[up late]

nice holiday treat - congrats!

 

[pfurey89]

How do you guys feel about long term comfort with the Utopia?

And secondly, how does it handle more bass driven music? Edm, Bonobo type stuff. I listen 8 hours a day while working from home.

 

[joseph69]

How do you guys feel about long term comfort with the Utopia?

They're comfortable, but I don't know if they're comfortable enough to wear for 8hrs? I feel all headphones should have suspension straps. Headphones with suspension straps are the most comfortable I've ever worn due to the weight of the headphones being distributed evenly over your entire head.

 

[up late]

i find the utopia comfortable but i don't wear headphones for any more than a couple of hours per listening session and i don't wear them continuously during those sessions

 

[DrummerLeo]

How do you guys feel about long term comfort with the Utopia?

And secondly, how does it handle more bass driven music? Edm, Bonobo type stuff. I listen 8 hours a day while working from home.

I don’t think you can wear them for 8 hrs and still feel comfortable, cause they are still heavy compared to headphones like z1r and TH900. I’m fine with z1r and T1 for long term use. Uto is certainly comfortable for first 2-3 hrs.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

How do you guys feel about long term comfort with the Utopia?

And secondly, how does it handle more bass driven music? Edm, Bonobo type stuff. I listen 8 hours a day while working from home.

I have found the Utopias become more comfortable over time as the leather breaks in. Also, the giant stock cable adds considerable to lack of comfort. When I first got the Utopia, I thought they were comfortable, moreso than HE-6 but less so HD600. Since there is a lack of a suspension strap, I used to get a hotspot some times. With a replacement of the stock cable and time breaking in the pads and headband, I no longer get this sensation, and they are very comfortable. I actually consider them my most comfortable headphones. The leather feels very cool and luxurious; the weight doesn't bother me.

I can't imagine listening to any headphone for 8 hours straight, though.

 

[Svatopluk]

Actually, the 820 has adjustable gain, although, from their description it’s not clear what outputs the adjustments affect. The real problem with the 820/Utopia combo is impedance matching. 820 ‘Output impedance is approx 40 Ohms’ according to Sennheiser post here, while Utopia impedance is 85 Ohms.

The Sennheiser amps have gain adjustment for the SE output only, the balanced output is not adjustable. Thanks for clearing up the impedance matchng issue, I didn't articulate that so well.

 

[LCMusicLover]

The Sennheiser amps have gain adjustment for the SE output only, the balanced output is not adjustable...

I suspected as much from the documentation, but I was not sure. Thanks for the definitive answer.

 

[Tobes]

I have found the Utopias become more comfortable over time as the leather breaks in. Also, the giant stock cable adds considerable to lack of comfort. When I first got the Utopia, I thought they were comfortable, moreso than HE-6 but less so HD600. Since there is a lack of a suspension strap, I used to get a hotspot some times. With a replacement of the stock cable and time breaking in the pads and headband, I no longer get this sensation, and they are very comfortable. I actually consider them my most comfortable headphones. The leather feels very cool and luxurious; the weight doesn't bother me.

I can't imagine listening to any headphone for 8 hours straight, though.

+1.
The stock cable definitely creates more drag and makes the Utopia feel heavier and more cumbersome.
I find listening for 2--3 hours no issue, though I might lift thm off a few times in that period - that would be the same with any headphone for me.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

lol! head-fi's thriving. at least you appear to know how to use the search function. your veiled personal attack is also off-topic btw.

If head-fi is dead, then I have to pinch myself and see if I still exist lol. Can't believe someone said that.

 

[pervysage]

How do you guys feel about long term comfort with the Utopia?

And secondly, how does it handle more bass driven music? Edm, Bonobo type stuff. I listen 8 hours a day while working from home.

I find the Utopia to be a very comfortable headphone. So much so that I recently have been using them for gaming as well where I can end up having some pretty long sessions (up to 8 hours) and not have any discomfort.

If someone were to have discomfort, I would point my finger at the stock cable. I ditched mine a long time ago but that thing is absolutely awful and I still don't know what Focal was thinking... it's the type of cable you would find on a vacuum cleaner; very stiff, heavy and inflexible.

Sure, the headphone itself is heavier than others but the premium materials in the headband and ear pads more than makes up for it personally, YMMV of course.

As a reference, I was using the HD800 mostly for long gaming sessions and that thing is super light and also very comfortable.

 

[up late]

agree with the comments about the stock cable, which seems more suited to loudspeaker duty

 

[emrelights1973]

How do you guys feel about long term comfort with the Utopia?

And secondly, how does it handle more bass driven music? Edm, Bonobo type stuff. I listen 8 hours a day while working from home.

It has ship skittish pads so my ears get hot after couple of hours and you start to feel the heat from the head band touching your head.... it is not as comfy as Elear or HD800...

and it is like a small bluetooth speaker so if there is someone near you he/she will listen music as well.....

saying all this headphone is a like a 100K$ stereo system, it is very but very good, you dont miss anything details, bass, speed.... rock classic folk jazz whatever your poison is....

coming from a good stereo system a nice dap + utopia is very cheap compare a good stereo for sure.... just cabling will cost more for a similar talented stereo....

i think the bass is just right, tight and real life like rather than boomy, first time i am able to fallow the base guitar notes... it is not like a Fostex 900 but more refined and definitely is there...

i have hd800 and fostex 900 this is just between and better, i exchange my Elear which i did not like it that much, boy Utopia is all different ball game....

 

[fixated]

Well after a month of waiting, I've finally got a replacement for my Utopia. I have to say, I really commend Focal as a company as they were really easy to approach and quick with dealing with my issues when the distributor and/or dealer were both unhelpful with getting it repaired or replaced. Downside of getting them replaced is that I gotta burn them in again

 

[hedphonz]

Well after a month of waiting, I've finally got a replacement for my Utopia. I have to say, I really commend Focal as a company as they were really easy to approach and quick with dealing with my issues when the distributor and/or dealer were both unhelpful with getting it repaired or replaced. Downside of getting them replaced is that I gotta burn them in again

how long did you burn the first pair in for and did you notice more bass, less treble ??
mine sound great out of the box, very smooth.