Today I’m comparing the HEDDphone D1 and the Focal Clear, two open-back dynamics that end up in roughly the same price range in North America—Clear being officially discontinued, but still available through Headphones.com at a lower cost. Both sit loosely in “neutral territory,” but actually they differ more than I think some people would expect.
The Focal Clear has long been recognized for its sense of physicality. Looking at data from industry-standard systems like the 5128 can confirm that if you know what to look for: the real contributor to this quality is the subdued lower-treble region that helps the bass stand out, and a forward zone around 1–1.5 kHz that highlights the smack of transients.
The HEDDphone D1 aims for a more linear response. It carries slightly less bass elevation than the Clear and transitions more evenly across the mids and treble. It avoids the Clear’s 1 kHz push and leans brighter overall. In short, it comes across as less colored and closer to a clean, neutral reproduction.
The on-head data I’ve taken adds an extra layer to this. These measurements use in-ear microphones along with my own head-related transfer function, which has been removed from the result so that what remains is just the headphone’s behavior on my head. This removes the usual mismatch between a standardized fixture and a real listener. For the 5128, we're using the same microphones but with it's own HRTF measured at the ear canal entrance, so the measurements are comparable.
Broadly, the on-head results follow the same patterns as the rig data. The Clear still shows the interplay between its bass lift and relaxed lower treble. The D1 still measures as the smoother, more even headphone.
Where things diverge is in the finer details. The Clear’s treble roughness doesn’t present the same way for me; I don’t get a notable 6 kHz rise, and the mid-treble emphasis shifts upward into the upper-treble region. Meanwhile, the D1’s narrow-band sharpness—often reported around 5 kHz—isn’t something that appears in my on-head data at all.
Taken together, the Clear remains a headphone built around colorations that maximize impact and bass-forwardness, while the HEDDphone D1 is more focused on linearity and timbre. For my preferences and library, the D1 ends up being the more complete and usable headphone, so it comes out ahead here.
But for listeners who prioritize slam above all else, the Clear still delivers that quality better than almost anything.
If you want to see where these land among everything else we’ve tested, check out our Ranking Lists here on Headphones.com.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://headphones.com/blogs/reviews/focal-clear-vs-heddphone-d1