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headphones
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Headphones
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What listeners keep saying · from 9 reviews

build quality issues5comfortable1great value1harsh treble1warm1

Owned the Focal Clear OG for about two years and found it technically superior but sold it, preferring the Hadenys' tonality.

mixed

Is selling their Focal Clear OG after the Stellia, finding the Clear grainy by comparison.

mixed

Loved the Focal Clear OG and only let it go when upgrading to the Utopia OG.

positive

Says you just can't go wrong with the original Clear, which only gets better with time.

positive

Owns the Focal Clear OG and finds it very dynamic and engaging, with sibilance not noticeable.

positive

Uses the Focal Clear OG as their main open back, though prefers their UM Mest MK2 overall.

positive

Runs the Focal Clear OG from an RME ADI-2 DAC and finds it a very good pairing that would cost double to upgrade on.

positive

Upgraded from the DT 1990 Pro to the original Focal Clear, which many prefer to the later MG.

positive

Bought the Focal Clear OG over two years ago in its final production run and calls it a great headphone.

positive

Finds the Focal Clear OG definitely worth it if you like a vocal-focused sound.

positive

Noticed black spots appearing on the body of their rarely used, case-stored Focal Clear OG.

mixedbuild quality issues

Finds the Focal Clear OG built like a full-metal beast, apart from the headband material, but its sound doesn't do it for them.

mixed

Much prefers the Focal Clear OG's midrange to the thin, distant vocals of their HD800S.

positive

Bought the Arya Organic and Focal Clear OG when upgrading from the HD600; loved the Arya right away but the Clear didn't wow them.

mixed

Finds the Focal Clear OG amazing, a direct upgrade over their HD 6XX with a similar signature, for active listening.

positive

Their only problem with the Focal Clear OG is a metallic timbre that keeps sending them back to the HD 6XX.

mixed

Absolutely loves their Focal Clear OG, which made them stop buying headphones and IEMs.

positive

Bought a secondhand Focal Clear OG Professional and found it disappointing, with little detail and a harsh sound.

negativeharsh treble

Listens to their Focal Clear OG every day and loves it, though some tracks sound a bit metallic.

positive

Owns both the original Focal Clear and the Clear MG, preferring the MG but recommending the original at its sale price.

positive

Just got the Focal Clear OG and finds it great, with natural timbre, gorgeous mids and punch, though lacking some sub-bass.

positive

Got the Focal Clear OG at a good price as their first open back and was so impressed their AirPods Pro 2 now sound meh.

positive

Loves their Focal Clear OG's amazing sound but finds the build quality poor, making it hard to recommend.

mixedbuild quality issues

Did not keep the Focal Clear OG, finding the HD600 a better complement to their HiFiMAN headphones.

negative

The Focal Clear OG was their main headphone and they loved it, but worried about QC issues and very expensive pads in France.

positive

Owns the Focal Clear OG and HD 600 and finds them a tie, recommending the warmer, bassier Clear OG.

positivewarm

Uses the Focal Clear OG with ZMF pads but was so impressed by the Heddphone D1 that they may sell the Clear.

mixed

After several years of heavy use their Focal Clear OG started rattling on bass-heavy songs.

negativebuild quality issues

Bought the original Focal Clear in its final production run as their endgame headphone.

positive

Owns the original Focal Clear and the Utopia and finds the Utopia only a slight improvement.

positive

Picked up a Focal Clear OG in an Elex body for about $550, insane value, and pairs it with a Cavalli tube hybrid as their endgame with the LCD-2C.

positivegreat value

Of many headphones tried this month, only the LCD-2C and Focal Clear OG gave them tingles.

positive

Owns the original Focal Clear and Elegia and finds the Clear the much better-sounding headphone.

positive

Wears their original Focal Clear up to a dozen hours a day as a daily driver; fit and comfort are very good with no clamping issues.

positivecomfortable

The original Focal Clear is better in the mids than their Hadenys but not enough to care, and heavier.

mixed

Their secondhand original Focal Clear is still working well after two years, even on worn stock pads.

positive

Owned the original Focal Clear and liked it for a while before selling it.

mixed

Their Focal Clear creaks badly and they baby it; their Utopia 2020 creaks slightly.

mixedbuild quality issues

Felt good about the chain built around their original Focal Clear until auditioning the Utopia and LCD-5 at Toronto Audiofest; back home the Clears felt spoiled by comparison.

mixed