[supabayes]

It will be interesting to see what you think of the flow because you just got the utopia. I would imagine there will be a lot less new toy factor when you listen to the flow now.

I just got the Elear and was going to buy the flow too but now I might skip the flow and grab the Utopia.

My wife who normally just passes this stuff over, stole my Elears for 2 hours yesterday. She said "this is the first headphone you have had that I could see using, maybe we should get two"?!?!? I told here she could just have those and I would get the Utopia for "both" of us lol. We are going to demo the Utopia next month when were traveling.

Great for you that your wife is so supportive.

 

[supabayes]

What's better? Going from HD 800S --> Utopia or Chord Hugo + Auralic Taurus MKII. --> Chord Dave + Auralic Taurus MKII?

Buying both the Dave and Utopia is too
much I think in 1 month.

 
I thought hard about similar decision for my upgrade path as well. [size=x-small]No one can answer the question for me. Except one - my wife. She said ok and I ordered both. [/size]Dave + Utopia[size=x-small] arriving in September. [/size]

 

[musicman59]

  On cables, it is my opinion it is the design and quality of materials. Well designed and implanted silver should work fine with the Utopia but some silver is done wrong, just like copper and that has led to the, IMO, misconception and bias. I will know in a short period of time in this case. 

Maybe WireWorld is doing it wrong (I doubt it) or my ears are playing games with me but I have compared the Nano Eclipse (OCC Copper) and the Nano Platimum Eclipse (OCC Silver) in the Elear and to me they sound different. Mainly the bass is tighter and faster and also the high frequencies are crisper and more open with the Platinum Eclipse.

 

[jamato8]

  Maybe WireWorld is doing it wrong (I doubt it) or my ears are playing games with me but I have compared the Nano Eclipse (OCC Copper) and the Nano Platimum Eclipse (OCC Silver) in the Elear and to me they sound different. Mainly the bass is tighter and faster and also the high frequencies are crisper and more open with the Platinum Eclipse.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I should have been clearer. Yes, they sound different but to me, that doesn't mean that silver is more tilted up on highs and that copper is warmer sounding, which is often said. It depends upon how they are made and the interaction of the dielectric with the type of wire being used. The gauge, whether it is litz configuration etc. My preference is silver. In the end they will sound different but not in the way I often read. A gauge that works well for copper may not work for silver and because of the lower resistance of silver, the way the cable is made is also important and silver and copper differ in this regard. 

 

[x RELIC x]

What's better? Going from HD 800S --> Utopia or Chord Hugo + Auralic Taurus MKII. --> Chord Dave + Auralic Taurus MKII?

Buying both the Dave and Utopia is too
much I think in 1 month.

I think you'd hear much more of a difference going with the Utopia than you would with just the DAVE and the 800S. IMO, YMMV...

 

[rgs9200m]

Wow, you feel xrelicx that the Utopia it that good? Thanks. Intriguing.

 

[james6333]

^
Yes I always do speakers first on the upgrade path because that is where most the flaws are. I am sure headphones are the sameway.

 

[x RELIC x]

Wow, you feel xrelicx that the Utopia it that good? Thanks. Intriguing.

As far as immediate and gratifying differences heard, yes, absolutely. DAVE plays very well, and for me is completely worth it, but the difference between the DAVE and Mojo (for example) is less than the Utopia and every other headphone I've heard. The Utopia is the real deal.

Edit: Emphasis, 'that I've heard'. YMMV, but reports are very good from pretty much everyone who's tried the Utopia.

 

[rgs9200m]

Oh Christ, now I really need to try these things... Thanks.

 

[joshuachew]

Anyone got theirs yet? I am getting mine sometimes when they arrive the dealer in September. Already pre ordered it from UK

 

[bidn]

   
I thought hard about similar decision for my upgrade path as well. [size=x-small]No one can answer the question for me. Except one - my wife. She said ok and I ordered both. [/size]Dave + Utopia[size=x-small] arriving in September. [/size]

 
Waoow!
I too am considering this combo. Will you be using a specific amp out of the Dave
(then which one)
or will you directly connect the Utopia to the Dave?

 

[LepakVT]

As far as immediate and gratifying differences heard, yes, absolutely. DAVE plays very well, and for me is completely worth it, but the difference between the DAVE and Mojo (for example) is less than the Utopia and every other headphone I've heard. The Utopia is the real deal.

Edit: Emphasis, 'that I've heard'. YMMV, but reports are very good from pretty much everyone who's tried the Utopia.

 
 
Wow!! Really looking forward to seeing how you think the Ether Flow compares to the Utopia.

 

[x RELIC x]

Waoow!
I too am considering this combo. Will you be using a specific amp out of the Dave
(then which one)
or will you directly connect the Utopia to the Dave?

The most transparent to the source is no amp between the DAVE and the headphone. The 'amp' in Chord DACs is more like a variable line out direct from the DAC vs a seperate amp. Very different from conventional setups. Because the DACs are as clean as they are they don't require the analogue filtering stages or Voltage amplification boost stage, just the Current to Voltage stage. If one likes adding an amp for the flavour of the amp that's cool, just know that there is no way to add an amp without adding that amps own distortions to the chain.

That said, the Utopia is very easy to drive from almost anything, but is also very resolving of the source quality.

 

[x RELIC x]

Wow!! Really looking forward to seeing how you think the Ether Flow compares to the Utopia.

Flows arrived today, impressions in a while.

 

[bidn]

 

Waoow!
I too am considering this combo. Will you be using a specific amp out of the Dave
(then which one)
or will you directly connect the Utopia to the Dave?

The most transparent to the source is no amp between the DAVE and the headphone. The 'amp' in Chord DACs is more like a variable line out direct from the DAC vs a seperate amp. Very different from conventional setups. Because the DACs are as clean as they are they don't require the analogue filtering stages or Voltage amplification boost stage, just the Current to Voltage stage. If one likes adding an amp for the flavour of the amp that's cool, just know that there is no way to add an amp without adding that amps own distortions to the chain.

That said, the Utopia is very easy to drive from almost anything, but is also very resolving of the source quality.

Thank you very much.
Where do you put your Dave if I may ask?
I am asking this because it seems rather big. (Presently my DAC and my amp are stacked above a full hifi-sized  AV receiver on  my office desktop, next the the 4K 48" TV I use as computer monitor.)