Yeah, but feel free to duke it out! I’ll go get the popcorn. 
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So all honesty yes they both are very solid performers. They play all genre’s well and i don’t find myself switching them out when changing music styles like i do with most other headphones i own. The ZMF take the lead in my eyes because they are more accepting of mods and take better to my tube gear.
Ye I think pretty much all zmf preform well on a tube amp (like senn)
What mods have you done to them? I don’t hear a ton about zmf mods
Do pad swaps count as a mod? If not then i mispoke and used the wrong term.
Ah, ok gotcha, I guess it is a mod lol, just not personally what I think of as one (driver modification, redoing internals, doing headband changes or swaps, stuff that is more intensive than swapping pads is what I think of as a mod)
After reading this thread, can someone elaborate more on the sound of each? Also on how the sound makes you feel?
What aspects would you want to focus on?
Also actually I did like a brief comparison of some aspects of an auteur, clear, and arya today lol so I might as well link that
I like these impressions, thank you.
I am curious on knowing the feeling when you hear these headphones. I am also wondering how they feel when you hear male/female vocals or with how they sound with more “modern” music.
The answer to this and any other post like this in the future is simple. Whomever owns both wins.
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Uhhhhhhh feeling as in like emotional or something lol? Not really sure if I can give you a meaningful answer there
So generally with more modern music, it might be a bit of a toss up for which one I prefer tbh, what type of music genre? For vocals, generally I think for vocal organicness and punch the auteur is my pick there, but for clarity, speed and definition I like the focal more
lol agreed. For the record, it was just a conversation starter.
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ZMF Auteur - I feel like I should be listening to the Auteur in a Roman Catholic church. Ready for confession? 
Focal Clear - I feel like I need to take a shower before listening to the clears. They deserve nothing less. 
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lol yeah I didn’t know how to phrase the question sorry, but PapaEmeritus’s answer was what I was looking for.
Sounds good. Issue is now it seems like I gotta own both…
I like the sound of the Focal Clear on the RME ADI-2 DAC FS so far, do you think the ZMF Auteur would pair well with the RME?
It might make the auteur a bit less lively and sound a bit dry but should be decent enough
Hmmmm, I’ll probably wait on getting the Auteur then till I can get tubes or something more proper for it. Definitely gonna make my wallet feel good since the RME Clear pairing has enlightened me to how important amp/dac pairings are. Even though the RME is not the best for the Clear, it at least points me in the right direction in my thought process of buying headphones.
@M0N or anyone else familiar with the Topping A90 with the Clear/Clear MG and/or Auteur? I am planning on upgrading my amp and I currently have the RME ADI 2 DAC FS so will keep that DAC for now. I would like to get the GSX Mini, but it is a bit out of my price range at the moment if I go for either Focal Clear MG or ZMF Auteur.
In terms of considerations for an amp for me is it should work well with IEMs which I believe both GSX Mini and A90 do.
Personally I’m not sure the Topping A90 is an upgrade to what you have now
For around the price of A90:
Clear pairs well with RNHP, Monotor, G111
Auteur should do well with tubes like Echo. Should do reasonably well with RNHP too
Obviously there are better amps but they are likely as expensive as the GSX mini
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A90 might be a tad better based on what others have said. RME is known to be a tad cold sounding and haven’t really heard that about the A90 even though they are both neutral amps.
Thank you for the suggestions! Isn’t the RNHP’s sound pretty close to neutral neutral? Similar to A90?
RNHP is neutral but also pretty organic and natural so not dry. With the wrong DAC may sound a bit lean. If power isn’t an issue RNHP probably is one of the best 500USD amp imo.
A90 - let’s say I think it’s marginally better than THX 789 and I agree with the consensus on this forum about 789. But yes it might Be a tad better than the RME amp which is more there for convenience, and to my ears it’s also got a slight elevation in bass so it isn’t exactly neutral.
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