What kind of DAC and Headphone Amp can I use for the Focal Clear MG Pro - 55 ohms Headphones?

[GuatemalanBeeps]

Hi.
I'm thinking of buying the Focal Clear MG Pro Open-back headphones for mixing and producing music. I must clarify that I don't record acoustic instruments such as drums, guitars or voices. Most of the sounds I produce are with synthesizers, drum machines and samples. I produce experimental electronic music and hip hop mostly.

I was thinking of getting an Audient iD44 audio interface to use as a DAC, however the guys at Audient told me that the Focal Clear MG Pro headphones were not recommended for that interface. Can I use the iD44 as a DAC and use another external headphone amplifier for these headphones? Is it a good idea to use the Little Labs Monotor 2-channel Headphone Amplifier in this case? What options do you recommend? Thanks for helping this newbie with drum questions.

 

[solderdude]

Can I use the iD44 as a DAC and use another external headphone amplifier for these headphones? Is it a good idea to use the Little Labs Monotor 2-channel Headphone Amplifier in this case?

Yes, or any other headphone amp with the connectors you want and an output resistance below 10 Ohm.
cheap option = JDS labs Atom.

 

[3125b]

The Clear requires a low output impedance since it is very prone to FR changes. The JDS Atom is a safe choice of course. If you want to buy an interface, the Motu M4 would be good, the Clear is fairly sensitive and I don't think it comes with a balanced cable.

 

[Nitrium]

Yeah, the Pro doesn't come with balanced cables out of the box.