Headphones sound great. Received them very quickly and boxed perfectly. Thanks
Focal
Focal Clear Mg Headphones
Regular price
$1,599
Sale price
$1,599
Regular price
$1,599.00
Unit price
per
Focal
Focal Clear Mg Headphones
Focal Clear Mg Headphones
Regular price
$1,599
Sale price
$1,599
Regular price
$1,599.00
Unit price
per
No Fee 365-Day Returns*
Don’t love it to start? Don't worry, you have 365-days to return with no fees*.
Cup style
More information
Open-back headphone designs are often higher-performance but have poor noise isolation and leak sound. Closed-back designs provide better noise isolation and leak less sound.
Open-back headphone designs are often higher-performance but have poor noise isolation and leak sound. Closed-back designs provide better noise isolation and leak less sound.
Open-Back
Wearing style
More information
Over-ear headphones sit over your ear and surround your ear with a ring of padding. On-ear headphones are padded but rest on top of your ear. In-ear monitors are worn inside your ear canal.
Over-ear headphones sit over your ear and surround your ear with a ring of padding. On-ear headphones are padded but rest on top of your ear. In-ear monitors are worn inside your ear canal.
Over-ear
Driver type
More information
Speakers and headphones use a device called a 'driver' to create sound. Different types of drivers have different strengths and weaknesses, but can all produce great sound. Common varieties include dynamic, planar magnetic, and electrostatic.
Speakers and headphones use a device called a 'driver' to create sound. Different types of drivers have different strengths and weaknesses, but can all produce great sound. Common varieties include dynamic, planar magnetic, and electrostatic.
Dynamic
Connectivity
More information
Connectivity refers to the method in which the headphones connect to the audio source. Headphones can be either wired or wireless.
Connectivity refers to the method in which the headphones connect to the audio source. Headphones can be either wired or wireless.
Wired
Description
The open-back, high-fidelity Focal Clear Mg headphones incorporate the new technology of a speaker driver with an ‘M’-shaped Magnesium dome. Magnesium is light and boasts a significant damping factor, offering great dynamics and detail across the full sound spectrum while preserving a neutral and balanced signature.
In addition to their sound quality, Focal Clear Mg Headphones stand out for their chic and elegant design. Their Chestnut and Mixed Metals finish, as well as the fine materials used (leather, aluminium, microfibre), make it a truly design-led accessory. Supplied with two cables and a carrying case, it has everything you could need to enjoy incredible sound in a quiet environment.
INNOVATIVE HEADPHONES MADE IN FRANCE
After four years of research and development, the engineers at Focal have designed a Magnesium dome for the Focal Clear Mg headphones speaker drivers. This new alloy, combined with an ‘M’-shaped dome, contributes to even more lightness, rigidity and damping, the three success factors for a speaker driver. The sound reproduction is fine, precise and impactful, for a strikingly realist sound. Combined with an amplifier/DAC, Clear Mg headphones display impressive performance. Thanks to an impedance of 55 Ohms, they can also be used without compromise with a portable audio player. The St. Étienne brand first positioned itself on the global market of Hi-Fi headphones in 2016. This unique savoir-faire, combined with French manufacturing mastered in its own workshops, has led Focal to be recognised by the French state as a Living Heritage Company (Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant).
SOPHISTICATED DESIGN AND MATERIALS: AN ELEGANT OBJECT
In developing its products, Focal places design and materials at the forefront in its mission to create the ultimate sound and listening comfort. The solid aluminium yoke has been developed to perfectly mould to the face, the headband covered in genuine leather and microfibre offers a constant curve, no matter which way the head turns, and the perforated microfibre earpads result in enhanced opening and comfort. The outside of the earpads boasts a sophisticated honeycomb pattern: an elegance contributed to by the brand new Chestnut and Mixed-Metals finish which blend classic and modern looks. For a perfect package, the carrying case has been woven in colours to match the headphones.
Highlights
- High-fidelity open-back headphones for consumer use, made in France
- New cone material: Magnesium, for lightness and damping
- Remarkable sound performance: perfect dynamics, detail and balance
- Comfortable and ergonomic
- Low impedance (55 Ohms) to achieve very good performance with a portable player
Tech Specs
|
Type |
Circum-aural open-back headphones |
|
Impedance |
55 Ohms |
|
Sensitivity |
104dB SPL / 1 mW @ 1kHz |
|
THD |
0.25% @ 1kHz / 100dB SPL |
|
Frequency response |
5Hz – 28kHz |
|
Speaker driver |
15/8" (40mm) ‘M’-shaped magnesium dome |
|
Weight |
0.99lbs (450g) |
What's In The Box?
- Focal Clear MG Dynamic Over-Ear Open-Back Headphones
- 1 x 3.9ft (1.2m) mini-jack cable with 1/4" (6.35mm) jack adapter
- 1 x 9.8ft (3m) 4-pin XLR cable
- 1 jack adapter, 1 1/8" (3.5mm) female – 1/4" (6.35mm) male
- Premium Carrying Case with matching Clear Mg Colours
- Owners Manual
- Limited 3-Year Warranty
Specifications
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
|
Sensitivity
Headphone sensitivity measures how loud a pair of headphones will be at a given signal strength. Headphones with higher sensitivity ratings will produce louder sounds than headphones with lower sensitivity ratings. It is measured in dB SPL (decibels of sound pressure level) per unit of power (typically 1 milliWatt) or sometimes unit of voltage (typically 1 Volt) from the source at a frequency of 1 kHz.
|
104dB SPL / 1 mW @ 1kHz |
|
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
When driving headphones at high volumes, it is possible for the diaphragm (the ‘speaker’ inside the headphones) to be unable to move fast enough. This leads to distortion, manifesting itself as crackling, popping or the alteration of musical notes. Most headphones will fall below 1% THD.
|
0.25% @ 1kHz / 100dB SPL |
|
Frequency Response
Headphone frequency response refers to the frequency-specific sensitivity of the output. Frequency responses show the range that headphones are capable of reproducing—a graph shows which frequencies are accentuated over others. The ideal range covers the audible sound range of 20 Hz – 20 kHz.
|
5Hz – 28kHz |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Driver Materials & Size | 40mm ‘M’-shaped magnesium dome |
| Headphone Weight | 450 grams |
|
Warranty
Warranty differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. Warranty covers factory defects but most manufacturers do not cover drops, water damage, driver damage, mistreatment of the product, etc.. It is always best to look at the manufacturer's website for the most up to date warranty information.
|
3 years manufacturer's warranty |
Our review
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Reviews
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Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.8 / 5 from 30 reviews.
So far, these headphones have been impressive, granted my reference has been mostly lower end, Bluetooth over ears like the XM5, B&W px7/px7s2, Bose ultra QC. Those sound just fine…until you hear a pair of discrete headphones, particularly open backs. The clarity and detail, the layering of instruments and vocals is superior and while they don’t always carry the upper bass punch, extension is better and sound pressure bass is stronger (like what a real subwoofer would do). There’s a fullness to instruments and voices that makes the other headphones I’ve tried sound more 1 dimensional. Build quality is superb and the unboxing experience was nice. The headphones are more comfortable than the others even though they’re a little heavier—clamp force and pad materials largely at play for that. I have these paired with a mojo 2 connected to pc with micro cable, running tidal. They sound quite intimate but not in a bad way. While they can sound rather in your head at times, there’s some space to everything (maybe because open-back). Some people say they are not the best for orchestra due to soundstage but I thought they sounded really dynamic and great, though I have little experience with planars and other flagships. I have not fully had a chance to judge them but initial impressions are good. It’s a chunk of change no doubt but so far I will be considering them worth the price of admission, at least for me. Great job focal, these will catch your eye for sure.
The Focal Clear Mg headphones are my favorite of all time! I use them for everything from music, games, zoom calls, etc. PROS:: --Sound amazing in every situation --Extremely comfortable --Lightweight --Looks great --Replacement pads are easy to find CONS:: --The included cable is way too short! 3 feet!?!? Overall, 5 stars! Would recommend. 100%
This are great fast delivery 👌
Spent a lot of time reading through all of the reviews and I just want to say these headphones are great and I should have just saved time and bought them. I think people tend to get a little self indulgent in their reviews. Instead of reading through all of these comments just go play with your kids, or get a girlfriend if you don't have one, or just watch football. Time is precious don't waste it. Anyway, wonderful sound, build quality is beyond what I hoped for with really great design sensibility. I also own the Focal Bathys for travel combined with these open backs for in the studio and I'm a happy camper. Never get tired when listening to these. Great help answering my questions followed by awesome support from Headphones.com. Will be a return customer.
This is my second pair of Focal Clear Mg headphones but the first pair purchased from Headphones.com. I have only had them a few days but feel they are fully equivalent to the previous pair. These are my favorite headphones. I really enjoy listening to music with them. I feel they are reliably worth listening to with all kinds of music. The sound is beautiful with well-recorded material. It is detailed and no frequency seems lacking.
perfect balanced headphone for music and streaming.
These were a pretty big level up for me... coming from Bose QC 25, it could not be more of a stark difference in build quality, sound clarity, and experience.... It's like jumping from a DVD to Ultra-HD... the difference is impossible to miss. They pair great with my PS Audio Sprout100; both highly recommended for those who like good sound but don't want to go down the uber expensive technical rabbit hole.
My best pair yet. These are my go to cans for music
My second entry into hifi headphones and I'm loving it. The clarity and bass extension in perfect for me. The color grew on me with a quickness. Just amazing
Absolutely incredible. Upgraded from the exceptional Sundara. ‘Clear’ sound is the best way to describe it. Exception customer service from Headphones.com as well. Definitely recommend both the headphones and the seller.
Not ever having had a pair of very high-end of headphones, there might be better candidates for a review. But as an avid lover of classical, jazz and RKS, St. Motel & Mt. Joy, etc., I can say I’ve never known this level of smooth and accurate detail and timbre before. As a tinnitus sufferer they help me dial-in the texture and maintain focus of the music in ways I can’t without them nor with others of lesser quality. The punch of treble, the kick of bass and the smooth mids are a pleasure. It doesn’t hurt that I’m using Tidal Hi-Fi but these tools help me enjoy what the music has to offer. Thanks to Alan for listening and giving great advice.
These headphones sound amazing with EQ. The biggest downside is that these really benefit from EQ, and the default tuning isn't to my liking. I highly recommend Oratory 1990 EQ settings, which really bring the Clear Mg from like 7/10 to 10/10 for me. These are the punchiest and best sounding headphones I own (my collection is Harmonicdyne Zeus, Hifiman Edition XS, Sivga SV021, Beyerdynamic MMX 300, and the Koss KPH 40 and 30i). Compared to the Hifiman Edition XS, which is my next most expensive headphone at $500, the Clear Mg's are punchier, but the Edition XS has a better default tuning for my taste. But with EQ, the Clear Mg is the sound quality and detail winner. Still love my Edition XS, but the Clear Mg is going to be my daily driver. The comfort on these is wonderful. I was surprised with how stiff the clamping mechanism is. With my head, the clamp force is just right, but people with bigger heads may have a lot more clamp force due to how springy this is. Overall I'm incredibly pleased, but I highly recommend EQ for the best experience to elevate the mids and highs, and probably add a bass shelf too. Nitpicks: The default cables are high quality but make no sense. For both cables, the 3.5 mm connectors into the cups have a special locking ring to prevent pullout, but I would rather have had a fully standard 3.5 mm connection here without a recession for the locking mechanism, because it makes using a different cable really awkward-looking - you can use a standard 3.5 mm termination into the cups though, but it looks a bit weird if you are sensitive to aesthetics. The reason you'll want to get a new cable is because the default cable with the XLR connection is about 3 feet too long, and the cable with the 3.5 mm termination is about a foot too short for a comfy length desktop listening setup in my opinion. I was constantly running over the longer length cable with my chair at my desktop setup. They really need to take a page from Hart Audio and make interchangeable connectors, and supply the two separate length cables that can be mixed and matched with terminations. To me, these don't detract from the actual headphone quality, so my score doesn't reflect the cable woes.
An amazing upgrade from my Focal Elear's. I picked up a pair of Focal Clear MG's as an upgrade to my 2019 Focal Elear's. I absolutely loved the Elear, but was looking for something new and hoping the Clear MG's would address some of the things I didn't like about the Elear; specifically more balanced low and midrange, and less fatiguing highs. Out of the box, the Clear MG is a very different experience from the Elear. There is significantly more bass and midrange, and the highs were nowhere near as sharp. I felt like this was a bit of a trade-off; I was enjoying the added body, but missing the sparkle and shimmer that the Elear's presented. On tracks with heavy mids, I was searching for the vocals which was never an issue with the Elear's as the Elear's are very vocal forward. On the plus side, there was no sibilance, and no treble fatigue like I'd get sometimes on the Elear's. After about 40 hours of burn-in, everything changed. My Elear's took literally months to properly break in. I've run around 100 hours on the Clear MG's and they really hit their stride at about the 40 hour mark. The sparkle and shimmer in the upper tones is stunning. It's not as bright as the Elear's for sure, but it doesn't push my treble limit like the Elear sometimes does. Overall I'm very pleased with these headphones. They don't have as much personality as the Elear's, but in my opinion, that's a good thing. They're a great resolving headphone, well balanced, with the sparkling treble I've grown to love from Focal's.
The Focal Clear MG headphones are simply superb! The imaging is dynamic and the staging is spacious. I'm blown away at the level of clarity and detail retrieved from songs I've been listening to my entire life. Not only do they sound amazing, they might very well be the best looking headphones I've ever seen. If you are considering these for your collection, don't hesitate… just get them!
First thing, I've owned these for a couple months but wanted to give them time for a proper running in. This is probably the most beautiful headphone I've ever seen. Stunning piece of art from Focal. The sound is equally as beautiful, the dynamics are absolutely top notch. Soundstage is massive, imitates a set of studio monitors about as good as a headphone could. Imaging is very precise, great sense of depth and height. They obviously live up to their name, the sound that these produce is crystal clear, not muddy or bloated anywhere that my ears can hear. They are very comfortable, the pads and headband are very lush and I can wear them all day. Clamp force is pretty much perfect. I listen to mainly hip-hop, rap, pop, top 100 stuff, alternative, metal, rock and edm mainly. My main source is Tidal and the ifi diablo. The Bass is very impressive, very clean and digs deep. I'd say the way Focal presents bass is my favorite of any headphones I've ever heard. I would describe it as thumpy and slappy/snappy if that makes sense lol but never sloppy or overpowering always with good speed & decay. The mids are really well balanced and just sound Good, compared to my elegias which are a little more mid forward the mgs hit the mids perfect for me. A lot of people whine about the highs on this headphone but I think they are so nice, I would describe them as very smooth, I'm not much a fan of forward or harsh highs. These tame sibilance better than anything I've heard. I think that new magnesium driver allows them to get away with the dip in the upper mids and lower treble and not sound muted imo. The highs give a good sense of air and sparkle. I believe these headphones are great at being extremely detailed but also fun sounding, not so overly clinical all the time, which is pretty neat. Overall, they are a well balanced, fun, & supper enjoyable listen. Btw, I'm 30 with normal hearing for my age, I get it checked twice a year for my job, and I have no problem with any ultra sonic high frequency frequency pressure. I've seen some people say that about this headphone so I just wanted to say it's a no-issue for myself, ymmv. Great job FOCAL, this is my new favorite headphone and will be my reference to compare against any other cans I ever buy.
I've often wondered how much better a headphone could sound as you travel up in the process range. After using these Focal Clear MG's for 2 weeks now I can clearly see the difference. The detail and accuracy of these headphones is nothing short of amazing. Their sound makes you forget you're wearing headphones and totally immerses you in the music. Design, quality and comfort are all outstanding. The best thing these headphones have delivered is a renewed appreciation (and excitement) for my music collection. They have brought new life to so many of my favorite recordings. Highly recommended. The advisors at Headphones.com really helped make this purchase an absolute pleasure all around. I corresponded with Headphones.com advisors for several months before my purchase. With so many options and no convenient place to actually audition each set I found their help invaluable navigating the maze of available headphones. They took the time to understand my listening preferences to find the best match. Also their return policy certainly helps take the fear out of such a major expense purchase. So hard these days to make such a subjective choice at this level of expense without the ability to actually try before you buy. Looking forward to years of enjoyment. This was my 2nd satisfied purchase from Headphones.com. Will certainly return for all my headphone related needs.
Great hesdonpes amazing sound and super well built. Like a rolls Royce
I have only had the Focal Clear MG headphones for a few days but already I can tell they are going to please me. The resolution and detail is outstanding. They are not fatiguing in any way, long listening sessions are possible. They are very comfortable too which greatly aids the long listening sessions. My musical tastes lean toward classical especially baroque on period instruments and jazz and / vocals from the mid - 20th century.
Takes a bit of time to break in both physically and sonically. I was listening this afternoon and realized the phones just disappeared as I was just enjoying the music. And thanks to Tidal I discovered a bunch of new stuff. My amp ( the ifi idsd) drive the phones with authority and accuracy. Overall ... fun stuff !
Everything about this headphone is what I had expected, I like it’s sound and also it’s looks.
My first focal headphones (i use Focal Studio Monitors that i love). They look fantastic, but they are not comfortable (for my head), they are heavy and press into the center of my head causing headache rather quickly (price to pay for the solid build quality i guess). The low end extension is pretty good, i find the lows a tiny bit "boxy" and the top end to be dull (which was shocking). If you EQ them they will get you where you want to go, but i was expecting them to be a bit brighter (since not all sources have access to good eq's).
Amazing sound & beautiful design! Now i can't put it down. Blissful!
Build: 10 Comfort: 5 Sound: 1? (Maybe good but bad for me) I saw all the positive reviews about this so I bought these as an open box but ended up hating them because of a few things that were deal breakers for me. First the build is stunning. Probably the most beautiful headphone I’ve seen with the most unique colorway. Comfort is mehhh for me. I get a hotspot on the top of my head only after maybe 15 minutes of having them on which surprised me cuz I own the focal radiance and I can wear those for hours. As for sound it’s a bit weird. So it sounds amazing. Probably the best headphones for imaging, dynamics, and bass. Everything sounds amazing but I didn’t know why I got this gnarly headache after listening to it for an hour. At first I thought I was getting sick. But I listened to my radiance again and my headache slowly went away. Then I started listening to the clear mg again and I can feel my brain starting to tell me it doesn’t like it. It’s a conflicting feeling because I know it sounds good but something in the frequency response in the treble is making it feel like my brain is having to fight it while the headphones is throwing razorblades at it. I own the dt1990 pro as well which is notorious for its treble peak but it never gave me a headache like these did. All the reviews seems to gush about these except one reviewer who just uploaded his review on it the day after I got these in and was testing them. Also hes about the same age as me (mid 20s) who seemed to have the same problem as me. Overall they do sound amazing and from a technical standpoint they are worth the money IF AND ONLY IF you don’t get crazy headaches after a short listening session. Like I want to listen to them again but I know I’m going to be in pain if I do. This is the first time I had a “My minds telling me noooooo….but my body my body’s telling me yesss” experience with a headphone.
These are the first hi-fi headphones 🎧 I have it so I cannot be comparing them with anything else. I use it with the onyx portable DAC/Amp. I brought ARES II DAC and Topping A90 Desktop Headphone Amplifier. But I'm still waiting to receive it.
The best!!!!!! Headphones I ever own. Tight and low bass, clear midrange and outstanding highs. Thinking about buying his big brother??? Already!
I’m a burgeoning audiophile and these are my first high end headphones (over $1000, have others just under). I had researched online between written reviews, youtube reviews, endless threads, and just went with it at last because they are also beautiful. The sound is just huge and detailed and the headphones do seem to disappear on your head with a sense of speakers instead. I’ve only used a humble Chord Mojo and dragonfly cobalt so far can only imagine what they could do with higher end amps/dacs. Definitely better with the mojo. Only criticism is some tracks with certain treble like saxophones sounds harsh and have to cut volume, that range of treble frequencies is sibilant to me. I’ve only used them in two long listening sessions so they’re not “burned in” at all . At first they hurt my ears but they seem better now with headband adjustments. I’m definitely going through my entire music library and hearing it anew! I’m thrilled with them overall it’s like a brand new journey in music; I put them on intending a quick listen and end up listening for hours, unable to stop. They’d be perfect without that treble harshness with some saxophones and guitars when the guitars are at higher frequencies (can’t explain like a true audiophile yet!) I don’t have EQ means just yet. Not sure what that’s about but I do lower the volume when it occurs. It’s not that often anyway. Otherwise they disappear on your head and you can’t pull yourself away from the stunning detail and breadth.
It can be hard to judge how something will sound just from reading impressions online - especially with all of the vague and confusing terms floating around. I've read every review and watched every video related to these headphones prior to buying them (how can you not for this price) - and none of them prepared me for what I've just experienced. These are incredible, miraculously detailed in every aspect of the sound, and most of all - these sound HUGE! The presence of the sound hitting your ears, it's almost overwhelming at times. NOBODY talks about what bass monsters these are! I didn't even know headphones could capture the presence of a home theater, ESPECIALLY in an open back. You hear the same thing over and over from people who aren't into audio. Why would someone spend $1.5k on a headphone? How good can it possibly sound? Yet they have no problem spending the same mount on a higher end TV. It's because everyone has seen a high end TV, it's obvious what the money gets you... Almost nobody has heard a $1.5k headphone, therefor they can't possibly understand, having no frame of reference. Honestly, neither have I until I got these, I bought them on blind faith that they would be better than everything else I have. Boy am I glad I took the jump. If you can afford it, you should do yourself the favor of experiencing this. Coming from: 6xx, 880, 400i, Mod T50RP, X2, MA900
First of all, the audiophile world is full of hot garbage, snake oil, and exaggerated claims. It can be hard to judge how something will sound just from reading impressions online - especially with all of the vague and confusing terms floating around. I've read every review and watched every video related to these headphones prior to buying them (how can you not for this price) - and none of them prepared me for what I've just experienced. These are incredible, miraculously detailed in every aspect of the sound, and most of all - these sound HUGE! The presence of the sound hitting your ears, it's almost overwhelming at times. NOBODY talks about what bass monsters these are! I didn't even know headphones could capture the presence of a home theater, ESPECIALLY in an open back. If you can afford it, you should do yourself the favor of experiencing this. You hear the same thing over and over from people who aren't into audio. Why would someone spend $1.5k on a headphone? How good can it possibly sound? Yet they have no problem spending the same mount on a higher end TV. It's because everyone has seen a high end TV, it's obvious what the money gets you... Almost nobody has heard a $1.5k headphone, therefor they can't possibly understand, having no frame of reference. Honestly, neither have I until I got these, I bought them on blind faith that they would be better than everything else I have. Boy am I glad I took the jump. Coming from: 6XX, 400i, 880 DT, Mod T50RP, MA900, X2
Focal just crushes it in the headphone game. Build 10/10 Comfort 10/10 Sound 9/10 for its price range. You lose some upper end shimmer compared to the old OG Clear. However, you gain a little bit of technical performance, and you have smother, less fatiguing treble response. Symbol hits stand out more on the old clear for example. On the new it still sounds great, I would recommended watching Andrews review on YouTube, his channel is "The Headphones Show".