Focal Utopia Review (Headphone)

[PGAMiami]

The mailman just delivered my $43 Truthear, including tax and shipping. They surely sound much better than a transducer should be entitled to at this price. But how do they compare to the $4000 Utopia? If I had to summarize it in one sentence, the Truthear hold up just fine, until things get complicated with the music. I'm sure there are many other great headphones besides the Utopia, some cheaper and some more expensive, but there is much more to this than simply having a nice looking FR.

 

[Helicopter]

Similar-ish response ... sure but they certainly do not sound the same to me and have had the HD650 and Utopia side by side.
Not the new Utopia nor the HD650 with current pads though.

I found the Utopia to have much better detailing and stereo imaging.
In that aspect I found the Utopia to be closer to a well EQ'ed (not Harman, sorry) HD800 in detailing, stereo imaging than the HD650.
The HD650 is no slouch.

That said there are several dB's difference even with the recent measurements in various parts of the frequency range. That IS audible and only says something about tonal balance.

Don't get me wrong, when one is on a budget the HD650 is one of the better options but if one has enough financial leeway the Utopia is the better sounding option to me.
I have to admit there is a slightly weird 'metallic' emphasis on Utopia which works fine with cymbals and strings but it weird in other instruments.

Some prefer this others prefer that. Both the Utopia and HD650 do not follow the Harman curve that closely (I would even say fortunately) and only get decent 'ratings' because there are not so much deviations in the area between 100Hz and a few kHz.

You are correct though that the Utopia is not THE best headphone out there and also has some 'niggles'.

Consider that the HD650 is owned and had been used by Amir for a long time and was one of the first ones he measured/reviewed.
This affects how one rates them.

Pretty certain Amir prefers the Stealth and uses that one most often IF he wants to do headphone listening.

Agree. I have original Utopia and HD6XX here as well as original Clear. With Amir's EQ, I would give Utopia 9/10, Clear, 8.5/10, and HD6XX 7/10. Only thing I like about HD6XX is you can EQ it with an OTL tube amp (DV 336SE) and it is super comfortable. I have HD800s too though, which is even more comfortable and with EQ is better than 6XX anyway.

 

[Helicopter]

The mailman just delivered my $43 Truthear, including tax and shipping. They surely sound much better than a transducer should be entitled to at this price. But how do they compare to the $4000 Utopia? If I had to summarize it in one sentence, the Truthear hold up just fine, until things get complicated with the music. I'm sure there are many other great headphones besides the Utopia, some cheaper and some more expensive, but there is much more to this than simply having a nice looking FR.

I have a pair of these too, but I am waiting to have my audiologist friend help me pick tips before listening.

 

[Helicopter]

T

Thanks for the feedback. Have you tried to compare them both when EQed to the Harman target?

Yeah. It is the lower distortion that differentiates the Utopia, but only in highs, or loud bass, so it is a subtle difference. Clear are a way better value.

 

[Garrincha]

Agree. I have original Utopia and HD6XX here as well as original Clear. With Amir's EQ, I would give Utopia 9/10, Clear, 8.5/10, and HD6XX 7/10. Only thing I like about HD6XX is you can EQ it with an OTL tube amp (DV 336SE) and it is super comfortable. I have HD800s too though, which is even more comfortable and with EQ is better than 6XX anyway.

I have the the HD650, Hifiman Sundara and since recently the HD800, which I really love. I wonder if with EQ the Utopia has anything the HD 800 does not?

 

[Blorg]

I have the the HD650, Hifiman Sundara and since recently the HD800, which I really love. I wonder if with EQ the Utopia has anything the HD 800 does not?

It's much punchier and dynamic compared with the HD800, but with a narrower soundstage. The HD800/HD800S in my case has one of the largest soundstages of any headphone but this also makes it sound very diffuse and "light", lacking in impact. Utopia has impact. EQ can effect this to an extent but even with both EQed to Harman the Utopia is still much punchier and more intimate sounding while the HD800S still sounds more distant and diffuse. Neither is necessarily better than the other, it's a matter of taste. I think I prefer the Utopia but I could understand people preferring the HD800S, the soundstage is unquestionably better on it. It's also much better value. I'd pick the HD800 over the Utopia for classical, or anything where you're looking for a large diffuse presentation.

 

[spede]

Utopia is barely "better" than a $199 Drop 6XX. It has virtually similar response, in fact 650/6XX is also closer to Harman, and the 6XX also does not have any egregious resonances in significant bands like the Utopia has at 6k, which is not particularly fixable with EQ. Yes the Utopia is better build quality/materials, flagship factor, a bit lower 100-200hz distortion, so I assume it may handle low end EQ better. But I would say this is not even remotely close to "world's best HP" by any objective or holistic product standard, especially when DCA planars or even LCD-5 exists. If someone perhaps had the chance to listen to it and enjoys the the sound of Utopia subjectively, unless they are made of money the most sensible thing to do would be to buy a 6XX and use EQ to match the Utopia, which is probably trivial based how similar the responses are out of the box.

Focal Clear or Elex are already clearer and less smeared sounding than HD6xx at much lower price point than Utopia.

 

[Garrincha]

It's much punchier and dynamic compared with the HD800, but with a narrower soundstage. The HD800/HD800S in my case has one of the largest soundstages of any headphone but this also makes it sound very diffuse and "light", lacking in impact. Utopia has impact. EQ can effect this to an extent but even with both EQed to Harman the Utopia is still much punchier and more intimate sounding while the HD800S still sounds more distant and diffuse. Neither is necessarily better than the other, it's a matter of taste. I think I prefer the Utopia but I could understand people preferring the HD800S, the soundstage is unquestionably better on it. It's also much better value. I'd pick the HD800 over the Utopia for classical, or anything where you're looking for a large diffuse presentation.

You keep repeating this punch thing and others say this as well, for example @Resolve, but I find it hard to believe. Once for theoretical reasons, as both are dynamic drivers and are able to deliver 20kH, which means they can swing very fast and secondly I listened with EQed bass besides other music also to techno and have absolutly no complaint of the bass drum presentation from the HD800.

 

[spede]

I have the the HD650, Hifiman Sundara and since recently the HD800, which I really love. I wonder if with EQ the Utopia has anything the HD 800 does not

Yes, its more dynamic and thicker/closer sound. With rock/metal and so on HD800s will be thin and lean sounding next to Utopia.

 

[majingotan]

Focal Clear or Elex are already clearer and less smeared sounding than HD6xx at much lower price point than Utopia.

Focal Clears are still murky/veiled sounding especially when compared to Dan Clark Aeon headphones. Focal Utopia is about the same "clarity" as my 400 USD Dan Clark Aeon Open X headphones, and it's 10x overpriced with regards to subjective perceived sound.

 

[oleg87]

You keep repeating this punch thing and others say this as well, for example @Resolve, but I find it hard to believe. Once for theoretical reasons, as both are dynamic drivers and are able to deliver 20kH, which means they can swing very fast and secondly I listened with EQed bass besides other music also to techno and have absolutly no complaint of the bass drum presentation from the HD800.

I think that kind of steady-state view misses the point though. Maybe I'm talking out of my ass with respect to the mechanics of how this might work, but if, say, I process a music signal with a short-decay digital reverb effect, it will still have 20khz content if it's in the source (certainly altered in amplitude), but the dynamic qualities of the audio will be drastically altered.

 

[Garrincha]

Yes, its more dynamic and thicker/closer sound. With rock/metal and so on HD800s will be thin and lean sounding next to Utopia.

The tonal sound characteristic is mostly determined by the FR, if both are EQed to Harman, where should the thinness come from?

 

[spede]

The tonal sound characteristic is mostly determined by the FR, if both are EQed to Harman, where should the thinness come from?

Why do two headphones sound different, even in same harman eq? My guess would be structure ,driver type, driver distance to ear and so on.

 

[Garrincha]

Why do two headphones sound different, even in same harman eq? My guess would be structure ,driver type, driver distance to ear and so on.

If the EQ is successful in both cases (resonances and distortion controlled), they should only be different in spatial qualities (soundstage, imaging,...), but not in tonal ones.

 

[GaryH]

The tonal sound characteristic is mostly determined by the FR, if both are EQed to Harman, where should the thinness come from?

Its open front volume.

 

[Blorg]

You keep repeating this punch thing and others say this as well, for example @Resolve, but I find it hard to believe. Once for theoretical reasons, as both are dynamic drivers and are able to deliver 20kH, which means they can swing very fast and secondly I listened with EQed bass besides other music also to techno and have absolutly no complaint of the bass drum presentation from the HD800.

You asked a question, I replied from the perspective of someone who has actually owns and has heard both headphones. You can take that for what you will, but the Utopia and HD800S do not sound the same even when EQed to Harman. They sound quite different. I do usually EQ both to Harman, and described what I perceive to be the difference. It's in the size of the soundstage and the sense of impact. Although the HD800S needs EQ more than the Utopia does, I more often use the Utopia as is with just a bit of bass filled in.

I don't know what you want here, it seems you would prefer purely theoretical discussion from people who have never heard the headphone? Actually hearing the thing can only corrupt our judgment.

Why out of interest did you get the HD800 given you already have the HD650? Presumably you find they sound the same after EQ to Harman?

 

[Blorg]

Yes, its more dynamic and thicker/closer sound. With rock/metal and so on HD800s will be thin and lean sounding next to Utopia.

I concur with this, this is exactly how I hear it.

 

[Garrincha]

You asked a question, I replied from the perspective of someone who has actually owns and has heard both headphones. You can take that for what you will, but the Utopia and HD800S do not sound the same even when EQed to Harman. They sound quite different. I do usually EQ both to Harman, and described what I perceive to be the difference. It's in the size of the soundstage and the sense of impact. Although the HD800S needs EQ more than the Utopia does, I more often use the Utopia as is with just a bit of bass filled in.

First of all, I did not ask you, as I don't give much of what you are saying, sorry. You supposedly hear differences where they are clearly negligible (7Hz Zero vs Dusk).

I don't know what you want here, it seems you would prefer purely theoretical discussion from people who have never heard the headphone? Actually hearing the thing can only corrupt our judgment.

Why out of interest did you get the HD800 given you already have the HD650? Presumably you find they sound the same after EQ to Harman?

Why would you assume this? Spatial qualities are mostly independent of FR. I got the HD800 as I value immensely the huge soundstage and I am very happy with that purchase.

And the best thing is, I do not need to justify to you anything of what I am doing!

 

[Garrincha]

Its open front volume.

That this is responsible for supposedly less punchy bass is a hypothesis.

 

[thewas]

In the end even a headphone generates a three dimensional soundfield around the ear and a single FR plot reduces this to a one dimension average which even if same (depends also on the geometry of the ear) doesn't mean its components will be the same. This is similar to the fact that two loudspeakers with different are directivity sound different even if they are equalised to the same "static" FR at the listeners position. Someone could try this for example with two headphones with very different driver placement which are equalised to the same FR measured at the individual eardrum. Headphone reproduction is a very complicated matter and thinking just equalising the typically measured single dimension FR to some predefined response solves all problems is an illusion.