@@jyexe525 I use mine daily for everything. I think its great for movies so long as you're realistic with what to expect from Radiance. Staging is pretty much a bubble. Compared to consumer grade headphones I have its got way wider soundstage but not as much as open back headphones. Where Radiance shines is the dynamic aspects. Very immersive and I don't think a lot of planar headphones can compare to Radiance in that area.
I got a Radiance and then a Clear MG like a week or 2 later, I spent as much time as I could using the Radiance before my Clear MG arrived. I basically wanted the Clear MG but the wait time was supposedly 6 weeks and I wanted some closed backs to upgrade my DT 700 Pro X and the Radiance turned up really quick, and I was blown away. I think I was mostly impressed by the Radiance because of the sub bass compared to other headphones I've used, and it's soundstage is very good for a closed back. But the Clear MG to me, coming from a Sundara for my open back, it sounded kind of like a Sundara on steroids, it actually has sub bass, and punchier bass, while instruments sound more realistic with a tiny bit more soundstage, at least to my ears. I'm using a Schiit Asgard 3 and Bifrost 2/64 which obviously Amp and DAC can determine soundstage, bass punchiness and timbre a lot, and maybe they just shine more with the Clear MG, but I thought the Clear MG sounded more natural, and accurate, but the Radiance was very fun, like good punchy car speakers on your head, or like surround sound speakers almost, the are the closest to actual monitors of any headphone I've used, though I've not used many.
I just got the Radiance a few days ago. I have several open backs, such as the HEKv2 Stealth, Empyrean, HD 800S, LCD-X, DT 1990, 99 Classics, HD 650, HD 58X, but the Radiance does something that none of them can do - it's magical in the way it presents and makes you feel sound around you. There is a 3-dimensionality and cohesiveness to sounds that the other headphones don't do, really. Sure, it's not as clear as say the HEKv2 Stealth, but it's almost as if you're sitting in a room with the instruments surrounding you, compared to sitting in a hall with speakers being pointed at just your ears. The bass on them, while not as fast or clean as the planars, is substantial and extremely fun. It doesn't overtake the rest of the frequencies, either. These headphones make me feel the music instead of just hearing it. The last closed back I used was the 99 Classics, but the Radiance practically shits all over the 99s with ease. It's just superior. I just have one problem - I've yet to try a ZMF, and the Radiance has me curious what a Verite Closed sounds like. That'll likely be my next set. I'm absolutely astounded at what a good closed back can do, after years of pretty much staying away from them because I was convinced open backs were superior in every way.
@@DukeLetoIII That is really well put. The thing I love about the Radiance is that it is just super fun, slammy and thumpy, while also very clean, the Clear MG does sound noticeably cleaner, but you lose that sub bass rumble in favor of tighter bass, so I swap between them a lot. The Clear MG I just find that little bit better for gaming as it's easier to hear where things are going on due to the clarity and also the slightly more open soundstage, but I don't feel like I'm losing anything super crucial if using one over the other. I came from a Hifiman Sundara as my main headphone before the Radiance and Clear MG, and despite the Radiance being closed back, it's actually a great upgrade from a Sundara if you ask me. It's got everything I liked the Sundara for but vocals sound less distant, and the sub bass rumble is so awesome. I can't get enough of listening to either of them. In my original comment I compared the Clear MG to the Sundara, and it's definitely like a better version of it to me, noticeably cleaner, and little punchier, with a little more of those low frequencies, while also open back. The Radiance however is probably a better upgrade if you like the Sundara a lot. I also swapped my Asgard 3 out for a Jotunheim 2 and got a balanced cable to test all 3 pairs, I sold my DT 700 Pro X a little bit ago though. Jot 2 is a lot more punchy and makes the Radiance sound utterly ridiculous.
Welp, I've had the Radiance for 3 months now, and I still love them for what they do best: bass and the 3D cohesiveness in a 180 degree arc to the sides and in front. I've also since traded my Empyrean for a Verite Open. I wanted a closed, but I wasn't getting any bites except by someone who had the VO. I'm glad I did - this is an incredible headphone. The similarities to an HD800S is pretty interesting in that it has a very easy time with imaging, just with a somewhat smaller soundstage. However, the stage being smaller actually makes it sound more natural compared to the HD800. Another similarity is the fact that the VO doesn't have inherent sub bass - it's there, and certainly in more quantity than the 800S, but it favors imaging and a lushness to every sound instead of weighing in toward the lower regions more. I've EQ'd the sub bass up quite a bit, and it certainly can and does slam, just not nearly as much as the HE1000 and especially not as much as the Radiance. I've heard VO owners describe the sound as "lush" before I got it, and I now understand what that sounds and feels like. There is a natural-ness to the way the headphone conveys sounds that my other headphones can't achieve. I don't even miss the sub bass slam until I put on my other headphones. Again, it's there, just not as visceral as the other cans. Lastly, the VO also does this interesting thing with layering sounds behind and in front of each other that the other headphones can kind of do but not like the VO does. There's a 3-dimensionality to it that is a bit different than how the Radiance does 3D. I now want to see what a ZMF headphone can do that is tuned for sub bass, so my next step will either be an Atrium open or closed. Speaking of amps, I'm using an Xduoo TA-22, which is a tube hybrid amp. I upgraded to it from the OG Jotunheim, and it definitely adds space, depth, a bit more warmth (but not too much) and a holographic touch with the right tubes (Genelex Gold Lions in my case). I have a Darkvoice, but it doesn't get used a lot because I want something with a smaller, more refined footprint and sound - preferably a Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies 3rd gen. That'll be my next amp because these headphones sound insane with a proper tube amp pushing them.@@mttrashcan-bg1ro
The Eligia open box are $415 bought a set for my son. I added the Dekoni Elite Leather pads and the bass really came through. My son loves the sound of them.
Trust me.. No body on youtube is presenting as intellectually and accurately as you do.. At least i have not seen anyone in youtube. You are totally quantifying the headphones total performance. You are able to do that because you are keeping a lot of things in mind while analysing.. I have meticulously watched reviews of focal stellia and clear, and meze emperian.... But i always felt i could not the final answer... Finally you gave me the answer.. I have one request for you.. Please review neumann ndh 20 whenever possible for you... I will be waiting for your review....
Wave your doing some pretty cool content keep it up! Is agree with your takes on focal the build quality and technical performance is quite good. I own the Clear Og and Celestee and have heard the Stellia and Utopia. I use an r2r Dac and a warm amp that smooths out the og clear so I get none of the metallic qualities that people sometimes complain about. I got both used for great values and per the $ they are the best headphones I’ve owned.
The staging on the Celestee is very tight but I think the imagine is fantastic and In many songs the intimate staging actually increases the perceived resolution. Thinks like jazz, acoustic, blue grass, or any live performances sounds incredible on the Celestee.
Thanks for the review, very helpful. I own Focal Clears (paired with Chord Qutest), i love them, but find with some recordings that they are just too bright for me (older, perhaps poorer recordings, maybe rock tracks the worst), so i also bought some Audeze LCD2C's (new version) that i use with the tracks that cause me most problems and this works pretty well, but the vast majority of the time i use the Clears as they are just a much better headphone and i particularly enjoy the Focal 'dynamism', which is very much lost with the Audeze. However your video has got me thinking whether it was worth me buying the Radiance (and selling the LCD2C's). I'd get the dynamism back but would i get enough warmth, in your opinion ?? Other thought was to sell both the Clears and the LCD2C's and stretch to the Stellia's - would you think that might be a better plan, giving me the best of both worlds or perhaps there are other 'warm' headphones that are superior to the LCD2C's that you might recommend instead?
01:30 I'd seen the Focal Elagia as low as $350 usd, at that price, you just change the goddamn cable it comes with and swap to the dekoni sheepskin pads and you have an absolutely excellent headphone that punches way above it's weight.
As always, it's totally subjective! For aome it's an upgrade, for some it's a downgrade to the Clear. Personally (owning the clear) and looking at measurements i don't think it's even worth thinking about spending hundreds of dollars for changing to a can which could be such a small improvement or a small disappointment.
@@newsigmundfreud3023 mg has more resolution. The og sounds identical to hd650 with a treble airness. The mg has more Soundstage and better imaging and is a better headphone. I suggest get the mg and a cheap used pair of hd650
Guys!! Make sure you burn in Focals before assessing it! My Focal Clear MG sounded 10x better after burning-in of about 10 hours. They even mention it on the official website.
@@newsigmundfreud3023 I think so many are sleeping on the radiance by being snobbish about the Bentley logo. Honestly it’s more fun to listen to than my Utopia and I don’t have the bass crackling issue at all.
@@mikeg2491 Absolutely agree with OP and you - the soundstage on the Radiance is surprisingly GOOD. It's the first headphone I've used in a while that startled me and made me take them off when I was watching a movie because I thought someone was in the room with me. They're phenomenal.
Not often do you see that many sets from the same "House" compared at one time. Nice!
i just ordered Radiance, cant wait, i hope it will be good to rock and symphonic
Hello sir, do you use it for movies too ? And outside ?
What do you think of the Radiance a year later?
@@thediplomat3137 not much different with Celestee, not worth paying more
@@jyexe525 I use mine daily for everything. I think its great for movies so long as you're realistic with what to expect from Radiance.
Staging is pretty much a bubble. Compared to consumer grade headphones I have its got way wider soundstage but not as much as open back headphones.
Where Radiance shines is the dynamic aspects. Very immersive and I don't think a lot of planar headphones can compare to Radiance in that area.
I got a Radiance and then a Clear MG like a week or 2 later, I spent as much time as I could using the Radiance before my Clear MG arrived. I basically wanted the Clear MG but the wait time was supposedly 6 weeks and I wanted some closed backs to upgrade my DT 700 Pro X and the Radiance turned up really quick, and I was blown away. I think I was mostly impressed by the Radiance because of the sub bass compared to other headphones I've used, and it's soundstage is very good for a closed back. But the Clear MG to me, coming from a Sundara for my open back, it sounded kind of like a Sundara on steroids, it actually has sub bass, and punchier bass, while instruments sound more realistic with a tiny bit more soundstage, at least to my ears.
I'm using a Schiit Asgard 3 and Bifrost 2/64 which obviously Amp and DAC can determine soundstage, bass punchiness and timbre a lot, and maybe they just shine more with the Clear MG, but I thought the Clear MG sounded more natural, and accurate, but the Radiance was very fun, like good punchy car speakers on your head, or like surround sound speakers almost, the are the closest to actual monitors of any headphone I've used, though I've not used many.
I just got the Radiance a few days ago. I have several open backs, such as the HEKv2 Stealth, Empyrean, HD 800S, LCD-X, DT 1990, 99 Classics, HD 650, HD 58X, but the Radiance does something that none of them can do - it's magical in the way it presents and makes you feel sound around you. There is a 3-dimensionality and cohesiveness to sounds that the other headphones don't do, really. Sure, it's not as clear as say the HEKv2 Stealth, but it's almost as if you're sitting in a room with the instruments surrounding you, compared to sitting in a hall with speakers being pointed at just your ears.
The bass on them, while not as fast or clean as the planars, is substantial and extremely fun. It doesn't overtake the rest of the frequencies, either. These headphones make me feel the music instead of just hearing it. The last closed back I used was the 99 Classics, but the Radiance practically shits all over the 99s with ease. It's just superior.
I just have one problem - I've yet to try a ZMF, and the Radiance has me curious what a Verite Closed sounds like. That'll likely be my next set. I'm absolutely astounded at what a good closed back can do, after years of pretty much staying away from them because I was convinced open backs were superior in every way.
@@DukeLetoIII That is really well put. The thing I love about the Radiance is that it is just super fun, slammy and thumpy, while also very clean, the Clear MG does sound noticeably cleaner, but you lose that sub bass rumble in favor of tighter bass, so I swap between them a lot. The Clear MG I just find that little bit better for gaming as it's easier to hear where things are going on due to the clarity and also the slightly more open soundstage, but I don't feel like I'm losing anything super crucial if using one over the other.
I came from a Hifiman Sundara as my main headphone before the Radiance and Clear MG, and despite the Radiance being closed back, it's actually a great upgrade from a Sundara if you ask me. It's got everything I liked the Sundara for but vocals sound less distant, and the sub bass rumble is so awesome. I can't get enough of listening to either of them. In my original comment I compared the Clear MG to the Sundara, and it's definitely like a better version of it to me, noticeably cleaner, and little punchier, with a little more of those low frequencies, while also open back. The Radiance however is probably a better upgrade if you like the Sundara a lot.
I also swapped my Asgard 3 out for a Jotunheim 2 and got a balanced cable to test all 3 pairs, I sold my DT 700 Pro X a little bit ago though. Jot 2 is a lot more punchy and makes the Radiance sound utterly ridiculous.
Welp, I've had the Radiance for 3 months now, and I still love them for what they do best: bass and the 3D cohesiveness in a 180 degree arc to the sides and in front.
I've also since traded my Empyrean for a Verite Open. I wanted a closed, but I wasn't getting any bites except by someone who had the VO. I'm glad I did - this is an incredible headphone. The similarities to an HD800S is pretty interesting in that it has a very easy time with imaging, just with a somewhat smaller soundstage. However, the stage being smaller actually makes it sound more natural compared to the HD800. Another similarity is the fact that the VO doesn't have inherent sub bass - it's there, and certainly in more quantity than the 800S, but it favors imaging and a lushness to every sound instead of weighing in toward the lower regions more. I've EQ'd the sub bass up quite a bit, and it certainly can and does slam, just not nearly as much as the HE1000 and especially not as much as the Radiance. I've heard VO owners describe the sound as "lush" before I got it, and I now understand what that sounds and feels like. There is a natural-ness to the way the headphone conveys sounds that my other headphones can't achieve. I don't even miss the sub bass slam until I put on my other headphones. Again, it's there, just not as visceral as the other cans.
Lastly, the VO also does this interesting thing with layering sounds behind and in front of each other that the other headphones can kind of do but not like the VO does. There's a 3-dimensionality to it that is a bit different than how the Radiance does 3D. I now want to see what a ZMF headphone can do that is tuned for sub bass, so my next step will either be an Atrium open or closed.
Speaking of amps, I'm using an Xduoo TA-22, which is a tube hybrid amp. I upgraded to it from the OG Jotunheim, and it definitely adds space, depth, a bit more warmth (but not too much) and a holographic touch with the right tubes (Genelex Gold Lions in my case). I have a Darkvoice, but it doesn't get used a lot because I want something with a smaller, more refined footprint and sound - preferably a Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies 3rd gen. That'll be my next amp because these headphones sound insane with a proper tube amp pushing them.@@mttrashcan-bg1ro
The Eligia open box are $415 bought a set for my son. I added the Dekoni Elite Leather pads and the bass really came through. My son loves the sound of them.
Hello Thanks for the great reviewing. Do you think there is a need to drive Stellia? Could I drive it with my iphone directly?
Trust me.. No body on youtube is presenting as intellectually and accurately as you do.. At least i have not seen anyone in youtube. You are totally quantifying the headphones total performance. You are able to do that because you are keeping a lot of things in mind while analysing..
I have meticulously watched reviews of focal stellia and clear, and meze emperian.... But i always felt i could not the final answer... Finally you gave me the answer..
I have one request for you.. Please review neumann ndh 20 whenever possible for you... I will be waiting for your review....
Which would be the best for Trance music?
I run Stellia with ifi pro ican and also use EQ.
It’s amazing
Hi, i also have stellia and a ifi zen dac. Whats quind of Eq do you use?
@@santcer I use EQ in Roon software
Wave your doing some pretty cool content keep it up! Is agree with your takes on focal the build quality and technical performance is quite good. I own the Clear Og and Celestee and have heard the Stellia and Utopia. I use an r2r Dac and a warm amp that smooths out the og clear so I get none of the metallic qualities that people sometimes complain about. I got both used for great values and per the $ they are the best headphones I’ve owned.
The staging on the Celestee is very tight but I think the imagine is fantastic and In many songs the intimate staging actually increases the perceived resolution. Thinks like jazz, acoustic, blue grass, or any live performances sounds incredible on the Celestee.
Thanks for the review, very helpful. I own Focal Clears (paired with Chord Qutest), i love them, but find with some recordings that they are just too bright for me (older, perhaps poorer recordings, maybe rock tracks the worst), so i also bought some Audeze LCD2C's (new version) that i use with the tracks that cause me most problems and this works pretty well, but the vast majority of the time i use the Clears as they are just a much better headphone and i particularly enjoy the Focal 'dynamism', which is very much lost with the Audeze.
However your video has got me thinking whether it was worth me buying the Radiance (and selling the LCD2C's). I'd get the dynamism back but would i get enough warmth, in your opinion ?? Other thought was to sell both the Clears and the LCD2C's and stretch to the Stellia's - would you think that might be a better plan, giving me the best of both worlds or perhaps there are other 'warm' headphones that are superior to the LCD2C's that you might recommend instead?
Thanks! My guess is Radiance will be the sweetspot for you. Stellia might have some of the same drawbacks as Clears. Good luck!
Might be late but try Focal Clear Mg, the brightness is more laid back. I sometimes have problems with it too, but not with these headphones.
@@wavetheorysound WHY doesn’t Focal burn-in all their phones BEFORE they package them for shipping?
01:30 I'd seen the Focal Elagia as low as $350 usd, at that price, you just change the goddamn cable it comes with and swap to the dekoni sheepskin pads and you have an absolutely excellent headphone that punches way above it's weight.
I have the focal clear worth upgrading to focal mg?
Yes, from what I have read many places.
As always, it's totally subjective! For aome it's an upgrade, for some it's a downgrade to the Clear. Personally (owning the clear) and looking at measurements i don't think it's even worth thinking about spending hundreds of dollars for changing to a can which could be such a small improvement or a small disappointment.
@@joggometer5393 What are the “betterness” between the 2?
@@newsigmundfreud3023 mg has more resolution. The og sounds identical to hd650 with a treble airness. The mg has more Soundstage and better imaging and is a better headphone. I suggest get the mg and a cheap used pair of hd650
יש לי כמה. שלחתי בחזרה את הclear.
יש לי יותר טובות. ישתבח שמו.
Guys!! Make sure you burn in Focals before assessing it! My Focal Clear MG sounded 10x better after burning-in of about 10 hours. They even mention it on the official website.
lol you look terrified in the first few seconds
Focal pointing guns at him probably
*Radiance has MOST SOUND STAGE than any Focal.*
HOW DO YOU "KNOW" THIS?
@@RafiGish I have experience with all of them, and many reviewers confirmed it.
@@newsigmundfreud3023 I think so many are sleeping on the radiance by being snobbish about the Bentley logo. Honestly it’s more fun to listen to than my Utopia and I don’t have the bass crackling issue at all.
@@mikeg2491 Absolutely agree with OP and you - the soundstage on the Radiance is surprisingly GOOD. It's the first headphone I've used in a while that startled me and made me take them off when I was watching a movie because I thought someone was in the room with me. They're phenomenal.
More sound stage than open back clear and utopia?