Focal Listen Professional and Clear Professional

[Dusty Chalk]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1385863-REG/focal_fopro_lispro_listen_monitor_headphones.html

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/audio/news/namm-2018-focal-introduces-shape-twin-speakers-and-reference-headphones?utm_medium=Email 1663364&utm_campaign=PhotoShows&utm_source=NAMM2018 180125&utm_content=Retail&utm_term=focal-readarticle

[robm321]

Interesting...

 

[Bjorn]

It's just the regular ones painted black with fabulous, pinkish red accents, no? 

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Well, no, the Listen Professional is their first closed back headphones, and the Clear Professional...alright, the Clear Professional might be exactly that.  And I think even that is the lighting.

I edited the original post to add the actual article/advertisement from B&H Photo that I originally intended to link to.  Nothing in there to distinguish it technically from its predecessors, though.  Price point is different, nothing radical, maybe something about the included accessories.

[Kattefjaes]

Doesn't "professional" from Focal normally denote that they're more expensive, more ugly and come with different cables? Looking, that does seem to be the case with the Listen:

Normal:

• 4.60ft (1.4m) OFC cable with built-in remote and omnidirectional microphone
• Airplane adaptor

"Professional":

• 16ft (5m) coiled OFC cable
• 4.5ft (1.4m) OFC cable with remote control and omnidirectional mic
• 3.5mm stereo jack socket to 6.35mm stereo jack plug

It's weird that the 5m curly cable seems to be 3.5mm terminated. Wouldn't 6.35mm make more sense with the long stretchy cable, just for mechanical stability?

 

The deal appears to be similar with the Clear:

• 1 x 1.2m with 3.5mm stereo jack for connection to audiophile portable devices
• 1 x 3m with 6.35mm stereo jack connector
• 1 x 3m with XLR 4 pin symmetrical connector

and the Clear pro:

• A 5m spiral for domestic use
• A 1.2m cable fitted with a 3.5mm stereo jack connector
• 3.5mm and 6.35mm jack adapter

..though here the long curly cable at least terminates with a 6.35mm plug.

 

[Bjorn]

22 hours ago, Dusty Chalk said:

Well, no, the Listen Professional is their first closed back headphones, and the Clear Professional...alright, the Clear Professional might be exactly that.  And I think even that is the lighting.

I edited the original post to add the actual article/advertisement from B&H Photo that I originally intended to link to.  Nothing in there to distinguish it technically from its predecessors, though.  Price point is different, nothing radical, maybe something about the included accessories.

Untrue. There is a Listen and a Listen wireless that have been around for a while. You just haven't heard anything about them as they've been overshadowed by the more serious open-back models. 

[Dusty Chalk]

Okay, I stand corrected.