always love your videos, you seem like a really genuine guy, love the real emotion you show and clear real enthusiasm for these headphones. wishing you the best in your retirement
Like any sane person I ignored the trolls below and went ahead and bought a pair. A day in here are my initial thoughts: 1) comfort - generally comfortable although the band sits a little tight on the top of my head compared to my HD800s say 2) sound - very engaging, very incisive, and very direct - the HD800s sound distant against them (not helped by their lower sensitivity) 3) bass extension - bass can seem a little lightweight (and no more so than the HD800s) but only on inferior recordings. With high quality digital for example (eg Qobus) they can be breathtaking. 4) upper mid - some evidence of upper mid congestion even resonance which is particularly noticeable with high sopranos (eg Lucia Popp) or upper register orchestral instruments at full tilt. I put this down to the need for them to burn in a little. Overall a distinct improvement on the HD800s except perhaps for late night easy listening (maybe just a tad too intense). Are they worth the extra money? Only if you are very serious about your music listening. Tested with both a Naim Uniti2 using a range of sources (Linn LP12, Esoteric RD-1 CD player, Naim HDX QNAP NAS, Youview TV box) and a Meridian Explorer USB DAC with Windows 10 PC (still waiting for my Chord Hugo TT to be returned from servicing), and with a range of genres from Kate Bush to Pierre Boulez!
I think the reason you're not seeing the same sort of size of imaging or soundstage is because there appears to be a bump around the 1k to 1.5k range, that is likely causing a slight perceived contraction of size. This bump shows up in both your own and Jude's frquency charts from Head.Fi.
Well, I didn't believe you first, but now omg, they sound outstanding, the best listening experience I ever had. On the fourth day I was addicted. If you find them for just over 2k it is a fantastic deal. I am blown away how good they sound, also they have perfect treble in my opinion, great punch, simply the best headphones!!
After looking at your measurements and basing my thoughts solely on those alone, I would conclude that the base is a tad loose looking at the THD+noise and the impulse response. However I do acknowledge that these are open headphones so the impulse response compared to a closed headphone might look a little un-inspiring, along with the THD+noise measurements. I do have a question about this, does the base on these in any way sound loose or flabby? Also is this trend similar on most open headphones where the base (in the measurements) looks loose when to the ear is tight and punchy?
*(¬‿¬)These are very nice headphones and I enjoy them everyday. They sound lovely and won't squeak unless you are a headbanger. Much love from beautiful Bangor, Maine where recreational marijuana is legal for all to enjoy, home prices are still some of the lowest in the entire nation, auto insurance is the lowest in the entire nation and the scenery is absolute nirvana. Please spread the word! BANGOR, MAINE.*
@@haruyamagucci4622 *"home prices are still some of the lowest in the entire nation"* Yikes! that doesn't like a place where many people want to live. LOL
Another Nice Review -- I have watched almost the reviews I can find before buying -- mine are on the way. As is a 2.5m braided copper cable from CustomCans with a 6.5mm jack. These will be driven by a Pathos Aurium Valve Headphone Amp.
I am lucky to own a pair. I have not heard any squeaks in 2 weeks. These are nice but the Elears are also amazing- more fun sounding and also noticeably lighter.
I demoed these in a store, with decent amplification, and found the resolution to be weakest. While they were extremely detailed, they sounded thick to both me and the friend I was with.
Focal is the best! I have the Spirit One S, and honestly, they're every bit as good as my Sennheiser HD 600. Can't wait to try the HD 800 and Utopia, though
most probably that image height problem could be the small hole on outside. need to be more open. planar cans always have height usualky due to large surface, so I'll probably wait for them to make bigger diameter driver..
I own the Elear and many have spoken about the Focal lack of soundstage, I agree it's not wide and like you, I'm thinking it might be a reverse property, maybe all other dynamic headphones are creating soundstage through their design, perhaps in the baffle inside the cups. This makes sense to me, because the Focal are the most open design yet, with the baffle designed to get out of the way of the drivers as much as possible. My Beyer T1 has perhaps more sparkle and more soundstage, but adjusting the perforations on the inside of the earcups makes a dramatic difference to both tone and soundstage. The Elear and perhaps the Utopia just don't create this possibly false sense of soundstage that other headphones have.
How much of a leg up r these from the Sennheiser HD 800 S or are they in a completely different league? Because we have to take into account a proper tube amp to go with these I take it.
That headphone is generating a gravitational field of their own as you can see it bends the light around them, pay attention to the FOCAL characters on the black box :P
You are probably asked this all the time, but what do you use your serious listening cans/amp for? Do you connect it to your computer and use them for everything, or do you only use it for serious listening to high quality audio like CDs/records? Do you burn audio to your computer and listen to it there? I have a very cheap (albeit pretty nice) setup which is an ATHM50x connected to a usb Scarlett 2i2 amp which is plugged into my computer. I use it for everything, including producing electronic music. While I'm at it, what music do you like listening to? :D
Purchased a complete Naim CD/Pre/Power/Hi-Cap/Focal Aria speaker package for the same price! great 'phones though just shaved by the Stax 007 got the Elears to complete the package
There is no way in the world I would release a pair of headphones from my company costing $4000 with that bloody squeak. Incredible. That should not have passed the design stage, not when they are that expensive. That would be like getting in to a top of the range Porsche and finding the seats squeak when you get in and out.
Add the tech and exotic materials used behind the Utopia and Elear alone is worth the price to own either or both. This will certainly become very highly valued collectible. Was thinking maybe Focal could produce/build in some replaceable/flexible gel-like material of some sort that can be placed on the slider/headband area to alleviate the squeaking noise made by the carbon fiber.
You can buy beryllium tweeters for $30 on ebay. Yes this is a premium product made by a premium company out of premium materials using premium labour, and premium engineering. However, they are not scarce, and AFAIK are not being made in limited quantities. They will devalue. Other better/competitive products will arise. This is no doubt an excellent product made by a very good company but it is very expensive, will not hold its value and will not be immune to competition.
I agree you are correct on some points there, but the end product surely speaks a lot I think.. also this is the world where there is a terrible truth about the prices of high end audio, where the economics are dictated by tastes'.
I was probably trying to talk myself out of these as much as anything, and live in hope for disruptive technologies or companies (arguably these are disruptive). Well I guess equilibrium theory still sort of holds in that these undercut/compete with two other (IMO) overpriced flagships. The people that are probably laughing are the ones that bought AKG K70X and are still enjoying $200 headphones despite all the better but more expensive models since. But for those crazy enough to spend so much money for The Best Right Now, someone needs to pay young Focal Jr's university tuition fees XD (and also keep engineers employed).
I should also probably add the price in a way makes sense. You have the $30 tweeter which probably uses very derivative technology and poorer materials, then intermediate competitor using better engineering and materials, and then high end product which requires a lot more development and leverages experience/skills from an established company and also uses cost no object materials. And the product is to a degree disruptive, and may not be feasible or attractive business proposal at lower price point. Having a statement product along with similar more affordable model is quite good idea. This price might just be what it has to be, and at least the performance is reportedly excellent.
These are amazing, and do they make noise when handling them? Yes if you actually physically twist the cups, do they squeak? No, do they sound like high performance machinery being ratcheted, yes oh yes they do and it is a wonderful sound IMO. They are perfectly, and I mean perfectly quiet when on head, which is where most people would use them I imagine so not sure what people are whining about here that they "squeak". If you can buy them, go for it, after all its the absolute perfection of sound you're striving for if you're considering this pair anyway, right? Well focal delivered, in spades!
I just checked the price of the HD 800 S, and they retail at $1699.95 These headphones cost $2,300 more, and that doesn't even include the price of a headphone amp
I automatically knew that these had beryllium in them:p They use the same materials in these that they use in their flagship car audio line. It is probably what makes them so expensive. Me being from the car audio world, I never realized focal made headphones:p
Frequencies are frequencies, the quality of the frequencies cannot be represented in a graph.. if that weren't a factor then most headphones would sound more or less very similar with a little more of this and a little less than that. As you know, it's not at all that simple. I'm sure there's some sort of "magic" in the quality of the flow of electric current within the wires here..or something.. at least I would hope so at that price :P
Measurements are important to me. But I also want to listen to a headphone before I buy it. It takes time to get used to a new pair of headphones. Hence the sound seems to change over time. I would expect that this model is a carrier of technology for Focal and the name Utopia does not just refer to the price.
I auditioned the Utopia yesterday with the firm intention to buy it, under the influence of hype explosion, but I was amazed to prefer the HD800S!!!!! I only tested them with classical music, and the Sennheisers felt much more relaxed and in tune with the natural airiness,pf the music. Felt to "closed" with the Utopia!!! I can't believe I prefered the humble Sens to the huge 5000$ Utopia. In a way I was disapointed, but on the other hand I saved a lot of money. All my biases were for the Utopias and I still prefered the Sennheiser. Incredible I think.
Brandon Brandon I think time will prove the HD800S to be the BEST headphone in the world in terms of cost/performance. I still enjoy the LCD-3f for a more relaxed fuller sound, but the HD800S is just incredibly transparent and well balanced.
I also have LCD-3s, I also just had a listen to the Focal Utopia yesterday and, I also was not impressed with what I heard to what I was hoping to hear from all the comments. I did like the 360 surround imaging but the speed, transparency and image size is just sub-par compared to electrostatics (STAX) At least I don't think they are worth the price difference (2-3X!!!) of my LCD3s, I will keep looking
Is it just me or is there some strange link between audiophiles and Diana Krall...Norah Jones gets mentioned a lot also. Is it that she has very well recorded albums?
I think once you get past $1500-$2000 for a pair of headphones you lose a lot of buyers even those that could easily afford it. I would buy a $4000 pair of headphones if they sounded great and lasted 20+ years but i'm not that confident in electronics. I will most likely purchase the Elear keeping the other 3k in the bank. I'm all for these new high price flagship headphones but I look at them more like prototypes and hope the technology will trickle down to more affordable headphones in the future.
Some electronics do last more than 20+ years, especially in the music equipment industry where nothing really gets outdated, but rather something different comes up. The best and most expensive electric guitars, guitar amps, are from the 60's and 70's. All the original orphues are 20+ years old, the sennheiser hd 580 are getting to that age and most are still going, there are other stax models in the same situation. My sennheiser hd 600 are a couple of years old but they are in equal conditions to some of the units that 10+ years old, and thats a $300 headphone so it isn't really fair to compare to this. Does that mean this squeaky bastard will last that long? HELL NO
+Santiago Flores exactly, right now I am wearing my Bayer DT250 studio monitor headphones, that are from 2002 and they have been in use every day for the last 14 years LOL, and my Mackie HR824 monitors from even further back 👍
There are plenty of headphones that last decades. Sony MDR-V6 are known for being long lasting and easily repairable. Heck, if we include electronics in general, my keyboard is older than I am.
YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING YOURSELF...Save up these are the special ones. Very Punchy. Tonality. Small image. Confused a little. It's just not big. Bass response a tad low for you? Most audiophiles will be really happy. YOU ARE A GOAT! 10/10 Goat barrbarr
sdf afasdf Not one reviewer says so.Dynamic drivers are simply not comparable to electrostats.Sr 009 beats utopia in every single way by a wide margin be it treble,bass,soundstage,resolution,mids,comfort build quality.You need to listen to them more, electrostats don't sound good at first or maybe the unit which you heard was defective.
I have listened to this and they just sound tiny to me. The dynamics are amazing, but putting on any of the higher end HiFiMan's or any e-stats, these sound small in comparison, no matter the music.
Stax and Orpheus are both electrostatic headphones. So it's a bit unfair to compare them to the Focal's dynamic drivers. Different quality, different league.
Sir, I hope I am not question a stupid question. In your professional opinion, do you like listening music with a great headphones or a well set up hifi stereo system?
this review proves you can relay to people usable info they can understand. which makes your other reviews i spoke on previously make me smdh. the flip side is at 4k i'd wouldn't even consider buying them even if i could afford them. lol
