[Muinarc]

I want it all TYG. You know what gives me all? $30,000 speakers.

 

[U-3C]

Same. I thought the Utopia was just OK. Nothing special.

Same. It was okay, didn't have anything that stood out, and probably as a result, doesn't have any obvious flaws that plagues many of the high end headphones and makes me want to go back to my cheapo setup.

 

[Tom Yum Goong]

  I want it all TYG. You know what gives me all? $30,000 speakers.

$9000 was enough a few weeks ago

 

[Music Alchemist]

Looks like all the impressions here are just based on brief auditions. Here's a review from an owner who says it's roughly at the same level as the 009 and even better in some ways. (And like I said, many other owners feel the same way.)
 
http://headphone.guru/the-focal-utopia-headphones-a-truly-utopian-audio-experience/

 

[Tangster]

  Looks like all the impressions here are just based on brief auditions. Here's a review from an owner who says it's roughly at the same level as the 009 and even better in some ways. (And like I said, many other owners feel the same way.)
 
http://headphone.guru/the-focal-utopia-headphones-a-truly-utopian-audio-experience/

Buy both and give us a ABX review.

 

[Netforce]

the utopia has carbon fiber and the sr-009 has plastic
 
the utopia wins
 
everyone go home and pack it up
 
carbon fiber makes everything sound better
 
 
Honestly I like both for different situations but if I had to I would probably grab the Utopia more often on a personal level. Now I just need to convince the boss to grab a company pair of Utopia...

 

[Muinarc]

  $9000 was enough a few weeks ago

 
Yeah a few weeks ago, that's eons in audio. You do realize that any dac made over 4 months ago is complete crap right?!

 

[Muinarc]

  the utopia has carbon fiber and the sr-009 has plastic
 
the utopia wins
 
everyone go home and pack it up
 
carbon fiber makes everything sound better
 
 
Honestly I like both for different situations but if I had to I would probably grab the Utopia more often on a personal level. Now I just need to convince the boss to grab a company pair of Utopia...

 
Carbon Fiber is so 5 years ago, it's all about nanotoobs these days man. Wait till Stax 011 with nanotoob treated diaphragm is released.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Love this track. Plays during possibly the craziest scene in all of anime. The English title is "For The Wish, Run" and it is on this soundtrack CD.
 
 

 

[EveTan]

The 009 is also cheaper than the Utopia. Esp if we're talking bout street price. 
 
 
 
Today, I went out to the Sennheiser store to try the Orpheus. 
 
Left empty eared and an appointment for monday. 
 
What a tease...

 

[U-3C]

   
Yeah a few weeks ago, that's eons in audio. You do realize that any dac made over 4 months ago is complete crap right?!

 
 
Unless it's actually old, like based on abandoned vintage technology, like vinyl, tubes, dsd, multibit, etc.
 
Not to say it can be good. They can be awesome, but if you slap those onto something and charge them a high price even if you don't even know what you are doing, many will automatically think it's good, while if it doesn't have that, people will automatically analyze the crap out of them and claim it's lacking here and there because it's not using the latest and greatest XYZ.
 
^_^

 

[RERO]

 
Today, I went out to the Sennheiser store to try the Orpheus. 
 
Left empty eared and an appointment for monday. 
 
What a tease...

 
Which store? The one in Westfield or the one on SoHo?
Wasn't able to locate the Senn store when I was on Westfield a few weeks ago.
Did they tell you how you'll be able to hook up your phone/player?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  The 009 is also cheaper than the Utopia. Esp if we're talking bout street price. 

 
Except general consensus is that the 009 doesn't come near its potential without a $4,000+ amp. (I talk to quite a few owners who think it's not worth buying if you can't pair it with a TOTL amp.) ...Whereas the Utopia is very easy to drive and, based on consensus, doesn't scale much at all. So the total cost for an 009 system can often be far more. I know someone who owned a DIY T2, HE 90, 009, and many more (multiple five figures of gear) who straight-up called the 009 garbage compared to the Utopia. Don't get me wrong. It's all just opinions in the end, and I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong here. But as someone who does not go to meets (I'm an elitist and tend to be selective with whom I associate with), I analyze all the information I can to determine which headphones to give priority. When a high percentage of owners all feel the same way, that holds greater weight for me than any number of brief impressions.
 
But even if the 009 was absolutely better than the Utopia, I'd rather put that much money toward the HE 1.

...I added up the cost of all the other headphones and amps I was interested in, and they actually cost far more than that.

 

 

[miceblue]

But as someone who does not go to meets (I'm an elitist and tend to be selective with whom I associate with)

 

[EveTan]

 

 
Today, I went out to the Sennheiser store to try the Orpheus. 
 
Left empty eared and an appointment for monday. 
 
What a tease...

 
Which store? The one in Westfield or the one on SoHo?
Wasn't able to locate the Senn store when I was on Westfield a few weeks ago.
Did they tell you how you'll be able to hook up your phone/player?

The one in SoHo. 
 
The one in the Occulus says they don't recommend it because of noise pollution.
 
 
You have to go to the store to book an appointment. 
They said something about an optical cable. Who knows, I'm sure it'll sound great.