Focal Utopia Review (Headphone)

[Racheski]

Very surprising measurements. I would have guessed that the FR curve looked something like this:
View attachment 122007

That's the HD800

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

How many times can you reproduce this
experience when listening to the Utopia? Probably not even a single one ;-) !!

often. It's reproducible. btw. I always find it amusing how in other forums members spend $ 1000 on a cable and live with the conviction that the bass is now much more voluminous. at the same time the equalizer is frowned upon ...

 

[Nango]

often. It's reproducible. btw. I always find it amusing how in other forums members spend $ 1000 on a cable and live with the conviction that the bass is now much more voluminous. at the same time the equalizer is frowned upon ...

The texture of a bass the cable for 1000$ can (re)produce is way more beefy than a shoddy EQ

 

[ezra_s]

Seeing how it performs, what I like to know is what does it have to be that expensive.

 

[thehun]

French Jewelry is it? Just don't pair it with the Total DAC !

 

[sq225917]

This or a new mountain bike?

You have cheap taste in bikes... ;-)

 

[PeteL]

I have read in this thread some tough on this thread about spatial quality. I understand that it may be hard to measure, but I believe that there are room for a more scientific approach, if not measured, more objectively assessed.

Here is a suggestion, if someone here have recording equipment. Use Binaural recording, that can be interesting if we could get some test signals.
An exemple: have a mono speaker play a tone, and capture it with a binaural microphone pair 10 feet in front of the speaker. Now play it back in a few different headphones. With some, you may still be able to localise the tone coming from the cup on each side, the better at spatial quality you'll swear you have a speaker behind you. Your brain won't register that you have a headphone on your head, some will be in between.

 

[NDRQ]

Very surprising measurements. I would have guessed that the FR curve looked something like this:
View attachment 122007

I guess, maybe you are using headphones with big treble deficit/+bloated bass that masking high frequencies and you are used to that sound signature. Probably thats why you thought that the Utopia has too much treble.

 

[Thomas_A]

For this price I would expect no need of EQ.

 

[Helicopter]

After some time on this thread, I broke down and ordered a pair... of HD800Ss. I am gonna hold out for the next generation of this headphone.

 

[Jimbob54]

For this price I would expect no need of EQ.

So they can build a headphone that is perfect for all ears? Eq everything. The best don't need too much or don't distort when you add more.

 

[Jimbob54]

After some time on this thread, I broke down and ordered a pair... of HD800Ss. I am gonna hold out for the next generation of this headphone.

Bravo

 

[Thomas_A]

So they can build a headphone that is perfect for all ears? Eq everything. The best don't need too much or don't distort when you add more.

I use headphones with my digital piano and other instruments, computer, TV, HiFi and phone. I am too lazy to arrange EQ setups on all those things. I am happy with reasonably good headphones, without EQ needs.

 

[Jimbob54]

I use headphones with my digital piano and other instruments, computer, TV, HiFi and phone. I am too lazy to arrange EQ setups on all those things. I am happy with reasonably good headphones, without EQ needs.

Then these will sound just fine for you, as the review states. But I'd suggest these probably aren't aimed at you. Or me. Or most folks.

Doesn't change the fact that saying they can be improved with eq to his personal taste isn't a criticism and I would suggest shouldn't be taken as one.

 

[preload]

That's the HD800

Negative. This was in comparison to the HD800, which I had at the same time as the Utopia. I also remember the Utopia soundstage to be very narrow and shut in, also in comparison.

 

[BostonJack]

This or a new mountain bike?

I hear that. I'm finally retiring my '82 DeRosa after many years of service and a quality "good, but not outstanding" bike is
$4k these days. (DeRosa is a steel road bike with a stretched rear triangle to accommodate DuraAce drive components, including a DA triple - good for a poor climber (me) climbing steep hills - at this point its a museum piece)

 

[JustIntonation]

View attachment 121879

I don't know if it is diffraction, reflections or what. I prefer to not see this in high-end headphone.

I strongly suspect this is present in the HD800(s) as well. It has very reflective earcups inside and I find the effect audible.
It seems to me this is a fairly new 'trick' by some headphone manufacturers to add artificial 'space' to dry recordings.
Any chance of updating the HD800s review with group delay measurements as well?

 

[gvl]

You have cheap taste in bikes... ;-)

Yes, I have been called cheapskate before

 

[amirm]

I strongly suspect this is present in the HD800(s) as well. It has very reflective earcups inside and I find the effect audible.
It seems to me this is a fairly new 'trick' by some headphone manufacturers to add artificial 'space' to dry recordings.
Any chance of updating the HD800s review with group delay measurements as well?

Interesting theory. The 800s indeed has similar irregularities :

We will have to look to see if there is a trend here.

 

[JustIntonation]

Interesting theory. The 800s indeed has similar irregularities :

View attachment 122056

We will have to look to see if there is a trend here.

Great to see Thank you for checking!