Focal - Clear MG

Obviously this is out of world experience. These headphones creates a aroma, not only you listen all the details but you feel it, feels like you are in the scene. All the tiny details and it's weight are perfectly shown.

The only thing I didn't like is it's cable, not good quality. I got a rusty cable.

This one has been on my bucket list for long and I ticket it off during the recent 'sale'. Even though I own a few other headphones from Meze, Audeze and DC, this is a beauty to behold (wife certified)! Very comfortable to wear. Unlike others, this Focal design looks simple and sleek and does not have any of those outrageous outgrowths and appendages. Sound-wise, it is brilliant with lots of clarity, resolution, space and warmth, as well. Still burning in. So I hope it would improve even further, as its history goes. Thanks HPZ for bringing it on sale. Won't you please restock your accessories?? Simple things like headphone stand, etc???

Stunning build quality...
Super smooth sound... zero fatigue...
A must have for long sessions...
Cautious as its performance is highly dependent on your source ..

Build and comfort are excellent. Definitely lightweight enough for comfortable long sessions. Detail retrieval is good, if not excellent. Staging isn't as wide as maybe, a Sennheiser HD 800S but it isn't any slouch either. Imaging also is good, maybe not excellent. Having said that, the tuning is so pleasant that I keep returning back to it. There's enough bass and enough treble to keep me going for long hours without punching holes in my eardrums with too much detail and sharpness.

I bought the clear MGs for music production and mixing. Surprisingly, it’s not that clear of a choice in the professional mixing and mastering world. But Focal has done a great job here. The product experience is overall very positive. The brilliant case and cables that come bundled with the headphones, the finish of the product just goes to show how great focal is at making small details matter.

The sound is mind blowing, even though they haven’t fully burned in yet as I’m writing this review.
I have tried many a consumer headphones before but the tonal balance here leaves little on the table to be desired. Compared to my Audio technica ATH- m50x, the soundscape is more open and the highs are more tamed. This is obvious as the clears are open back, and are more akin to having speakers on your head that provide an expansive yet accurate/intimate experience.

My only gripe with the product? When pushed to higher volumes with a slight bass boost. These have a lower distortion ceiling than the audio technicas. But then again, the clears seem to respond much better to lower frequencies boost than the m50xs

The M50x’s are like a clinical blade to the discernible listener, with punishing and sibilant highs. You won’t ever miss that high frequency information.

But you wouldn’t miss any details in any of the frequencies either with the clears, they serve a sound that is less clinical than the latter, while still encompassing the soul of the music.

Yes most people in the audiophile community would regard them to be warm and not as analytical. But they seem to hit the mark for my ears, as everyone hears differently.
Being under 25, my ears are more receptive to highs. So I simply don’t need as much as of them.

Let’s see how the clears turn out with some proper burn in and use. Till then, I’m enjoying my favourite playlists on them :p

Focal clear Mg is a beautiful open back dynamic head phone with French “luxe” built all over it. Even the fragrance of the leather head band is so arousing. One can simply keep looking at this mademoiselle for hours, leave alone wearing it. I mostly listen to Tidal masters from lap top through Topping D70s /A90 combination using balanced 4 pin cables.
My observations and usage may not be that of a sound engineer or that of an audiophile, but will benefit a normal listener looking for sound quality who is willing to spend that extra bit. This can is definitely a neutral one which tends to lean over a warm tonality. What I liked the most (a feature that stands out ) is its bass that sounds so natural as if the drummer is right in front of you and the mixer did not add his extra bit while recording. You can even distinguish the second drummer. Bass has reasonable extension to the sub level, and does not bleed into the mids. Mids are good and Diana Kralls and Natalie Merchant will sound so good that one can hear their whispers. Coming back to bass, it is fast and has good slam. Listen to Batshit by Sofi Tukker, Billie Jean by M.Jackson or Mellow my man by Roots in MQA to feel the bass of this can. Treble timbre is questionable and has something lacking in a specific range of frequency. Guitars of the blues are forward and close to the ear. However there is no distortion or sibilance and is smooth.
Sound stage is wide (180 deg and forward) and I felt it has more depth than width. Imaging is excellent where you can pin point the instrument . Instrument layering, separation and details are excellent. Listen to AR Rahman - Khwaja mere Khwaja in tidal masters to experience it. Focal provides you good 1/8” tangle free SE cables with ¼” adaptor and also with a 4 pin balanced cable. It comes with a nice hard case with pockets to store the cables.
To drive a focal clear mg one does not require D70s/A90 and D30/A30 will suffice for nearly same quality of music (and save 65 K) unless you have plans to upgrade in future. Even my FiiO BTR5 was driving focal clear mg so well.
To sum it up focal clear Mg
Strengths : 1. Build and Comfort 2. Clear and fast 3. Natural sound and bass slam with no bleed.
Cons : 1. Price to benefit ratio

One of the nicest and best headphone I have heard till date. These cans offer superb audio quality and I have currently paired it with the REM ADI 2 DAC. Can be worn for hours together for long listening sessions. You would need to burn in for 50 to 60 hours for it to come into its true element. Being an open back, its more natural sounding but you would need your own personal space to listen to these. Compared to the HD800s I have, the soundstage is on the slighter lower end but this has more punchy and smooth bass, This is more of a personal listening preference I would say. These are easy to drive and can be used with any phone jack, but to reach to audiophile levels you would need a dedicated DAC/AMP setup. Yes it is expensive, but with the discounts being offered currently at headphone zone, this is totally worth the money. The only gripe I have if any is the length of the Mini Jack cable as it is too short, but yes there us a 3 meter, 4 pin XLR cable given. To get the best sound I have upgraded the default cable to the LISTA silver cable from Headgear Audio, and this has it own advantages on the sound signature and is now much improved than using the default cables. Lastly a big thanks to Headphone Zone team for having this shipped in a timely manner considering the current situation prevailing.

Amazing headphones but they do take some time to burnin.

At first I wanted to return but give it a good 50hr burnin and the soundstage opens and everything improves.

These headphones have amazing clarity, detail and the punch and slam is extraordinary.

Soundstage wise they are not the best but I cant explain there's something to them that doesnt make them feel like they are missing something.

I have arya's too and compared the only advantage aryas have is soundstage other than that clear mg's all day.
If you listen to track that are dynamic in nature, the dynamic slam of this headphone is unparalleled.

I havent heard the clear og's but this seems to have more bass and a bit more smooth treble.