Focal Shipping New “Listen Professional” Headphones
New “Listen Professional” headphones designed for music production are now shipping
Montreal, Canada —Focal has released their new “Listen Professional” headphone model built for music production. The ‘Listen Professional’ headphones are packed with Focal expertise. For six years, the French manufacturer’s design knowledge in high-performance transducers has been directed at a new specialty: headphones. ‘Listen Professional’ over ear closed back headphones are the essential work tool for music production. They confirm Focal’s ambition to establish itself as a leader in the professional headphone market. The ‘Listen Professional’ headphones are now shipping, US street price is $299.
With ‘Listen Professional’ headphones, sound engineers have total control over their work, whether they’re in the studio or traveling on a business trip. Besides their undisputable acoustic performance, the headphones also provide maximum comfort. Available at an affordable price, these headphones will amaze users with their high-quality audio and dynamics, which can often only be experienced with more expensive headphones. The tonal balance and the capacity to reproduce an extremely wide audio spectrum with precision make them an essential ally for monitoring and audio transfers. The comfort they provide and the accessories supplied make the ‘Listen Professional’ headphones appealing to those travel a lot as well.
Like the new Focal ‘Clear Professional’ headphones, ‘Listen Professional’ is also equipped with a headband boasting a unique design to ensure comfort and durability. It’s curve remains consistent, regardless of the shape or size of the user’s head. Combined with the layer of silicone underneath the headband, this ensures that the weight is spread out evenly over the head, preventing the user from feeling any pressure in any specific area, which is often very uncomfortable during long working sessions.
Professional headphones are synonymous with frequent and intense use. Therefore, extensive research was undertaken prior to the design phase in order to guarantee high mechanical reliability. Proof of this is the headband’s capacity to withstand all sorts of strain on all of the 53 components. The horizontal and vertical rotation of the ear cups operate thanks to one single part: a joint integrated into each one. The ear cups also feature a black structured covering, making them resistant to impacts and scratching.
‘Listen Professional’ headphones give a nod to the brand’s monitoring loudspeakers when it comes to tonal balance and its color code. The black structure combined with the burgundy on the ear cushions and under the headband is reminiscent of the famous finish of the Focal Solo6 Be, Twin6 Be and Trio6 Be loudspeakers.
Focal’s numerous exclusive patents and technologies are proof of the extreme attention the French manufacturer pays to design its speaker drivers. The transducer in ‘Listen Professional’ headphones proves this as they have been given a newly developed cone. The goal was to provide a solution, which respects the dynamics of the original signal, while reproducing the details of the recording with precision, whether in the low end or the high end. Combining these three criteria into professional headphones in this price range was a true feat. And to succeed, Focal drew its inspiration from the research it carried out when developing its Elear and Utopia headphones on a real miniature full-range speaker driver. This time, the speaker driver has been given a 100% Mylar suspension, whereas the central dome is composed of a Mylar/ Titanium alloy to provide more rigidity and extended frequency response in the upper end of the spectrum. Thus, the moving part is extremely light, enabling the transducer to exceed 40kHz on a flat baffle. The reproduction of the bass and sub-bass registers also received a great deal of attention. The team of engineers managed to combine two factors, which are difficult to make compatible: a tuning frequency, which is as low as possible, and extremely low distortion (0.3% at 1kHz – 100dB).
The choice of the material used for the ear cushions was also carefully chosen. Microfibre became the obvious choice due to the material’s low resistivity. On an acoustic level, this results in an extremely linear bass. This is a crucial aspect because one of the main intentions for these closed-back headphones is to use them for checking the bass register while freeing oneself from the acoustic constraints of the work environment. The ear cushions are to headphones what the control room is to monitoring loudspeakers. Where a pair of monitors interacts with the room’s acoustics, the same goes for the headphone’s speaker drivers and the ear cushions.
The research that went into developing Elear and Utopia headphones again proved beneficial for the more affordable ‘Listen Professional’ model. Although these are closed-back headphones, Focal wanted them to sound lively, and offer an experience similar to semi-open headphones, with the additional benefit of the isolation provided by closed- back designs. The size of the ear cushions (height, width and depth) gives them a volume that makes it possible to achieve very balanced acoustics.
To succeed in this challenge, Focal had to choose two materials whose proportions were wisely spread out inside the ear cushions. Microfibre provides a more linear bass register and favors acoustic output, whereas the acoustic tissue, which is closer to the speaker driver, offers great absorption and linearity in the 3-9kHz register. The bass and also the lower mid-range registers benefit from remarkable tonal balance and excellent articulation: where compression and frequency response generally suffer on closed-back headphones. The upper mid-range has great precision and high definition in order to emphasize any imperfections in the equalization or the adjustment of the levels of the various tracks in relation to one another.
Finally, comfort was once again put in the spotlight. The heat-sensitive, very high-density memory foam used for ‘Listen Professional’ perfectly molds to heads of all shapes and sizes, including the area under the ears. This prevents any acoustic leaks, ensuring a perfect reproduction of the bass register.
The goal with ‘Listen Professional’ was to meet the demands of sound engineers and music producers, whether they are used for everyday studio work or during a business trip. For this reason, a rigid carrying case is supplied with the headphones. Relatively compact, it ensures a high level of protection against impacts. There’s also room for a cable and an iLok® key. Two low impedance OFC cables are also supplied with ‘Listen Professional’. The 16ft (5m) coiled cable with 3.5mm jack plugs at each end is the ideal cable for professional use. A 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm jack adapter is also provided for using the headphones on a mixing console or audio interface. A second, straight cable (4.5ft / 1.4m) equipped with a multi-function remote control and an omnidirectional microphone is supplied for using Listen Professional with a smartphone. Both of these cables feature a locking mechanism to prevent the cables from accidentally becoming disconnected.
For more information on Focal Professional headphones, please visit https://www.focal.com/en/headphones-0/headphones.
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Focal Release New “Clear Professional” Reference Headphones
Focal releases new high-end “Clear Professional” reference headphones with listening quality aimed to match the ‘best monitor speakers in a room with perfect acoustics’
Montreal, Canada — Focal has released their new high-end “Clear Professional” reference headphones with listening quality aimed to match the ‘best monitor speakers in a room with perfect acoustics’. Focal affirms its position as an innovative manufacturer with the arrival of its very first open-back, circumaural professional headphones, designed and manufactured in France. The result of research and development that began with the Company’s Elear and Utopia high-end headphones, the goal for these high-end headphones is to become the undisputed leaders for the most demanding audio production professionals. The ‘Clear Professional’ reference headphones are now shipping, US street price is $1,699.00.
In 2016, Focal launched its Elear and Utopia headphones, whose major innovation was the first completely openback full range electro-dynamic transducer. This technological advance meant that it was possible to eliminate the distortion generated by the vents, at the same time guaranteeing an absence of dynamic compression related to them. Two years later, Focal now reveals ‘Clear Professional’. These open over-ear headphones incorporate a remarkable evolution of the speaker and an extremely open design aiming to make the headphones disappear, to the benefit of the sound.
‘Clear Professional’ headphones are so comfortable that the user forgets they are wearing them, and the listening experience, like listening to the best monitor speakers, takes over. ‘Clear Professional’ headphones take their place as a key staple for the most demanding professionals. These professional headphones have just one, unique objective: to be the ultimate tool for music production.
“Clear Professional” Headphone Strengths:
- Remarkable tonal balance over the entire spectrum
- Bass articulation, down to the very lowest frequencies
- Great detail in the high frequencies
- A listening experience very close to a pair of monitor speakers
- Comfort and ergonomics
- Design and materials used
- Excellent performance connected to a laptop computer
- 2 cables provided, for each type of use
- Rigid carrying case provided
‘Clear Professional’ uses a new generation of Focal’s 40mm fullrange speaker. A 24.5mm diameter, 5.5mm long unsupported copper coil has been developed. This major innovation weighs just 100mg. The material chosen, copper, has the effect of achieving an extremely high magnetic field in the coil. With this, the moving parts are always under control, even at maximum capacity, providing bass articulation worthy of the best subwoofers. Its 55-Ohm impedance makes ‘Clear Professional’ easy to drive, even in a mobile configuration, directly connected to the headphone output of a laptop. The proprietary 75-micron suspension combines very low mass with high elongation. It contributes to exceptional impulse response with breakup raised to 24kHz. Thus, high frequencies are extremely linear and transients are reproduced accurately. ‘Clear Professional’ headphones are capable of precisely revealing the tiniest details of the recording, providing extremely precise control so the user can hear the most subtle changes.
One of the reasons why work on headphones is significantly different from that on a pair of monitor speakers is the waveform generated by the loudspeaker and the listening distance. Whether an inverted dome or a positive dome is used, a listening distance measured in centimeters requires a total rethink of the form of the dome to obtain a plane wave in an extremely close field. Focal’s 35 years of experience have resulted in a new generation of domes, launched on Elear and Utopia headphones: the “Mprofile” dome. Formed of an Aluminum/Magnesium alloy, it offers an ideal ratio, combining low mass, high rigidity, and excellent damping. It is when you listen that you understand the full meaning of 'M' geometry: breadth and dynamics worthy of the best monitors are truly on offer. Focal made the most of this decisive advantage when it designed some of the most open headphones ever, thanks to very particular work on the ear cushions.
An overwhelming factor governing one’s ability to work with headphones is their acoustic impedance. What this means is that, in addition to their weight, users identify wearing headphones, even open models, as a change of space resulting in the sensation of leaving the room and going into a lower volume room. The design of ‘Clear Professional’ solves this problem, thanks to their new microfiber ear cushions. The ear pads are to the headphones what the room is to acoustic speakers. Their onemillimeter diameter microperforations on the outside edge give a level of openness that is unequaled at this price range. The sensation of listening in the room, and not through headphones, is intensified. The second benefit to this design is its extreme tolerance to ear cushion positioning, regardless of head profile and size. This degree of openness also provides the benefit of excellent readability of upper bass and low midrange registers, typically where headphones usually find their limits in comparison with monitors.
At the same time, the ear cushions are also designed to define a ‘listening room’ acoustic. Here, special care was taken to the ratio between absorption and diffusion, in order to offer a ‘control room’ with ideal acoustics. This resulted in a very specific design of the inside of the ear cushion. A very open acoustic fabric over 50% of the height of the cushion generates absorption, while the perforated microfiber on the remaining 50% controls acoustic diffusion.
On the design side, the finish of the ear cushions is reprised under the headband, giving black leather to the top and burgundy perforated microfiber below, in a gentle homage by the French manufacturer to its SM6 range of monitor speakers.
Focal has developed a constant curvature headband design, regardless of listener head size. The weight of the headphones is evenly distributed over the head, the support being concentrated into one or two points. The solid Aluminum yoke is coated with industrial-quality matte black paint offering not only sleek design by also resistance to impacts and scratches. The yoke is also free from the traditional vertical rotation mechanism, which has been transferred to the headband for even greater comfort. The asymmetry of the yoke’s attachment points to the ear pads provides optimal clamping force distribution, thus ensuring an excellent fit, especially under the ears, to avoid any sound leakage translating as significant losses in the bass. The high resilience memory foam used in the ear cushions ensures a perfect fit to the face. This guarantees tonal stability and extra comfort for all.
‘Clear Professional’ headphones come with two cables so that users have the best solution for their device of choice. These oxygen-free copper 24 AWG (American Wire Gauge) cables offer very low resistance and therefore high acoustic transparency. The first cable, a 5m spiral for use in the studio connected to a mixing console, for example. The second, 1.2m in length, is fitted with a 3.5mm stereo jack connector, a good cable choice for people on the move, ensuring very high-quality reproduction connected to a compact audio interface using the 3.5mm to 6.35mm jack adapter. It can also be directly connected to a computer headphone output, where its low 55-Ohm impedance gives it a decisive advantage. The headset itself is equipped with two locking 3.5mm mono jack sockets to secure the connection cable. The final ‘Clear Professional’ accessory is a rigid carrying case. Its thermoformed shell in the shape of the head phones protects them from impacts and the hazards associated with transport. It also has capacity to store one cable and an iLok® key (not provided), all within its compact dimensions.
The innovation implemented in the speakers in Elear and Utopia headphones is further strengthened with the arrival of ‘Clear Professional’. The very low mass of the moving parts of these three products has led to the design of a dedicated production line on Focal’s site in SaintÉtienne (France), ensuring exceptional levels of precision. When the five manufacturing stages of the speaker are complete, every transducer is tested and measured, after which they are paired. In this way, every pair of headphones has guaranteed speakers with a frequency response curve of +/ 0.5dB.
Focal continues its quest for the “acoustic absolute” with these new reference headphones. Their ability to reproduce every detail, their tonal balance, their remarkable dynamics and transient reproduction worthy of the best monitor speakers — this is why ‘Clear Professional’ headphones are a clear choice for the most demanding professionals.
For more information on Focal Professional headphones, please visit https://www.focal.com/en/headphones-0/headphones#pro.
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Focal Shipping New “Shape Twin” Monitors
One year after the launch of Shape 40, 50 and 65 monitors, Focal has expanded its monitoring range by releasing the line’s new benchmark product: Shape Twin.
Montreal, Canada — Focal has announced they are shipping the new “Shape Twin” monitors, expanding the Company’s Shape professional powered monitor series. This new standard bearer of the Focal Shape series features two passive radiators, woofers equipped with a new Flax cone, and the latest 'M'-shaped Aluminum/Magnesium inverted dome tweeter. Shape Twin is made in France, just like Shape 40, 50 and 65. Designed to meet the needs of near-field monitoring, these monitors combine an ingenious design and numerous settings optimized for the acoustics of small listening rooms. Shape Twin stands out through its excellent rendering over the whole audio spectrum, its broad frequency response in the low end, and its high SPL considering its size. The compact design makes it easy to integrate even into the most cramped of rooms. Finally, its 2.5-way design gives it a decisive advantage when it comes to controlling the bass and lower mid-range registers, which are the hardest to control in small rooms. The new Shape Twin monitors are now shipping, US street price is $1099. each.
Like its predecessors, Shape Twin sets itself apart at first glance through its unique design. The front and top of the MDF cabinets are finished with an authentic, natural stained, walnut veneer. The curved shape of the top of each loudspeaker was calculated specifically for each monitor in order to ensure a linear frequency response in the high end. The natural wood finish recalls the finishes of Focal Twin6 Be studio monitors, and perfectly complements the new flax cones.
Developing speaker driver cone technologies is part of Focal’s core expertise. The Flax sandwich cones used for the woofers are composed of two materials: glass fibers and flax fibers. A layer of flax fibers is sandwiched between two layers of glass fibers. Glass fiber cones were also used on the “W” composite sandwich cone of the SM6 and SM9 series, and are revered for their high rigidity considering their light-weight. The sandwich cone needs to provide good damping while being as light as possible. Flax fibers are twice as light as glass fibers as they’re hollow. What’s more, they also have very low elasticity. This increases the speaker driver’s Young’s modulus when in an excursion, an essential property to ensure a piston-like action even in the very low end. Finally, it is composed of 80% cellulose which gives it excellent damping properties. So, it was only natural for us to choose this material. This new technology has proven to be a considerable improvement over the Polyglass cone in terms of weight, rigidity, and damping.
TMD Suspension: New finite element method simulation tools have enabled us to identify an essential component, which could be improved: the suspension. The solution actually came from the world of civil engineering and famous skyscrapers, such as Taipei 101. It consists of a 660-tonne steel sphere suspended to a pendulum at the top of the building. It acts as a harmonic absorber to ensure the stability of the building in strong winds. TMD suspension is based on the same principle: to optimize harmonic absorption to ensure a piston-like action for the whole audio spectrum reproduced. Thus, two rings have been integrated into the suspension. The diameter and location of these rings are determined according to the flexibility of the suspension, its elongation, its resonance frequency and the targeted frequency response curve of the speaker driver in excursion. This technology provides a linear frequency response curve between 1 and 2kHz, while significantly reducing distortion in the same range. With this, the mid-range register benefits from remarkable neutrality. It also contributes to the excellent precision of the overall stereo image.
Neutral Inductance Circuit: The magnetic field is very difficult to control because it’s modulated by three factors: the movement of the voice coil, the current passing through it and the frequency. Consequently, the voice coil and the moving part take support on the magnetic field which becomes too "flexible", and this eventually leads to a loss of precision. This is where the recourse to finite element method simulation tools pays off. It made it possible to visualize these complex interactions and enabled us to come up with an extremely stable magnetic circuit: N.I.C. technology (Neutral Inductance Circuit). This solution consists in a Faraday ring whose dimensions, materials, and positioning have been optimized so that the magnetic field is no longer affected by the position of the voice coil, by the amperage or by the frequency of the current passing through it. This also increases frequency response in the high end of the spectrum, thus optimizing the crossover with the tweeter while reducing harmonic distortion and inter-modulation.
New Tweeter: Focal has further improved its famous Aluminum/ Magnesium inverted dome tweeter by coming up with two significant mechanical innovations: the new 'M'- shaped dome and the new suspension, like that used on the tweeters of the SM6 and SM9 lines. The inverted 'M'-shaped dome offers two major advantages. Its directivity is even less that of the inverted dome tweeter, allowing for more flexibility in terms of listening position. Mechanically speaking, the 'M' shape gives the dome much more rigidity while reducing distortion even more. In addition to this, the Poron® suspension provides a more linear frequency response curve below 6kHz, improving crossover with the woofer. The magnetic component has also been optimized thanks to a voice coil with a Kapton® frame which significantly reduces the Foucault current, and consequently, distortion. The horn housing the tweeter has been designed to provide equal horizontal and vertical directivity.
Double Passive Radiator: The 8" (21 cm) double passive radiator on Shape Twin monitors is an ingenious solution to a common issue encountered with near-field monitors: to combine a compact design, extended frequency response in the low end and comfortable positioning. Indeed, when ported systems meet their limits in terms of integration (a long-enough port to match its surface is required), the passive radiator is the ideal solution. However, rocking modes can often occur depending on the frequency and the volume. In order to compensate for this phenomenon, two U-shaped suspensions positioned opposite each other join the passive disk to the basket, ensuring perfect symmetry during excursion and incursion. Finally, the very low tuning frequency allows Shape Twin to be placed very close to a wall.
Electronics & Settings: Class AB amplification was the obvious choice for these monitors in order to provide optimal control over the audio signal’s dynamic range. Both 5" (13cm) woofers are powered by a dedicated 80W amplifier channel, which ensures tonal balance however high the volume. As for the settings, particular attention has been paid to integration, regardless of the room’s acoustics. Shape Twin features a comb filter for high and low frequencies (HF: +/- 3dB from 4.5kHz; LF +/- 6dB above 250Hz).
Accessories & Installation: Shape Twin comes with 4 adjustable decoupling spikes. The height of the front and rear spikes can be adjusted to solve any problems which are sometimes encountered due to the monitors not being at the same height as the listener. The angle changes the height of the soundstage to best suit the height of the sound engineer. A clever finishing touch to the spikes is their rubber coating. This improves isolation of the loudspeakers in relation to their support. Each monitor is supplied with three specific protective grilles for the two woofers and the tweeter. Particular attention has been paid to efficiency, with a design, which enables the grilles to be removed or assembled without tools. We haven’t forgotten the diversity of listening environments and set-ups, so. Shape Twin is equipped with fastening mechanisms on the back and underneath so that they can be mounted to the wall or ceiling.
Shape Twin’s five innovations are the source of the great acoustic performance of this professional work tool. The 2.5-way design brings out the best of two 5" speaker drivers. The woofer in the lower section of the cabinet is used for the 40-180Hz range, whereas the second transducer is dedicated to frequencies between 40Hz and 2.5kHz. Thus, the emissive surface dedicated to the bass frequencies is equivalent to that of an 8" subwoofer, with the extra advantage of being compact. The aptitude to work on the mid-range and upper mid-range is considerably increased with a 5" speaker driver compared to larger transducers. This physical advantage is further enhanced thanks to Flax cone technology whose damping properties are unrivaled in this price range.
Thus, the slightest lack or addition of information in this register is immediately emphasized, allowing engineers to achieve remarkably precise mixing and equalization. The sound of these new work tools distinguishes itself through the wide and extremely precise stereo image, facilitating the task of arranging the different tracks. What’s more, the bass register is articulated and controlled. Shape Twin’s 2.5-way “d’Appolito” configuration ensures extremely precise control of the bass and lower mid-range while making it easy to integrate into all interiors thanks to its low footprint. Finally, the new tweeter is what’s at the source of the very high definition. It efficiently reveals any hissing, and it’s also very precise in the very high end. This is why Shape Twin has become the standard-bearer and absolute reference to the Shape line.
For more information on Focal Professional monitors, please visit www.focal.com/en/pro-audio.
