Curious what DAC you were using with the Clears? Iām just curious because your experience differs so much to how I perceived the Clears. Tho it took me a while to accept the Elex which Iāve many months before the Clears.
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Iām using an older NAD with a Burr Brown chipset, and an Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt. Iāve also tried it with the built in dac of a Bluesound Node 2i, which has a TI chipset (though Iāve read conflicting info stating that it also uses Burr Brown). Other than the DFC, both setups have their own RNHP as the amp.
Similar results on both, though the newer Bluesound is a bit more resolving. Iāll have a better idea once I upgrade my dacs, but I can say that the Clear is extremely transparent.
The DFC yielded the best results, but lacked a bit of power even though the Clear is extremely efficient. I definitely need better dacs.
I think the Utopia looks cool but itās just a little much. Itās like focal said, letās add this and then carbon fiber and then a mesh grill, etc. I like the look of the others in the lineup more.
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It is. Itās the āflattestā most neutral, least interesting (in terms of things added to the signal) heaphone Iāve ever used.
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Ti is Burr brown so that might make sense
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Yeah, Iāve just read in some instances that it was the Burr Brown branded chips (which are their higher tier), but I mostly believe that itās actually the TI branded chipset.
Burr Brown Labeled slightly edge out the TI, imo.
Agreed. It has bass that reaches low, but itās just a tad recessed at the very bottom, imo. And Iām hearing a very slight bump somewhere in the upper region (in bass).
I havenāt had them long enough to truly assess them, but as of now I prefer the LCD-X. My biggest criticism of the Clear is itās āsmallā sound.
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You guysā¦Oh, you fuckinā guys!!! Oh you, you!! Bwahahaha.!!!
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My barely ever used pair of Clears are still for sale, but due to coronavirus levels of demand Iām now including a Hart Cable and a pair of Dekoni pads. Message me if you have any questions.
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So used the Clear for about a week straight. nothing else other than my porta pros for a walk or two.
Went back to the HD800S off of a tube vs the clear on the rnhp andā¦
the HD800S while sounding big and kinda speaker like, has a very flat, sterile sound. Kinda boring. The clears have grown on me more and more and i enjoy the timbre they bring. so much detail and theyre just musical.
The 800 is a cool experience and fun to listen to with how open it feels and soundstage. But the clear makes the music come alive.
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Keepers? ā¦
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yeah, prob gonna sell the HD800S. Crazy how i didnt think that would be the case at first. The Clears have body and depth that the HD800S doesnāt. The HD800S sound thin and wide. The Clears just have more musical character. More enjoyable. And thats comparing them off a good pairing for each. Tube for 800 and rnhp for Clear.
I think my initial thoughts came from being use to the HD800S for so long.
Saying the HD800S is thin is in comparison to the Clear. I still like the HD800S though. Its a cool experience. But i feel like the Clear should cost more than the HD800S. Their prices should flip haha
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Yeah, theyāre definitely a great headphone.
I think with the 800sā youāre paying for the detail (which the Clear have) and that infamous soundstage.
I havenāt heard the 800sā, but Iām happy with the Clear. Theyāll be residing at my desktop setup.
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I have a pair of 800s coming my way, but I know going in that they wonāt be my daily driver. I own more expensive headphones than the Clears, but they are still in regular rotation for me. $1500 is a solid price for what they deliver, and even better if you can find them for less. I got mine for $900 or $1000 new. They had a sale the past two Septembers, but I donāt know if they will have another this year for sure.
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