I think most people would be fine, as I’m quite picky about headphones and don’t wear them often. They’re prone to discoloration given time (and replacement pads are not cheap!).įor fit and comfort, the Clear is certainly not as comfortable as something like the HD800S, but it is far from being the least comfortable headphone that I have worn. The only thing I’m somewhat on the fence about is the lighter color of the pads. The cups themselves also have a very cool spring system which contours the cups into place so you don’t have to worry about adjusting the headphone as much. There is some play to the yoke when moving the cups from side-to-side, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it affords a more comfortable fit when the headphone is being worn. It has an aluminum frame, leather headband with perforations, and memory foam cups with perforations for breathability. The Clear itself sports a substantial build. Then again, you’re getting three separate cables, so maybe that’s fair. They look like the same cables you might find off a desktop lamp from Ikea (no really, I encourage you to check out some posts in the r/headphones subReddit). They are fairly.well, janky, for lack of a better word, and I would like to have seen higher quality cables included. I think my biggest complaint about the included accessories would be the tactility of the cables. It also has a slot for a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter so you can get away with just bringing the 1.2mm cable. I really like the included carrying case. Hard-carrying case w/ storage for one cable.The TangiblesThe Clear arrives in a large, black cardboard box with Focal’s branding on it. For music used, check out the end of the review where you can find some of the tracks I use for my listening.
#Focal pro clear proffesional portable
I was able to listen using a number of portable sources like my iBasso DX300 without an issue. That being said, the Clear is a remarkably easy headphone to drive due to a low impedance of 55 Ohms. Source & Drivability Critical listening was done off of a Burson 3X Conductor, iFi iDSD Micro BL > Macbook Air > Audirvana > lossless FLAC files. This is not a review for the faint of heart however, if you’re interested in a more critical perspective on this highly-acclaimed headphone, then I encourage you to read on. There’s not much fun (for me, at least) in parroting those reviews, so I’m going to do what I do best: Let the critic in me run wild. And if you’ve read any other reviews, then I think it’s already been well-established that the Clear is a pretty awesome headphone. I know I’m quite late to the party with my review. Anyways, courtesy of, I’ve been evaluating the Clear for the last couple months. And yes, I’ll try and refrain from more bad puns going forward. And angst, I should add, looking at that price tag! For mere mortals like myself, then, the Focal Clear was the clear alternative that promised comparable performance at a fraction of the Utopia’s cost. The Focal Utopia, in particular, has afforded me many a moment of yearning. Introduction Based out of France and purveyor to some of the world’s finest audio transducers, Focal’s a brand that’s been on my radar for some time. This review was originally published here on, but I am re-posting it for readers on Head-Fi.