PRE-ORDER: Focal Clear MG Professional
Feb 16, 2021 at 2:06 PM Post #16 of 55
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Funny how none of the dozens of headphones I've owned in my 20+ years in this hobby have not had such severe mechanical clipping as the Clears. I can get my HD600 so loud as to not stand them on my ears but they never clip. The Clears, however, pop and creak like hell... The problem is well-reported so please stop.
 
Feb 16, 2021 at 2:32 PM Post #18 of 55
Funny how none of the dozens of headphones I've owned in my 20+ years in this hobby have not had such severe mechanical clipping as the Clears. I can get my HD600 so loud as to not stand them on my ears but they never clip. The Clears, however, pop and creak like hell... The problem is well-reported so please stop.
Isn't the creaking due to the Focal's headband? That is outside of the issue with their clipping drivers. Anyways, Focal readily admitted that their drivers are designed that way in the Elex thread almost three years ago (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mas...iew-measurements.867615/page-46#post-14228871). Yet more than a few people still buy their cans and complain about this issue after this notice. As for myself, I've tried a few Focal cans (Elex, Elegia, and Radiance) and their timbre sounds off and unnatural to my ears (moreso than nearly all of the cans that I own); I didn't have too much headtime with the Utopia. For the most part, the Focal house sound just isn't for me. Anyways, I tried to clip above three Focal cans with "2049" played at my listening volume or somewhat higher reaching my tolerable limit, and I didn't experience clipping. Since they weren't my cans, or I was ready to sell (Elegia), I didn't stress test them with 100-110 db SPL volumes. Kind of moot though since Focal admits to their drivers clipping.
 
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Feb 16, 2021 at 2:35 PM Post #19 of 55
Best track to test is Daft Punk - Get Lucky. Clips at moderate, to moderate-high volume in my case. Regardless of what Focal said, this is inexcusable defect in what is a $1.5K headphone.
 
Feb 16, 2021 at 3:18 PM Post #23 of 55
Isn't the creaking due to the Focal's headband? That is outside of the issue with their clipping drivers. Anyways, Focal readily admitted that their drivers are designed that way in the Elex thread almost three years ago (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mas...iew-measurements.867615/page-46#post-14228871).
Thanks for sharing! That makes sense.

they clip because the surround is soft or what? the driver is bottoming out?
Driver is bottoming out because it's designed with priority on speed & resolution = small mass = small membrane = limited SPL at low frequencies
As focal stated in the post linked above, a deliberate design choice.

But I understand the frustration if if you want to boost bass and play really loud and run into the issue, especially if you were not aware of it.
 
Feb 16, 2021 at 3:31 PM Post #24 of 55
they clip because the surround is soft or what? the driver is bottoming out?

At least with the Elears, not only do the drivers clip but there is a cooling issue. The voice coil overheats because of design issue. I believe the coil overheating doesn't happen on the Clears because the coil is copper unlike the Elears which is magnesium. I heard that the driver bursting was only on a 1st shipment of Elears and was later fixed by Focal but I could be wrong.
 
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Feb 16, 2021 at 3:42 PM Post #26 of 55
Driver is bottoming out because it's designed with priority on speed & resolution = small mass = small membrane = limited SPL at low frequencies
As focal stated in the post linked above, a deliberate design choice.
Why the variance btw the samples then(?) I have Elear/Elex that doesn't bottom. Did the test with some wicked bass drowning tracks to ear bleeding levels and didn't even distort. At the time it was driven with LP G100 which puts 1.5w at 70 Ohms.
 
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Feb 16, 2021 at 3:53 PM Post #27 of 55
So will there be a non pro version this time, and will the sound signature be different? Because these MG seems to be targeted to a completely different audience than the previous Clear (both pro and non-pro).
 
Feb 16, 2021 at 4:36 PM Post #30 of 55
Probably not my preference as far as tuning is concerned based on the review earlier in the thread. Although I can't deny though it does look absolutely gorgeous. Im hoping that new Clear "non pro" version that will be released soon will be tuned little warmer. If it is I'm definitely in.
 

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