RECORDING November 2024 - 12

REVIEW
Focal Lensys
Professional Headphones
Family Comparisons
Side-by-side with the Listen Pro model,
the Lensys Pro is more sonically defined from
top to bottom, although the Lensys Pro is
perhaps a bit less forward and punchy. The
most significant difference I hear between
the two models is the upper mid-range of
the Listen Pro pushes forward a bit more viscerally-especially
hi-hats and snare hits. In
contrast, on the Lensys, they are more comfortably
seated in the soundstage.
While it might seem unfair to compare
What's in the Box?
The Lensys Professional comes with two
cables that click securely into the left earcup.
One is a 48 " (1.2 meters) straight
cable, and the other is a 10' (3 meters)
coiled cable. Each one terminates in a
3.5mm (1
/8
" ) headphone jack (on both
ends), and a 3.5mm to 6mm jack adapter
is included. The headphones and cables
fit snuggly in a thin 9.44 " (D) x 8.25 " (L) x
2.75 " (H) zippered clamshell case.
Sound
The sound of the Lensys Pro is big, full,
detailed and clear-four words that could
describe dozens of headphones. To clarify,
the low-end is bold, firm and deep, but
not hyped in any way. If you are looking
for a headphone that " brings the boom, "
these are not it, nor are they meant to be.
Rather, the low-end here, while reaching
down to 5 Hz, is more about clarity and
definition than it is about pushing rumbling
sub-frequencies to the foreground. This allows
you to discern and place critical elements
such as kick drum, bass guitar and
bass synths in a mix with less blurring or
masking of the lows.
The midrange is neutral and revealing,
and the high end is equally detailed with
a nice balance and width. Cymbals, guitar
strings and reverb tails are nicely discernable
without harshness.
12 RECORDING November 2024
the literal open, airy extension of an openback
model like the Clear MG Pro to a
closed-back design, both models interpret
my earlier adjectives of " big, full, detailed
and clear " in their own unique ways. That
said, the Lensys Pro offers a beautiful dimensional
soundstage that is closer to the
Clear MG Pro than I expected.
In the Studio
For about a month, I used the Lensys Pro
exclusively for tracking, overdubs and editing
in the studio (in addition to just listening
to music for enjoyment). The Lensys Pro
was very quick and comfortable to adjust
to sonically. Once I started using them for
said tasks, nothing made me question what
I was hearing, nor were they ever fatiguing
in day-long tracking or editing sessions. In
short, I never had the inclination to swap
them out for a different pair of headphones.
Isolation
Beyond the sound, I was exceptionally
impressed by how well the Lensys Pro
controls leakage during tracking. I had to
really push the levels and crank the mic on
a quiet passage to hear even the slightest
click bleed. This same isolation also works
in reverse, enabling you to track, mix and
listen at moderate levels while maintaining
clarity and presence with little worry of being
distracted by environmental noise.
Physical Comfort
Overall, the Lensys Pro is a very comfortable
headphone. It is not too heavy
and has a suitably firm clamping force.
While tracking vocals, I had to keep the
adjustable headband as high as possible
to prevent the bottom of the ear cup from
pressing on my upper jaw, which caused
slight jaw fatigue when set too low. This
issue only occurred while singing; there
was no discomfort in any other situation.
Conclusion
I am very impressed by the soundstage,
clarity and fullness of the new Focal Lensys
Professional model. I could easily see it
becoming my main tracking and travel set
of headphones. If you are looking for a set
of impeccably built, beautifully designed
and great-sounding closed-back dynamic
headphones for music mixing and creation,
the Focal Lensys Professional Headphones
should be on your short list.
Price: $699
More From: focal.com
http://www.lewitt-audio.com http://www.focal.com
RECORDING November 2024

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