[Mhog55]

This is one brand I haven't tried yet. Primarily because reviews seem to be all over the place. Which headphone would we say is more musical yet engaging? Which one for hard rock, and more so some fairly poor recordings?

 

[silent-circuit]

Elegia / Radiance is my understanding. The open backs / semi-closed are supposedly less forgiving, and brighter.

I'll be blunt: not really a fan despite owning them (the Elegia). They're not bad, they're just definitely not worth $1000. Even at the $400 fire sale price, borderline. Beautifully made, but the AH-D7200 runs circles around them, at least for the music I tend to enjoy.

In short, if you are in to rock and a darker sound signature... Focal probably isn't for you. At least not without EQ.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

The Elear out of the openbacks and the Radiance of the closed

 

[YtseJamer]

You will be disappointed with Focal. Trust me, been there done that.

I think you should go with the ZMF Aeolus or the Grado Hemp.

 

[Kevintj604]

I agree with all of the above comments but YtseJamer is probably correct with Aeolus. I've owned the Clear, Elegia and Radiance and own an Aeolus. For warmth i'd stick with Aeolus or if you're looking for a planar i'd go with an Audeze LCD2 Shedua 2019/2020 or Rosewood 2021.

Radiance is really nice and warm as well but lacks the detail that some of the rest of Focal's current line-up has. But the Radiance would definitely the closest to the ZMF house sound and is the darkest/warmest set.

 

[KCXT]

As an owner of Focal Elegias and various other headphones, if you want a warmer sound that works very well with hard rock while still offering detail the Hifiman HE-500 is an oldie but goodie. Not sure if you've tried that particular Hifiman but Focal's house sound does not tend to venture into 'warm' territory.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Radiance (and perhaps also Celestee, but not sure).

Anyway, based on your current gear, I suggest ZMF Aeolus, Audeze LCD-2C or LCD 3F

 

[tudedude]

The Radiance might be the warmer sounding closedback focals compared to the Celeste and the Elegia but it's not a bass cannon. The lows are punchy and crisp but they don't have that sub-bass rumble that I think many attribute to a warm and dark sounding headphone. I think they are considered warm and dark because of how the highs and mids are treated. I actually EQ my Radiances for more bass.

 

[ubs28]

The black of the Focal Radiance makes it sound darker than the silver of the Focal Clear.

The red colour of the Focal Clear MG Pro will make it sound warmer than the silver Focal Clear.

 

[Mhog55]

The black of the Focal Radiance makes it sound darker than the silver of the Focal Clear.

The red colour of the Focal Clear MG Pro will make it sound warmer than the silver Focal Clear.

Lol

 

[Mhog55]

Thanks to everyone for the responses. I kinda figured Focal didn't have much that fit this bill, and now I know for sure. I returned my Kennerton Magni - an awesome headphone, just not quite what I'm after. I also prefer dynamic drivers. Might try the ZMF Atticus next. Buy and try, until you get it right.

 

[Mink]

What I find weird is that the frequency response charts of the Focal headphones don't indicate brightness at all, they follow the harman target pretty well.
It must be that 'metalic timbre' people mention?

 

[TheMiddleSky]

The Radiance might be the warmer sounding closedback focals compared to the Celeste and the Elegia but it's not a bass cannon. The lows are punchy and crisp but they don't have that sub-bass rumble that I think many attribute to a warm and dark sounding headphone. I think they are considered warm and dark because of how the highs and mids are treated. I actually EQ my Radiances for more bass.

well, 2 points from here:
1. OP ask the darkest sounding of Focal headphone, not actually the darkest headphone (Ok, I also suggested ZMF Aeolus, because I sold 3 focal headphones then bought Aeolus).

2. Being dark doesn't always mean bass head / bass canon / have huge bass quantity. It's more to treble to midrange presentation (smaller quantity on high frequency). For example, ZMF Aeolus has darker presentation than neutral, but nowhere near bass quantity of Fostex TH900. Fostex also significantly has brighter treble and thinner midrange in this case.

 

[23is1]

Is there a term for mid-range-centric headphones? I mistakenly always thought that's what warm meant lol. I've heard Senn/ZMF to be the consensus for that type of midrange sound, but I'm curious if the celestee/radiance would fall into that category.

 

[Gamerlingual]

I tried out the Clear MG Pro at one of the headphones in Japan and they sound warmer than my original Clear cans