Focal Clear Mg are audiophile headphones for the home

Focal Clear Mg
(Image credit: Focus)

Focal has launched more domestic versions of its recently announced Focal Clear Mg Professional headphone.

Designed for home as opposed to pro use, the Focal Clear Mg sport the same 40mm drivers with ‘M’-shaped inverted magnesium domes (hence the elemental Mg moniker) as it’s professional counterpart. The French audio brand claims these drivers are lighter, more rigid and better at damping, delivering an improvement over its open-back predecessor, the Clear.

The domestic and pro models also share an impedance of 55 Ohms, frequency response of 5Hz–28kHz, and a new honeycomb grille inside the earcups that promises to extend higher frequencies and reduce distortion.

So what is the difference between the two Focal Clear Mg models? Whilst they both have many familiar Focal aesthetic traits, including 20mm memory foam, perforated fabric-coated earpads, matching microfibre and leather headband and an aluminium yoke, the home model comes in a luxury chestnut and mixed metal finish compared to the professional version's stealthy but practical black.

The Focal Clear Mg ships with a colour matched carrying case and two cable options: a 3m 4-pin XLR cable intended for connecting to an amplifier and a 1.2m 3.5mm cable for mobile devices. They will be available this month, priced £1399 ($1490, AU$2199). Considering Focal's success in the premium headphones space, best exemplified by its Stellia, we very much look forward to taking the Clear Mg for a spin.

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Mary is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi? and has over a decade of experience working as a sound engineer mixing live events, music and theatre. Her mixing credits include productions at The National Theatre and in the West End, as well as original musicals composed by Mark Knopfler, Tori Amos, Guy Chambers, Howard Goodall and Dan Gillespie Sells. 

  • Friesiansam
    I thought about upgrading to the Celestee from my Elegias but, later dismissed the idea as not enough potential updrade to justify the cost. If Focal release a closed back headphone, using the Clear Mg's magnesium driver, then I will be interested,
    Reply