Appreciate your response. Iām also using the Bifrost 2 and Jot2 combination, sounds really great. Which tube amp are you using?
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Iām using the DarkVoice with some upgraded tubes from my man @donjklassen - I think theyāre Sylvania tubes
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I heard peopleāve had issues with their issues touching the metal grates. Is this common?
I donāt mind my ears touching the felt/cotton material that shields the driver housing of the 6xx and 1990 Proās, but ā¦ dunno about how Iād feel if that were nude metal.
I wouldnāt say itās an issue but yeah if I wiggle the headphones around a little or adjust the cups I could make my left ear (not my right for some reason) just barely feel like itās touching the metal honeycomb that covers the driver. Doesnāt bother me though.
My ears touch (I have large ears). Itās uncomfortable after a couple of hours.
Thatās really my only complaints.
I have big ears so mine do touch but itās not a big issue for me and I have gotten used to it
Huh, mine donāt touch at all.
Got big ears as well, putting them first thing today I felt the cold grille metal. Few minutes later I donāt even noticed that itās touching my ears unless I wiggle them around.
Also got a big head, the MGās are fully extended and no issues with the fitment. Very comfortable:)
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That was the only real ācomplaintā other than the too short single ended cable that I had when I wrote my first impressions however many posts ago in the thread it was. At this point, Iāve mostly gotten used to it. It can still bother me occasionally if Iāve been wearing them for 3-4+ hours straight, but even then its only occasionally.
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Iāll add on to that as well. I have big ears and a large headā¦my ears touched and I donāt even notice it anymore. Iāve worn these for many hours straight and they are so damn comfy. I just worry about making sure they donāt stain over timeā¦but only time will tell on that.
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Definitely will tell people to get a better cableā¦ focal cables are junk imo
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As long as you are happy, keep listening
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Planning to listen to these in the near future 
Really curious how well they sound.
Do people have experience with 2nd hand warranty of Focal? Have been reading some stuff online that make 2nd hand buying feel like a bad idea. Not sure if that information is outdated though. Do you still need to be the 1st owner to get any form of service?
So I have been ABing all morning:
The way I see it is if youāre rich and like Focal then you should definitely have both. Actually no question.
Never before has two headphones sounded so similar yet so different.
Andrew at the headphone show explained it well by looking at the charts.
I personally think the MG sounds more like the Elex than the OG clear.
The biggest difference is really just FR.
Elex has a slight veil to it, the MG removes 90% of the veil, but gets borderlineā¦VERY borderline towards that sound like an old radio think of it as the opposite of a veil. The top end really sparkles.
I would also add that the soundstage is in such a way that spaciousness shines in the low end on the Elex. The bass defines the space.
In the MG the top end seems to define the space more than the bass, because of that the soundstage seems to be less spacious most of the time.
Youāll get a bit more detail out of the MG especially due to the emphasized top end.
In conclusion: if you donāt have much money PLEASE take the Elex over the MG
If you are in a decent financial position then Iād recommend getting a used or open box MG at $1000. I could see if for that.
But at list price the MG seems ridiculous to me. Better to get a Verite at that point.
At the end of the day I just donāt feel good with the price. Itās just too in league with the Elex. If this was listed at $800 then it would be a big YES especially for aftermarket prices.
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Donāt want to start a fight but I disagree with just about everything you said. Even your descriptions of the Elex and the Clear MG. I have owned both headphones and those are not my experiences with them what so ever.
The MG has a relaxed top end and the Elex was quite shouty and bass light. Shouty to the point I became fatigued quickly listening to it. The MG is nothing like the Elex. I can listen to it fatigue-free for hours.
I also disagree with your comment about the Verite. There are some of us that have heard the Verite and much prefer the Clear. Back when I bought the Aeolus, I had the opportunity to listen to a few different ZMF headphones including the Verite and I passed on ordering one in favor for the Aeolus. Talk about a headphone that is overpriced and sounds strange, thatās the Verite for me. I believe Zeos felt the exact same way at the time.
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How did you like the Aeolus overall? What pads did you settle on?
Iām beginning to think I actually quite like warmth in my headphones. Some hesitations about the Aeolus include the fact that I hear the bass can be sort of overwhelming (maybe this can be solved or lessened with pad swap?), that the bass can bleed into mids, and that the technicalities are maybe lacking for the price tier. How would you respond to those criticisms? Again, totally curious, obviously havenāt heard and so canāt judge the headphone myself. And more curious than ever, really - as I suggested above, thinking more and more about a nice warm headphone.
Currently own 6xx, 1990 Pro, Thieaudio Monarch, ran out of a Bifrost 2 + Lake People G111 (with an Asgard 3 in between them).
The Aeolus is the ultimate chill headphone for my tastes. I find it is a great match for acoustic/live music. It is not a technical headphone. The FOCAL Clear MG is more of a studio listening/technical experience. ZMF are more than a headphone, they are art.
Iāve gone through TONS of pads on all of my headphones. Itās almost an addiction. I prefer the ZMF Universal Perforated Hybrid pads personally.
The Aeolus does not have overwhelming bass. Especially if you enjoy the bass on the Monarch. The Aeolus doesnāt come close. The Aeolus is a warm, smooth, wide open and relaxed signature. I wish I could get the Monarch sound in a headphone. I love its sub bass focus and extension.
It appears we have some parallels.
I also have a large IEM collection. I own all of the Thieaudio IEMs except for the L9 and Voyager. I own all the Fiio hybrids and tons others. I have three Fostex TR-X00 Lawton modded headphones. Iāve owned the Elex and Elegia and have the 6XX as well as many others.
I have a couple stacks but my current main is the Schiit Jot2 + Bifrost2 combo.
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Thanks for the post, lovely pictures. Aeolus and the TA twins are really such gorgeous things.
Do you think the Aeolus could hang for non-acoustic music? I have some classical and jazz I love, also Neil Young type music which I imagine the Aeolus would shine with, but most of what I listen to is synthetic (ambient, electronic, some rock).
I imagine the mids of the Aeolus are definitely not recessed, also? Last round of questions from me - wonāt be hijacking this thread any longer. Thanks!
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+1
Itās all subjective. You can listen to anything with them. I personally feel they really shine with live/acoustic music because of how open they sound. Think of the Aeolus as a huge upgrade to your 6XX with extended treble and bass, but with better imaging and detail. It has natural timbre as the 6XX has.
The mids on the Aeolus are its highlight.
Just donāt expect the Aeolus to be extremely fast technically. The leading edge of transients are smooth and not tight like you would find on something like the FOCAL headphones which are more technical.
Check out the Aeolus thread for more opinions and conversation. Itās been a very popular headphone at this forum.
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I actually donāt mind some slowness, or absence of speed. Right now listening to the Heavenly Music Corporation part of No Pussyfooting on my 6xxās while I work. Warm bath. Even something like this I actually quite like on 6xxās. Of course when I want to intently listen to something electronic or fast Iāll reach for the Monarchs, but while I work, which is most of the time I spend at my desk, warmth can be really nice.
And Iāll check out the Aeolus thread. Unfortunately I donāt think Iām game for the Focal MG. Hearing of too many people having their ears touching the grates, and more and more. Feel like it will only worsen as their pads wear. Some might not mind at all. I honestly might not totally mind either, but until I try them (which I will try to soon, at a local store), theyāll be out of my mind.