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Head to head · for music listening
Focal Clear MG vs Utopia
More people recommend the Focal Clear MG overall (22 vs 15). None of the 13 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.
- Comments naming both
- 13
- Say they own both
- 0
- Choose the Clear MG
- 0
- Choose the Utopia
- 0
Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 13 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 10 review videos, harvested Sep 2026. A comment counts as a choice only when it says so in plain words (prefer X over Y, upgraded from Y to X); questions never count. Quotes are whole sentences of 12 words or fewer, linked to where they were said. How we count.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $1499cheaper | $4999 |
| Overall rank | #24higher | #28 |
| People who recommend it | 22more | 15 |
| Say they own it | 30more | 16 |
| Mentions | 255more | 181 |
| Type | open-back wired | open-back wired |
| Known for | DetailPunchNeeds amp | Detail-firstNeeds amp |
| Best for | The money-no-object pick people recommend for punch and warmth instead of analytical detail. | Recommended to detail-first listeners with a big budget and a good amp. |
| Buy | Amazon · $1499 | Amazon · $4999 |
#24 overall
Focal Clear MG
0 of the 13 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Punch and dynamics owners rate above any planar; several call it their daily driver over the Arya
- Warm, even tuning that makes every recording sound good, without fatiguing treble
- Built and finished like a luxury object
The complaints
- Price, and Focal's steep discounting means owners who paid full price feel burned
- Focal drivers can clip on very bass-heavy music at high volume
- Pads and headband discolour; cables wear
- The original Clear was cheaper and some prefer it
In their words
“I also love my Stellias, and focal Clear MG's”
A commenter under the GIANT headphone tier list (end of 2023) (The Headphone Show) · Dec 2023
“I love my Focal Clear MG Pro's”
A commenter under The Best Headphones for Mixing and Mastering (ALL Models Compared) (SonicScoop) · Aug 2023
“You could get a focal clear for under 500, in decent shape”
A commenter under The Best Value in Audiophile Headphones (The Headphone Show) · Aug 2025
#28 overall
Focal Utopia (2022)
0 of the 13 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Top-of-the-line resolution and detail
- Drums and dynamics that people describe as feeling right
- Intimate, precise imaging
The complaints
- Small soundstage for the price
- Bass quantity leaves some wanting
- Five thousand dollars
In their words
“If I had more money I would buy the Focal Diablo Utopia”
A commenter under Do EXPENSIVE Speakers SOUND BETTER? Focal Diablo Utopia Speaker Review (Andrew Robinson) · Jul 2021
“I really love my Focal Utopias”
A commenter under Oh, you thought AirPods Max were expensive? (DankPods) · Jul 2024
“I was able to grab the utopias for 1800 brand new”
A commenter under The Clear is STILL the best Focal Headphone! Focal Clear Review! (Joshua Valour) · May 2023
Questions people ask about this pair
Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.
- Is the Focal Clear MG better than the Focal Utopia?
- None of the 13 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 22 people recommend the Focal Clear MG and 15 the Focal Utopia. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
- Which is cheaper, the Focal Clear MG or the Focal Utopia?
- The Focal Clear MG is cheaper: $1499 against $4999 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the Focal Clear MG or the Focal Utopia?
- The Focal Clear MG: 22 people recommend it against 15. On the site-wide leaderboard the Focal Clear MG is #24 and the Focal Utopia is #28.
- Do people own both the Focal Clear MG and the Focal Utopia?
- Not that we found. Of the 13 comments naming both, 0 come from owners of the Focal Clear MG and 0 from owners of the Focal Utopia, and none says they own both.
- What do owners complain about on the Focal Clear MG and the Focal Utopia?
- The most repeated complaint about the Focal Clear MG: price, and Focal's steep discounting means owners who paid full price feel burned. About the Focal Utopia: small soundstage for the price. The full lists are on each side below.