[Beagle]

Nice, can't wait for the comparisons with the Spirit Pro.

 

[Beagle]

I said I CAN'T WAIT!!! 

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Sorry, been busy writing the review on the new Apogee ONE for iPad & Mac.   Here's a quick pic.
 

 

[Beagle]

Looks similar to the Pro, without the textured finish.....and the headband padding looks a little thicker.

 

[Beagle]

So....are we gonna find out anything about how the Classic sounds in relation to the Pro?

 

[jude]

  So....are we gonna find out anything about how the Classic sounds in relation to the Pro?

 
I'm working on the holiday update to the Head-Fi Buying Guide right now, so I'll keep this brief. The Focal Spirit Professional is significantly more neutral than the Spirit Classic. I like the Spirit Classic, but have a pretty clear preference for the Spirit Professional. It's a studio monitor, and sounds like one, in a very good way.
 
(Sorry I'm checking out right after I post this, so that we can finish the guide, which both of these headphones will be in, by the way.)

 

[Beagle]

Thanks Jude. I like neutral (most of the time anyway) so I gather I made the right choice with the Professional

 

[Goldlion973]

Yeah, I wanna chime in here as I've just bought the FSP and am waiting for it in the post.... read that the FSC is supposed to sound better, it being less balanced and more 'fun' am hovering over a purchase of those ready to ship the FSP's back... have heard that they work well coming from a decent source, am not sure what Starfly is using, whether its amped or not? Not so surprised at the size claims as I'm actually in the market for a portable headphone and am looking at these even though they're marketed as full size and for home/studio use, is obvious they're smallish. Is odd that a company like Focal would claim for their top tier products to be for a certain environment and ship them with no less than an 'iPod' cable... alongside a 4m hifi cable. That raised an eyebrow for me, they seem quite determinate on what they're to be used for but still with the 'iPod' cable. It does not inspire .lol. Opinion that they're trying to straddle the fence and stay in on two markets, the portable and the professional/hifi perhaps following on from B&W's P7 which are portable wannabe hifi headphones.
 
If the FSP's don't respond well to EQ'ing using my AK120 (not my mixer) then yeah... I've got Alpha Dogs for the more balanced analytical stuff. Will be back to the P7's I guess.

 

[Trunks159]

The FSP should. It's meant for professional use, a studio monitor. They're usually good at that.

 

[Goldlion973]

.lol. Yeah in a studio though, am not sure it will respond the same with a portable device.
 
Amazon have just dispatched them, should be in tomorrow.

 

[Trunks159]

MDR 7506, M50, SRH 440/880, etc have responded well to the EQ on the Poweramp App on my Galaxy player 5.

 

[Goldlion973]

.... that's what I wanna hear .lol. Will have fun testing out the range the FSP's can handle

 

[Goldlion973]

Got the FSP in today and after a bit of back and forth its likely that I'll send them back and go for the Classic instead.... the FSP is comfortable fits well, have been wearing it around the house but its really a studio headphone in that it lacks a certain warmth and depth you'd want for easy listening, figured I could EQ that warmth in and it works for some tracks but male vocals lack presence, even with a mixing console I couldn't bring that warmth in, just didn't blend enough.... female vocals are fine but the midrange isn't there to place that deeper tone for male stuff. Albums that usually sound up close and personal sound distant and further away, the bass is there when its needed and sounds punchy due to the lack of a midrange warmth if you can see where I'm coming from, that warmth not being there gives room to a punchy bassline there's no veil here at all. Could grow on me and would do if it weren't for the fact that I've got a pair of Alpha dogs in the post already so I don't need a studio headphone. As posted in the other thread (my first 'review' was a bit obscure with it) the FSP's are not good at isolating, at all... Focal confesses to this on their website... they're made for nomadic monks for use in the mountains, the iphone cable is really for luring fish and wild animals.... external noise is right there with you, now out and about where theres a general mix of sound, an ambiance, it didn't fare too bad there but with a generally quiet background things are easily picked up. You don't get that 'in your head' kind of sound like you do with IEM's and fully closed phones when the outside world is completely shut off and every other vibration is picked up so people looking for a studio phone to work in isolation with its a no go.... they didn't seem to emit so much sound while on but I'm yet to really tell. They're very light weight. The right channel cut off on me while in use with my mixing console and with my AK120 it came in and out of focus a few times, this could be/is its breaking in so I'm giving it a run in tonight to try again tomorrow... if they warm up slightly and add a bit more weight to those vocals and a tiny bit more warmth to the music in general as they seem to want to (they burst into life suddenly on two occasions with the AK120) then I'll keep them. Am otherwise considering the Classic as its touted as having that warmth the Pros are "lacking" either due to their purpose or their not really having broken in yet.
 
Genuinely like them, ear cups just about fit, am weary the FSC might cross the line and be too big as I want to use them when out and about and the FSP's are nail on the head for suitable travel size without being bulky and in the way.... also their design is better for travelling, the FSC is a bit showy and I have no need for the leather headband. 
 
Might keep the FSP's yet, will see.
 
Amazon.de sells the FSC's if you're in the UK.... they're not available here yet.

 

[Goldlion973]

Update: Am sending the FSP back to swap for the Classic.... tried them again today and they take too much from the warmth and character of vocals for my taste, everything else about them is fine good for studio use but not for casual listening, am not even going to see what Dorothy Ashby's harp and warm voice sounds like with these its already done damage to Mos Def. Would say it does well for digital music, EDM and Hp Hop instrumentally. The design is perfect for portable use IMO, rugged and small, not too posh (like the B&W P7). Not too keen on swapping them for the Classic in that regard but it looks like I'm leaning toward them, will have to try and get to like the design and look for a Focal coiled cable to replace the 4m one the Classic comes with.

 

[Nihl]

These look nice. Wouldn't mind trying them on.