[skhan007]

What are your thoughts after owning the Utopia over time? Any regrets or things that you don’t like (that maybe we’re not apparent at first)?

I heard the Utopia for the first time today and did A/B/C testing between the Stellia, Clear, and Utopia. It was no comparison for me. There was good, great, and Utopia.

I have an offer for a new set at 20% off, but see occasionally, I see they sell used for sometimes closer to 40-50% of retail. For such a high end set of headphones, is it safer to buy new and have the warranty, etc.?

 

[Deolum]

I had it a short time and while it was the best dynamic headphone i've heard it was not apparent to me at first what Beryllium is actually for a material. I felt uncomfortable to have it constantly close to my face.

 

[Roderick]

What are your thoughts after owning the Utopia over time? Any regrets or things that you don’t like (that maybe we’re not apparent at first)?

I heard the Utopia for the first time today and did A/B/C testing between the Stellia, Clear, and Utopia. It was no comparison for me. There was good, great, and Utopia.

I have an offer for a new set at 20% off, but see occasionally, I see they sell used for sometimes closer to 40-50% of retail. For such a high end set of headphones, is it safer to buy new and have the warranty, etc.?

If you buy used utopia with receipt and it was purchased from official dealer you get five year warranty from the original purchase date. So you can get used utopias -50% off retail and warranty time might still match or even exceed warranty time other manufacturers offer for their new headphones.

 

[catscratch]

Utopia sounds great, kinda like a super HD600, but with a few flaws. The highs are uneven and fatiguing. The mids are slightly colored. The soundstage is smallish. But at the same time, the detail is excellent, the dynamics are probably the best I've heard out of a headphone and the overall balance is quite good, better than most other high-end headphones that usually have gross tuning errors.

I'm very sensitive to treble fatigue however and I don't know if I'll keep mine.

You do want a warranty as the drivers have been known to conk out and are very expensive to replace. However I think the warranty is transferable as long as you have the original sales receipt? I would probably look for an open box deal as those units have been checked for any problems before they're sold and are still under warranty, but are also significantly discounted.

If you're not sensitive to treble fatigue it's one of the best headphones around bar none. If you are, look elsewhere.

 

[skhan007]

If you buy used utopia with receipt and it was purchased from official dealer you get five year warranty from the original purchase date. So you can get used utopias -50% off retail and warranty time might still match or even exceed warranty time other manufacturers offer for their new headphones.

That’s very reassuring. Thanks.

Utopia sounds great, kinda like a super HD600, but with a few flaws. The highs are uneven and fatiguing. The mids are slightly colored. The soundstage is smallish. But at the same time, the detail is excellent, the dynamics are probably the best I've heard out of a headphone and the overall balance is quite good, better than most other high-end headphones that usually have gross tuning errors.

I'm very sensitive to treble fatigue however and I don't know if I'll keep mine.

You do want a warranty as the drivers have been known to conk out and are very expensive to replace. However I think the warranty is transferable as long as you have the original sales receipt? I would probably look for an open box deal as those units have been checked for any problems before they're sold and are still under warranty, but are also significantly discounted.

If you're not sensitive to treble fatigue it's one of the best headphones around bar none. If you are, look elsewhere.

Thanks- I appreciate the Sennheiser comparison, treble fatigue observations, and warranty info. Makes sense. If you do consider selling, please PM me. I have found a couple of OK deals on new ones, but of course would be keen on finding good used pricing, assuming all is in tact.

 

[catscratch]

That’s very reassuring. Thanks.

Thanks- I appreciate the Sennheiser comparison, treble fatigue observations, and warranty info. Makes sense. If you do consider selling, please PM me. I have found a couple of OK deals on new ones, but of course would be keen on finding good used pricing, assuming all is in tact.

Noted, but if I do sell it won't be soon. There are some amps I want to try them with first and see if I can reign in the fatigue a bit, and if they end up working I will keep them.

 

[Malevolent]

What are your thoughts after owning the Utopia over time? Any regrets or things that you don’t like (that maybe we’re not apparent at first)?

I heard the Utopia for the first time today and did A/B/C testing between the Stellia, Clear, and Utopia. It was no comparison for me. There was good, great, and Utopia.

I have an offer for a new set at 20% off, but see occasionally, I see they sell used for sometimes closer to 40-50% of retail. For such a high end set of headphones, is it safer to buy new and have the warranty, etc.?

I don't normally enjoy open-back headphones as much as I do closed-back, but the Utopia sits at the top of the list amongst its open brethren. It has a great blend of all things good in a headphone - technical ability, dynamism, musicality, and staging.

I'd normally err on the side of caution, and go for a new, retail product, rather than a used one. But, that's just me.