The Mighty Utopia: Focal Utopia Revisited

A little late - I haven't heard the BHA-1 + Utopia either but have also seen enough feedback to make me suspect it would be good. A used phonitor e is also a safe choice if you can find one used for also around $1200.

Phonitor e doesn't have special synergy with Focal anything IMO (unlike say Feliks), but I liked the Phonitor X variations with Focal, ZMF, and several others. Heck, if I didn't like modded HE6 as much as I do, I probably would have got one of these just for SS convenience over an EC Af (which I just really like the sound of).

*disclaimer - I do not actually like the sound of the Utopia and prefer the Clear instead despite the Utopia being a much better headphone from a technical / audiophile perspective.

 

"It's good to be reminded. The Utopia is just as amazing as ever and definitely belongs on my top five list. However, I don't use it.

You know why? It's because from a great amp, I cannot put the headphones down! I don't have much free time these days as I need to concentrate on my RL job and SBAF, so I try to get as much listening in to music as possible. The Utopia is one of those headphones which is "eh, pretty good" on modest gear, but boy once you pair them up with a True Hi-Fi™ components, it can just suck you right into the music and you will get absolutely no work done. I tried, but I just had to take them off every time because I couldn't get that network architecture document or executive PPT presentation done! I got distracted from work every five seconds."

What better recommendation could you give a headphone?

 

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/wtb-ecp-ravenswood-dsha-3f.9976/#post-321353 (and posts that follow)

 

My thoughts on Utopia pairing with Uber high end DAC and AMPs.

Utopia and Bartok w/ AMP, vs Utopia Bartok Luxman P750u


The AMP with the Bartok is really good in performance. After side by side comparison with Luxman. I can safely say that both of them have similar depth and width of the stage. But the sound signature is different.
Therefore it really comes down to personal preference.

Listening through my pair of Utopia, Bartok AMP is more analytical, it scales really high in terms of technicality. Extremely transparent. Since it is more neutral, position of the vocals is 1 step further away from me compared to the P750u.

The Bartok amp with Utopia might be a bit clean or too neutral. While the P750u is on the slightly analoge side of neutral it gives more taste to the Utopia.

It really depends on the taste of music. Bartok AMP have a more neutral and faster bass response , cleaner vocala compared to P750U. Bartok amp It is very balance and neutral across the entire spectrum. While P750U does smooth a bit of the high frequency and make the presentation more euphonic.

Pairing the Bartok with Utopia is like pairing a analytical amp with an transparent headphone. It makes the presentation a bit too sterile for my taste. But if you are aiming for ultimate transparency and detail retrieval, Bartok and Utopia is about the best you can get at the price range.

 

I am currently comparing the Schiit Gungnir Multibit and Violectric v850. Amp is V281.

Both DACs sound great. With the V281 the Utopia brightness is almost completely gone. Brightness comes through sometimes with a very forward are sharp recording but it is not very many songs that do that. (I am very sensitive to this)

The depth and layering with the V281 is nice and deep when the recording provides it. This is a really nice combo of transparency and musicality. Very balanced it terms of the audiophile check list while still being able to just get lost in the music. The width is not the widest I have ever heard but I would say not closed in at all. the amazing imaging, depth, dynamics, speed and layering that this combo provides makes it really hard to actually consider it a small soundstage. Maybe it is but it is just totally rendered a non factor because it is just so great sounding and addictive. I am more or less always being awed by the the presentation and soundstage.

Love the tonality of the combo. At times it sounds so right and natural it almost provides a reaction of what the hell is going here. Its a total break. My head knows I am listening to a speaker but my brain is telling me the sound is real. Never had this feeling in audio...ever.

Bass is probably aided by the V281 and both DACS. More so with the V850. It does not go as low as a planar but really does not leave me felling like I am missing much. The speed and tightness plus the cohesion with the whole frequency lends the combo to provide a satisfying low end.

As stated in this thread the Utopia is completely addictive. It sounds so great I am always reaching for them. Way to late at night and before I go to work. Just one track I tell myself. I have been tired and late a lot. Wife is pissed I am always on the headphones. I would say nothing in headphones or 2 channel has had quite the effect on me.

Drop has been selling the Vioelectric V280 for 1000 bucks. Of course it needs to be run balance to take full advantage. I would also say price shop for the Utopia. There are some amazing deals on Utopia's if you read between the lines.

 

Got home from beach about an hour ago. Took Utopia and no name Norne cable out of their boxes. Plugged them into computer, Matrix Sabre Pro MQA & SPL Phonitor E system and hit it with Tidal for a 2 hour play list. NEVER had a headphone that sounds THIS good without break in. Crystal clear sound & great articulate deep Bass & lots of resolution. A lot of money well spent.

Yo purr1n, You think it will get better after break in and connected to my Stratus/ PS Audio/ Schiit Yiggy system?????

 

My background is pretty much with headphones. I have spent most time with them. The most memorable memory of 2 channel setup for me was in RMAF. I was quite awe struck by both the engineering aspect, fabulous gears and best sound I had heard in my life(baseline for my 2 channel experience). With headphones I had more opportunities to listen to mainstream gears - popular headphones like Audeze, Focal, Hifiman, Abyss, ZMF etc., some popular DACs usually under 1k$ and headphone amps of similar range. I would try to go to local meets whenever I got the chance and try and understand what people thought about different gears and their opinions. On one such meet I met @atomicbob and listened to his setup. It was the first time I was introduced to the concept of component matching. There were two systems at that show where the concept of system synergy was put to display.

At that time I had (and still have), a Fir audio IEM and AK player(I got good deal on both). I was fairly content but something from RMAF listening experience kept haunting me. For some reason and I am not quite sure yet I decided to get a high end headphone (maybe I wanted something more than I had). That's when I bought a He1k v2 (again on a good deal). I had a used Violectric v200 that I paired with He1k and used AK Kann Cube as a source (streamer + dac). I was mostly streaming from Qobuz and Amazon HD. The combination was pretty good. Warm sound of v200 and great toanlity for He1k (Ill come back to this later). He1k opened me to the possibility that I can have a good listening experience with headphones. For me listening is a little intimate affair. Despite revering sound of very expensive 2 channel gear, I still prefer my listening over headphones. At this point I did a couple of impulse buys - a Focal Utopia (again on a deal) and EC Studio Jr from a member here.

Utopia vs He1k v2 with Violectric V200 and AK Kann Cube

The toanlity of He1k is pretty mellow. The resolution is very good. The most noticeable aspect of He1k is the speed. It is faster than any Audeze or Abyss diana I have heard. I sometimes am amazed at how mellow it sounds at that speed. With V200 and KC He1k's bass goes real deep (something I have not yet heard on other headphones I have listened to), the mids are a little forward and the top end sometimes feels a bit rolled off (could be the v200 or KC effect too). If I have to describe the sound as a visual image, He1K's tonality is like a painting where you can very distinctly see each feature, but also each feature blends itself into its surrounding. The soundstage is pretty good on these. The layering or image separation with He1k is not good, and I really like that. For me, it gives a chance to connect with the music as a whole and not really take notice each and every instrument coming from a different direction. Everything blends together, a presentation I really like.

The Utopia, I bought to have a different sound, when sometimes I would get bored with He1k. I happens to me. If I keep listening to the same chain, I crave for some change from time to time. Now the Utopia, well, they are quite something. Higly resolving. Punchier than He1k, but the bass extension is not as deep. The image separation is something to really experience. Again if I were to give a visual analogy, it would be like an exceptional pencil drawn picture where the edges are clearly seen, no overlap of boundary between nearby components. The resolution is truely spectacular. The He1k is resolving but holds no candle to Utopia. A bit too hot to handle for a long time listen even with v200. Most of the stuff about Utopia is already written so I won't repeat that.

Utopia vs He1k v2 with EC Studio Jr + VPI Prime Scout + Ortofon MC black S + Gold Note PH 10 phono

I do have a turntable. I gave up listening to it because I did not have a good headphone to listen with, till now. So I setup my turntable and gave it a go. Here I must really thank @purr1n for the suggestion of the amp synergy with Utopia. And this is where I have to say things made a difference. There was a reason I brought RMAF experience earlier. Listening to Utopia with this chain (moreso the amp acutally) revealed what I was looking for all along. It is possible to have good bass, mid and top end with headphones (as good as your transducer can get) but I think for the first time I understood what a good amp could do. The most spectacular memory of RMAF I have is of an extremely quick transition from muted part of the music to the loud part. Enough to suddenly hit you and almost wake you up. I have always wanted that experience more than anything else. That's the experience I missed the most. It was when I was listening to Hugh Masakela's record that I heard the difference. Earlier with v200 (and most of the SS amps I have experience with ) the sound profile was

.....
..
..

Notice the gradual rise in the loudness and the small dynic range on v200 vs EC Studio Jr as shown below
.......
..
..
..
..
..

Not only is the dynamic range much larger but it is much steeper. In my listening with all the SS amps I have never had the second experience.

Now on to Utopia vs He1k. The change in the amp has a big difference on Utopia's tonality. With EC Studio Jr Utopia is like He1k on steroids. The tonality of Utopia is very close to He1k. Utopia still has massive edge over the image separation and He1k still holds the edge for bass extension.

My only gripe now is with my TT. Even with good recording and pressings it is not as good in resolution as AK KC. A vinyl is more fun to listen to but I wish the presentation was a little warmer.

 

After a 2 year gap I just bought another Utopia. Just thought I'd give it another chance and I wanted to compare them to my LCD4. I'm equing both cans to the Harman Target. ( Yes, I know, maybe my ears suck )

Early impressions: a distracting level of tiny details revealed in the music. Even from my lowly thx 789 amp. However that beautiful planar bass weight is missing and the LCD4 gets my feet tapping more often. But then the Utopia is a bit more dynamic with better instrument separation with less ' wall of sound effect'. But then the LCD4 has a larger, grander soundstage whereas with the Utopia you're not in the 5th row like the LCD4. It's almost like you're on stage with the performers.

It's very interesting that even with EQ both headphones still retain their own flavour and unique characteristics. I need to sell one and I have no idea what to do

If anybody wants to trade an LCD4 for a DSHA-3F that'll help me make up my mind.

Are there any of these unicorns in the EU? I really wonder how they can improve the Utopia.....

I'll try to do a more detailed comparison with specific songs in a week or two.

I don't hate Focal for charging 4k anymore. They have the right because they brought something special to the table. I'm just glad that they're widely available for 40% off...

 

Hell Ranjan, you were the one that introduced me to the Utopia. I bought two of them and reluctantly sold one last month. If you had bothered to talk to me, I would have asked you to hold on to the first one and spend the amount on an amp like the ampsandsound Mogwai SE (tubes) or the Phonitor 2 (solid state). No EQ crap. If you cannot the DSHA-3F, get the Phonitor. I've never heard an amp that is so transparent and yet so musical with a bucketload of features. Plus it plays so well with other HPs. I have the Verite Open, the Audio Technica ADX 5000 and the Focal Clear in addition to the Utopia. You can find decent prices for the amp in Europe.

Edit: to nudge you into action, see attached

 

Hi Koth,

We'll have to agree to disagree about EQ. I think it's useful but obviously it cannot fix everything

I'm going to try to buy a unicorn for the Utopia

 

Spent 4 weeks with Utopia now fed by Wavedream/Stellaris. Observations:
+ Incredible microdetails. You can hear if a piano is slightly out of tune.
+ bass accuracy
+/- Very much an audiophile's choice. I let a bunch of my colleagues try some headphones and most preferred Verite Closed, some the HD650 and only one person the Utopia.
+/- Headstage is tiny, but you get used to it after a while and less of an issue for prolonged sessions.
+/- Prefer it with acoustic material like classical (incredible transparency) or jazz (incredible PRaT)
- Not highest comfort, clamping around the jaw area
- Bright but not in an uncomfortable (sibilant, etc.) way. Ordered a DEQ2496 to see if that helps.

 

interesting!

im curious, which one do you prefer?

In a short audition, I can understand prefering the hd650, its smoother and still amazing in so many ways. Same with hd800, you give anyone a short audition betwen 650 and 800 and everyone will prefer hd650. I have a close friend who have used the hd650 for 3 years solely, and since I got the utopia the hd800 are collecting dust so I let him borrow my hd800 sdr+sbaf pair. It took two days for him to tell me he'd sell the hd650 right away in favor of hd800; but in a short audition he prefered the hd650.

 

If I could only have one headphone, I'd keep the HD650. It's like an old wife at this point. Also suits my preferences. The Verite Closed is my main headphone because I need closed headphones in our open office when most people are still around. Technically the Utopia does things that none of the other two can do, so it's keeping its spot in the rotation for now.

 

You're impressions are spot on, I couldn't agree more! Just wanted to expand on some points and add a few things.

+ Utopia is the only headphone I've ever owned where I'm asking myself: Can a headphone be too detailed? So detailed where the music stops being a cohesive whole and the separation of components is so obvious that it takes away from the enjoyment? I think the Utopia gets close to this issue but it becomes a marvellous feature with well recorded music.

+ Utopia is pushing me towards ''audiophile'' music. I'm not a big fan of classical but this headphone is so detailed, dynamic and sounds so much like real instruments playing next to my ears that classical music becomes more engaging. HD800S did this for me to a certain extent but it lacked that last bit of dynamic punch. A lot of Pop and Rock music sounds like shit now. I find myself using my PSB M4U8s for these genres while out and about the saving the ''best'' music for the Utopia.

Brief comparison: Utopia vs LCD4 with Oratory1990 Harman EQ applied to both headphones.

Chain - RME ADI2 DAC>THX 789

I've wanted to do this comparison for a very long time. Without EQ these headphones are obviously like chalk and cheese. Utopia is annoyingly bright and LCD4 sounds muffled and wrong.

With EQ their tonal balance becomes almost perfect. What surprised me was that even with EQing to the same target both headphones retain their original character. (This must be obvious to experienced Friends but I've never tried this before)

LCD4 is smoother and more forgiving but Utopia is a step ahead in clarity and realism of the instruments. For longer sessions with a wider variety of music the LCD4 becomes the better choice. I'd always pick the Utopia for shorter focused listening sessions with very well recorded music especially acoustic and classical. LCD4 wins hands down for EDM and Rock.

With the benefit of EQ it's impossible to pick an overall winner here. Both are magnificent headphones and it comes down to preferred genres and how one listens. I'd be happy with either but I'm keeping the Utopia as I want to explore Classical a bit. Also really excited to see how ECP DSHA-3F affects the Utopia. (future hopeful owner of the amp here )

 

Have you tried the Utopia from another chain? I can't help but wonder how much of your EQing, comments about recording quality/genre, and detail perception has to do with this particular dac/amp combo. I have nothing against EQ and use it regularly with the Utopia myself, and I certainly know what you mean referencing quality, genre, etc. Still, I speculate that much, even the majority of what you are hearing is the quality of this upstream chain more than the Utopia itself, which is not in-of-itself "annoyingly bright", though it will reveal a chain that needs a muffled HP to make up for its inherent dac and SS amp "steal".

 

I’ve heard both and went with the Phonitor XE. The guy from the audio shop whose BH1 I listened to said he also preferred the Phonitor with the Utopias, but not enough to sell the BH1. My chain is Yggdrasil - Phonitor XE with a Marantz CD6006 as transport. Although @k4rstar has me thinking about looking for a nice refurbished Philips mechanism or something from Jay’s Audio. I think the Yggdrasil and the Phonitor have good synergy and fit well with the Utopia - and most of my other Headphones.

 

This is definitely a possibility. My plan is to wait for the DSHA3F. I can put up with the current chain until then. I just think I'm a bit treble sensitive.

 

Un f'ing Believable !!!!!!!
Best $3000 I have spent on audio. Got about 200 hours on my Norne/ Focal Utopia headphone combo and moved to my Stratus/ Schiit Yiggy CD system. Put on Faithless and it sounded real good. Changed to Sade Ultimate hits and WOW, just WOW!! This is the sound I paid the serious money for.
If you don't have a DNA or EC or..... tube system, you just ain't gettin the best from your Utopias.