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  #11  
Old 10-16-2017, 10:20 PM
PHC1 PHC1 is offline
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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.
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  #12  
Old 10-16-2017, 10:31 PM
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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.
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Old 10-16-2017, 11:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mouse View Post
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.
I would not judge anything based on various gear in use for different headphones. The only comparison that counts is same music, same source, same headphone amp and same day as even the mood can alter the way we perceive sound day to day. I know it's not always possible but really the best A/B comparison is to have both in your hands and keep going back and forth at the same system. Only then can you truly understand what is different and what you may prefer. Anything else is rather meaningless and a guess at best.
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  #14  
Old 10-17-2017, 07:54 PM
greekgod greekgod is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PHC1 View Post
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.
I agree and that's the only reason I don't own a pair of Audezes myself. Their products are very cutting edge so it has taken them some time to sort out reliability issues. However, it is my understanding that the newest LCD4s don't have any issues but don't quote me on that...lol.
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  #15  
Old 10-17-2017, 08:48 PM
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Originally Posted by greekgod View Post
I agree and that's the only reason I don't own a pair of Audezes myself. Their products are very cutting edge so it has taken them some time to sort out reliability issues. However, it is my understanding that the newest LCD4s don't have any issues but don't quote me on that...lol.
That would be great news since they are excellent headphones.
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  #16  
Old 10-17-2017, 08:58 PM
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My LCD4’s work flawlessly.
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  #17  
Old 10-18-2017, 08:05 AM
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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.
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  #18  
Old 10-18-2017, 02:19 PM
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Mr Speakers are tops for Jazz according to one reviewer. Ain't heard 'em myself.
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  #19  
Old 10-20-2017, 06:45 PM
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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.
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  #20  
Old 10-21-2017, 08:56 AM
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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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