again, I think the elex is the best value performance to price ratio headphone out there.

I think the main difference is the clear has more body, weight and punchiness to the sound.