[daerron]

Picking up at focal spirit pro soon! Heard it previously and loved it! Now... Should I pick up a dac/amp along with it or just use my iPhone... I have a choice of building a desktop rig or a portable rig for it. I'll use as much on the go and at home so which should I pick. Only have a budget for one now

A good portable rig might work just as fine in a desktop setup and is portable. A desktop setup is never as portable. If you want that flexibility then that is definitely the way to go. Personally I thought these sounded just great straight out of my Macbook Pro, I doubt they change all that much with amplification, but I guess they could do with a better source.

 

[FlatListener]

I apologise for not having read the entire thread, but I do have the following question:
 
I just got the Spirit Professional and after listening for about 1 hour find them too harsh in the upper mids. I am using a bare FiiO X5 as a source, playing lossless audio files. I tried Maria Mena "Home for Christmas" (song) and Michael Buble "Come Fly With me" (album). What bothers me most is Maria's voice (Michael's voice is barely OK) and the trumpets.
 
My reference HP is BeyerDynamic DT-1350, which has much more agreeable mids to my ears, but not great soundstage.
 
I do like the Spirit Pro's detail and soundstage, but can't live with the aggressive mids. Will I like the Spirit Classic substantially better? Does the Classic have softer, more musical mids? If so I may order them too for comparison. If not, I'll just return the Pros. 
 
Thanks!

 

[Aerathion]

I apologise for not having read the entire thread, but I do have the following question:

I just got the Spirit Professional and after listening for about 1 hour find them too harsh in the upper mids. I am using a bare FiiO X5 as a source, playing lossless audio files. I tried Maria Mena "Home for Christmas" (song) and Michael Buble "Come Fly With me" (album). What bothers me most is Maria's voice (Michael's voice is barely OK) and the trumpets.

My reference HP is BeyerDynamic DT-1350, which has much more agreeable mids to my ears, but not great soundstage.

I do like the Spirit Pro's detail and soundstage, but can't live with the aggressive mids. Will I like the Spirit Classic substantially better? Does the Classic have softer, more musical mids? If so I may order them too for comparison. If not, I'll just return the Pros. 

Thanks!

If I can make you a recommendation, try to keep them and give yourself a bit more listen time.
You're still used to the mids of the 1350,the pro's are flat, and I didn't like them either initially, but now I have a hard time listening to my other headphones.

If you can, give yourself a bit more time. Unless you're absolutely certain.

 

[FlatListener]

It's funny, there are some songs that sound better on the Spirit Pro, but the majority sounds too aggressive in the mids to me. This is probably simply my preference, I have the same issue with loudspeakers.
 
I also think the Beyer 1350's have a stronger and more pronounced bass. Maybe the Spirit Pros sound just a little too "neutral" to me. I am by no means a bass head, far from it.
 
I do notice that one gets used to a certain HP sound after listening to it for extended period of time. Probably like a new pair of shoes. But when I switch back to the Beyer 1350 from time to time, I'm back at square one with the Focals.
 
Meanwhile I ordered the Spirit Classic too, just to try and see if that model unites the better soundstage and a softer mid range tonality. It's out of stock so I expect delivery in about 2 weeks. Will get back here as soon as I have tried them out.
 
Are there any other closed headphones with good sound stage and instrument separation? Better than the Beyer 1350 and better than the focals? Don't care if it's in a higher price category. Just curious...
 
Thanks!

 

[bixby]

Sony mdr-7520, but might be a little too forward for you

 

[Aerathion]

wow, im starting to think of selling my vmoda m100 with custom plates which i payed, 340 dollars in total for excl shipping to the EU.
 
Just because of these focals which were 200 euros for me (250 usd). They just sound so excellent. When i put on the vmodas i just cant wait to take them off to put the focals back on, they are that good.
 
I've found that the white buffalo's latest album sounds sooo good on these, it gives the vocals a rawness you just cant get with the vmodas.
 
They also give a bigger sense of space, even though the vmodas are sort of semi open

 

[AustinValentine]

The FSP's are a huge upgrade from the V-Moda's in terms of sound quality. The only thing that the M-100's have on the FSP is build quality and comfort with XL pads. 
 
I really hope that Focal is paying attention to the number of cracked and broken headbands in this thread. This is a headphone worthy of far better materials. 

 

[FlatListener]

Sony mdr-7520, but might be a little too forward for you

Thanks, I'll look into those.
 
Meanwhile, I continued listening to the Focal Spirit Professional and I also ordered the Focal Spirit Classic. I must say that the sound stage is way better than my BeyerDynamic 1350's. As I listened to Eagles - Hotel California Live (the well-known Hell Freezes Over acoustic version) I did find the musical experience I was looking for.
 
However, today I still decided to send both Focals back. Even though the Classic has milder mids, they're still not warm enough to my taste. The BeyerDynamic 1350's have this warm sound that I really like. The Focals have better sound stage and more controlled and defined bass, but less of it. 
 
I also tried the Focals on a more powerful amp, in this case the Phones out in the front panel of my Sony DAT recorder (59ES) which beats all portable music players I know of, both for sound stage and sheer power. Yes the sound was stronger, but the sound signature of the Focals did not change.
 
At this point in my quest I feel I should keep the BeyerDynamic 1350's for travel and start looking at open HP's for home listening.
 
Any recommendations?
 
Thanks!

 

[bixby]

 
Thanks, I'll look into those.
 
Meanwhile, I continued listening to the Focal Spirit Professional and I also ordered the Focal Spirit Classic. I must say that the sound stage is way better than my BeyerDynamic 1350's. As I listened to Eagles - Hotel California Live (the well-known Hell Freezes Over acoustic version) I did find the musical experience I was looking for.
 
However, today I still decided to send both Focals back. Even though the Classic has milder mids, they're still not warm enough to my taste. The BeyerDynamic 1350's have this warm sound that I really like. The Focals have better sound stage and more controlled and defined bass, but less of it. 
 
I also tried the Focals on a more powerful amp, in this case the Phones out in the front panel of my Sony DAT recorder (59ES) which beats all portable music players I know of, both for sound stage and sheer power. Yes the sound was stronger, but the sound signature of the Focals did not change.
 
At this point in my quest I feel I should keep the BeyerDynamic 1350's for travel and start looking at open HP's for home listening.
 
Any recommendations?
 
Thanks!

Interesting.  My memory of the Beyers even with great amplification was that they were deep in the bass but not what I would call a warm sound.  Maybe that is the variability that MH describes when he heard several different pairs of 1350s.  I now have the T51P and they are much more smooth in the upper mids and highs than my 1350s.  And they are very revealing of steps up in source, dac, and amp.
 
I am a bit perplexed by your impressions on the Focal Classic vs the 1350, as my memory was the Focal Classic was way more toward the warm side than the 1350.  I have heard the Philips X1 and felt it a good warm yet open HP.  Have not heard the X2 but you may wish to put it on  your list.
 
Good luck!

 

[Aerathion]

  The FSP's are a huge upgrade from the V-Moda's in terms of sound quality. The only thing that the M-100's have on the FSP is build quality and comfort with XL pads. 
 
I really hope that Focal is paying attention to the number of cracked and broken headbands in this thread. This is a headphone worthy of far better materials. 

The focal ear pads are actually perfect for me, they are almost custom fit, i guess im lucky.
 
However some things id want to improve on the focal, except for the sound, which for me is right where i want it.
 
-Sturdier headband, with clicky notches for changing the size (mine has no cracks yet, but it does not have a good track record.
-Even more clicky notches... seriously guys, im really OCD this headband is killing me.
-Better looks, this thing looks bulky, i dont think its an ugly design, but it doesnt look good when worn. it still looks better than the HP50's i guess which makes your head look like a toolbag xD

 

[FlatListener]

  Interesting.  My memory of the Beyers even with great amplification was that they were deep in the bass but not what I would call a warm sound.
 
I am a bit perplexed by your impressions on the Focal Classic vs the 1350, as my memory was the Focal Classic was way more toward the warm side than the 1350. 

This is very curious indeed. De Classic is warmer than the Pro, that is for sure. But the 1350's (my set at least) really reveals the warmth of the jazz bass instrument in Caro Emerald's "One Day" and also the conga drums in the Hell Freezes Over (acoustic live) version of "Hotel California". The difference is so large that I almost can't believe we're talking about the same equipment.
 
Also, the 1350's go much lower in bass reproduction. I have a Cris Cab "Loves me not" MP3 that contains extremely low bass frequencies that are very audible on the 1350's but almost have disappeared on both Focals (Classic and Pros). This is both used with the FiiO X5 bare (unamped) as the source. The difference in output power between the 1350's and the slightly higher impedance Focals is only a couple of notches in volume setting and I did compensate when comparing.
 
Anyway I don't see myself buy a 1700 Euro set of headphones (like the LCD-X or LCD-3), I think 1000 Euros is  my absolute limit. I could pick up a LCD-2 for about that amount, but I'd like to try them somewhere first before deciding on such expensive HP's.

 

[thomascrown]

Dt1350 has 80ohm, focals have 32 ohm impedance, so it's quite the opposite... Just sayin..

 

[FlatListener]

Dt1350 has 80ohm, focals have 32 ohm impedance, so it's quite the opposite... Just sayin..

You are correct, I must have misread the info. It's strange but the 1350's sound a bit louder than both of the Focals at the same volume setting.

 

[plakat]

 
You are correct, I must have misread the info. It's strange but the 1350's sound a bit louder than both of the Focals at the same volume setting.

While the DT1350 has a higher nominal impedance it also features higher efficiency, given as 109db @1mW by Beyerdynamic, while the FSP is rated at 102db @1mW. Too lazy to calculate the actual difference in load given the impedance difference, I still would say thats the reason for the DT1350 being louder.

 

[myap2328]

I owned the DT1350s and have heard the Classics and now own the Professionals. I have to say the DT1350 does have a much more audible and weightier bass response. The Focal Pros slaughters the other two in transparency and clarity and is definitely more dynamic and more punchy too. The classics was in my opinion the one with the largest staging due to their more laidback and warmer response. I understand the possiblity of the pros having shrill highs but so far that has yet to happen to me but the classics and the dt1350 was indeed warmer. Regarding the fact that the 1350s are warmer than the classics I feel that is debatable. 
 
However, all in all, I paid the same amount for my DT1350 and my Pros, I take the Pros any day, but I am figuring out how to increase the bass presence, I am an on/off basshead, depending on the music I listen to. The DT1350s does win in compactness though, and is easier to transport and store etc.
 
If any focal staff is reading this, to make your product a real hit, 
Allow the cups to swivel fully to make it like flat for easier storage, it ain't hard to do come on...
Sturdier headband indeed with CLICKS FOR GOODNESS SAKE,
Leave the sound alone because I am pretty sure if they try and "improve it" there would be compromises. 
Eg. to make the staging any bigger, isolation is gonna go down and size is gonna go up.