Each unit is slightly different - hence the need to driver match - so I am not surprised you can't get them quite identical. Plus the sound will likely change slightly the more you use the 2022 due to burn in. In saying that I wish I could detect such small differences. I avoid A/B tests because...

Interesting. The dealer sites I checked out have a different blurb than the official website and this wasn't mentioned in the leaked version. This could just have been an omission but my gut tells me they added it so it didn't appear like the voice coil was just about reliability. A change in...

Look, there is already plenty of misinformation around already. Any information you get here, unless it comes from Focal, isn't likely to be right. It's just not that helpful. In the time it took you to post the comment you could have emailed a dealer or Focal for the correct answer and then let...

I am not sure this is correct. Looking at the marketing blurb it seems to suggest the voice coil is just for reliability and the change in grille shape is for sound (emphasis mine):

I am not sure why you think a thread full of owners would have the answer to a hypothetical that hasn't occurred yet. Your question is entirely valid and I would love to know the answer as well, but nobody here has that answer. Any answers given, including my own pondering, are pure speculation...

Inquiring minds would probably be best to enquire with their local authorised dealer for answers ;)

I could be completely wrong but based on Focal's marketing material the change in sound - at least in the treble - seems to come from the new grille: It's possible they may have been using different voice coils already as minor manufacturing improvements, but that's just speculation on my part...

I didn’t take their comments to be badmouthing it. The fact is that the primary thing stated on the marketing material is about reliability. Given the only two sound-related changes that have been made are to replace the voice coil for better reliability, and a change in the inner grille shape...

Given even Focal’s own marketing doesn’t mention low end or sound stage improvements I’d take these subjective opinions with a big fat grain of salt. Based on the objective measurements, when normalised against the OG Utopia there appears to be a small drop in treble at 5khz. That will make them...

Unlike the HD800S the new Utopia hasn’t gotten a new name and based on what we know so far isn’t tuned too differently. This would be more akin to the Campfire Andromeda 2020 model which was a minor refinement. I’d have to disagree with the need for a new thread.

Yeah, I’d say it’s “must buy” at that price. My buyer’s remorse aside hopefully it means someone who otherwise couldn’t afford it can buy one. I did get $500 off so it’s not as bad but $2700 (40% off) with full CGA coverage is pretty darn amazing. Means if something goes wrong in 10 years time...

Ouch. If I had waited for just two months I could have got them at this price from their NZ store. Oh well, it’s not like I couldn’t afford it- I just hate paying more than I need to.

I would be very surprised if the new Utopia had as much of a change as the HD800 vs HD800S (or even HD800 with SDR mod). This looks to be more of a refinement than anything else. They replaced the voice coil for better durability (which may or may not affect sound), changed the shape of the...

It was $4000 in 2016 and $4400 in 2020. However you’re still more or less correct for the US due to current inflation.