Наушники — Focal CLEAR MG

The Clear MG is a home-oriented open-back headphone of the circumaural type, designed by Focal of Saint-Etienne and handcrafted at its French works. It replaced the original Clear and reached United States buyers in March 2021 at USD 1,490, alongside a red Clear MG Professional sold at the same price with extra cables and earpads. Focal says its engineers spent four years of research and development on the magnesium dome used in the drivers, and the model is finished in a chestnut colour scheme with mixed-metal accents.

Key specs that matter

The transducer in either cup is a 40 mm dynamic driver with an M-shaped magnesium dome. Focal rates the frequency response at 5 Hz to 23 kHz within 3 dB and the impedance at 55 ohm. Sensitivity is 104 dB SPL at 1 mW and 1 kHz, and harmonic distortion is 0.25 percent at 1 kHz and 100 dB SPL. The headphone weighs 450 g, and Focal lists maximum SPL as 104 dB peak at 1 m.

Engineering and use context

Focal picked magnesium for the cone for its lightness and damping, and the M profile of the dome adds rigidity to that light diaphragm. The earcups carry a honeycomb outer grille, which leaves the rear of each driver vented to the room. A solid aluminium yoke holds the cups, the headband is covered in leather and microfiber, and the earpads use perforated microfiber, with the honeycomb motif also repeated on the pads. Cables attach to the cups, so they can be swapped without opening the headphone, and a colour-matched carrying case measuring 250 x 240 x 120 mm comes in the box for storage and transport between rooms.

Pairing

Focal ships three items for connection. A 1.2 m cable ends in a 3.5 mm mini-jack for portable players, laptops and compact DACs, and an adapter from 3.5 mm female to 6.35 mm male lets the same lead plug into full-size headphone outputs on amplifiers and integrated units. The second lead is 3 m long and ends in a 4-pin XLR plug, the connector used by balanced headphone amplifiers, which gives the length needed to sit away from a hi-fi rack. Being efficient and of moderate impedance, the Clear MG can be driven from both portable sources and desktop amplifiers, while the balanced cable opens the door to dedicated balanced headphone amps.

Alternatives

Within the Focal range the Utopia is the open-back alternative, using a 40 mm pure beryllium M-shaped dome, a hybrid copper and aluminium voice coil, forged recycled carbon yokes and an 80 ohm load, at 490 g.