Focal clear doesn't have voice coil or durability issues tur elear/elex/old utopia has.

Tonality is better, but thr timbre being bad is a universal thing with Hifiman. Even the Susvara suffers a bit from it.

Unpopular opinion - but you can beat them quite easily by just going to the used market. There's some things the XS does really well for the price range, but the tonality and timbre are not one of them. Not to mention it sounds like a wall of sound without much nuance.

>I am seriously considering just getting a pair of LCD2's actually and just making sure I am more careful.

I would recommend saving for a LCD-X or buying one used (make sure it specifies '21.) Otherwise, for $790, the OG Focal Clear is a better buy than the LCD-2. LCD-X is also tbh.

OGs are better anyway, so enjoy!

I hate closed backs since IEMs are just a better buy in general, but here are some actual good ones:

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AKG K371

Auroros Audio Astralis

Anything ZMF makes

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That's kind of it. I've never heard the Stellia, the hifiman closed backs are just horrid, and Dan Clark Audio stuff always sounds compressed.

They sound bright, flat, and have a compressed quality to them. Granted, I feel the same about Hifiman orthos - though that's not a popular opinion.

The DT770 is V-shaped. It's not neutral at all. The mids are scooped.