The Good The Focal Sphear is a lightweight, comfortable in-ear headphone that stays in your ears and sounds impressive for the price, with full bass and pleasantly crisp treble. Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2020. The drums on this track can sound overly bass-heavy on earphones that boost the deep lows too much. Focal Spark Review Introduction In their rather short foray into the headphone market, Focal has become my favorite brand for personal music enjoyment. The Focal Spark Wireless don't cost too much more than the £60 of their wired equivalents. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. He specializes in reviewing audio products, and is obsessed with headphones, speakers, and recording gear. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. AirPods Max vs. AirPods Pro: What's Apple's Best Pair of Noise-Cancelling Headphones? PCMag Digital Group. They offer a surprisingly bass-forward audio experience, given Focal's typically more balanced, accurate approach. The outer two buttons are dedicated volume up and down controls that work in conjunction with your mobile device's master volume levels. There’s not much ceremony here, although in use the se… If you scratched three logos off of these headphones, you’d still have another logo. 0. The Focal Spark Wireless earpieces are all-metal, with a two-tone black-on-silver look, and they’re chunky look fits well with the style of cable. The first thing you’ll notice about the headphones is their design, and they look quite nice. But on close inspection, they don’t look or feel anything out of the ordinary - the price doesn't immediately seem any sort of bargain. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Apple's AirPods Max Over-Ear Headphones Are Here, and They're Expensive, Getting Static or Crackling in Your AirPods Pro? Other than a tiny black zip-up protective case, there are no additional accessories. Our particular example is the silver version. The Focal Spark, at $69, represents the opposite end of the the Focal pricing spectrum, a no-frills, wired in-canal pair with an inline remote. They’re not for bassheads, but if you appreciate earphones with a clear high end to emphasize vocals, you’ll enjoy these earphones. If you have more room in your budget and want some excellent-sounding wired in-ears, the Bowers & Wilkins C5 Series 2 remain one of our favorites. AirPods Pro vs. AirPods 2: Which True Wireless Apple Earbuds Are Better? Spark's design is at once fashionable and timeless, and they are a pleasure to use and to wear. We've heard earphones boost the lows far more intensely than this, but what's missing here is a little bit of added high-mid presence to balance it out and keep things crisp. The French audio brand Focal has been busy of late, expanding its quality lineup to include more affordable, How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Find Free Tools to Optimize Your Small Business, How to Get Started With Project Management, Read 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones Review, Read Klipsch Reference XR8i Hybrid Review, AirPods Max Too Expensive? They keep the sleek metallic look found on the original Focal Spark headphones, though obviously the cable instead wraps around your neck. © 1996-2021 Ziff Davis, LLC. Focal Spark ⭐ review. COPYRIGHT © 2021 SoundGuys, All Rights Reserved. Branding is important to any company that wants to sell their product. If you happen to have a phone without a headphone jack then don’t lose the dongle (or get something else to plug it into) because otherwise you’re out of luck. Available in black, blue, and silver-and-white models, the Spark's design is simple and clean. But we've tested similarly priced models that deliver more high frequency definition … Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning. Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample Not for those seeking an accurate sound signature. The remote is of the three-button variety, with a central button devoted to playback, call management, and track navigation, depending on how many times you tap it. I find the tone and texture of the top end to be very appealing, interesting and nicely tuned for musicality. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like the Knife's "Silent Shout," the earphones deliver a powerful low frequency response. The design is very basic, but that’s not a bad thing. In particular, let’s talk about the design. Decent "popular" sound Just don't expect to be blown away. Look, I get it. Overall the sound on the Sparks is good for this price range, but not great. Published on 12 October 2018. Your subscription has been confirmed. Focal Spark Wireless In-Ear Headphone Review IN THE BOX. The low end is given a nice prominence that makes itself known in songs that you might not expect them to. It certainly has the sonic punch to lead the pack, with its detailed response and solid low-end. The cabling joins into a single cable around mid-torso, culminating in a 3.5mm connection. The Focal Spark are light to the point where I would frequently forget that I had them in my shirt or pants pocket. Their line of higher end over-ears are excellent sounding and well-built tanks and I’ve enjoyed each one I’ve tried. The Focal Spark, at $69, represents the opposite end of the the Focal pricing spectrum, a no-frills, wired in-canal pair with an inline remote. For one, the earbuds have a small bullet-like shape to them that reminds me of the original Xiaomi Piston headphones which I absolutely loved. Focal, the French leader in professional acoustics, hi–fi and automotive, completes its range of headphones with a brand new in–ear: Spark. First you get the small F logo on either earbud which I don’t mind one bit. It performed as expected in many areas and was a bit of a letdown in others, but it was never great at any one thing. Whether I was trying to talk on the phone or access the voice assistant on my phone I just couldn’t get it to work. In the box you’ll get the headphones, a small hardshell carrying case for storage, three sets of extra ear tips, and the instruction manual. 0 Comment Report abuse. Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene in John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, get an added bass presence, but not nearly to the extent of modern mixes that feature more sub-bass content. Now with a pair of headphones like the Utopia in their line-up, you might expect Focal to take the same route towards near perfection with the Spark but the truth is it has a much more of a mainstream sound signature to it. Focal has designed Spark to make quality sound accessible to as many people as possible The design of Spark has been studied to make it a stylish and lightweight product Silicone earplugs, flat anti-tangle cable and the rigid carrying case make it easily accessible and very practical to use Overview – Focal Spark Wired Earphones Review Overall, the Focal Spark Wired Earphones are a great earphone for the price. Helpful. While the sound is good, with reasonable lows, good enough midrange and pleasant highs, this leaves a lot to be desired in the connection department. The Focal Spark in-ears are solid and will get the job done, which is about all you can expect at this price point. One major problem that I had with these was the microphone. The mids seem a little lackluster to my ears with elements that I know are meant to drive the song forward fading into the background. Nothing fancy here and I appreciate the minimalism of it all. The Focal Spark wired headphones retail for $69, and they are available from Amazon [affiliate link] and other retailers. In that same piece however the highs have a nice air around them that never becomes harsh even when it gets much louder towards the end. At first glance I was sure this would be one of those instances, but then I took the headphones out of the box and was smacked in the face with branding. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 vs. Sony WH-1000XM4: Which Pair Is Better? Branding is everywhere. Their entry level Spark earbuds cost way less than $4000, but are they any good? The Spark Wireless are basic earphones - a narrow cable connects the two earpieces and a couple of junction boxes on the cable house the electronics. It has a good sound, although I got better tips from Comply, and it improved the bass response a bit. Focal does treble well, the Elear’s best quality was its sublime upper end. So much so, that we think these are the best casual-listening in-ear wireless headphones at this price point." The Focal Spark is available in three color schemes, which is black, silver, and blue. The Spark's boosted bass is not unpleasant in the slightest, but it's missing its counterpart in the high-mids and highs—if we're abandoning the idea of a flat, accurate response, we need sculpting everywhere, not just in the lows, to achieve a sense of balance. Focal's recent headphones have exercised a little more restraint in the bass department and focused more on accuracy. It’s large, clunky, and block-shaped which doesn’t match the clean and modern aesthetic that I’m sure Focal was going for. French audio company Focal has been creating acoustic equipment since 1979 in the home audio, headphones, car speakers and monitor fields. That said, all the other controls work as advertised. So lets take a listen to the Focal Spark Wireless in-ear headphone to see if it’s going to be worthy of being called wireless audiophile technology. An inline remote control and microphone compartment is located along the left ear's cable at roughly chin level. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with some serious presence. The earphones sound more balanced on orchestral tracks than with any other genre, but there's still some added bass push. Focal Spark Wireless in-ear headphone review: Audiophile sound at a budget price The French manufacturer's in-ear-headphones will bathe you in intoxicating audiophile sound … But now that we’ve got the negatives out of the way let’s focus on some of the things these headphones get right, because it does do a good job at almost everything else. Whether I was casually walking around running errands or actively shaking my head like a wet dog to test the fit, I didn’t have any issues with these falling out. The Spark Wireless comes with the same accessories as the Spark — three sizes of silicone ear tips and a carry case — plus the a short micro-USB charging cable and magnetic shirt clip. Again, it's not the most intense bass boosting we've ever heard, but the lows are pumped up considerably. This time, we’re trying out Spark Wireless ($99), the Bluetooth version of Focal’s entry-level headphone range. While I know bluetooth hates walls, cubicles and even the human body, they are expected to connect around 10m (33ft). Apple AirPods Max vs. Bose NC 700 vs. Sony WH-1000XM4: Should You Pay More for AirPods? Without a doubt the best in-ear headphones in their category, they open the way for fans of streaming music who want to enjoy their favourite songs on the move. Inside the earpieces, audio is delivered via electrodynamic 9.5mm mylar drivers, with a 15 Ohm impedance. For $69 the Spark in-ears get plenty right, and some things wrong. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. Our brand new earphones, Spark, are our entry-level model, giving customers access to the Focal sound. The pinhole mic, located on the opposite side of the remote control compartment, offers excellent intelligibility. If big bass without crisp highs appeals to you, the Spark won't disappoint, but if you're looking for a little more definition in this price range, consider the RHA S500i, the Klipsch Reference X6i, or the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones. We’ll be tackling the latter in another review, but for now, let’s talk about the wired version. Recently, these models have seen dramatic price drops with the Focal Spark found for as little as $19.99, the wireless for $35, and the Sphear for $65 on many popular online marketplaces. Contributing Editor Tim Gideon has been writing for PCMag since 2006. For those who like visual simplicity for a clean appearance, the Focal Spark has you covered. After reading a lot of reviews, bought the Focal Spark Wireless headphones. But I feel like there’s a right way to do it, and Focal didn’t get that balance right with these. Verified Purchase. Besides my obvious hatred of the branding on these headphones my biggest problem with the way these headphones were built and designed is the control module. I built a guitar out of a shelf during lockdown ! The earphones ship with three pairs of silicone eartips in small, medium, and large sizes, and the in-ear fit is lightweight and secure. The lower register instrumentation is pushed forward in the mix, but it doesn't overwhelm the balance, and the bright higher register brass, strings, and vocals are able to maintain their prominence in the mix. The Focal Spark, at $69, represents the opposite end of the the Focal pricing spectrum, a no-frills, wired in-canal pair with an inline remote. It performed as expected in many areas and was a bit of a letdown in others, but it was never great at any one thing. The wired Focal Spark earphones deliver a rich, full bass response but could use a little more presence in the higher frequencies to balance things out. 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