Headphones — Focal LISTEN PROFESSIONAL

The Listen Professional is a closed-back circum-aural studio headphone from Focal, the French transducer maker. Focal presents it as the outcome of several years of work that the company had directed at headphones, built as a tool that gives sound engineers control over their work in the studio or when travelling. It sold at USD 299, which made it the entry point of the Focal professional headphone line. The finish is black with red accents.

Key specs that matter

Each earcup contains a 40 mm paired transducer with a cone made from Mylar and a titanium alloy. Impedance is 32 ohm. Sensitivity is stated as 122 dB SPL at 1 kHz with 1 V RMS applied, a voltage-based figure that is not directly comparable with values quoted per milliwatt. Harmonic distortion is 0.3% at 1 kHz and 100 dB SPL. Frequency response is 5 Hz to 23 kHz within plus or minus 3 dB. The headphone weighs 280 g without cable, and its listed dimensions are 239 x 212 x 111 mm.

Engineering and use context

The headband is very flexible and wrapped in a soft-touch material, and its constant profile spreads the load across the head to avoid pressure points in long sessions. Focal also states that the headband resists scratches and knocks. Ear cushions are made from heat-sensitive memory foam 22 mm thick with a microfibre cover, combine two materials and can be exchanged. Integrated joints let the cups turn both horizontally and vertically, and the cups fold. The cable plugs into the cup through a connector with a locking mechanism, and the 3.5 mm jack plugs have four conductors. Focal lists strong isolation as one of the main goals, which makes the model suited to quiet environments where outside noise and spill have to be kept down.

Pairing

With its low impedance the Listen Professional works from the outputs of audio interfaces and mixers as well as from laptops and phones. Two oxygen-free copper cables are supplied - a 5 m coiled low-impedance cable for the studio and a straight 1.4 m cable with a remote control for volume and an omnidirectional microphone for mobile use. A converter from a 3.5 mm stereo socket to a 6.35 mm stereo plug is included for studio gear with a full-size output, and everything travels in a compact rigid carrying case with a cable compartment and a loop for a dongle.

Alternatives

The Focal Lensys Professional is the later closed-back studio model at USD 699, with aluminium and magnesium M-profile dome drivers.