I look forward to your impressions and experiments with different amps and tubes. The aeolus is totally aural sex to me 
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Well 2 of the Amps Mon mentioned as better amps than the thx are affordable. not to outrageous. the rupert neve amp is 450$ and the cayin is 600$. i would consider buying these in the future. especially if i go after the Clear headphone or other more difficult to drive headphones.\
and a r2r dac is about 400$ too.
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If I didn’t have to wait 6 months for the 789 and got them back in June, I probably wouldn’t know any better and would have been fine with it. I knew I was going to be extra critical because there was no way the hype would override the waiting period. I got two tube amps, a Chord Mojo, a Sprout 100, and a vintage Marantz receiver in the interim. I used the Sprout headphone output more than I ever expected to just out of simple convenience, and for an aspect I originally considered an afterthought on that device it’s pretty damn good. The Clears are fine on the 789, but they just sing a little bit more off the Sprout and especially the Marantz. I’ve mainly been running the HD600 off the tubes, and I literally can’t wait to use the Verite and Aeolus on it
Honestly, I think the only reason Zeos gave the Focal Clear a bad review was because he reviewed them back-to-back with the Elex, literally having them on his desk at the same time… and I think in his mind, the value proposition of the Clears simply didn’t make sense when the Elex existed.
At least according to Massdrop… their FQ Response measures almost exactly the same, with the Clears having slightly better Bass extension. Where the Clears are measurably better is with lower harmonic distortion, which is gonna add clarity for sure. I also believe this is where the Elex gets more of it’s “fun” feeling to people in comparison as well.
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It’s only fair to compare used to used? Where did you get that? high end audio/audiophiles which is a group I have belonged too since 1972 has lots of rules. Many follow the rule that if you buy something you have to defend it to the death. Ego is a strong factor. Not for me, I’ve blind bought a number of headphones I don’t like recently. HE5SE, Brainwavz Alera, Fostex FH500RP, MD X00 Mahogany.
In the past I bought used gear such as HEX v2, HE-500, Pass X-150, Adcom GFP-750, Verity Parsifal, ML CLS IIz, vpi Mk IV, etc.
I call them like i hear them. The Clear is like a high end HD-600. The Elex as someone said is “fun”, but it sure isn’t clear. I don’t own either. Saving up for a pair of E2 or Arya.
I was referring to the comparison of $700 to $900… basically I took your argument as “Why buy the Elex for $700 when you can buy the Clear for $900”.
My point was, you could get the Elex for $450.
Also not trying to be combative or “fight” with you on anything. It’s generally pretty chill here… =)
The Clears are a high end HD600? Wow that sounds good. I have my doubts about going after this headphone. Especially after Zeos review. I dont like bassy headphones, but Mon says their not bassy. I like the Focal company but if i skip the Clears the next step up is the Utopia’s lol
I don’t think Zeos ever called the Clears ‘bassy’ in his review. I think when he compared them to Beats, he was referring to their “Bling” factor. Like they are designed to look ‘fancy’ and ‘shiny’… like a ‘fashion’ headphone.
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While the clears measure similar, they don’t sound like they measure similar. Overall the fr isn’t radically different and it’s a logical step up while retaining a house sound, but there is more to be had with the clear
Yeah, I’d really like to hear them for myself. I’m going to see if I can get a pair for a good price. If I can, I’ll compare them to the Elex. If they are worth it, I’ll keep them and sell off the Elex… or vice versa if the difference isn’t enough.
Yeah that would be a good idea
I think the Clear is the best can in the line (like their speakers a lot). But I don’t like the Utopia. It’s great in a number of ways, but sooner or later the 5-6,5 kHz brightness gets me, and it’ll get most.
Clears have a bit of strain in the highs - more than the HD-600, but more detail, and the pitch is true from lowest piano notes all the way up and including sopranos. The mids and the harmonics above really match. While it doesn’t have the wide soundstage and image specificity of the 800 S - the Clear might be more pure tonally. Every now and then I wish I could get 5% of the HFM Hex v2 inside the Clear to gentle them just a bit.
Finally someone else who likes the clears and didn’t like the Utopia as much. I had the whole focal lineup for a week and really ended up liking the clear and the elegia, but not the Utopia or the stellia
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In most ways the Utopia rules, but you have to listen to them all together, not divided into little judgement pieces.
The HEX v2 is missing detail and dynamics. But the overall cohesion is striking. Even the HE-500 (with mods) that has a distinct bass, midrange, and treble finds a way to being cohesive. When you are at the BSO, or a small hall with a jazz quintet, it’s all of a piece.
Right now my new HE6SE is not cohesive (wicked hump at 3.8 kHz. and something else at 7 and/or 13 kHz) and that’s got me upset enough to buy an EQ
I don’t really use eq and just take everything as it is (too much work lol). I do have some pretty nice hardware eqs but that’s more for studio than just having fun
Also you could just use EQ APO with a oratory eq or something
I only read manga in the bathroom
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Does that mean you wipe back to front also… 
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Well played lol 
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I haven’t owned an EQ since 1978 (outside of portable radios,). I want it so I can test it, set it, see what that does. If I only need to throttle one area I can do that with an in-line cap/resistor. I’ve already tried my mods and they haven’t fixed it. I wanted an HE-6 for years and here was my chance, but the HE-6 and HE6SE are not the same, not nearly. bummer.