Focal Utopia Review (Headphone)

[respice finem]

...Could this be a subjective perception thing that depends mostly on subtle factors such as ear shape and drivers angle?

Yes I think so. The whole "listening room" with headphones, are the insides of the earcups, together with the ears themselves and the outside ear canal. The form, volume, and angle of the ears are like the shape of and furnitue in a room, which makes headphones so individual IMHO.

 

[respice finem]

I thought K371 around 100€ is the reference.

But only until it falls apart... This is the point of buying something decently built, it doesn't have to be 4k $ of course.

 

[vkvedam]

Great! Would be good to see Elear @amirm which was released alongside. They kicked off the Focal audiophile line up of headphones.

 

[Robbo99999]

Bass is usually mono so channel balance is not the issue. The total amount is. To the extent one channel is much weaker, it contributes less to total bass.

I can imagine bass only coming out of one earphone unnatural, even if it is mono and certainly in the case of subwoofers, but my intuition tells me that with headphones this will be different, I imagine it would provide an odd sensation if the subbass was significantly lower for one of the ears on a headphone. I should probably simulate it with EqualiserAPO!

 

[Stephen]

I was able to compare this Utopia with the Meze Empyrean (around same price level, 3k€) and to my ears the Meze was way superior. The Meze had enough bass and it was... how to say... 'savoury'? The Utopia was straight and punchy while the Meze more relax and 'playful'. Now, I am not a specialist, I will wait for the Meze measurements and more importantly: psychologically accept to put 3k in a headphone...

 

[phoenixsong]

I was able to compare this Utopia with the Meze Empyrean (around same price level, 3k€) and to my ears the Meze was way superior. The Meze had enough bass and it was... how to say... 'savoury'? The Utopia was straight and punchy while the Meze more relax and 'playful'. Now, I am not a specialist, I will wait for the Meze measurements and more importantly: psychologically accept to put 3k in a headphone...

Interesting to hear you mention both of them- one of my favourite technical headphones against one of my favourite immersive headphones

 

[pos]

Interestingly given the impedance curve a high output impedance amplifier could exactly bring the kind of EQ that is needed in the bass!

 

[Stephen]

Interesting to hear you mention both of them- one of my favourite technical headphones against one of my favourite immersive headphones

Immersive is 'the' good word

 

[milosz]

If I had paid $4,000 for a headphone that measures & sounds worse than an 11 year old HiFiMan HE-6, I would be so angry that I'd never eat croissant again.

 

[phoenixsong]

If I had paid $4,000 for a headphone that measures & sounds worse than an 11 year old HiFiMan HE-6, I would be so angry that I'd never eat croissant again.

What you said really puts the development of headphones into perspective. Many old models (like the HD650 as well) remain viable- competitive even

 

[Stephen]

If I had paid $4,000 for a headphone that measures & sounds worse than an 11 year old HiFiMan HE-6, I would be so angry that I'd never eat croissant again.

Take it easy... It's French luxury. And you would miss one of the best thing in life... (croissant of course)

 

[edahl]

I thought K371 around 100€ is the reference.

Sure, but not for spatiality

 

[renaudrenaud]

Take it easy... It's French luxury. And you would miss one of the best thing in life... (croissant of course)

I've chosen sub 200€ headphones and this choice allows me to continue with croissant .

 

[Stephen]

I've chosen sub 200€ headphones and this choice allows me to continue with croissant .

Make sure you test your blood from time to time, too many of these can shorten your life time. Unlike the Meze (but in excess they can shorten you ears ability)...

 

[Rvrd90]

Someone has been compiling HP measurements in GitHub. Easy to enter in Roon PEQ convolution settings. It’s been fun tuning cheap Beats all the way to TOTL HPs like HiFiMan HE1000se.

Check this link out: https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/blob/master/results/INDEX.md

 

[Bob-23]

Borea, Celestee, Antal, Utopia... Are you in some French vibe, @amirm ?

Screenshot at 2021-04-04 12-38-04

 

[FrantzM]

Yes I think so. The whole "listening room" with headphones, are the insides of the earcups, together with the ears themselves and the outside ear canal. The form, volume, and angle of the ears are like the shape of and furnitue in a room, which makes headphones so individual IMHO.

I agree ... to a point .. but Human ears conform to a median... We aren't that much different.

Now, how's this headphones compares to the HIfiMan HE-6... looks and finish aside ? From what I can see on and infer from the measurements ,, The HE-6 warts and all, remains on top... Not current . True, but what about the HE-6SE?

 

[respice finem]

I agree ... to a point .. but Human ears conform to a median... We aren't that much different.

While this is true statistically, it doesn't help me much if I don't fit into this anatomically - and I really don't, which forces me to do my own EQ with headphones. I tried with the T1 Mk2, it roughly follows Amir's, but at max. 1/2 of the "depth". And I know the measurements are right, it's my ears anatomy that makes the original not fit.
Silly example, I know: would you try to wear 38 sized shoes on 43 sized feet, to fit "the standard"?
There are extremes the median omits, some of us are too different anatomically, I can tell, coming from a medical profession.
Just scroll down and think about this being much of the individual "listening room's" shape with headphones:
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf...vAhWFHewKHaN6AOcQ7Al6BAgHEFg&biw=1392&bih=797
My hypothetical ideal headphone EQ would involve measurement in the owner's L+R outer ear canals.
Crazy, I know, but we have many things today that were crazy 50 years ago...

 

[Helicopter]

Love to see a high end headphone reviewd here and setting a benchmark. Thank you Amir for measuring! From what I saw, I thought all focal headphones had small sound stage, but this one seems to be wide from Amir's word. I also saw some graphs compare the frequency response of focal headphones, all of them are similar, elex is even completely the same as utopia. Does anyone has subjective comparison between elex and utopia, and the sound stage of this headphone compare to other headphone?

I get cool spatial effects with the Focal Clear OG. This is something that varies from one person to another. Sean Olive mentioned the same with Clear OG (and HD800s) in another thread. I haven't tried HD800s or Utopia.

This or a new mountain bike?

I would get the bike since this is the right time of year in Northern climates and this headphone could use a refresh.

 

[restorer-john]

Not wanting to start a debate (on diminishing returns or exclusivity), but USD$4,000 for a pair of headphones is pretty much beyond ridiculous. There is simply no correlation with the cost of materials, cost of production, performance or anything else, as far as I can see.

Please educate me otherwise.