Did you make it to the end of his review? Crinacle adds this important point (emphasis added):
Are the pads different from the original Clear? Whose Clear Mgs are representative, mine or the others who received sets that measured almost exactly like the originals without a pads swap? Did I just get a dud set? If so, is there a chance that you , the buyer, would also get a set like this?
Edit: additionally, it’s not entirely clear from his impressions what’s going on with the pads. It seems as though he’s assuming that the Clear and the Clear Mg have the same pads, and based on your observations @ValentineLuke, the Clear Mg pads are of a different shape and size.
Then there’s the question of variation among pads. This is a potentially worrisome issue, if true. Focal seems to have form here: note the controversy on Drop about the Elex pad variations (the following comes from a Drop representative responding to complaints):
We understand how frustrating the situation with the Focal Elex replacement pads has been. We share in those frustrations and have been trying to come up with a satisfactory resolution for months.Our internal testing has confirmed that the latest batch of pads varies in weight from the “stock” pads by as much as 15%. Although we have reported these concerns to Focal, they have not offered us a substantive resolution at this time, and we’re continuing to try to work with them on a solution.
We also have the example of potentially different dimensions to the original Clear pads, as noted on our forum. And, as with Crinacle, the issue here may have to do with the aging of the pads and how that affects the pads’ size as well as the headphones’ sound. So the jury’s still out, I suppose.
I’ve ordered a new replacement pair of original Clear pads and will see how they compare to the original pads.