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Headphones, Personal Listening Gear Personal Listening at its Best |
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#11
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They make headphones in all flavors for all tastes. I find the all too frequent complaints about Audeze reliability and Q/C problems to be unacceptable for a product in this price range ($4k).
For that reason alone I am staying far away from them personally. Others may disagree and that's OK. |
#12
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I demo'd the utopia and clear in the can jam. I didn't like how the utopia lacked separation and clarity. Clear sounded so much more "clear" and it's a fraction of the price. It could be the source or different amps, it's just something I noticed.
I'm considering the focal clear or LCD-X. My only problem is I can't try them on side by side to pick what I like. |
#13
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#14
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#15
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#16
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My LCD4’s work flawlessly.
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Ivan FLORIDA MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES CAPE COD MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES |
#17
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The Innerfidelity review of the Focal Utopia and Audeze LCD-4 was really interesting. Based on that alone I would say the LCD-4 would be the flavor more to my liking.
I have SF Amati Futura speakers, which are probably a closer match to the Audeze sound. More bass, highs that are not as prominent as some other speakers. Good info, thanks for posting. Tom
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Main System: Amati Futura Mains Amati Homage VOX Center, Proac Response 1sc Rears, Three MC2301's for L,C,R MC 602 for the rears C 1100, MX 151, MCD 1100, MR 80 Nottingham Dais with Wave Mechanic Sumiko Palo Santos Presentation SurfacePro 3, RPi 4, ROON, WW Starlight Platinum USB, Schiit Yggdrasil, Benchmark DAC3 HGC MX 151, OppO BDP-95, JVC RS-500 DILA projector, 106" diagonal Stewart Luxus Screenwall Deluxe with Studiotek 130 G3 material. Lake House: Ohm F, MC 275V, C2300, MR 77, Rega P3 OnDeck: McIntosh MAC 4300v |
#18
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Mr Speakers are tops for Jazz according to one reviewer. Ain't heard 'em myself.
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#19
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Spent a fair amount of time comparing the Focal Utopia vs Audeze LCD-4 today. There was a McIntosh MHA150 driving them which I’m not familiar with but after trying out a bunch more pairs like the Focal Elear, Audeze LCD-X, Hifiman 580 and some others, the McIntosh amp was clearly able to resolve the sonic signatures of all of them with ease.. So for all practical purpose it was definitely good enough to demonstrate the difference in the headphones.
I would strongly suggest auditioning both the Focal and Audeze for yourself since while they are both impressive, they do exhibit a difference in presentation and sonic signature as should be the case, especially with headphones in this price range. My personal preference was the Utopia. The Utopia sounded more even keel across the frequency spectrum, exhibiting extreme clarity and resolution but not in a fatiguing way at all. Not bright sounding but clear and resolving, dynamic and very musical at the same time. The PRAT (pace, rhythm and timing) was present in both, these are not your colored, unresolving, mushy sounding headphones. The one aspect that made me prefer the Utopia is that more even response. The LCD-4 was constantly emphasizing a certain frequency range somewhere past the presence region and highliting the highs a bit more making it more difficult to ease into that nirvana state as it kept trying to impress me with its own clarity. Certain notes would ring out with more energy and that “enthusiasm” which was a bit annoying to me as it was not expected. The Focal Elear really impressed me as well. It’s a different flavor from both the Utopia and LCD-4 but has a strong family resemblance to the Utopia for sure. It’s just a slightly darker sounding version of Utopia with a bass response that is fuller but perhaps less accurate than either the Utopia or LCD-4 but very impressive and enjoyable for 1/4 the price... A true bargain here. Some may prefer the Elear depending on their musical tastes. Sorry to say that after listening to this trio of Utopia, Elear and LCD-4, everything else on that rather extensive wall of headphones down the price range just either sounded stupidly and annoyingly bright, too colored, too unresolving or plain boring... Better not audition such headphones as the Utopia and LCD-4 if one wants to keep their sanity and wallet intact. Last edited by PHC1; 10-20-2017 at 10:18 PM. |
#20
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Serge,
Thanks so much for this insightful review. I have yet to do what you've done - a side by side comparison of headphones on my short list. That will happen in the next month or so. What makes this review even more compelling for me is your history with gear - I think you ended up with Wilson speakers and high power solid state amps. I went the other way and ended up with Sonus Faber and McIntosh tubes - very different sonic flavors. Very similar to the Focal / Audeze differences you describe. Bravo, great review. Thanks! Tom
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Main System: Amati Futura Mains Amati Homage VOX Center, Proac Response 1sc Rears, Three MC2301's for L,C,R MC 602 for the rears C 1100, MX 151, MCD 1100, MR 80 Nottingham Dais with Wave Mechanic Sumiko Palo Santos Presentation SurfacePro 3, RPi 4, ROON, WW Starlight Platinum USB, Schiit Yggdrasil, Benchmark DAC3 HGC MX 151, OppO BDP-95, JVC RS-500 DILA projector, 106" diagonal Stewart Luxus Screenwall Deluxe with Studiotek 130 G3 material. Lake House: Ohm F, MC 275V, C2300, MR 77, Rega P3 OnDeck: McIntosh MAC 4300v |
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