Focal Lensys Pro Closed Back Headphones: the Synth and Software Review

Can goodheadphones replace studio monitors for production?

The answer to that question is Sure they can, because many people do rely solely on headphones. Whether or not that’s advisable is the real question, and we’ll sneak some discussion about that into this review of Focal’s outstanding Lensys Pros.

The first thing to strike me was how much they sound like the Shape 65/Sub One system we reviewed a while back. It’s a tight, punchy sound, and clearly that’s the sound Focal goes for. You get the overwhelming sense that these are a competent reference that you can trust.

As with the Shape speakers, the Lensys Pros don’t use any DSP to get that sound. These are corded headphones you just plug into an amp. We used used a CEntrance DACport Pro, which has an excellent headphone amp, but of course they’re compatible with the ones in anything – an audio interface, smartphone, computer, etc.

What’s more, the Lensys Pros do a remarkable job of noise cancelation – only it’s not noise cancelation with electronics, it’s physical isolation from the outside world. Presumably the closed-back design helps, but they also have a tight seal around your ears – yet I was able to wear them for hours without any discomfort.

Unpacking that last paragraph further, being able to wear them for hours also says that their sound isn’t fatiguing. On the contrary, they’re enjoyable to listen to.

Their isolation works in both directions: they don’t leak into open mics when you’re recording. For comparison, they have considerably more isolation from outside noise than the Bose QuietComfort 3 headphones I fell in love with over 20 years ago, which totally changed the experience of flying (you just put them on and listen to music without being bothered by the engine noise).

To be fair, Bose is unlikely to have sat still all this time, and the Apple AirPods Max have even better noise canceling than the Lensys Pros (using fancy DSP and several mics). But they’re Bluetooth headphones with built-in amps designed for a totally different purpose.

There’s not much more to say about the Lensys Pro’s sound, other than that they sound accurate but not dry and boring. At the same time, you wouldn’t describe the sound as airy and wide open – although all the frequencies are there and the transients aren’t compressed.

One of my tests for all transducers is Avril Lavigne’s “Skater Boi,” which has a 36Hz boom, and you hear it at just the right balance. I confess to EQ-ing them with a 3dB boost at 4-8kHz, but that’s not a deficiency in their response, it’s just closer to what I’m used to hearing. Their frequency response spec is listed at ±3dB from hell to heaven, for what that’s worth.

As to the original question about whether good headphones are a replacement for good speakers, the answer is subjective. Speakers need a good room to sound good and accurate, headphones don’t. But I’m one who believes that the room adds to the sound, and companies have tried to simulate that in headphones.

Focal does say that their headphones are suitable for mixing, and I wouldn’t be the one to argue with them. While I personally prefer to work on speakers and use headphones as a reference – a very useful one – if you’re going to mix on headphones, you’d be hard pressed to do a lot better.

The Lensys Pros are very well made, befitting $700 headphones. They come in a nice case, and let’s leave it at this: I didn’t like having to send them back one bit.

Price: $699

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