[AdamTR]

Which headphone has more detail and is more transparent Focal Pro or MDR-7520?

 

[jsblack]

7520s more air, more details, less claustro...!
I own both.

 

[pOOB73]

  Which headphone has more detail and is more transparent Focal Pro or MDR-7520?

This is the very first post in this thread: 
 
"These are the most neutral / balanced headphones I've heard, surpassing the MDR-7520, HD600, and HE-500."
 

 

[maricius]

  This is the very first post in this thread: 
 
"These are the most neutral / balanced headphones I've heard, surpassing the MDR-7520, HD600, and HE-500."
 

Don't confuse neutrality and a headphone having a balanced tonality with transparency and good detail retrieval

 

[markanini]

 
Don't confuse neutrality and a headphone having a balanced tonality with transparency and good detail retrieval

These are all desirable properties in headphones. Yet all terms can mean different things to different people. I give up!

 

[jsblack]

I you like claustrophobic HPs.. go Focal.. and i'm french...

 

[UnityIsPower]

I'm a meat Popsicle. Dare I say more...

 

[dakanao]

  I you like claustrophobic HPs.. go Focal.. and i'm french...

How does the FSP compare to the HD 650?

 

[AdamTR]

I understand the Focal Pro is balanced (I own them to justify that) and they have some detail but aren't very detailed and transparent. My Yamaha EPH-100 is more transparent and has better imaging. I need a headphone that can do better in that aspect, that''s why I asked about the MDR-7520 ..

 

[hoverkraft]

In light of Tyll's demotion of these in favor of the PM-3, has anybody on here been able to do a comparison between the two? To my ear, the PM-3 does indeed sound exceedingly flat, but it sounds like it's considered a bit easier on the ears for extended listening than the FSPs. Haven't found anywhere that I can try out the FSPs, but I'd be super curious to do a side by side comparison.

 

[jsblack]

@ Dakanao
 
Closed back Hps VS Open ones... So can't really compare.... But
They both are a bit on the dark side (sound sig..) Kind of flat HPs, lack of sub-basses on both, a little bit of muddyness on both, but the openness of HD650s compensate that..?
The comfort of the Sen's is incredible... if that can matter..
 
FSP's :

 
 
HD650s

 
... Freqs Graph FWIW....

 

[Music Alchemist]

This should go without saying, but...STAX destroys the Focal Spirit Professional.
 
I recently got my first STAX system, and even this low-end one sounds much more realistic to me than everything else, including the Abyss, HE1000, HE-6, HD 800, etc.
 
Here is an article about how electrostatic headphones work. It's just not even fair. haha
 

  Don't confuse neutrality and a headphone having a balanced tonality with transparency and good detail retrieval

 
Exactly. The FSP only has a decent level of detail, and it's not ultra-transparent or anything.
 

  How does the FSP compare to the HD 650?

 
See my reply below.
 

  @ Dakanao
 
Closed back Hps VS Open ones... So can't really compare.... But
They both are a bit on the dark side (sound sig..) Kind of flat HPs, lack of sub-basses on both, a little bit of muddyness on both, but the openness of HD650s compensate that..?
The comfort of the Sen's is incredible... if that can matter..
 
FSP's :
 
HD650s
 
... Freqs Graph FWIW....

 
I slightly prefer the FSP over the HD 650. They are both indeed a little dark -- too dark for me, though I wouldn't call them overly dark per se -- and the HD 650 sounded even darker, and significantly more smooth and forgiving. More fancy and pretty too, but not as engaging and physical. They're both very good headphones, at any rate.
 
By the way, where did you get those graphs from? They look like Sonarworks compensation curves.
 
Here are the InnerFidelity measurements, which are fairly similar:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FocalSpiritProfessional.pdf
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD650.pdf

 

[dakanao]

  This should go without saying, but...STAX destroys the Focal Spirit Professional.
 
I recently got my first STAX system, and even this low-end one sounds much more realistic to me than everything else, including the Abyss, HE1000, HE-6, HD 800, etc.
 
Here is an article about how electrostatic headphones work. It's just not even fair. haha
 
 
Exactly. The FSP only has a decent level of detail, and it's not ultra-transparent or anything.
 
 
See my reply below.
 
 
I slightly prefer the FSP over the HD 650. They are both indeed a little dark -- too dark for me, though I wouldn't call them overly dark per se -- and the HD 650 sounded even darker, and significantly more smooth and forgiving. More fancy and pretty too, but not as engaging and physical. They're both very good headphones, at any rate.
 
By the way, where did you get those graphs from? They look like Sonarworks compensation curves.
 
Here are the InnerFidelity measurements, which are fairly similar:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FocalSpiritProfessional.pdf
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SennheiserHD650.pdf

What kind of STAX system do you have? And are they also a lot better than the MT220?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  What kind of STAX system do you have? And are they also a lot better than the MT220?

 
See my signature and profile. Yes, like I just said, it "sounds much more realistic to me than everything else" I have heard so far. The MT220 has more epic bass, though, but I will need to upgrade my speaker amp to tap the potential of the STAX, since on my current system, it distorts at higher volume or when there is heavy bass in the music. Most conventional headphones require under one volt, whereas electrostats require hundreds of volts!

 

[dakanao]

   
See my signature and profile. Yes, like I just said, it "sounds much more realistic to me than everything else" I have heard so far. The MT220 has more epic bass, though, but I will need to upgrade my speaker amp to tap the potential of the STAX, since on my current system, it distorts at higher volume or when there is heavy bass in the music. Most conventional headphones require under one volt, whereas electrostats require hundreds of volts!

Sick. I sold my FSP btw and ordered a NAD Viso HP50. I hope they will be better than my Creative Aurvana Live.