[point1]

maybe a better question is what is the common recommendation for these headphones? I currently have a Bifrost multibit with Lyr2 and upgraded tubes.

I just purchased yggdrasil and now looking to pair this up with an amp. My budget for headphone amp is about $2,500 USD.

 

[AnakChan]

Interesting how folks with their choices of Stax vs Utopia. As for me, I’ve just sold my Utopia and gonna focus/consolidated more on Stax/Susvara instead.

 

[up late]

300 hrs recommended

where does that come from?

 

[buzzlulu]

Interesting how folks with their choices of Stax vs Utopia. As for me, I’ve just sold my Utopia and gonna focus/consolidated more on Stax/Susvara instead.

I'm keeping BOTH my Utopia and 009S.
Each are at the Pinnacle of what they represent - dynamic and electrostatic.

 

[franz12]

Interesting how folks with their choices of Stax vs Utopia. As for me, I’ve just sold my Utopia and gonna focus/consolidated more on Stax/Susvara instead.

Why did you sell your Utopia?
I've had two weeks of listening with the Utopia, as of today. While unpleasant upper mids subdued over time, I still think it has some issues on tonal balances. It sounds pretty bad on some tracks which have a heavy presence from 2.5k to upper frequencies.
Why is it so difficult to build a headphone with excellent clarity and organic timbre? I reach out ether c flow often than I expected.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

You need to check out the ZMF Autuer, or perhaps their new Verite.

 

[franz12]

You need to check out the ZMF Autuer, or perhaps their new Verite.

Thanks, I checked it. But I found that it is too large to travel with, so I gave up on that idea. The Utopia is reasonably sized among flagship headphones. lcd4z, zmfs, empyrean are too bulky for my liking. I prefer a smaller one, like focal, senn, hifiman, mrspeakers.

 

[supervisor]

Thanks, I checked it. But I found that it is too large to travel with, so I gave up on that idea. The Utopia is reasonably sized among flagship headphones. lcd4z, zmfs, empyrean are too bulky for my liking. I prefer a smaller one, like focal, senn, hifiman, mrspeakers.

have you tried the Cascade?

 

[franz12]

have you tried the Cascade?

I heard that is bass canyon, which is off to me...

 

[Svatopluk]

im interested in purchasing a utopia, question for owners, what is the breaking in period for the headphones and does this headphone prefer SS amp or tube?

The main thing to consider is rather or not the amps gain can be adjusted low enough for sensitive headphones like the Utopia.

 

[AnakChan]

I'm keeping BOTH my Utopia and 009S.
Each are at the Pinnacle of what they represent - dynamic and electrostatic.

I agree - that’s along the lines of what I wrote too in my Utopia review ~2 years back.

Why did you sell your Utopia?
I've had two weeks of listening with the Utopia, as of today. While unpleasant upper mids subdued over time, I still think it has some issues on tonal balances. It sounds pretty bad on some tracks which have a heavy presence from 2.5k to upper frequencies.
Why is it so difficult to build a headphone with excellent clarity and organic timbre? I reach out ether c flow often than I expected.

For my ears, at time upper trebles can be a little too energetic and despite the Utopia being an open headphone, it’s actually rather closed sounding. To my opinion I feel the Utopia expresses copious amount of detailed in a closed environment so overall music sounds rather “busy”.

To me the SR-009 & Susvara expresses a lot of detail too (& with the Stax with even more ethereal finesse) but their open signature gives the details room to “breathe”.

I had my Utopia for 2 years before making the decision to sell - because I have alternatives. Otherwise the Utopia on its own is the pinnacle of commercial dynamic driven headphones.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I agree - that’s along the lines of what I wrote too in my Utopia review ~2 years back.



For my ears, at time upper trebles can be a little too energetic and despite the Utopia being an open headphone, it’s actually rather closed sounding. To my opinion I feel the Utopia expresses copious amount of detailed in a closed environment so overall music sounds rather “busy”.

To me the SR-009 & Susvara expresses a lot of detail too (& with the Stax with even more ethereal finesse) but their open signature gives the details room to “breathe”.

I had my Utopia for 2 years before making the decision to sell - because I have alternatives. Otherwise the Utopia on its own is the pinnacle of commercial dynamic driven headphones.

Funny, I always found the SR009 with more energetic treble than the Utopia (by a reasonable margin) regardless of the gear I used. YMMV of course. But the DanaCable Lazuli Reference cable has made some really good improvements as well.

 

[up late]

tho i am aware of these criticisms of the utopia, i can honestly say that's not how i hear it

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

where does that come from?

@TSAVJason here. lol

 

[up late]

i doubt that i got even half way there before my left driver gave out