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Headphones, Personal Listening Gear Personal Listening at its Best

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  #11  
Old 11-11-2017, 12:31 PM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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Originally Posted by bart View Post
My friend told me the same.
Better start saving...
Keep your eyes open on the special pricing Bart. I certainly did not pay full retail!
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  #12  
Old 11-11-2017, 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted by djwhog View Post
I think these are like comparable to top end Audeze right

Very nice cans!

thanks
I did compare the Utopia to LCD-4 side by side for a few hours. My preference was based on listening to both pairs through a McIntosh MHA100 in the store. Given that I only got to compare the two on one headphone amplifier, I would have loved to spend more time comparing the two with different amplification, DACs and sources but that was not possible. Ultimately both are fantastic headphone sets but for my preference and taste I had to give the Focal Utopia the edge there. It was ultimately more even keel and engaging to my ears. Some may find that the LCD-4 to their preference and at this level one can not go wrong.
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  #13  
Old 11-11-2017, 01:13 PM
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Very nice writeup Serge, thank you. Have you by any chance also heard any of the MrSpeakers headphones?
Glad you found it interesting. I have not experienced MrSpeakers yet.
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  #14  
Old 11-11-2017, 04:12 PM
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Originally Posted by PHC1 View Post
I have now spent an adequate amount of time to fully evaluate the Focal Utopia. This is not a review since god knows there are tons of very thorough reviews out there but all I wanted to say is that this pair of headphones, while being outrageously expensive (in my opinion) is by far the most impressive set I have ever heard or had the pleasure to listen to for an extended period of time. Clarity and resolution supreme without so much as putting a sour note forward unless of course it is the source or music itself.

They remain mystifyingly and mesmerizingly musical and engaging while reproducing the music with outmost detail and remaining pure in tonality and yet never sounding analytical. Hearing deep into the recording has been redefined for me.

Perfectly extended into the stratosphere on the high end of the frequency spectrum yet never sounding harsh or tilted up in frequency response, sounding wonderfully seductive and remaining pure in the midrange and digging deep into the lower octaves and fully resolving all the flavor of the bass harmonics is all I can ask for.


Being grossly engaged into music to this extent is also not something I have encountered before. These headphones remove all the veils, open the windows and let all the sunshine and fresh breeze in.

Provide them with quality amplification and I personally have no preference here tubes or SS as I have compared for hours on end, they tend to bring out the very best in both. I don't find them particularly hard to drive as all my headphone amps drive them stupendously well. Feed them a quality recording, drive them with a worthy amplifier and prepare for them to transport you into the musical event. As you drift into that state of bliss and leave everything around you behind, it's just you and your favorite music hours upon hours with no fatigue or disappointment. Goosebumps and total awe. Yeah, they are that good.

This is probably one of the very few times in my almost 30 years being involved with high end audio that I can say I have nothing to criticize about the sound. It is perfect or "perfectly to my taste" I should say.

Perhaps a touch heavy in weight on the noggin, perhaps the cables are also a bit too heavy, would be my small criticism but I got used to the heavier feel and these are not your walk around with headphones anyway.

As much as I subconsciously or perhaps consciously wanted to NOT like them due to price, the time has come to make a decision and they are staying.

Problem being, once you live with these headphones for a few weeks, there is no going back. Focal engineers have hit the ball out of the park with these headphones. Five out of five stars in my book. I will allow myself this bit of luxury.







Serge Thanks for the very informative comparative review of the Utopia and the 600/650 headphones. A few months ago I decided to try a pair of headphones for the first time in more than 50 years of using only full size speakers for my listening pleasure. So I purchased a pair of Sennheiser 650, a Bryston BHA-1(instead of using the MC2300) and a WW silver Nano cord. For casual listening the setup sounded ok but I expected more. I think I was assuming that the headphones to at least duplicate what I was hearing from my full size speakers. Instead, there seemed to be a lack of detail and body to the music.I don't know if it is my 70 year old ears or that I am expecting more than the 650s or any headphone can deliver. But anyway, I am going to try and find a place to listen to the Utopia phones so I can see if its just me. Hopefully the Utopia headphones will give me what I'm looking for.
Again, that thanks for your review
Ed
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2 Channel - Esoteric KO3, VPI Classic, C2300, MS300, MEN220, Bryston 7b SST, B&W 802D, JL F113 (2), MDA 1000, Olive 4HD, Sonos w/Remedy, WW Silver Eclipse ICs , Stillpoints Ultra mini, MR85 tuner, Aurender A10 server

Headphone listening
- Audeze LCD3 with Moon Audio Black Dragon Balanced cables, Sennheiser HD650, WW silver Eclipse Nano cable, Bryston BHA-1 amp


HT -
MX135, OPPO 103D, B&W CDM7, B&W center, Sony 65" LCD
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  #15  
Old 11-11-2017, 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted by edkoz View Post
Serge Thanks for the very informative comparative review of the Utopia and the 600/650 headphones. A few months ago I decided to try a pair of headphones for the first time in more than 50 years of using only full size speakers for my listening pleasure. So I purchased a pair of Sennheiser 650, a Bryston BHA-1(instead of using the MC2300) and a WW silver Nano cord. For casual listening the setup sounded ok but I expected more. I think I was assuming that the headphones to at least duplicate what I was hearing from my full size speakers. Instead, there seemed to be a lack of detail and body to the music.I don't know if it is my 70 year old ears or that I am expecting more than the 650s or any headphone can deliver. But anyway, I am going to try and find a place to listen to the Utopia phones so I can see if its just me. Hopefully the Utopia headphones will give me what I'm looking for.
Again, that thanks for your review
Ed
Ed, I think for most, headphone listening takes a bit of getting used to. Even then some love it and some may never get used to it. If you did not like the HD650 for lacking "body" and "detail" you should try a more neutral set for sure. Also throw the electrostatics into the mix, that may be more of your speed and transparency. Hopefully you will find a pair that suits you but if not, at least you tried and it wasn't for you.
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  #16  
Old 11-11-2017, 06:24 PM
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Awesome Thanks Serge!

Got to hear these one of these days
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  #17  
Old 11-11-2017, 06:25 PM
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Awesome Thanks Serge!

Got to hear these one of these days
They are a must audition.
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