Don't forget, I've created a PATREON with quite a few benefits to patrons! Here's the link: www.patreon.com/user?u=31412837 Again, you are not forced to become a patron. I do appreciate it if you decide to help out the channel though!
HD650 guy here. Got the Focal Clear for a week now, so here are my 2 cents vs the HD650. Hopefully it will help other HD650, HD600, or HD6xx owners as an addition to this review. First impressions: To be honest I expected night and day difference first time listening since the HD650 is 350 Eur and the Focal Clear is 1500 Eur MSRP. So I launched my Tidal (HIFI) to test some random tracks, and to be honest I have to say first impressions for me were that they almost sounded the same as my HD650.. I know that audiophile gear usually doesn't scale well in price, but 1500 Eur vs 350 Eur but that was not really something I did expect.. For that my initial thoughts were to return them the next day and stick to my HD650. After one week: However, I did decide to give it a week to critically listen to Focal Clear's before returning them. when I did some more serious critical listening I could notice for sure on some HQ loseless tracks (Tidal HIFI) that the sound stage sounded wider and more clear (No pun intended) than my HD650. Some specific mastered tracks even sounded WAY better than the HD650. But then finally.. the funny thing was, after a week of full use of the Focal Clear, and switching back to the HD650 I directly noticed the 650's were actually sounding inferior in almost every way. It was like a curtain has been placed over the Focal Clears, and all of a sudden the HD650 sounded a bit 'muddy' which I never really experienced like that before. Switching back to the HD650's, it was directly noticeable that you were missing details and clarity when listening the same music vs the Focal Clear. Its just not as crisp and detailed anymore as on the Focal Clear. Also bass is WAY better and more natural on the Clears than on my HD650. Not really something you see much in Focal Clear reviews. The way to compare this the best to is when you are now playing a 15 year old videogame. In your mind it looked a lot better, but it appears not to be. I felt the same way after trying to switch back to the HD650 from a week of Focal Clear use. Verdict: I got my Focal Clear's for 920 Euro which is a way more interesting price point than the 1500 Eur MSRP imo. Also Spotify is fine, but this headphone is endgame material and really requires a good DAC, and loseless music like Tidal HIFI to really take full advantage of this headphone. Gaming is fine as well, but I think this headphone just shines the best with music.Comfort is fine, and the pads are nice. They are a however a bit heavier than the HD650, take note of that. Still the HD650 , 600, and especially the HD6xx are a way better price point for what you get of course. Also I used these on an external Sound Blaster X7 premium AMP/DAC. It is more than a fine DAC/AMP, but it will probably sound even better on a bit higher level DAC's as well. Also, even while reviews say this headphone should not require an EQ as much as the HD800s, I really liked it a lot more with EQ. (I used the Crystallizer and EQ in the Sound Blaster software.) 1
if you have Clears dont disrespect them by using sand blaster 😅 buy proper gear, I can tell you that they can shine with tube amp even if they are not high Ohm headphones
@@PredCaliber What he’s trying to say is the clear scales really well so you will notice a drastic difference going from a lower end dac/amp to a higher end one. For such an expensive headphone using a low quality gaming Dac/amp is not going to push it to its potential.
Question. I'm looking for a headphone that intimate, mid focused and a little on the warmer side. Would you say either the 650 or focal clear OG fit that bill? Just trying to find something that will complement my aryas which are quite wide. Thanks for writing your details review btw. It's hard to find 650 vs clear comparisons.
I really enjoy your reviews. I love my HD600's and so far cannot pull the trigger on an "upgrade". They are far from perfect...but the combination of cost vs excellent performance is really compelling. I use them as my reference set of phones. I use an RME FS-2 DAC (new version) to drive all of my phones so I can add bass or EQ at will. You have saved me from buying several flagships so far...for the high cost I would be sad with the flaws you describe. Thank you very much for that!
HD600s are Great because it does 80-90% of the heavy lifting of most flagships at only 1/4th - 1/10th of the price. The tonality is unbeatable,IMO. And if the sound stage and sub bass gets improved somehow,no one would want any other headphone,period.
But they'll never release a headphone that is basically end-game in every aspect for the same price as the hd600. Hd600 came from an era where quality mattered more than profit
@@danielpope3579 While they messed up the hd 700 and hd 800 to some extend, they managed to pull of hd 560s which competes fairly to high end headphones. They can still do better with the 500 series because it has unique technology EAR ( angled drivers) which can create more soundstages by not sacrificing much. But they still use cellulose baffle plate to reduce cost . Hd 560s + 40mm drivers+ accoustic silk baffle plate might be a flagship killer.
I bought the "new" version of the HD 600 headphones at the end of 2020. The box they come in, is a total piss take for headphones with an RRP of over £350 (UK). The new version has a screw on 1/4 inch adapter. You can see the new box on my channel, where I put up an unboxing video. Stay safe. Mij 🏴 ☺
I think the only headphone house sound that will ever make you step away from the hd600 is zmf. But they also benefit from a tube. Not always but most of the time.
chuckolatte that wasn't to be rude, I just honestly think you'll like them. They seem to be up your alley. The Auteur probably will fit your taste really well.
Sennheiser HD 6xx series is the flagship reference across the industry. It's an absolute steal, and makes it nearly impossible to justify an "upgrade" when it simply outclasses headphones 3-5x its price. The comments on most 6xx series videos tend to echo this sentiment as well.
Totally agree with you! These reviews are subjective. I Bought the Focal Clear headphones, had them about a month and sold them to a friend for half of what I paid for them. I have both the Sennheiser HD650's & the Massdrop HD6XX variant. Had the 650's for 12yrs & the HDXX for 3yrs now and I give them both hell. These 300ohm cans need a LOT of power to do them justice. I have a Burson Conductor III headphone amp and honestly, at 40-45% volume my head feels like it's about to implode. They sound brilliant, best vocals I've heard and I've had quite a few headphones.
@@ozymandias7940 oh my ADX5000 is also a tube monster, it makes my 6XX and everything what Sennheiser can throw at them sounds like veiled crap, no offense I still like 600/6XX timbre but thats all it has very weak technical performance, bass is loose, highs are veiled, it only has those good vocals due to its close presentation and sweet tone to it
I haven't actually. I find the stock pads have the perfect sound. I'd rather not mess with it, though it would be interesting to buy a couple of Dekoni pads and examine the differences...
Quick question, how does your earpads on the clear are holding up. I'm thinking of buying the new mg but their earpads are so expensive. I have a 6xx and after 2.5 years I just washed it and they are like new again, furthermore they are not crazy expensive like the focal haha. My other headphones like the Beyer 177x are leather so almost don't degrade
Original Sennheiser Cable is the best i have seen with FACTS : Its light , It doesn't keep memory, It doesn't have micro phonics, Its Copper , Its thin , Its easy to inflect , It has silicone protection inside . I have paid more premium cables that was worst .
My answer would be no... Especially if you want keep some money. Hd600 are easily endgame. For 300$ Nothing would be worth upgrading after . The hd600 are easy to listen to. I would compare it to vanilla cream. Even for music which aren't technically good on the hd600.. well they feel enjoyable. Edm/ electro/ pop... If I had to choose one headphone to listen to for the eternity.. the hd600 . And thr best part ,is that it do take some characteristics of the amp and dac powering the hd600. Even tho I like the sundara I would still default to the hd600. 🙃 I would like to try the focal elegia but I honestly fear to be disappointed.😨 So if someone here got the hd600 and the focal elegia, Can you tell me , would the elegia be worth owning alongside the hd600 and sundara?
Bonjour, j'utilise Google Translate pour cela (je ne parle pas français). Fondamentalement, le Clear est meilleur que le HD600 à tous égards, sauf le confort et les médiums. En outre, le son HD600 est plus naturel.
@@chuckolatte600 Merci pour votre réponse ! esthétiquement je trouve le Clear magnifique !!! je pense que je prendrais le HD600 , trois fois moins cher ( en France )
Ive watched so many of your vids because for years HD600 has been my daily driver. I keep trying stuff a little more expensive and they all seem to be different flavours rather than direct upgrades. WHAT is the direct upgrade? I want HD600 with improved resolution and extended bass. But, without a harsh, sibilant or even bright sound. The treble quantity in Hd600 is perfect. I dont want anymore treble quantity. I AM willing to EQ. I love that the details are present when I want to go looking but that they also aren't jammed into my ear at all times (Sundara was amazing in all aspects except too much detail all the time)
Honestly, your next upgrade seems to be something like the ZMF Auteur. But yeah, it comes at a cost haha. Or, you can simply purchase 1 to 2 more HPs so that you can swap back and forth whenever you get bored of one.
Don't forget, I've created a PATREON with quite a few benefits to patrons!
Here's the link: www.patreon.com/user?u=31412837
Again, you are not forced to become a patron. I do appreciate it if you decide to help out the channel though!
HD650 guy here. Got the Focal Clear for a week now, so here are my 2 cents vs the HD650. Hopefully it will help other HD650, HD600, or HD6xx owners as an addition to this review.
First impressions:
To be honest I expected night and day difference first time listening since the HD650 is 350 Eur and the Focal Clear is 1500 Eur MSRP. So I launched my Tidal (HIFI) to test some random tracks, and to be honest I have to say first impressions for me were that they almost sounded the same as my HD650.. I know that audiophile gear usually doesn't scale well in price, but 1500 Eur vs 350 Eur but that was not really something I did expect.. For that my initial thoughts were to return them the next day and stick to my HD650.
After one week:
However, I did decide to give it a week to critically listen to Focal Clear's before returning them. when I did some more serious critical listening I could notice for sure on some HQ loseless tracks (Tidal HIFI) that the sound stage sounded wider and more clear (No pun intended) than my HD650. Some specific mastered tracks even sounded WAY better than the HD650.
But then finally.. the funny thing was, after a week of full use of the Focal Clear, and switching back to the HD650 I directly noticed the 650's were actually sounding inferior in almost every way. It was like a curtain has been placed over the Focal Clears, and all of a sudden the HD650 sounded a bit 'muddy' which I never really experienced like that before. Switching back to the HD650's, it was directly noticeable that you were missing details and clarity when listening the same music vs the Focal Clear. Its just not as crisp and detailed anymore as on the Focal Clear. Also bass is WAY better and more natural on the Clears than on my HD650. Not really something you see much in Focal Clear reviews.
The way to compare this the best to is when you are now playing a 15 year old videogame. In your mind it looked a lot better, but it appears not to be. I felt the same way after trying to switch back to the HD650 from a week of Focal Clear use.
Verdict:
I got my Focal Clear's for 920 Euro which is a way more interesting price point than the 1500 Eur MSRP imo. Also Spotify is fine, but this headphone is endgame material and really requires a good DAC, and loseless music like Tidal HIFI to really take full advantage of this headphone. Gaming is fine as well, but I think this headphone just shines the best with music.Comfort is fine, and the pads are nice. They are a however a bit heavier than the HD650, take note of that. Still the HD650 , 600, and especially the HD6xx are a way better price point for what you get of course.
Also I used these on an external Sound Blaster X7 premium AMP/DAC. It is more than a fine DAC/AMP, but it will probably sound even better on a bit higher level DAC's as well.
Also, even while reviews say this headphone should not require an EQ as much as the HD800s, I really liked it a lot more with EQ. (I used the Crystallizer and EQ in the Sound Blaster software.)
1
if you have Clears dont disrespect them by using sand blaster 😅 buy proper gear, I can tell you that they can shine with tube amp even if they are not high Ohm headphones
@@soulfulfool I know “sound blaster” has a bit of cheap pc sound card image, but the sound blaster X7 is an external HQ DAC/AMP
@@PredCaliber its crap anyway hi end headphone should be run at least at midfi stack
@@PredCaliber What he’s trying to say is the clear scales really well so you will notice a drastic difference going from a lower end dac/amp to a higher end one. For such an expensive headphone using a low quality gaming Dac/amp is not going to push it to its potential.
Question. I'm looking for a headphone that intimate, mid focused and a little on the warmer side. Would you say either the 650 or focal clear OG fit that bill? Just trying to find something that will complement my aryas which are quite wide.
Thanks for writing your details review btw. It's hard to find 650 vs clear comparisons.
I really enjoy your reviews. I love my HD600's and so far cannot pull the trigger on an "upgrade".
They are far from perfect...but the combination of cost vs excellent performance is really compelling. I use them as my reference set of phones. I use an RME FS-2 DAC (new version)
to drive all of my phones so I can add bass or EQ at will. You have saved me from buying several flagships so far...for the high cost I would be sad with the flaws you describe.
Thank you very much for that!
I live to serve, haha
love my HD600
“ The best cable is when it feels like there is no cable - that took me like a storm “
My entire perception has been changed
Wow
HD600s are Great because it does 80-90% of the heavy lifting of most flagships at only 1/4th - 1/10th of the price.
The tonality is unbeatable,IMO.
And if the sound stage and sub bass gets improved somehow,no one would want any other headphone,period.
Very true
But they'll never release a headphone that is basically end-game in every aspect for the same price as the hd600. Hd600 came from an era where quality mattered more than profit
I just tried the demo Sonarworks Reference 4 for Headphones and I'm soooo happy with how it lifts the sub bass on my hd600's
@@danielpope3579 While they messed up the hd 700 and hd 800 to some extend, they managed to pull of hd 560s which competes fairly to high end headphones. They can still do better with the 500 series because it has unique technology EAR ( angled drivers) which can create more soundstages by not sacrificing much. But they still use cellulose baffle plate to reduce cost . Hd 560s + 40mm drivers+ accoustic silk baffle plate might be a flagship killer.
Hd 600 - great , hd 650 - waste , hd 6xx - good for Americans, hd 560s - best for the price.
I cant believe you got my attention till the end of video, wow
I bought the "new" version of the HD 600 headphones at the end of 2020. The box they come in, is a total piss take for headphones with an RRP of over £350 (UK). The new version has a screw on 1/4 inch adapter.
You can see the new box on my channel, where I put up an unboxing video.
Stay safe.
Mij 🏴 ☺
Nice job Chucko. Great comparison!
I think the only headphone house sound that will ever make you step away from the hd600 is zmf. But they also benefit from a tube. Not always but most of the time.
Interesting...
chuckolatte that wasn't to be rude, I just honestly think you'll like them. They seem to be up your alley. The Auteur probably will fit your taste really well.
@@rhodey2952 Oh yeah, I wasn't offended lol. I legitimately meant I'm interested in checking them out
Sennheiser HD 6xx series is the flagship reference across the industry. It's an absolute steal, and makes it nearly impossible to justify an "upgrade" when it simply outclasses headphones 3-5x its price. The comments on most 6xx series videos tend to echo this sentiment as well.
Totally agree with you! These reviews are subjective. I Bought the Focal Clear headphones, had them about a month and sold them to a friend for half of what I paid for them.
I have both the Sennheiser HD650's & the Massdrop HD6XX variant. Had the 650's for 12yrs & the HDXX for 3yrs now and I give them both hell. These 300ohm cans need a LOT of power to do them justice. I have a Burson Conductor III headphone amp and honestly, at 40-45% volume my head feels like it's about to implode. They sound brilliant, best vocals I've heard and I've had quite a few headphones.
@@ozymandias7940 oh my ADX5000 is also a tube monster, it makes my 6XX and everything what Sennheiser can throw at them sounds like veiled crap, no offense I still like 600/6XX timbre but thats all it has very weak technical performance, bass is loose, highs are veiled, it only has those good vocals due to its close presentation and sweet tone to it
New fan here, love your reviews!
Have you heard the Beyerdynamic DT1990? I see people put them in the same sentence with the HD600 and Focal Elex
I haven't yet, I just might...
IMO the 1990 is not as good as the 600
That thumbnail is lowkey hilarious
Nice :-)
My worst cable : the one supplied with the Aeon (1st generation) closed.
Have u tried different pads on HD 600? From Dekoni ? and what u liked ?
I haven't actually. I find the stock pads have the perfect sound. I'd rather not mess with it, though it would be interesting to buy a couple of Dekoni pads and examine the differences...
Quick question, how does your earpads on the clear are holding up. I'm thinking of buying the new mg but their earpads are so expensive. I have a 6xx and after 2.5 years I just washed it and they are like new again, furthermore they are not crazy expensive like the focal haha. My other headphones like the Beyer 177x are leather so almost don't degrade
Sorry, got rid of the Clears shortly after buying them haha. Just couldn't get used to the comfort
Original Sennheiser Cable is the best i have seen with FACTS : Its light , It doesn't keep memory, It doesn't have micro phonics, Its Copper , Its thin , Its easy to inflect , It has silicone protection inside . I have paid more premium cables that was worst .
Agreed! Some people just like thick cables for some reason. I can't stand them! haha
@@chuckolatte600 haha I cant stand cheap looking thin cables, also long as fuck cables dont work for me xD
My answer would be no...
Especially if you want keep some money.
Hd600 are easily endgame. For 300$
Nothing would be worth upgrading after .
The hd600 are easy to listen to.
I would compare it to vanilla cream.
Even for music which aren't technically good on the hd600.. well they feel enjoyable.
Edm/ electro/ pop...
If I had to choose one headphone to listen to for the eternity.. the hd600 .
And thr best part ,is that it do take some characteristics of the amp and dac powering the hd600.
Even tho I like the sundara I would still default to the hd600. 🙃
I would like to try the focal elegia but I honestly fear to be disappointed.😨
So if someone here got the hd600 and the focal elegia,
Can you tell me , would the elegia be worth owning alongside the hd600 and sundara?
Bonjour , je ne comprends pas l'anglais , finalement quel est le meilleur ? j'hésite entre les 2 pour mon prochain achat , merci pour votre réponse
Bonjour, j'utilise Google Translate pour cela (je ne parle pas français). Fondamentalement, le Clear est meilleur que le HD600 à tous égards, sauf le confort et les médiums. En outre, le son HD600 est plus naturel.
@@chuckolatte600 Merci pour votre réponse ! esthétiquement je trouve le Clear magnifique !!! je pense que je prendrais le HD600 , trois fois moins cher ( en France )
In comparison with value for money the Sennheiser is far the best.Simply because the Clear is three times the price
Well sure, but "smart financial decisions" and audiophilia don't really mix lol
@@chuckolatte600 when you get pulled in audiophilia you just want more no matter the cost xD
Get Elex or Clear, already have a 600/6xx'.
Ive watched so many of your vids because for years HD600 has been my daily driver. I keep trying stuff a little more expensive and they all seem to be different flavours rather than direct upgrades. WHAT is the direct upgrade? I want HD600 with improved resolution and extended bass. But, without a harsh, sibilant or even bright sound. The treble quantity in Hd600 is perfect. I dont want anymore treble quantity. I AM willing to EQ. I love that the details are present when I want to go looking but that they also aren't jammed into my ear at all times (Sundara was amazing in all aspects except too much detail all the time)
Honestly, your next upgrade seems to be something like the ZMF Auteur. But yeah, it comes at a cost haha. Or, you can simply purchase 1 to 2 more HPs so that you can swap back and forth whenever you get bored of one.
Please get a tripod at least. Or are you? I'm sorry. No offense here.
In this video, I used a gooseneck.