Cleer Audio Alpha is not your average wireless over-ear headphones. The support for Dirac Virtuo – realistic ‘theatre-like’ sound processing – adaptive active noise cancellation, proprietary 40mm Ironless drivers, and a remarkable 35 hours of playing – and that’s in ANC mode – make these headphones stand out.
The Alpha is described as a “game-changing headset,” and on paper, you’d agree; the spec sheet is amazing. Spec sheets, on the other hand, can be deceiving. You’re here to check how Cleer’s latest offspring compares to the class leaders in terms of usage, comfort, value, & sound quality so at a £249 ($250) price point. Cleer could have just as easily printed ‘Sony WH-1000XM4 competitors’ on the front of the box. Should Sony be alarmed? You’ll find out soon enough.
Even though the Cleer Alpha seems to have an MRSP of $219.99, it is available at major retailers such as Amazon and B&H, as well as directly from Cleer. The two hues offered are midnight blue and stone. A 3.5mm aux cable, in-flight converter, USB-C charging cable, fast start instructions, and carrying case are included with the purchase.
These Alpha over-ear headphones have the appearance and feel of a high-end headset. The majority of the structure is made of durable plastic, which has a wonderful smooth touch that feels pleasant every time you purchase the cans. You feel the same way about the synthetic leather that wraps it around earpads and underneath the headband. The extenders & hinges are likewise well-made. Even minor touches, like the laser-etched lettering on the circular touch screens, contribute to the Alphas’ appeal.
These are not lightweight headphones, weighing 11.64 ounces. They weigh more than Bose 700 & Sony WH-1000XM4, both of which are stated at 8.95 ounces. Using them for more than once an hour is exhausting, particularly around the ears due to the intense grip force. Yes, this gave a more secure fit, albeit at the expense of considerable pain.
Usually, sub-$250 over-ear headphones include the following accessories: an aux cord, a carrying case, and a charging cable. Cleer opted to include an aeroplane adaptor, something you have never seen before the original Bose QuietComfort 35 was released. Although the emergence of wireless sensors has rendered this device somewhat outdated, it remains an important component for purists who prefer an in-line link when viewing TV on flights.
There are two unique Cleer Audio ALPHA sounds: when Dirac Virtuo is on and when it is off. Of course, you have to start somewhere. So let’s talk about how the ALPHA performs if Dirac turns off and the EQ left flat settings.
The ALPHA is a muscular, controlled, and rather compelling listen, with a chunky hi-res file of Thom Yorke’s Traffic playing. The upper frequencies are finely formed, with lots of textural complexity and genuine control over the onset and fade of treble sounds.
The voice has a genuine sense of separation & isolation in the midrange, where the constant litany of this tune’s vocal complaints occur – even if it’s merged very seamlessly into the overall presentation. It’s alive with great detail in technique and timbre once again. And at the bottom of a frequency range (which has enough depth to make Cleer Audio’s claim of extension down to 20Hz seem plausible), there’s significant body and substance – but, like the rest of the frequency range, it controls well. As well as carries decent momentum while the tune tries to slur in & out of individual notes.
This general sense of briskness is brought over to Standard Fare’s jarring indie-pop on Fifteen. The ALPHA sound has a pleasing feeling of unity, strong integration of a frequency spectrum, and a well-defined, though not the most spacious, soundstage.
However, turn on Dirac Virtuo and the adjective ‘expansive’ becomes much more appropriate. There’s a lot more room in the sound, a minor but distinct feeling of a ‘dome’ of sound instead of the standard stereo presentation’s ‘left and right meeting within the centre.’
It’s a subtle effect that, in your opinion, is better than the more flamboyant Sony 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos spatial options. The fact that the Dirac algorithm does not affect the ALPHA acoustic characteristic, control, or speed is also beneficial. When listening to a rudimentary stereo recording, such as The Beatles’ I Saw Her Standing There, the sound has more cohesiveness and homogeneity.
The Cleer Audio maintain enough detail throughout every situation to portray a comprehensive image, and they have the adequate dynamic range to reveal even the slightest harmonic fluctuations. Big dramatic shifts are slightly slow, but not enough that ‘silent’ isn’t a long way from ‘loud.’ Also present is a wonderfully natural and convincing skill with rhythmic expression.
Cleer Audio Alpha integrated touch panels, physical buttons, & motion sensors to provide many ways to use the headphones. Everything works well. The buttons have a firm tactility to guarantee that the desired orders carry out, and the motion sensors immediately cease playing when the headphones remove.
The true star, though, is the touch control. The right ear cup’s plastic-covered sensors provide outstanding touch precision, easily recording both input and sliding movements. It’s entertaining to move your finger up and down to adjust the volume or left/right to play your previous/next tune. Cleer makes the most of this space by including a function dubbed Conversation Mode (more on this later) which activates when you place your complete hand over the earcup.
The Alpha is compatible with Google Assistant, Siri, and Bixby. These headphones may suffice if you enjoy having AI bots handle everyday mobile activities and odd online searches. The microphones catch up with every phrase oral, as well as the trio of virtual assistants responds quickly to verbal commands.
Cleer Audio Alpha clearly had its eyes set on developing an excellent noise-canceller. While its ANC technology is simple and effective in most situations, it falls well short of what Bose & Sony provide.
When used indoors, the Alpha muffled a variety of noises. During work hours, you should not disturb by loud voices or kitchen equipment. Low-frequency vibrations, such as washing machine tumble, reduce, as were my son’s yelling as well as the email notification chimes from my mother-in-PC law’s display. His protests against nap time, on the other hand, could hear from many rooms away.
There seems to be a Smart Noise Cancellation option that automatically changes the function. According to the degree of noise in the surroundings. It reduced the Alpha’s noise neutralization and made individual noises more noticeable, in your opinion. Although the headphones have good wind resistance, activating Smart permitted additional whooshing elements to infiltrate the mix. You have the same reaction to alarms and doorbells. Smart, on the other hand, reduced some mid-frequency sounds, such as dog barking & pedestrian conversation.
Cleer also created an Ambient Noise Control setting with ten levels of adjustment. This is one of the most powerful transparency modes available. It’s fantastic for improving global sustainability on walks or in specialized scenarios like watching your newborn while he or she is sleeping. The vocals seem a little muffled, but when you enable Conversation Mode, you can hear them a lot better. This reduces the loudness by around 30% and opens the microphones, allowing you to hear conversations more clearly.
Call quality is excellent, and the ALPHA has no trouble communicating with voice assistants or amplifying external noises in ‘ambient’ mode. And, up to a limit, the adaptive noise-cancelling is also amazing. The ALPHA leaves no trace of missing or counter-signal while suppressing external noises.
However, when compared to their top competitors, the Cleer Audio Alpha headphones cannot completely isolate you from the outside world – the drone of a train, or the drone of its own passengers, has always been just slightly audible.
Cleer never makes any concessions when it comes to battery life. A full charge will provide you with 35 hours of ANC playing. This outperforms the 700 & AirPods Max’s 20-hour battery life, as well as the QuietComfort 45’s (24-hour battery life) and WH-1000XM4’s (24-hour battery life) (30 hours). It’s also significantly cheaper than the company’s low-cost Enduro ANC headphones, which provide 60 hours of battery life. Nonetheless, this is plenty for around 3 weeks of moderate use since recharging.
In that regard, the Alphas are one of the most powerful quick-charging technologies you’ve seen. 10 minutes of plugged-in time equals 4 hours of listening time. For instance, a 15-minute charge here on Bose 700 produces 2 hours of power.
The Cleer Audio Alpha headphones deserves its flagship position by providing exceptional sound quality that it only a few premium audio companies can match. The battery life is among the best for a pair of wireless cans, as well as the noise cancellation is adequate for the price.
These headphones could have received a perfect score if it weren’t for the discomfort concerns and intermittent multipoint performance. Nonetheless, the Alpha is a worthy Editor’s Choice and a formidable competitor to the Bose.
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