I realized at one point that I like warmth but there isnāt a single really warm headphone that has the detail I require at this point. So I just try to use really linear sources and have tubes provide the warmth. Itās been my happiest medium so far since I bought and returned a $5000 tube amp that I loved and wanted to keep so badly but couldnāt keep because the cost hurt my soul and I couldnāt live with it lol.
x2hr is kinda meh, flabby, uncontrolled, warm and fun but not really that greatā¦ just nice if you want to try a more warm open sound.
Sundara or Zeus would be fine. Zeus has a warm signature but is more of a V shape with a wide open soundstageā¦ quite comparable to sundara but the difference in drivers gives them different sound characteristics. Sundaras a brighter headphone with mids and highs being the preferenceā¦ Sundara would have a signature thats more in line with what the Focals try to achieve(wellā¦ not so much the MG as the bass is much more involved on this in comparison). Either would work fine, but I think youd be hard pressed to find a zeus to try out considering return policies and the sort
lol you ever try the T1 3rd gen? Heavy detail yet warm as hell. Audeze are also very good at this if you never tried one.
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Amazon is going to have the Zeus in stock on the 20th, and it says it is returnable. And both are $350, so price isnāt a determining factor. Decisions are hard 
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Make sure those are free returns or actually amazonā¦ not third partyā¦ they can still restock fee you if you return the zeus which is 35% restock fee + shipping + customs as linsouls policy on returns is absolute absurdity. Sundara should be alright, just concerned on zeus in that regard
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Itās says it is free return, sold by Linsoul and shipped by Amazon. But it may not be worth testing it. I should probably just get the Sundara. Itās not like Iād be getting a bad headphone, it seems like itās pretty universally praised beyond the QC issues Hifiman is known for. The Zeus just made me take notice when both Zeos and DMS both loved it, and you seemed to like it as well.
I mean, it does sit on my wallā¦ I adore my zeus and use it from time to time lol. My sundaras have had a rocky relationship for sureā¦ but I have aryas these days. If you can get a free return on the zeus I absolutely recommend trying that if you like that kind of signatureā¦ its actually really good for a fun listening headphone
would compliment the clears here quite well too imo
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If I was looking to spend the money, then I would only be looking at either the 800S or the Arya for sure. Probably the Arya, since they are more well rounded. But Iād rather put money into a Bifrost 2 and a better amp sometime this year before thinking about spending that much on another pair of headphones.
I may not know which pair Iāll get at this moment, but Iāll make my mind up in the next day or two. Thanks for taking the time to help me, I appreciate it.
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Bifrost 2 (albeit coming from a lowly Modi 3ā¦) was maybe my favorite audio upgrade Iāve made, insofar as it made all of my headphones/IEMs sound noticeably more real, impactful, three-dimensional, detailed, while still sounding natural and not like artificially or clinically enhanced.
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Havenāt tried the t1.3. Scared from the ohm drop. Tried the audeze LCD x, 3 versions of the 2, and 3 and came to the conclusion they have a āhouse soundā that I fucking cannot stand and I donāt speak frequency response chart so I canāt figure out why. Lol.
Have you tried out the Aeolus?
I can concur with this. I noticed a significant difference in low end, instrument separation, and āspaceā when I upgraded to the Bf2 from the budget, albeit satisfactory Grace SDAC. To the point where I finally started to understand what everyone was talking about when they referred to those attributes.
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Ooooowwwwweeee.
Been a lurker since launched and thought I was going to get the OG clear, glad I waited.
I just got it today!
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Enjoy them, I am!
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Iāve owned them since about the time that they launched, and I havenāt noticed a wonkiness in FR, or extreme veil that some experienced.
I think those that have had these issues tend to prefer a stronger presence in upper frequencies (less treble sensitive).
I did want a little more āclarityā from the MG, but this was solved with a Silver aftermarket cable (Norne Silvergarde S3). Not an inexpensive solution, but one that was worth it for me.
If you have the opportunity then I highly suggest that you try them. Theyāre my favorite Focal that Iāve heard (I highly prefer these over the Utopia).
Cheers!
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Would you say owning a HD6XX along with this MG Clear can be redundant? Iām really enjoying the MG, but itās been a while since I listened to my HD6XX (a friend of mine borrowed them some time ago). I might be wrong, but I remember the Senns were warmer, not as neutral; still, I consider the MG to be a warm headphone. Has anyone tried and compared both headphones with tube amps?
Why would you feel that a $200 sennheiser 6xx would make the $1,600 Focal Clear MG redundant? The technical performances and build qualities let alone price are so drastically different that I would say noā¦
Yeah, gonna echo this. I have both, and occasionally I listen to the 6XX on a tube for fun, and Iāll probably never sell it since it was one of my first ārealā headphones and there is sentimental value there, but the Clear Mg blow it away in basically any measurable way you can think of, lol.
I mean I guess there are similarities in them both being a āwarmā headphone, but the Mg are far superior in impact, detailā¦ to the point where, even if you considered them to have similar FR, thereās really nothing redundant at all.
While I agree with you both, itās been a while since I listened to the Hd6XX, but I still feel mids and specially vocals sounded more natural, tonality wise, with the Senss compared with the Focal, hence my question. And I havenāt had the chance of listening the MG with any tube amp, but I remember the synergy with the Hd6XX (because of the higher impedance?). Thatās why Iād like to know the opinion about this, if these two specific attributes would be enough for keeping them both, or should I start looking for a brighter headphone
Well, like I said I go back and forth between them both on a tube and the Jotunheim 2, and I can only speak for myself, but my biggest takeaway has been how well the 6XX scale on the Bifrost 2 and a tube amp - I mean, it truly sounds great. And while 6X0 mids are legendary, I still donāt feel the tonality of vocals are better than the Mg (I would definitely concede this for the Elegia though - something feltā¦ off about the tonality to me).
So again, from a < $1000 budget stack, the 6XX + tube + good DAC are still the reigning budget kings for me if you can live with the intimate soundstage, but going up to the Clear Mg thereās nothing they do better (nor should they).
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