Focal Clear Recensie | 93 Gegevens vergelijking

The Focal Clear is a premium, open-back over-ear audiophile headphone priced at $1,500 that delivers exceptional sound and design quality relative to its high cost. Built largely from high-quality metal with fabric coverings, these silver headphones boast a robust, striking aesthetic and include a hard case with three distinct, premium cables (1/8-inch, 1/4-inch, and XLR). On the positive side, they offer outstanding, balanced sound with tight, precise bass, a warm mid-range, and highly detailed, crisp highs that reveal hidden layers in musical mixes. They feature a wide, natural soundstage and thick padding on the headband and ear cups, ensuring long-term listening comfort despite weighing a substantial 450 grams (1 pound). However, the headphones do come with a few notable disadvantages, primarily their expensive price tag and heavy weight. Because they utilize an open-back dynamic driver design, they lack active noise cancellation and offer no built-in microphones or on-ear controls, making them strictly suited for stationary listening environments. Additionally, while they capture much of the magic of Focal's higher-end $3,000 Utopia headphones at half the price, they do not quite achieve...

The Focal Clear, reviewed by The Absolute Sound, offers high-end performance in the $1,500 market by adopting technology from the flagship $4,000 Utopia model. Designed with an open-back, aluminum/magnesium alloy "M"-shaped driver, the headphones are characterized by a strong magnetic field and rapid, detailed transient response. Pros include exceptional, near-neutral sound with deep, controlled bass and a wide, holographic soundstage that excels across various genres. Cons include a complete lack of noise isolation and heavy sound leakage due to the open-back design. Additionally, the light-colored, soft-material ear pads are susceptible to soiling, and proper bass sealing can be affected by eyeglasses.

The Focal Clear headphones are identified as a top-tier "end-game" reference choice, offering exceptional transparency and balanced, lifelike sound for listeners. Reviewer Tyll Hertsens praises their superior build, comfort, and comprehensive accessory package. However, the review notes a slight treble glare, an intimate soundstage, and a 55Hz resonance that makes them unsuitable for certain tube amplifiers. Stereophile.

The Focal Clear headphonesGo, as reviewed by SoundGuys, offer premium build quality featuring solid aluminum construction and plush memory foam cushions, which effectively distribute the 450-gram weight for lasting comfort. The design includes perforated microfiber fabric that helps with heat dissipation, while the secure headband grip ensures stability during long listening sessions. SoundGuysHowever, the open-back, non-isolating design offers zero environmental noise cancellation and suffers from heavy sound leakage, restricting usage to quiet, indoor environments. Furthermore, the light-colored, perforated earpads are prone to discoloration, and the high cost of replacement pads represents a significant long-term maintenance expense. Ultimately, the Focal Clear is described as a high-end, reliable reference-class, offering exceptional acoustic performance bundled with a sturdy hard-shell case and three versatile, high-quality cables. Despite the high price, they offer a more robust mechanical design compared to higher-end models like the Utopia.