[jamato8]

 
The cable I am using right now. 

 

[x RELIC x]

The cable I am using right now. 

Aaaaand......

 

[jamato8]

Aaaaand......

Well using this cable is such a relief from using the stock cable due to weight and the way the stock cable pulls at you when you move, or even sitting, the way it pulls across your body. Sound, it is extremely clean and dynamic with this cable but I need everything to burn in. I have around 100 hours on the headphones and 75 on the cable. At this point the sound is very realistic, excellent transparency, which I value and better bass notes than the stock cable. The cable is also very flexible and doesn't announce its self due to the comfort level. 

 

[meomap]

Aaaaand......

He tried to tell u stock cable sucks.
Vacuum power cable.

 

[x RELIC x]

He tried to tell u stock cable sucks.
Vacuum power cable.

I know about the stock cable. I don't mind it as I lay it around my desk so it doesn't get caught on my chair as I move. Actually, works great in my situation and I have no complaints on the sound. Was interested in jamato8's opinion on the sound.

But thanks for the remark, appreciated.

 

[jamato8]

I know about the stock cable. I don't mind it as I lay it around my desk so it doesn't get caught on my chair as I move. Actually, works great in my situation and I have no complaints on the sound. Was interested in @jamato8's opinion on the sound.

But thanks for the useless remark, appreciated.

I just can't seem to get used to the stock cable but then little things can bother me so it is most likely me also. The sound of the stock cable is fine. No real complaints on that part. At this point I do feel the custom cable I am using gets you a little closer to the music, transparency and what some call slam, quality noted bass. I do want more hours though but everything is opening up really well. 
 
How many hours do you have on the phones and cable now? 

 

[x RELIC x]

I just can't seem to get used to the stock cable but then little things can bother me so it is most likely me also. The sound of the stock cable is fine. No real complaints on that part. At this point I do feel the custom cable I am using gets you a little closer to the music, transparency and what some call slam, quality noted bass. I do want more hours though but everything is opening up really well. 

How many hours do you have on the phones and cable now? 

It's got to be about 160 hours. I've taken a detour because of the ETHER Flow that came in. I'm listening to the Flow and I put on the Utopia for reference and I have to take the Utopia off right away because it's so much better. Don't want to taint the Flow impressions, LOL! The Flow is faaaaar better than the ETHER C (1.1) by the way, but the Utopia is better than the Flow.

I'm interested in trying different cables in the future so I'll keep an eye out for your impressions.

 

[jamato8]

It's got to be about 160 hours. I've taken a detour because of the ETHER Flow that came in. I'm listening to the Flow and I put on the Utopia for reference and I have to take the Utopia off right away because it's so much better. Don't want to taint the Flow impressions, LOL! The Flow is faaaaar better than the ETHER C (1.1) by the way, but the Utopia is better than the Flow.

I'm interested in trying different cables in the future so I'll keep an eye out for your impressions.

The tonality and entire musical landscape, for me, is so different and realistic with the Utopia. I put on my other phones and it is sad, I liked these other phones. lol There is such a division of the sound, it continues to surprise me, amaze me and makes me glad I plunged. 
 
I listen to some of Willie Nelson's music and right now Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. The voices both singing and when they talk are so much more dimensional, so, just totally different. It is hard to describe, Relic you are hearing it, but for someone to understand, it requires hearing this difference. There is a hollow sound, not in a bad way, it is the volume of the voice that isn't a mass coming at you but moving air that has an unseeable dimension. This applies to instruments as well but to me, really comes across in voice. 
 
With great LP systems and some that are even middle of the line, one thing we used to talk about was on well recorded music you could hear the slap of the sound from a wall that gave you a greater feeling for the size of the venue. With these headphones and the cable I am using, I can now pick this up and this adds to the total listening experience and really elevates it. 

 

[x RELIC x]

The tonality and entire musical landscape, for me, is so different and realistic with the Utopia. I put on my other phones and it is sad, I liked these other phones. lol There is such a division of the sound, it continues to surprise me, amaze me and makes me glad I plunged. 

I listen to some of Willie Nelson's music and right now Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. The voices both singing and when they talk are so much more dimensional, so, just totally different. It is hard to describe, Relic are hearing it, but for someone to understand, it requires hearing this difference. There is a hollow sound, not in a bad way, it is the volume of the voice that isn't a mass coming at you but moving air that has an unseeable dimension. This applies to instruments as well but to me, really comes across in voice. 

With great LP systems and some that are even middle of the line, one thing we used to talk about was on well recorded music you could hear the slap of the sound from a wall that gave you a greater feeling for the size of the venue. With these headphones and the cable I am using, I can now pick this up and this adds to the total listening experience and really elevates it. 

The only way I could describe it is by showing an image presented in two different ways. It's difficult to nail the description, for sure.

 

[figaro69]

It's got to be about 160 hours. I've taken a detour because of the ETHER Flow that came in. I'm listening to the Flow and I put on the Utopia for reference and I have to take the Utopia off right away because it's so much better. Don't want to taint the Flow impressions, LOL! The Flow is faaaaar better than the ETHER C (1.1) by the way, but the Utopia is better than the Flow.

I'm interested in trying different cables in the future so I'll keep an eye out for your impressions. ,​

So, are the soundstages of the Flow and Utopia about the same? Which one comes out ahead?

 

[snk8699]

The only way I could describe it is by showing an image presented in two different ways. It's difficult to nail the description, for sure.

Don't be so modest! I always like to get Tyll's take on new headphone releases and it was googly-moogly good, but your review is the catalyst for my upcoming purchase.

I appreciate all the great descriptions because it all sounds too good to be true! There really hasn't been anything negative that would make me hesitate purchasing this world class headphone except the price; however, this may be one of the first at this point that is truly worth it.

 

[MacedonianHero]

 
LOL, if you're suggesting hip-hop and electronic music are mostly for younger folks you might want to get out of your musical bubble I have extremely wide tastes including a lot of electronic and hip hop so looking forward to seeing how the Utopia does with those genres.

 
You are more than welcome to like synthetic music...I prefer the real stuff. 

 Can I ask how old you are? 
 

Is there big surrender between Hugo and tt? Hugo isn't up to the task for sure.

 
I think so. I do admire the Hugo for being what it is and offering great portable sound....but the Hugo TT is simply outstanding! It isn't bright like the Hugo and offers another level of detail retrieval/soundstaging...but certainly isn't my first choice for taking with me on the road. The other issue you might have had with the Hugo with the Utopias is that it can come off as a bit bright and thin...thankfully the TT is what I would classify as natural and ethereal...quite different that way.
 

 
I would guess that it is a question at to how much if any, a difference in sound quality between the two and how much the Hugo gives up to the Hugo TT. 

The differences are quite profound and actually within the first minute of A-Bing them during my Headphone.Guru review I was sucked in by the TT. I certainly was hoping to not be so impressed with it as my wallet didn't want me to sell my current DAC and move onto this one...but one year later, I sure am glad I did!

 

[TMRaven]

Music is a form of art through the medium of sound.  The  instruments being synthetic, acoustic, or amplified shouldn't make any difference in regards to the music being real or not.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Music is a form of art through the medium of sound.  The  instruments being synthetic, acoustic, or amplified shouldn't make any difference in regards to the music being real or not.

 
Umm...it was a joke. 

  Some of my favourite bands used plenty of synthesizers and plenty of amplification, etc... (Pink Floyd, Rush, etc...). 

 

[Arcamera]

Can anyone comment specifically on classical music, and how the Utopia fares in comparison to cans like the HD800 and Stax 009? Thanks.