After a multi-year hiatus, Dido’s vocals on her newly released track, “Hurricanes” sounded full and oh so right. But if money isn't an issue and you're looking to go big, the Focal Clear are among the best headphones in the premium price range. Even though the yokes don’t have the same distinctive arch as the Elegia, they still have a thin and solid frame. Focal has been building high-end audio products for decades, and Focal Utopia is a high-end headphone manufactured by Focal. Two vents help this headphone deliver outstanding frequency response, rated from 5Hz to 23kHz. Otherwise, look at other high-profile alternatives like the Sony WH-1000xM3 ($250) that can get the job done for a fraction of the cost, and has lots more features. I will say that the quality is remarkable on all of these, primarily the case, which can hold extra EDC items, if necessary. Focal knows how to create attractive audio hardware. Elegia comes with just with the 3.5mm connection. Up Next NAD VISO HP70 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphone Review The Focal Clear headphones are a benchmark design that is one of the top performing headsets I’ve experienced. Even the overdubs (the song apparently has over 180) like the “Galileo” repetitions and Chinese gongs at the end have more transparency to them. Gorgeous. They are very good for what they do and deliver. They are very well-built and very comfortable for long listening sessions thanks to well-padded ear cups and headband. Focal’s Utopia headphones are a bleeding-edge statement from a pedigreed loudspeaker manufacturer that has made the most of its speaker-designing experience. Again, $1,500 is a lot to ask for any pair of headphones, but an investment worth considering if you want natural-sounding cans that look and sound this good. Since the Channel Islands amplifier uses a quarter inch headphone jack, I experimented with an adapter to use the longer cable. Not exactly. Far from cheap, the Focal Clear sells you on beautiful sound and build quality for a higher-than-normal premium. I’ve never noticed this when testing popular mid-luxury headphones like the Bose 700 and Sony WH-1000xM3. We got the exclusive on the Elear review sample. The Elegia’s drivers are shifted towards the front of the ear cup and are angled towards your ears to mimic the way we experience sound through traditional speakers. Elegia is designed, developed, and assembled in France. By the end of this review, you’ll know if the Utopia is the right fit for your setup. They’re similar to the Focal Elegia but have a more retro look with a cognac and mocha design and leather ear cups. The Clear has a firmer headband than the Elegia, but it doesn’t apply the same unwanted pressure atop the head. Despite its massive frame, the Clear does make for a pleasant wear, as long as you limit listening to a reasonable time frame; I recommend 1 to 2 hours max. If only it was longer. This avoids any compression and extends the frequency response of the driver. The headphones are stored safely in this hard-shell case, allowing you to take it with you on your travels. These are, of course, purely comparative differences. Expect nothing different than what comes bundled with the Elegia. 92 and the Minnesota Orchestra’s performance of Aaron Copeland’s Symphony No. This provides some relief when zoning out to playlists for long stretches. Was it intriguing to hear The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” without its signature distorted effects? The new Naim Mu-so speaker and Focal Radiance headphones will be available in October at selected Focal, Naim and Bentley retailers. 3 were majestically rendered. Focal’s industrial design team paid attention to every detail. Typical headphones place drivers directly to the sides of your ears. This is how you know you got some really good headphones . The lofty $899 asking price delivers an equally lofty and rich musical experience. I used a Fiio X7 Mark II and Astell&Kern Kann DAPs for my testing. The latest addition to Focal’s stable of headphones is the Stellia. But on a technical level, much has been re-engineered to account for the different configuration. The Focal Elear are good open-back critical listening headphones. Price-wise, it’s actually in the middle of the Focal open back lineup, between the more expensive Focal Utopia and the lower priced Focal Elear. “World’s Best Headphone.” This was the proclamation made by the man who gave me my first job doing headphone reviews, my mentor and predecessor at Innerfidelity, Tyll Hertsens.As a young teenager I remember learning a lot from Tyll and Innerfidelity, and the exciting discussions of his reviews and measurements that made their way onto the forums at head-fi and … A cutaway view of the Focal Elegia’s closed-back ear cup. The etched logo in the middle is a sweet finishing touch. The $2,490 USD Focal Arche is the flagship all-in-one headphone amplifier, DAC and preamplifier from French high-end audio manufacturer Focal. Their open design makes them a poor choice for any other use cases as they don’t block any ambient noise and don't have a microphone or wireless technology. Focal Professional headphones meet the expectations of the most demanding artists and sound engineers: precision and neutrality are the guarantee of a perfect mix. That was returned after this review store, protect, and your Christmas list to,! How much the Clear has a brushed finish, with beveled screws at the closed-back competition their charm a sample... But it ’ s performance of Aaron Copeland ’ s cases from about 25 feet away premium leather wrapped it! Each impact, a $ 1,290 USD closed-back headphone, but the Clear ’ s foray... 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