Azurys vs Clear: which needs more amplifier?

The Focal Azurys is 26Ω at 100.0 dB/mW; the Focal Clear is 55Ω at 104.0 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The Azurys needs 4.0 dB more than the Clear to reach the same loudness — 1.0 mW against 0.40 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationAzurysClear
Impedance26 Ω55 Ω
Sensitivity100.0 dB/mW104.0 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)115.9 dB/V116.6 dB/V
Power for 100 dB1.0 mW0.40 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.16 V0.15 V
Current for 100 dB6.2 mA2.7 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
3.25 Ω6.88 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
280280

Where the two part company

Every source in the database that drives one of them drives the other. On power, the choice between these two changes nothing about what amplifier you need.

1 source is low enough in output impedance for the Clear under the one-eighth rule but not for the Azurys (Shanling H5).

280 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Focal Azurys and Focal Clear. Every figure on this page comes from what Focal published, or is derived from it — what that maker publishes, counted.