New LCD-4 vs Utopia shootout from Innerfidelity.

There were a lot of idiots calling Bob deaf on HF. Well well well....

I learn more useful info from a single article of his than 1 year of browsing HF.

Now we will get more measurements and we'll find out just how consistent the Utopias are. If they aren't I foresee a disturbance in the Force. Those used prices are gonna keep tumbling.

 

Bloody hell. Starting to think a personal measurements system is compulsory for high end headphone setups.

Was looking for a reason to justify getting a miniDSP UMIK-1 + REW.

 

there are at least 3 possibilities for these measures, and not all of them require the utopias or enter-a-headphone-here to suck ass. i say this because, although the temptation to do so is real, we're generalizing based on 1 observation. in no particular order:

1) Bob's or Tyll's utopia was fucked
2) The headphones really are ass
3) The measurements themselves are ass

EDIT: I agree with @Serious that Tyll's utopias measure weirdly warm given my experience with these headphones and preferring warmer tubes in my chain.

 

Tbh it mainly seems to me like Tyll's Utopia might have been defective, or possibly indicative of an earlier tuning. Mine and Marv's measurements seem to more closely match the measurements of Bob's Utopia. I remember how we wondered about how Tyll managed to get borderline warmfag measurements from a bright headphone. Also Bob's Utopia and the 3rd sample seemed to be almost exactly the same.

The LCD-4 sort of looks like the consistency we have come to expect from Audeze.

 

I suppose, at some point, I'll have to bite the bullet and start doing measurements.

As it is, the two sets of Utopia I own sound indistinguishable to me (and they were independently sourced, months apart). It still "does the least wrong" of any headphone I've heard ... though it's certainly not a universal panacea. I'd give up my LCD-4 long before I let either pair of Utopia go.

 

It's embarrassing when a pair of comparatively cheap Koss ESP950s have better matched drivers than these. Really hope Focal gets their shit together. Comparing everyone to Senn is a bit overkill but when even Koss's cheap-ass plastic headphones have better matching and lifetime warranty, you know you f'ed up.

 

I say just go buy a used like new hd800 for $699, apply some EQ, plug them into your tube amp and you can have the last laugh.

 

Measurement is for the left side, but assuming both channel are the same, why would it be defective equally in both drivers? Same thing happens in Stereophile after a poor review, when the manufacturer says the speakers were probably defective. Both identically? Might also be a good idea to use the same pair of earpads on each headphone. A softer, more worn set might sound different.

 

It's pretty awful that there is a discrepancy like that in a massively overpriced (read premium) product like the Utopia, but what's even more awful is insecure mentalists suddenly questioning whether they actually like them now.

I hope that Tyll rereviews them, finds them to be horrendously shite and tears them off his wall of fame, just so some people who would actually appreciate them could get them at a much cheaper rate second hand.

 

Still waiting for a headphone that could truly replace the classic HD800/HE6 duo. Both these high-end headphones were affordable, had excellent plus consistent measurements (consistent from driver to driver as well as from pair to pair), sounded neutralish enough and, last but not least, actually gave the listener something unique that couldnt be reached elsewhere (soundstage/microdetail and transient response/viscerality).

Why is it so difficult for manufacturers to really overcome these? Are we reaching the physical limits of what headphones are capable of without additional signal processing?

 

Let's just hope that Focal won't become next Audeze in regard to revisions.

 

HEKv2 has hit that spot for me. I have burned through the LCD-X/HD800/HD800S/Ether Flow/Utopia. Sold them all. Kept the HEKv2 and modded HE6. I prefer the HEKv2 over the modded HE6, but probably not enough to justify the 3K pricetag of the HEK. YMMV.

 

Why is it not possible to produce and sell such headphone for third/half the 3k price, 7-8 years after HD800/HE6 duo was released? It definitely should be in my book. 3K is a different market segment compared to HD800/HE6 pricing and therefore I do not really see them as direct competitors (to be compared or considered as predecessor/successor).

 

It is possible but it's not necessary. People are paying the higher prices. Why would a manufacturer price the headphone lower when they can make significantly more profit selling fewer units (less cost to them) at the higher price?

 

Focal Utopia (speakers, no headhones) tend to sound very bright and V shaped, it would be no surprise if Katz's pair is the "good one".

 

Guess I will have to stick with HD800/HE6 for another decade then... Life is good with them anyway!

 

Torq,

I just gotta ask....why 2 pairs of Utopia's? And a LCD-4? Yikes....Tried the LCD-4 at the last CanJam in LA and thought they were a little heavy for any extended listening time. Where I thought the Utopia's were very comfortable.....

 

The two sets of Utopia is to save me constantly having to move them between homes. Even if I'd been willing to do that, I'd just as often forget and wind up without the cans I wanted when I sat down to do some proper listening.

My main rig has one pair of Utopia, the LCD-4, Abyss and HD800S (to take advantage of each set of headphones particular advantages with specific music). The secondary has just a pair of Utopia (the "best all around compromise" I can find in a single headphone). The "day-job" office has LCD-2.2c & HD650.