I prefer 600 out of a cheap stack, that pairs well with it than with a TOTL with a cheap stack. The HD800s is a good example of this, it can sound absolutely ...insert a negative word here... with the old Magni/Modi and i much prefered the 600 with the Crack+Bifrost1.
IMO the Focals can sound good driven by modest amplification. And I also think that DACs make a more subtle contribution to the overall sound. Whereas, for me, the Utopia are much more capable than the HD650.
Rule of thumb: unless you are permanently constrained to a certain budget, buy your favorite transducer first. Then build a rig around it as you can save up $.
^What he said. Sure cruddier or less synergistic upstreams could well gimp headphones (by mitigating strengths or exacerbating flaws) but generally speaking headphones are the single determining factor to how good the overall system will sound. But of course that's only presuming you're stick with that system forever with no plans to upgrade at all.
The Senns are a bit of an anomaly in that they're damn good but sound better out of flattering gear. Senns go from "acceptable" out of a mobile to "...wow" out of a good amp and DAC. Not gotten ears on Utopia but it seems that one needs a fair bit of consideration upstream given its nature.
Also: would argue amplification may matter somewhat more than DACs given a base level of "not-horrible" for the latter :P
The Utopia is more upstream dependent than anything else I've heard. On poorly matched gear they can be pretty awful. I've heard these combinations in house, and I'd go with the HD650.
I would ask what is the long term commitment - investment in a Utopia, which may require several years to get a synergistic chain? Or get it all now in HD650/Jot2/BF2? I own separate setups where the two headphones are equal enjoyment, but the Utopia was more tricky at the start.
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