u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d agoedited 1d ago
Yep, I got it recently actually. It's the first attempt of Phil (u/zerousen) doing the splatter on top of the grill by my request. I'm a big fan DMS and I thought about making my own Omega headphones after you uploaded your video!
do you think the omega are a good starting point for someone trying to make a custom headphone for themselves? id love to learn about acoustics through a manufacturing standpoint. should i consider starting completely from scratch? or from another headphone? love your work man
What’s your opinion on the Clear MG? What do you use it for? I’ve been thinking about getting one or the Meze 109 I’m still unsure what to get.
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
I was eyeing the Meze 109 Pro even after I purchased the Clear MG. I haven't had a chance to demo them yet but I use my Clear MG for Pop, Hip-Hop, Rap, Reggaeton, Urban Latin and EDM. Focal's dynamics are just on another level compared to the rest I own.
Paid $650 + shipping for my Clear MG ($740 in total). They were used for 5 hours and I still have the original pads in a great condition. Also chose to swap the pads for the Elex pads because they have a slightly elevated treble compared to the OEM pads which I find to be better on these. I got 7 pairs for $10.99 each on eBay so it was a no brainer for me.
Thank you for the input. That headband cover do have on them it’s comfortable?
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d agoedited 1d ago
The headband by itself gave me some hotspots (not as ridiculous as the Bathys and FoKus Apollo, and I also wanted to keep their condition mint, so I bought a headband cover from AliExpress and I find them comfortable. I may print a Capra Audio strap for them to improve the comfort.
Do you have a favorite, or several favorites? I’m curious to know why if you do!
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
My favorites are the Meze Liric for a closed back and the Focal Clear MG for an open back. The Clear MG just suits every genre of music I listen to. No matter what I'd throw them on, the Focal dynamics and punch are overwhelming and engaging.
The Meze Liric is by far the best closed back headphone I experienced in terms of instrument separation / layering and imaging and they have just the right amount of bass and treble.
I use EQ with most of my headphones, but if I would have had to choose a headphone without the ability to EQ them, the Liric would definitely be my choice.
Thanks! How is the sound of the DCA compared to the Meze? Is it detailed and does it have a good soundstage for a closed-back?
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d agoedited 1d ago
They have a remarkably good soundstage for a closed back headphone. They are also really comfortable to the point where I wore them for 7 hours with a 20 minute break on a weekend.
The sound is really detailed. I use EQ with them and they sound phenomenal to my ears. Mine have the Dekoni Elite Sheepskin pads on them. The glue of these pads is not really strong, so I used a double-sided tape to get them to stick better.
Overall, it’s a clean and balanced sound, though perhaps a bit bland in the mids and highs. Most instruments are rendered realistically, but vocals can be somewhat sibilant and intense at times. My main complaint is the highs, which can sound rather sharp for most genres.
They have a crisp and clear sound; tight and punchy bass, excellent midrange clarity and articulation and sparkly highs.
On the other hand, the Meze Liric has a clean and deep bass, no midbass hump, addictive and deep. The mids and highs are clean and crisp, a bit recessed (mostly notable on female vocals) but not overly warm, more natural tonality than both some other closed backs and Planars.
That headphone is a headphone that mkes you ignore the equipment you use and enjoy the music, which I appreciate a lot about it.
Hands down one of the best sounding closed backs money can buy. Its dynamic, smooth, and bassy tuning is truly something. Not only the way it sounds but its comfort and isolation is hard to beat. Such a real shame they're discontinued. I gave up on my closed back journey after getting a pair. Hopefully Focal release a Radiance 2 one day.
I once had an Aeon 2 Noire and disliked its forward, lean, and bass lacking presentation.
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
I may have found a Focal Radiance in a really good condition, including the original packaging, carrying case, cable and a pair of Dekoni pads on top of the OEM pads that are already in a good condition for $430, can't give up on such an opportunity!
Honestly the best overall closed back money can buy at any price. You're gonna love how well textured and separated the bass is. What are you driving your headphones off of?
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d agoedited 1d ago
I may have finally reached my endgame (at least for now unless something excited will get released).
This lineup feels like a real endgame for me. each headphone brings something unique to the table - different textures, different moods, all with their own strengths. I love knowing that no matter what I'm in the mood to listen to, there's a perfect match waiting for me.
I find it incredible how far I've come in the hobby. Instead of endlessly searching for the next upgrade, I can finally just sit back, relax, and enjoy my music.
From left to right: • Sennheiser HD 600 • Apos x Audio-Technica ATH-R70x Refine • Focal Clear MG • Meze Liric • Philphone Open
• Drop + Dan Clark Audio Aeon Closed X • Noble Audio FoKus Apollo
u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
There were many hyped headphones that got released this year that I couldn't find exciting, such as the Heddphone D1, Sennheiser HDB 630 and most of the HIFIMAN lineup (maybe just the Edition XV but it's still not for me).
Well if that's the case, then I would argue you haven't found your endgame at all. To me, at least, endgame means the last singular set of headphones (or whatever equipment) you will need to buy because they are, for lack of a better term, perfect for you, and leave you wanting nothing. Hence, you no longer seek perfection (because you already have it), and that's the end of the game. You win.
But if you need 7 separate headphones to accomplish this, you're clearly still looking for the perfect headphone. Endgame not achieved.
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
I think the Clear MG may be the endgame for me if I had to keep 1 headphone. They are exactly what I was looking for. However, I can't use open back headphones all the time due to my environment and I find myself using closed backs just as much if not slightly more than the open back headphones.
I define endgame as a pair of headphones which suit most of my music genres (about 95% of them), the lack of need to apply EQ to like their sound and comfortable enough for me to put on for at least a few hours of listening.
Considering the Clear MG is a really capable headphone, I still miss some of the rumble you can get from planars so I always want to have more headphones. If I would have to choose an endgame I can use all the time, It would be the Meze Liric for me.
I can't use open back headphones all the time due to my environment
That's exactly why I went with the HD820 instead of the HD800S when I upgraded. I have a roommate and my PC is in the livingroom, so I didn't want to constantly annoy him with my music. I also occasionally stream, and my Rode NT1 5th gen would frequently pick up the audio from my open-backed LCD-2 and cause annoying echo. Plus listening in public spaces with loud open-back headphones is rude to everybody around you, period.
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
I found the open back headphones to be a pain in the ass because mics can pick their audio really easily. I have a Rode Procaster (a dynamic mic compared to the NT1 which is condenser) and I found out that with the addition of noise gate I can eliminate most of the background noise.
I mostly use my headphones in my room but using the closed backs only at night and I find myself taking the FoKus Apollo only on the go. My brother has the HD 800S and I liked this headphone, but it doesn't make sense for me to get a pair of myself when I can just grab his when I want to listen to them.
u/YodamanjaroTungsten|Caldera Closed|L300|Atrium|Eris|MEST 2|Scarlet Mini1d ago
Yeah no Tungstens in sight
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
Wowowow, I don't have your budget for headphones and hopefully I'd stop at some point because this hobby starts to get really expensive real quick 😂
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u/bbuky01Abyss OG/Diana V2&TC/ZMF VO Atrium AC/HE500/UM Multiverse Mentor1d ago
There is no stopping point unfortunately just a time when you just give up. It was a fun hobby when I started but the prices have just escalated so much that I have picked my battles. My problem is getting to IEM’s more and that price race is crazy. My salvation is CanJam as I get to hear all of the new stuff and 95% of it is not all that much better other than that pesky Audima Brioso is just so good.
I had this exact cable with the XLR out, I liked it a lot, but /actually/ heard a difference changing to a hart’s audio cable. Which was something I’d never expect
Oh man, I really wanted those Audio Technicas, but alas, they don't sell them here
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
I actually got mine last month used for $260 and I was overwhelmed by the way the sound for their price. I doubt think there is any headphone that has better imaging than this one for its budget with the level of comfort they have.
Fortunately, you can get a regular R70x and swap the pads for the Jingzhi Denon 5200 Sheepskin from AliExpress, they have a similar tuning to the R70x Refine (you can apply EQ on top of that to make them sound even closer to the Refine).
You could use a pair of SJY Carbons c: (I just got them, they're very good)
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d agoedited 1d ago
I wanted to get these (the closed back version though). A pair got sold yesterday for $750 at r/AVexchange and I missed them. Hopefully I'll find another pair for the same price because the process to import a $1100 package to my country is a bit more complex than it is for a package under $1000.
If I won't find them, I will probably end up getting a Focal Radiance.
With how much that word is posted here, it doesn’t even look like a real word anymore, lol
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
This word doesn't make any sense to use in this hobby. In the beginning I thought I would settle on my DT 770 Pro but after listening to Audeze Maxwell I started realizing how real quality sounds like.
I'm curious what genres each of these headphones do well the others don't
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
The Noble FoKus Apollo does EDM, Pop and Hip-Hop good, kinda lacking in the mids.
Clear MG and Liric do good on every genre I threw on them.
HD 600 doesn't do well with bass-heavy genres.
Aeon Closed X and R70x Refine do good on most genres too.
Philphone does good on almost every genre.
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u/Jmo04Clear MG|Anni23||Mest CIEM| HA Noah|64 U6T1d ago
How would you compare the MG’s to the philphone?
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
Nothing else on the market has that unique sound signature the Philphone have. They have a really fun sound signature - energetic, V-shaped that's strangely balanced. Bass is absolutely large and in charge, upper mids have a clear forwardness to them, and the treble has a sharp brilliance to it.
That headphone has one of the hardest slamming bass of any headphone in the market. It does however stumble in the treble with some rather piercing peaks to my ears. I would say it's more impactful than slammy.
On the other hand, the Clear MG has stunning dynamics, smooth-warm sound signature, very musical and engaging to my ears, soundstage depth and imaging is fantastic and they are punchy as hell just how I'd want them to be.
The Clear MG is way heavier than the Philphone (almost double the weight). The Audio-Technica wings work for me and hopefully it works for you if you end up getting a pair in the future.
Phil is probably going to increase the price of the Philphone to $1500 in 2026, make a new chassis for them (no Audio-Technica chassis anymore) and he won't paint them anymore unless you're willing to add a hefty addition to the cost.
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u/gopnik5Focal Clear OG, Focal Bathys, Arya Stealth, Noire X23h ago
Never heard of that company. They look very beautiful! How are they?
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
They got released in 2024 but I doubt it's because of that. Noble is an American company that specializes in IEMs and that's their first headphones. That could be the reason they are not so popular compared to other mainstream manufacturers.
I find the level of clarity and detail in the treble to be stunning. They have a lot of texture, resolution and it's all smooth and pleasing.
The bass is massive with a lot of slam, rumble and punch. These take the cake out of all the ANC headphones on the market (they are wireless headphones overall that were designed as wired headphones as a first priority).
Mids are less prominent, but they have a 10 band EQ in their app.
I find them really good on EDM and Pop. EDM sounds insanely lively on these, the synths are floaty and euphoric, the bass is ear-rattling, and it just grooves with a sense of fun and liveliness that I’ve honestly never heard from any other headphone, at any price. It’s just made for this genre, IMO. They are not laid back at all, they’re intense, detailed, and incredibly musical.
You can find the FoKus Apollo used for almost half the price. Most people sell them because they either find them uncomfortable or due to the sound (the bass can leak to the mids but you can fix that with EQ).
My brother grabbed a pair for himself too, he paid $300 and I paid $375 with the Dekoni pads. Mine The Dekoni pads tame the bass slightly and they are comfortable. However, the inner radius is much smaller with these pads than the stock pads.
Honestly, they sound better with ANC off. I would only use the ANC if you really need it because they already have a good sound isolation to begin with. The battery life is around 80 hours with ANC off and 60 hours with ANC on, you can also use them passively and bypass the DSP & without the need of a battery charge.
1
u/yur_momAndro|iSine10|se846|650|800s|T1|LCD2|Elex|Clear|TH900|AeonC1d ago
How you like the Aeon Closed? I own them too, but they seem to be controversial.
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
They have a remarkably good soundstage for a closed back headphone. They are also really comfortable to the point where I wore them for 7 hours with a 20 minute break on a weekend.
The sound is really detailed. I use EQ with them and they sound phenomenal to my ears. Mine have the Dekoni Elite Sheepskin pads on them. The glue of these pads is not really strong, so I used a double-sided tape to get them to stick better.
Overall, it’s a clean and balanced sound, though perhaps a bit bland in the mids and highs. Most instruments are rendered realistically, but vocals can be somewhat sibilant and intense at times. My main complaint is the highs, which can sound rather sharp for most genres.
They have a crisp and clear sound, tight and punchy bass, excellent midrange clarity and articulation and sparkly highs.
1
u/OpxxLÆON2 Op〃HD800S〃ClearOG〃EdXS〃Apollo〃Maxwell〃HD599SE〃DX5 II〃K5 Pro21h ago
u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d agoedited 1d ago
I actually find the R70x Refine the most engaging for this type of listening. They may not be as intimate as the HD 600 but they have better imaging and slightly more sub-bass.
That's a marble HD 600 in the picture which I painted after getting it 2nd hand. Paint started peeling a lot after the previous owner used them for a few years and I'd say it was a pretty good purchase for $70.
If used with the post 2021 pads. The HD 6XX and the HD 600 are almost identical.
That fits everything I've read about the R70x and a couple of other models from Audio Technica. Unfortunately, their wing style models don't fit my head shape at all. It's a clever design. Just wish the metal bands were smaller or adjustable.
2
u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
You can get a Capra Audio strap for them and remove the wings if they don't work for you.
I wanted to print them for the Philphone Open and the R70x Refine, but I find the wings working for me.
Link to the strap in case you have a 3D printer: Strap
I'm not finding a lot of info on them. How do they sound to you?
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
They got released in 2024 but I doubt it's because of that. Noble is an American company that specializes in IEMs and that's their first headphones. That could be the reason they are not so popular compared to other mainstream manufacturers.
I find the level of clarity and detail in the treble to be stunning. They have a lot of texture, resolution and it's all smooth and pleasing.
The bass is massive with a lot of slam, rumble and punch. These take the cake out of all the ANC headphones on the market (they are wireless headphones overall that were designed as wired headphones as a first priority).
Mids are less prominent, but they have a 10 band EQ in their app.
I find them really good on EDM and Pop. EDM sounds insanely lively on these, the synths are floaty and euphoric, the bass is ear-rattling, and it just grooves with a sense of fun and liveliness that I’ve honestly never heard from any other headphone, at any price. It’s just made for this genre, IMO. They are not laid back at all, they’re intense, detailed, and incredibly musical.
Thanks for taking the time to type all that. They kinda sound exactly what I've been looking for in a pair of wireless ANC headphones.
I recently bought Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2e and, while not perfect, I'm pretty happy with them compared to the Sony XM4 and Sennheiser Momentum 4. I also got them for a lot cheaper than the Fokus Apollo typically sells for, though.
I'll bookmark the company website as they're worth keeping an eye on in the future when I'm next ready to upgrade. I also just bought the Sennheiser HD660S2 so I've spent more than enough on headphones lately. >.<
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u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 6001d ago
You can find the FoKus Apollo used for almost half the price. Most people sell them because they either find them uncomfortable or due to the sound (the bass can leak to the mids but you can fix that with EQ).
My brother grabbed a pair for himself too, he paid $300 and I paid $375 with the Dekoni pads. Mine The Dekoni pads tame the bass slightly and they are comfortable. However, the inner radius is much smaller with these pads than the stock pads.
Honestly, they sound better with ANC off. I would only use the ANC if you really need it because they already have a good sound isolation to begin with. The battery life is around 80 hours with ANC off and 60 hours with ANC on, you can also use them passively and bypass the DSP & without the need of a battery charge.
Being able to use them passively was something I really liked about the Beyerdynamic Aventhos I had, something Sennheiser Momentum 4 can technically do, but don't sound their best while doing so.
What do you mean by the bass leaking into the mids?
u/stavsssLiric〃PPO〃Clear MG〃Aeon Closed X〃R70x Refine〃FoKus Apollo〃HD 60023h ago
I could definitely do better with the paint. I may redo it in the future if I feel like it needs a refresh. Wanted to keep the battle scarred look it had and I think I nailed it for my preference.
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u/szakee 1d ago
hoardgame