happy to report my 2020 Utopia is back to working! no indication of whether they replaced both drivers or just the left channel. sound is effectively as i remember, though maybe slightly tight-sounding which could be less actual driver break-in and more my brain reconditioning.

Hey all - account was hacked. I didn't post this thread myself and have now reported it.

This is focal utopia 2021 version. Purchased in November 2022. Well maintained and still in excellent condition. Almost like new. Until today, it's still one of the best dynamic headphones on the market.Recently I've updated to 2022 version so this would be your chance to experience the...

Tried 3 different cables, two amps, and direct from my phone. Left side dead on all.

Has anyone recently had to deal with OldTopia (2020 or earlier) dead driver issue? If so - is it confirmed they are just swapping drivers and sending back your old model? My left driver is dead. Same exact story as people have experienced countless times... used it on Friday, picked up this...

“Differential Stereo Headphone Amplifier, the 3rd version with Focal in mind”. -- It's odd there appears to have never been a dedicated place to discuss Doug's ECP DSHA-3F. Now that Nitsch's version, the 3FN, is in the hand of first-run owners it may be useful to have a HF home for feedback...

had a fun 4-5 hour listening session last week where I connected my Naim Uniti HE to a friend's vinyl chain of Technics SL1200GR + Pass Aleph Ono phono and ran through several good LP's across a range of genre's. ES R10 sounds pretty ridiculous off good vinyl - impact and staging somehow...

i gauge my tolerance for hiss based on whether i detect during music - my speaker rig has floor noise that is just below that point (Pioneer M22 + Lowther Alerion). the R10 is picking up a level of hiss above that point and once it physically distracts me with music running, it's a non-starter...

that's basically the Naim. however i am a nutjob and can't help but want to hear what a quiet tube could do with this headphone. 🤦‍♂️

anyone using a tube amp that offers extremely low noise floor with ES-R10 or similarly low-impedance? SET or OTL, wouldn't matter. i've tried both a Raal PDT-1a on demo and a Schiit Vali 1 and the R10 is simply too sensitive and noise floor (hiss) too distracting. Naim Uniti HE's barely-audible...

personally i wasn't surprised. the pads sounded like the toughest part of the OG to replicate based on that PDF that ES has available on product listing page.

reached out to ES Labs today and grabbed extra pads and rings for ~$350 shipped to US. that's with a discount for previous purchase of the headphone. i was seriously considering pulling a mulveling and getting another pair but i am beyond happy with my pair's cups and drivers so just...

came exactly as pictured. i noticed that @Audio Addict 's pair has same finish.

your assumptions are correct. the strongest parts of Utopia are not anything ES-R10 emphasizes as strongly. Utopia is more neutral, more visceral (texture), more apparent bass, more depth. ES-R10 is warmer, smoother, wider. i spent the last hour in direct A/B and find the two most interesting...

lots of listening today... will vouch for this pairing