[Sorrodje]

I don't Think Utopia or HD800 offer a speaker like soundstage. They're headphones with headphone like soundstage. Both sound "unnatural" compared to speakers. But it makes sense considering very few recordings are made for headphones right ? Utopia"s headstage is closer to the head and that's it imo.  I don't think the Focal images better than the HD800 either. I spent hours to compare and test different tracks to check that. 
 
About the tonality. I completely see how a few totl headphones are now tuned to sound like Hi End speakers. it's what I call  the kind "HIFI" sound they want to achieve. Something that reminds Speakers. And I got why some people like it but it seems it's not my thing at all. First of all, I'm not into speakers ( yet !) so I want my headphone to sound like headphones. I heard a few speakers system though and i loved the experience. it does not take hours to understand how the Soundstage and physical impact is much better with speakers. I think that trying to replicate that speaker sound makes headphone sound "fake" to my ears. Maybe it's something personal but it's precisely what I experienced with the Focal. It sounds nice, fast, agile , precise and honestly this driver shows the HD800 is now a bit old . but the tuning pulls me out of my music. It 's like if my music was a bit photoshoped. Very very clean photoshop job but still a kind of slight fakeness I couldn't forget. 
 
Maybe it's just me and I can deal with the fact I'm alone to hear things like I did. . Maybe I'm just not a "Harman curve" fan.
 
Moreover, if I would like to make sound my headphones like speakers/real life/5.1 system/ concerts/ whatever, I'd use DSP and digital enhancements.  Likely a smyth realizer . I heard the Daring Fong's OOYH a few weeks ago and it was a lot of fun  

 

[Fegefeuer]

oh, you'll have a lot of fun with the realiser A16. Come to Munich next year and check it out for yourself unless they appear earlier near your location. 

 

[Sorrodje]

I plan to go to Essen next Year maybe not Munich. Time will tell 

 

[Yoga]

  oh, you'll have a lot of fun with the realiser A16. Come to Munich next year and check it out for yourself unless they appear earlier near your location. 

I look forward to auditioning that, only recently heard of it.

 

[johnjen]

One observation I have picked up over time is that exotic metals (Beryllium in this case of the Focal Utopia) can take quite a long time to fully settle in.
As in many hundreds of hrs before they reach their peak and fully stabilize.
 
It's just in the nature of certain 'stiff' metals.
Speakers that used this metal (and other similar metals) always took a long time to sound their best.
 
And that is what I heard when I heard them when they first appeared upon the scene.
And no I haven't spent enough time with them, and certainly not hundreds of hrs. to verify that this trait also applies to the Utopia's.
But I would be surprised if they didn't require much more time like other exotic metal drivers do.
 
JJ

 

[Ani1000]

Beryllium is toxic, not so sure i want to be this close to it...

 

[Rozenberg]

Beryllium is toxic, not so sure i want to be this close to it...

I'm not even sure why and how this remark could still be around like this... I believe those engineers at Focal know better about the safety of the material used in their products. Beryllium can be toxic, yeah, if inhaled or digested. So, how many case of people swallowing headphones drivers have you seen in your life?
Heck even plastic, which is a thing you see everyday in your life, is also harmful to your body if you swallow it or crush it to bits then inhale it.

Also this is HD800 thread, lets talk about how aluminium is toxic instead. (was it aluminium? CMIIW)

 

[ColtMrFire]

Beryllium is toxic, not so sure i want to be this close to it...

Its only toxic in liquid form. Once it hardens it is safe. At least thats my understanding.

And I would think a company like Focal would believe it bad business practice to poison its consumers.

 

[MWSVette]

Beryllium is toxic, not so sure i want to be this close to it...

Note to self,  Do not lick headphone drivers...

 

[pervysage]

Note to self,  Do not lick headphone drivers...

B-b-b-but, they are so tasty. I can't help myself

 

[akg fanboy]

I prefer biocellulose, it is all natural

 

[ColtMrFire]

Has anyone gone from a low priced DAC (like Modi multibit or any D/S DAC) to Gumby or Yggy and can describe the change?   

 

[Xeculus]

  Has anyone gone from a low priced DAC (like Modi multibit or any D/S DAC) to Gumby or Yggy and can describe the change?   

 
Have Modi 2U and MB, and also Gumby. The difference is surprisingly noticeable. Better details, better sense of space and dimension. Is it 4x better for 4x the price though? Nope.    

 

[Yoga]

  Has anyone gone from a low priced DAC (like Modi multibit or any D/S DAC) to Gumby or Yggy and can describe the change?   

I would imagine everyone with an expensive DAC started out with a cheaper one :¬)
 
The fact people do upgrade DACs says it all really! As always, the law of diminishing returns hits quite quickly.

Also check out the pro audio market, it's not aimed at consumer/audiophiles and your money can go a lot further. I'm currently testing the dangerous Convert-2 which is sublime. Never felt so much groove in music without sacrificing any detail. 

 

[ColtMrFire]

For the record, I've heard the Yggy through my Jotunheim with someone else's HD800 (with stock SE cable and ZY balanced cable) a couple months back.  The question was just to get other people's experiences with upgrading DACs... while I did get a very good idea of what the Yggy is like, I only listened for a few hours, so wouldn't have the extended experience as someone else who has lived with it for a while.  I appreciate the replies.