Focal Listen Pro Closed-Back Headphones

I purchase these headphones after being recommended them by a sales assistant who owned a pair. Unfortunately for me they were unusable for the genre of music I was trying to produce.I would not say that these are bad production headphones but I would not say they have the most even frequency response from my personal opinion. For someone trying to create a lot of electronic music, the lower frequencies are almost non existent and far too thin and dry to be heard in the mix.I did send these back and exchange them for the audio technica m50x which I would say I am happy with and they are definitely usable for most genres however they are a tad too bass prominent. After my research (and not being able to try them I'm person) I would believe the beyerdynamic ... MoreI purchase these headphones after being recommended them by a sales assistant who owned a pair. Unfortunately for me they were unusable for the genre of music I was trying to produce.I would not say that these are bad production headphones but I would not say they have the most even frequency response from my personal opinion. For someone trying to create a lot of electronic music, the lower frequencies are almost non existent and far too thin and dry to be heard in the mix.I did send these back and exchange them for the audio technica m50x which I would say I am happy with and they are definitely usable for most genres however they are a tad too bass prominent. After my research (and not being able to try them I'm person) I would believe the beyerdynamic dt770pro would probably be the best budget production headphones (as most review say they have a great wide soundstage and impressive imaging/immersive sound. It seems from reviews that the beyerdynamic also reproduce these lower and sub frequencies a lot better than most headphones but with more clarity and also fuller, more separated miss.I definitely wouldn't knock the audio technica but if I was going back on a choice for purely well priced studio headphones I would probably go for the beyerdynamic. If you are looking for a great priced studio and everyday listening headphones I would say get the audio technica m50x. If you are looking for headphones with good miss and highs and are not in need of lower frequency punch these may be the headphones for you but from my own experience I would go for one of the cheaper options!

Audiophile quality for beats price

First off . Comes in a good hardcase with 2 cables . 1 coiled and 1 straight with phone controls . The focals are well made . Earpads are really comfy and fit nicely . At times i had forgot i was wearing them . Using a fiio mk3 for digital output on the go . Mostly 16bit wav tracks but some 24bit . Highs and middle exceptional for this price . Bass is punchy but not in your face . For me just right . And i listen to a lot of psytrance . Sound settings are on normal . Flat . No need for any enhancement . These 2 units work beautifully together . I have also run the focals through my Cambridge Audio setup and its magical . Everything is crystal clear . And , as others have said , hearing parts of music not attained before . You can get better of course but for the ... MoreFirst off . Comes in a good hardcase with 2 cables . 1 coiled and 1 straight with phone controls . The focals are well made . Earpads are really comfy and fit nicely . At times i had forgot i was wearing them . Using a fiio mk3 for digital output on the go . Mostly 16bit wav tracks but some 24bit . Highs and middle exceptional for this price . Bass is punchy but not in your face . For me just right . And i listen to a lot of psytrance . Sound settings are on normal . Flat . No need for any enhancement . These 2 units work beautifully together . I have also run the focals through my Cambridge Audio setup and its magical . Everything is crystal clear . And , as others have said , hearing parts of music not attained before . You can get better of course but for the money , show me where . I love these . My wonderful , on the go , quality phones . For the money , in my humble but honest opinion , you cannot buy better ....

Heavy, uncomfortable, not suited for mixing

After much research, I chose the Focal Listen as mixing headphones. They were well-reviewed for this purpose, but one source did say they had an unnatural bump in the mids rendering them useless for mixing. I should've listened. It makes for a warm sound for listening to music, especially nice analogue recordings from the 60s and 70s, but not for critical listening.On top of that, they're very tight and very, very heavy. Couldn't wear them for more than 20 or 30 minutes, max.If you want to listen to Beggar's Banquet in your comfy chair in the dark, these are your headphones. But not really anything else, sadly.

Pleasant sounding, but not musically honest

I own a pair of Focal CMS65 active nearfield monitors. I really find them honest and reproduce recordings of my own performances honestly...and give me a pretty good idea of what I did right and what I screwed up (I am a member of a major US symphony orchestra and soloist on my instrument). Therefore,after reading about these new cans from Focal, which is so well respected within the pro recording and pro music biz, I decided to spring for these $300 Listen Professional headphones. A very reasonable price for some good headphones. Rather disappointing on several fronts. Just as I do whenever I purchase any new audio component, I first played these in 24/7 for six days. Then I listened. First, a comfort issue. Small ear cups and so strongly sprung, that after I have ... MoreI own a pair of Focal CMS65 active nearfield monitors. I really find them honest and reproduce recordings of my own performances honestly...and give me a pretty good idea of what I did right and what I screwed up (I am a member of a major US symphony orchestra and soloist on my instrument). Therefore,after reading about these new cans from Focal, which is so well respected within the pro recording and pro music biz, I decided to spring for these $300 Listen Professional headphones. A very reasonable price for some good headphones. Rather disappointing on several fronts. Just as I do whenever I purchase any new audio component, I first played these in 24/7 for six days. Then I listened. First, a comfort issue. Small ear cups and so strongly sprung, that after I have them on for more than ten minutes, the pressure on either side of my head is unbearable. But I can overlook that if the musical result makes it worthwhile to put up with some physical discomfort. However, these headphones dont deliver what was promised...musical honesty. In order to give an honest, informed assessment of a new audio component, I need to use recordings in which I participated. Then I can really know whether or not they are accurate. These are pleasant and inoffensive sounding, which may appeal to listeners who are not necessarily looking for honest musical reproduction. They sound nice. But...when a recording of a solo contrabassoon and piano sounds as big as a full symphony orchestra playing Dmitri Shostakovichs 8th Symphony, we have a serious musical editorial issue. Perhaps the worst sin of these headphones, is that they equalize the overall sonic picture. Listening to massed voices, I cannot distinguish those grating difference tones that can actually hurt to listen to (being on stage sitting in front of an excellent very large chorus can feel like a knife through your head due to the harmonic structures of all the voices battling each other). I hear these very honestly with my reference $500 Neumann NDH-20 headphones (the most musically honest headphones I have yet heard), as well as my $99.99 Tascam Th-07 cans, which are very, very good. I could go on and describe the usual audiophile speak that isusually the meat of any headphone review. But that has nothing to do with what music sounds like. You dont hear specs. You hear what is supposed to be an accurate recreation of what happened at the original recording session. Hall acoustics, low level harmonic structures of instruments and voices, the difference between a small instrumental group vs a 105 member symphony orchestra. With any audio component, I either hear music, or I dont. Sadly, with these new headphones from a very well respected manufacturer, I dont hear any of this. I hear pleasant, but I dont hear music.

Review of Focal Listen Professional Closed Back Reference Headphones (32ohm)

Excellent audio quality, very detailed sound without being overly harsh, in a comfortable closed headphone design. Ideal for use while tracking and mixing, which is what I bought the headphones for (for general listening though, I think I'll stick to my Sony WH-MX1000-3 which are more consumer oriented). Excellent headphones.

Satisfied!

The headphones are very well made. Resistant and quality material and above all they are foldable!! This is probably the compromise with the design, which lacks a bit of eleganceSounds is great for this price range. I would say unbeatable! Cushions are well protecting from external noise. They tend to make ears warm, but bearable. I would have personally preferred a black color for the cushion.The top is about accessories: the carry case in very good material, also well designed. Two cables, remote control..what else? I would say Well Done!

Studio Headphones

Superb headphones for the price. Brilliant build quality. Very tight fitting yet very comfortable. Great balanced sound that is neutral.

Superior Clear Sounds

Crystal clear tones in Bass, Midrange and Highs. Songs now experience a new range of tones I've not heard before.I also use these headphones on my $15K Roland V506 electric drum sound system that bring out the brilliant sounds.Well made and looks good.

Well-Played

If you want headphones that are accurate and don't overly color your music, these are a nice option. From Focal: Their tonal balance and precision in terms of audio spectrum make them perfect to evaluate the sound work quality. I wanted headphones to give me the music as produced without a lot of added bass or other tonal enhancement. These met my expectations. Just make sure you have some power to back them up. Plugging them into your phone, tablet, or computer is not recommended. I did this to see how they would perform and it was not good. Once hooked up to my dedicated headphone amp, they sounded great.