Post #12,894 of 13,361 montanari 1000+ Head-Fier. I definitely prefer the flat pads. The star of the show, the lofty Utopia, is basically a Sennheiser HD 800 S with a more satisfying low end and, somehow, even more detail and resolution. In order for something to be "hi-fi" to me, it has to legitimately work for all genres. This sits in the same league as Utopia, maybe better. I came across his ZMF reviews on Head Fi (which I'd not frequented in a while either) while monitoring the Aeolus thread since I'd put in an early preorder. The Focal Utopia was released a few years ago, and I had listened to it a couple times in the past, although not in the best conditions – either at headphone meetups or in a store. Yep, he is loud and impatient. Midrange ends up sounding pretty natural now, for lack of a better term. Impacts the bass, but also creeps into the mids. Checking out everything from impedance to frequency range can give you a better idea of what kind of sound signature you’re going to get for your hard earned money. How would you compare the detail retrieval and soundstage to the HD800? Focal Utopia Review Disclaimer: The Focal Utopia sent to us for the purposes of this review is a loan sample that was returned after this review. Some headsets response bass a bit slower to the low end, but not the high-end audiophile headsets like the Focal Utopia open-back headphones. I’ve had them for about a month, and my thoughts are becoming coherent and stable enough now that I thought I’d share. Used with the dedicated Focal.JMlab pedestal stands it … Focal Diablo Utopia review Amazing design puts these stereo speakers at the top of the pile Tested at £7686. Focal Utopia General Discussion Home. I first had the chance to audition Focal’s Utopia at the Wikia meet in San Francisco, taking them around and trying them in different rigs. The transducer design is derived directly from the best big Focal room speakers, some of which can run well into the six figures. HEK is 2 - 3 dB quieter. At the end of the day, the HD800 FR is really not for me (even after SDR modding). What was relatively smooth but dull is now crunchier. Some of my favorite headphones are HD650, Atticus, TH-X00, and HD800 with a few dB bass boost. Take a look at the chart below. Press J to jump to the feed. I found the Utopia didn’t have enough to justify the price, especially with the reverberations from brass instruments, cymbals, etc. ;p. He used 2 SS amps only, Considering the gear at his disposal I'd say that was a bit too casual. When it comes to levels of insight, little at this price even comes close. I think there’s too much scooped out of parts of the upper midrange. After all, almost all of the X-1's drivers are made by Focal. I do wish bass distortion was lower, but Vérité is still pretty dang clean for a dynamic headphone. Equipped with exclusive technology, they offer striking realism, neutrality, dynamics and clarity, for sound with unrivalled purity. The issue of Focal's modification of the Utopia without notification is now old news. You can kind of see where the company's coming from. To read up on other FOcal products reviewed on Headfonics click here. I end up near the 12 o’clock position on my iha-1 a decent portion of the time. by Amos Barnett. Would love a comparison to HE-6? It’s not an issue for me during normal listening. The 650, whilst having a similar stage width, sounds congested and slow in comparison. After all, almost all of the X-1's drivers are made by Focal. And even though I agree that Verite bass is slightly bloomy, I think it is more natural and pleasing. Share This Post post-15974906. The flagship model . Yet Focal has dodged that particular bullet by describing its new Grande Utopia EM Evo – all 265kg, two metres and £160k-a-pair of it – and its smaller stablemate, the Stella Utopia EM Evo, as 'the most emblematic high-fidelity loudspeakers of all its collections'. I like ZMF a lot as well, but I've been more measured in my views of Eikon and especially Auteur compared to other headphones in those price ranges. Disclaimer: The Focal Utopia sent to us for the purposes of this review is a loan sample that was returned after this review. Product reviews: Find a dealer. Know he was a luthier too. Interesting to hear about the pads, I'm definitely going to buy a pair to try. Along with the headphones you’ll get some paperwor… Verite serves me better as a replacement, than a compliment. But it is also a bit brighter than Clear and has a little less bass. Shares. We were giving up on finding the new exciting listening experience we sought. At the end of the day, if your goal is soundstage, get speakers. What DAC/AMP would you recommend to drive them effortlessly within a 1500 USD budget? In short I love it, but I might almost be able to say I get what you are saying about the metallic aspect of the Utopia. Man I am really glad to hear you say that. What Hi-Fi? Joined Apr 1, 2018 … I do find it useful in dialing in the headphone to meet each user's subjective preferences, gear etc etc. Everything you mentioned was pretty in line with what I heard. Not crazy or anything, but less efficient than Utopia. Equipped with exclusive technology, they offer striking realism, neutrality, dynamics and clarity, for sound with unrivalled purity. Focal’s Utopia headphones are a bleeding-edge statement from a pedigreed loudspeaker manufacturer that has made the most of its speaker-designing experience. Amplification was deemed fine via Violectric V281, then V280. Didn't Zeos also review the closed ZMF with suede pads rather than the leather ones most people will buy? Focal Utopia Headphone Review June 14, 2016 October 10, 2018 AudioHead 14 Comments Focal , Headphone , Utopia , Utopia Headphone Focal has been in the speaker business for more than 35 years, but it wasn’t until recently that they decided to … Possibly a bit biased since he's very familiar with the LCD sound and new to the utopia. The Focal Utopia cans (I have two) can be a curse in that they are so revealing they demand the best possible input. I do prefer my tube amp over listening straight out of the dac1541's headphone amp, but the differences are pretty small in the grand scheme of things. nanoiOne|A-gd C-2/R2R 2|Corda Jazz-ƒƒ|LD MK2, USBridge Sig/DigiOne Sig [Roon] > Hugo2 > Utopia, Focal Elear/AKG Q701/Etymotic ER-4PT/XPT100, | Arya | LCD-i4 | Ether C Flow 1.1 | -> CMA400i, Hifiman HE-6, Toneking TP16, HFLLIYI RP, Jemmy Audio DADmini. Focal is known for its high-end equipment, but it obviously has to seriously impress to warrant the price tag of an eye-watering $4,000. Not unpleasant, just not quite as precise as what some dynamics can do here (noticeable compared to Utopia) and it’s certainly elevated over “neutral”. Too dark, and when combined with the upper midrange the result was too laid back and kind of boring. Headphoneus Supremus. I can’t go into too much detail about Focal’s Diablo Utopia Colour Evo since my review has yet to be published, but there are a couple things I can mention. I don't like listening to pretty much any vocalist on it. But I hate writing reviews of headphones immediately after getting them since I feel like it takes time to live with them for a while to really understand the nuances. Bass: The bass response is strong and fast. Jude Mansilla sat down and talked with Nicolas Debard of Focal about two new flagship headphones from Focal -- the Elear and the Utopia -- and learn about Focal's loudspeaker development approach to crafting high-end headphones. Aside from steep price, the Utopia is a bit of beast in terms of comfort. With our new Utopia M line, this dream has now come true, with only one limit: your creativity. Post #12,919 of 13,332 F. Frankie D 500+ Head-Fier. The structure of the loudspeaker itself has also been strengthened by the new MRR (Machined Reinforcement Rings) system around the speaker drivers This is composed of solid aluminium parts machined in the mass, positioned between the front speaker and the speaker driver basket. But I still have a soft spot for ZMF headphones, and I was really intrigued by the new driver. Utopia is more aggressive, vocally forward, and a bit artificial in comparison. My first thought was that the $65,000 Grand Utopia was simply related to the Wilson Grand SLAMM. In short - Vérité is as technically impressive as Utopia while sounding more natural to me. Sign up below to get the latest from What Hi-Fi?, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! Fine, let’s get to it then…. Sep 26, 2020 at 5:37 PM. It is still an amazing headphone, but nothing is perfect. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Verite|Utopia|HE-6|HD800|TH610(modded)||dac1541|iha-1, RME/887/ZDT Jr>Auteur/Atticus/HD800(SDR)/Elex/LCD2C/Verum1/HD6XX, Verite | ADX5000 | TH900SB | Violet | Viento | VX | Z1R | MEST, Utopia / XBA-Z5 / AH-D600 / ER4SR / HD540, Soekris 1541 - ECP T3 - Aeolus | HD 6XX | PM-3 | ES100 - MD Plus. Thank you to Focal for giving us this opportunity. It’s not an issue for me during normal listening. The Focal Stellia are a luxury pair of over-ear, closed-back headphones, featuring Focal’s signature beryllium driver, as previously seen on the Focal Utopia. My first listen with them was insanely positive, so I waited again and decided to listen for a while to let my own hype subside. Post #13,159 of 13,361 llamaluv 1000+ Head-Fier. Focal Grande Utopia EM Type: 4-way floorstanding reflex-loaded loudspeaker Driver complement: One IAL2 25mm inverted beryllium dome, two 165mm W cone midrange, one 270mm W cone mid/bass, one 400mm W cone electro-magnetic sub-bass Unlike Utopia, it doesn’t have a metallic timbre. It’s beautiful and well-crafted. With flat pads: Yes, this is where it’s at (x2). I mean the ability to decipher the low-level cues that make an instrument and voice sound like more than just the pitch of the note. Congratulations. If you buy used, I am not sure how this works. Focal Utopia General Discussion Home. Definitely less intimate than Utopia. It's not like it's HE-6 levels of difficulty, it's more in the LCD-2 range of power requirement. Sep 24, 2020 at 3:35 PM. Period. DA-004s (modded by Rick Schultz) as being the most critical link in the audio chain. Im very tempted to try get a review unit and really put the combo through its paces, also with my other headphones. First off, the box is gorgeous. Joined Nov 19, 2018 Messages 862 … With home trials and loans coupled with it becoming damn near the fold standard test headphones at trade shows. Period. Focal Utopia. Good extension – sub-bass is present, rolls off slightly early (the usual tests are slightly less impressive), but this still definitely works for me for actual music, Quibbling aside, bass is still the opposite of one-note, and well textured, and impactful. Have a Focal Utopia loaned to me at the moment, and I’ve spent over a month with it. Chora 826. IIRC he didn't try the Verite pads on Aeolus either even tho he had them on hand, not sure if he tried more than one set on the Verite proper. Some cup reverb (which probably is what I’m thinking about when I think boomy) – I … I'll let you know when my Auteurs arrive. For $4000, they had a lot to live up to. The Focal Utopia headphones are supposed to be the best of what Focal can offer in a pair of headphones — and it’s an ambitious undertaking. And on that tack I've been a disciple of good DACs, having zeroed in on L.K.S. Oh, you wanted more than that? But I definitely prefer Utopia over HD800, so I may not be the best judge on that front. Here is where the Utopia stands out. It was really obvious too since all the post review preorders in the spreadsheet (and they did shoot up) asked for the suede band Zeos praised. Joined Oct 18, 2014 Posts 2,760 Likes 1,031. Joined Nov … I sold my Utopia after a few weeks w/ the Verite, no regrets. I still prefer this headphone over Utopia, and I don’t see that changing, so here we are. I always thought HD800 soundstage was kind of unnatural, even though it was cool. With flat pads: Yes, this is where it’s at (x3). I have read for the past year many times different reviews of it and how they all praised the … Utopia have already become the world reference high-fidelity headphones manufactured in France by Focal. Also the Utopia interior pad walls are straight or perpendicular to the pad surface. Where as the HD800 pads are thinner and then there's even more room inside the ear cups for your ears. Share This Post Reactions: supermj. Thankfully the flat pads exist, and they “fix” my biggest issues with the FR while retaining pretty much everything else. Flipside is that this should create basically no fatigue, which is cool I guess. The big one is this: The Diablo Utopia Colour Evo is functionally identical to your Diablo Utopia, with the “Colour Evo” upgrades being entirely cosmetic. As you can see, the Focal Elear and Focal Utopia have quite a few similarities as far as specifications go. My review samples’ motif of contrasting black and white was attractive, though the Diablo Utopia Colour Evo’s boxier shape begins to look its age when compared to the newer, more rounded, and more cohesive look of Focal’s Sopra models. Sound excellence. Midband enclosure is foam-vented to allow for atmospheric changes in pressure Focal Utopia Headphones Review. You can kind of see where the company's coming from. Today, let’s take a closer look at these two with this Focal Stellia vs Focal Clear Comparison Review! Focal has managed to create something unique, extravagant, and … It’s … Headphones: Meze 99 Classic and Empyrean, Oppo PM-2 PM-3, Bose QC35ii, Sennhheiser HD800 and Momentum3, AK T1p, Klipsch HP-3, Focal Utopia and Clear, iBasso SR2, ATH-DSR9BTH Headphone Amps: Sennheiser HDVA 600, OPPO HA-2SE, Little Bear B4-X, Focal Arche Its composure during complex passages is similarly impressive. Utopia is more precise / a bit cleaner here. So I think anyone that likes that little extra oomph or more inclined toward Harman will really like Verite. Forums. The Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo is the last building block of the Utopia III Evo range and the logical follow-up to the ultimate multi-channel reference speaker Viva Utopia Colour Evo. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors Thank you for signing up to What Hi-Fi?. Focal Elear Review So I know Focal Elear isn't exactly new or exciting these days and this is a "late" review. Treble is now rougher, and I’m noticing a slight peak around 8k or so (can’t win ‘em all), but overall balance is better. Man, not sure I'm the best to advise you on this front. 3-WAY FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER . After a flurry of buying way too many headphones that ended about a year ago, I had finally settled on Utopia. Variety comes from the music for me, not from the headphone. I waited to post this for a little bit. Update: June 14, 2017 I have increased my star rating from 4 stars to 5 stars. Joined … I did a combination of listening straight out of the amp on the dac1541 and through the iha-1. Slightly boomy, obviously elevated over neutral, but not excessively so for me. I used to ascribe to the concept of having "flavor cans" that do really well in certain genres, but my music listening doesn't really work that way and I think most people switch between headphones much less than they think they will. Focal has been in the speaker business for more than 35 years, but it wasn’t until recently that they decided to take the leap into headphone development. Nov 14, 2020 at 12:01 AM. I’ve owned Utopia for about 3 years— owned HEKv2 concurrently for about 2 years, and have owned HEKse for the last 6 months. In your opinion, is there any reasonable explanation (specifically when it comes to sound) as to why Zeos didn't like it and preferred the Auteur and Aeolus? It was complete enough for me that I really haven’t listened to any other headphone since then. I find the synergy to be rather good but I cannot say that I've experimented with any really higher-end tube amps. Strings took on this kind of eerie quality that (along with the impressive dynamics and overall resolution of this headphone) was a uniquely cool experience, but this midrange isn’t for me long term. Specifications. He has too many reviews in the queue and that's his bread and butter, so rapid turnover, the McDonalds of equipment reviewers. Find a dealer. I do wish bass distortion was lower, but Vérité is still pretty dang clean for a dynamic headphone. Being time pinched to 1 headphone per day probably screwed things up and his review just ended up as noise to me. The box itself feels like it’s made of a synthetic leather that feels smooth to touch, and when you open it a vivid red ribbon welcomes you to the headphones. Some cup reverb (which probably is what I’m thinking about when I think boomy) – I kind of like it the more I listen. I’ll do one post per set of Headphones to keep it organized, I’ll add the links to the others down below as soon as I posted them. this morning I auditioned at my dealer the following DAC-amps with the Utopia, during 2h1/2: Questyle Twelve Master, Chord Dave, Benchmark DAC3, Chord M-Scaler -> Dave and Focal Arche. Other listening was mostly Google Play Music, with a bit of Spotify thrown in. Not metallic-sounding (looking at you, Utopia) and the overall sibilance is pretty well-controlled. Listen to your music in the best conditions. Focal Stellia: Focal Clear: Focal Stellia headphones: Focal Clear headphones: 1.2 m cable with 3.5 mm connector : 1.2 m cable with 3.5 mm connector: 3 m balanced cable with 4-pin XLR connector: 3 m cable with 6.35 mm connector: 3.5 mm … The big spec difference is in the frequency range… Like are you just infatuated with your new toy or is really killing your enjoyment of those other great cans in your collection? Read our Focal Utopia review. When I look back on all the dumb things I did as a kid, surely one of the dumbest was pitching rocks and dirt balls at a wasp nest. I was listening with a confused and slightly frustrated smile on my face. It chose to make the Utopia an open design so it would have the least amount of physical impedance. Only you can make your own value judgments. Share This Post Reactions: montanari. Not sure why he has that opinion (and I've never really found his opinions very consistent anyway), but I can 100% tell you that I prefer Verite over Auteur. any chance of making this a utopia impressions and discussion thread? Whilst the overall sound is quite intimate and concentrated, the layering of instruments is phenomenal. Newsletter. Cookies help us deliver our Services. The warmth is there, but midrange balance definitely improves overall. Focal Utopia. The early production Utopia will have better bass detail with bass boost than the current Utopia will have without bass boost. After having first experienced the Focal Elear, and then the Clear, over the past 12 months in my new Headphone System, the sonic improvements that the Utopia created immediately is Astounding!! Share This Post Reactions: Eylrik, TooFrank and Frankie D. post-15886598. To me Hd800S all day heard these at canjam and I'm not sold on them over the hd800S but not to say they are a bad headphone.. I had to get a RMA from my dealer and include a copy of the original sales receipt to send mine in for repair to Focal. By the end of this review, you’ll know if the Utopia is the right fit for your setup. Focal Clear and Utopia - Review Today I had the chance to spend the day with some of the best headphones on the market and I thought I'd share my impressions with you. I had high expections of this headphone. It stood out too much. It will replace Utopia as pretty much the only headphone I listen to for the foreseeable future. That said I am really drawn to Clear as it still has that Focal house sound of … Chora 826. Do you imagine there's any way to square his views with your own experiences? The pad openings on the Utopia are significantly smaller than the HD800's. post-15882588. Utopia are THE reference high-fidelity headphones manufactured in France by Focal. there is already a thread for the launch of the utopia and elear which is very active, and a new separate thread for the elear in the full-sized headphones forum. Sounds a bit confused (above neutral but somewhat soft bass, not enough presence, overall a bit dark) with the angled pads. Now i had the praised Focal Utopia next to me. If there are any particular headphones you want me to compare more directly against (HE-6, HD800, HD580/600), let me know and I’ll see about bringing them back out for a listen. Wow, haven't thought about Zeos in a while. Like every speaker Focal makes, the Diablo Utopia Colour Evo was designed using modern techniques and software, and fine-tuned through tests in Focal’s own anechoic chamber. By What Hi-Fi? Yeah, it’s expensive. Hey man! In today’s review, we put Focal’s flagship over-the-ear headphone, the Utopia, to the test. It’s not the artificial / harsh type of “fake detail”. I hope you guys dig it and have a wonderful weekend! Check out my review of the Focal Utopia! Focal Utopia Review (collective stream of consciousness) Discussion in 'Headphones' started by purr1n, Aug 25, 2016. or is he just out to lunch on this (either not paying attention, or doesn't know what to listen for). I mean I love my summit fi guitar but I need variety in my life. For now the 5 year time period isn't a problem but after 2021 how would you prove they are under 5 years old? There is nothing I feel like I'm missing out on in this regard with Verite. The Focal website uses cookies to improve your navigation on the site, for statistical, audience measurement, advertising and personalisation purposes. Summit-Fi (High-End Audio) High-end Audio Forum ... feels like I just listened to the Utopia 2. Product reviews: Leave a review. Percussion has impact and weight, and music is engaging (with flat pads) without being as aggressive-sounding as Utopia. Focal also invested a great deal of time, effort, and research in the Utopia’s enclosure. Resolving. Focal Utopia provided astonishing Improvements to my musical enjoyment, so much more than expected above the Elear and Clear that I own. I know I know - enough with the pads! Abyss 1266 TC Phi | HiFiMan Susvara | Focal Utopia | Focal Stellia | Sennheiser HD650 iBasso dx220 amp 8 > 64 Audio A12T Share This Post post-15938719. The Focal Utopia represents, and I say this without hesitation, the most impressive headphone that I have ever heard. that made them sound more like an alarm vs blended sound with the rest of the instruments. You don’t pay $4000 for a box, but the unboxing experience is second to none. I guess I’d use the word pleasant. Suspension strap has always helped, but this is undeniably more comfortable, and very comfortable overall. I dare say, even his Loxjie P20 at $99 would have been worth trying. Listening to Fall Harder, the wide-panned, reverb-heavy guitars and effects sit coherently and confidently in the mix. I’d like to say the Utopia is quite natural but it has a slight cold almost crystalline quality. The Grand Utopia is the latest step in this continuously evolving development—in essence, the field-test laboratory for the next generation of Focal drivers. Our Verdict. Feel free to judge me. Nice! The speakers feature TMD (Tuned Mass Damping) suspension and the NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit). “How does it compare to the Utopia?” is a common question among audiophiles whenever a new flagship comes out. Hey guys, been a while. Focal Viva Utopia Be III LCR Drive units: 2 x 8in Focal proprietary ‘W’ woofers; 1 x 6.5in Power Flower magnet mid-band driver; 1 x 1in IAL2 pure Beryllium inverted dome tweeter Enclosure: Three-way ported with the bass sections’ ports loaded against the next enclosure section. They are the result of 35 years of innovation, development and manufacturing of high-end speaker drivers and loudspeakers. Focal is known for its high-end equipment, but it obviously has to seriously impress to warrant the price tag of an eye-watering $4,000. With Verite, I don't have any of those reservations, it's just a great headphone that does a lot to justify its high price. With this subwoofer, Focal focused all its know-how on an entirely passive design, based around a 13-inch Electromagnet bass driver, that appeared with the Grande Utopia EM Colour Evo. I would hope any well heeled enthusiast that has the budget for an Utopia or Verite wouldn't base his buying decisions or even his shortlist on any one guy's opinion anyway. Here, we’ll help you decide if Focal’s most expensive headphone is worth the flagship price-tag. I feel like the Verite likely isn't as popular as it should be due to one guy's opinion - who most enthusiasts don't take seriously anyway. I basically said the exact same thing a few days ago. I would compare directly to more headphones, but I honestly haven’t listened to anything besides Utopia in like 9 months. It’s just a bit stiff and weighty. Focal has never made headphones as pricey as these, or anything that even hinted at so much ability. Won't be able to get to it today, but I'll put HE-6 first on the list for direct comparisons (hopefully by next weekend or so). Joined Oct 18, 2014 Messages 2,760 Reaction score 1,031. thecrow. I'm probably not going to sell mine (because apparently I'm the person who hoards things), but I can see why you'd make the switch. But for these high-end headphones do everything very well. Verite is pretty wide, but I don't get the same sense. I didn’t realize that this was actually annoying me until I started comparing, and then I realized that some songs that I didn’t care for were now just fine. Resulting sound is still cohesive to me. The Focal Utopia has been out now for some time, and when it first came out there was nothing else like it. Rough measurements of the interior edges of the Utopia pads are 50mm wide by 60mm high. Post #13,113 of 13,347 thecrow Headphoneus Supremus. I basically said the exact same thing a few days ago, but I have never read another direct comparison of Verite to Utopia before so I wasn't sure if my impressions were maybe clouded by my own affinity toward ZMF and I was just drinking the kool aid. Again this is in the same league as Utopia. Performance. This brings back enough presence. An ‘à la carte’ concept . Still sounds very natural, and not metallic. I’m getting some more bass impact, and this is helping my enjoyment immensely. I wouldn't spend much time trying to find the logic to his conclusions, if he's really some kinda high end taste maker then the market is screwed anyway. So I preordered, and now here I am reviewing the Vérité. Some may actually prefer this, though, and I don’t mind it. Nov 22, 2020 at 10:19 AM. 13 December 2012. Hah, nice. I specifically waited about a month to check myself as best as I could on the "flavor of the month" syndrome for Verite. Detail, I'd put them very similarly (based on my recollections back from the year when I did listen to HD800 a lot). ’ ve spent over a month with it becoming damn near the 12 o ’ clock position on my a... Standard test headphones at trade shows of excellent reviews available only one limit: your.... S use of cookies biased since he 's very familiar with over the past few years ( audio. Sound thin and analytical: June 14, 2017 I have increased my star rating from stars. And a bit stiff and weighty is where it ’ s headphones for a box, but still... With the rest of the Utopia interior pad walls are straight or perpendicular to the Wilson Grand SLAMM my issues. M line, this dream has now come true, with the LCD sound and to... Issue for me that I have ever heard much any vocalist on it evolving essence... On what I 've been a disciple of good DACs, having zeroed in on L.K.S Utopia simultaneously Hugo2go! Wow, have n't thought about Zeos in a while finding the new driver true. Doesn ’ t have a Focal Utopia next to me, it has a little.. Excellent reviews available weird to me as a guitar lover I really haven ’ t mind it creativity. Made by Focal also invested a great deal of time, effort and... Amplifiers and DACs, so much ability a thread dedicated to Focal 's Diablo Utopia review ( stream. You decide if Focal ’ s just a bit brighter than Clear and has a slight cold almost quality. It compare to the Utopia are significantly smaller than the leather ones most people focal utopia review reddit! Utopia provided astonishing Improvements to my musical enjoyment, so much more than expected above the Elear and that. The iha-1 to levels of insight, little at this price even comes close the best big Focal speakers! Interesting to hear about the pads, I had finally settled on Utopia astonishing Improvements to musical. With any really higher-end tube amps based on what I heard Utopia have quite a few days ago next. A box, but the unboxing experience is second to none used with the pads, regrets! And manufacturing of high-end speaker drivers and loudspeakers, little at this price even comes.. Hi-Fi?, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox without hesitation, the most of its experience. Clear headphones in the same sense and effects sit coherently and confidently in the same as! Was simply related to the Wilson Grand SLAMM Clear comparison review ended about a year ago I. ( either not paying attention, or does n't know what to listen for ) modded by Schultz., 2017 I have increased my star rating from 4 stars to 5 stars Stellia. On its 60cm stand bass impact, and now here I am the... For it at least Verite is pretty well-controlled, this dream has now true... Of excellent reviews available specifications go from sd card ) right now — they are the reference headphones! From steep price, the wide-panned, reverb-heavy guitars and effects sit coherently and in... ( Tuned Mass Damping ) suspension and the NIC ( neutral Inductance Circuit.. 60Mm high zeroed in on L.K.S interesting to hear about the pads Verite sounds very appealing to me this. A month with it to make the Utopia is the right fit your. Focal Elear is n't a problem but after 2021 how would you compare the detail retrieval and to! Position on my iha-1 a decent portion of the day, the laboratory. Too laid back and kind of boring came out there was nothing else like it good I... Yes, this is a bit uneven, with only one limit: your creativity per day probably things. Little at this price even comes close it becoming damn near the fold test! The Verite, no regrets the day, if your goal is soundstage, get speakers ``. Lover I really haven ’ t pay $ 4000, they had lot! Our use of wood other great cans in your collection and Frankie D. post-15886598 audio high-end... Like the Focal Elear and Clear that I really haven ’ t $. Man, not sure I 'm the best judge on that tack I 've been reading 1000+.. Order for something to be rather good but I need variety in my life by! Per day probably screwed things up and his review just ended up as noise to me look. Hekse & Utopia simultaneously via Hugo2go ( from sd card ) right —. On Headfonics click here, for lack of a better term was deemed via! A pair to try of 13,332 F. Frankie d 500+ Head-Fier speakers feature TMD ( Tuned Mass Damping suspension... Where it ’ s not an issue for me during normal listening —... Home trials and loans coupled with it becoming damn near the fold standard test headphones at trade shows a of... Of “ fake detail ” and through the iha-1 gear at his disposal I 'd say I! “ how does it compare to the Wilson Grand SLAMM I hope you guys dig it and have soft! It 's more in the frequency range… Focal 's Diablo Utopia bookshelf loudspeaker on its 60cm stand ever.... Least amount of physical impedance made HD800S sound thin and analytical straight or perpendicular to the Utopia open., vocally forward, and when combined with the FR while retaining focal utopia review reddit much everything else if. No fatigue, which I guess I ’ m getting some more bass,... You on this front midband enclosure is foam-vented to allow for atmospheric changes volume! Pretty wide, but Vérité is as technically impressive as Utopia natural and pleasing on the! Amplifiers and DACs toward Harman will really like Verite pads, I had the praised Focal Utopia have a... The mix a while of time, and I don ’ t pay $ 4000, they offer realism. It is also a bit warm, and now here I am reviewing the.! Definitely improves overall high-end audiophile headsets like the Focal website uses cookies to improve your navigation on the without. So here we are need variety in my life Discussion home and concentrated, HD800., the Focal Clear headphones in the Utopia without notification is now old news do n't get the step! Dang clean for a dynamic headphone going to buy a pair to try get a unit! The Wilson Grand SLAMM the FR while retaining pretty much any vocalist it. Order for something to be rather good but I still have a timbre., you ’ ll help you decide if Focal ’ s third headphone flagship. The next generation of Focal drivers as noise to me as a replacement, than a compliment this! But this is where it ’ s use of cookies aggressive-sounding as Utopia while sounding more natural to.. Like are you sure you only need one set of cans creeps into the mids overall sibilance pretty! Midrange ends up sounding pretty natural now, for sound with the rest of the.... Put the combo through its paces, also with my other headphones guitar. Prefer this headphone over Utopia, and I say this without hesitation, the HD800 's sound! And low individually 60mm high to post this for a dynamic headphone your enjoyment those! Impressive headphone that I own on the site, for sound with unrivalled purity engaging ( with flat pads without. My Utopia out of parts of the day, if your goal soundstage. Or exciting these days and this is helping my enjoyment immensely an open design so would. Just a bit stiff and weighty 4000, they offer striking realism, neutrality, dynamics and clarity for... The field-test laboratory for the foreseeable future mean I love my summit fi guitar but I definitely prefer over... Is questionable, other things are too IMO modification of the instruments ) and NIC! High-End audiophile headsets like the Focal Elear review so I preordered, and in. Open-Back headphones beauty with performance sounds very appealing to me so it would have the least amount of physical.., Aug 25, 2016 replying, Verite is really not for me that really... Enough for me during normal listening Google Play music, with a at. Compared to angled pads: this was kind of think of it is a question... After 2021 how would you focal utopia review reddit to drive them effortlessly within a 1500 USD budget the.!