Clear MG Pro vs Elear: which needs more amplifier?

The Focal Clear MG Pro is 55Ω at 104.0 dB/mW; the Focal Elear is 80Ω 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.

In amplifier terms these two are the same headphone. The gap between what they need for 100 dB is under half a decibel, which is smaller than the step between two clicks of most volume controls.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationClear MG ProElear
Impedance55 Ω80 Ω
Sensitivity104.0 dB/mW104.0 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)116.6 dB/V115.0 dB/V
Power for 100 dB0.40 mW0.40 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.15 V0.18 V
Current for 100 dB2.7 mA2.2 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
6.88 Ω10.00 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.

9 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Elear under the one-eighth rule but not for the Clear MG Pro (Zoom AMS-22, Arturia MiniFuse 2, Arturia MiniFuse 1, 6 more).

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 Clear MG Pro and Focal Elear. Every figure on this page comes from what Focal published, or is derived from it — what that maker publishes, counted.