[Bambule]

Anybody attended the Questyle enigmaccustic event? Anybody listened to the Elear or Utopia with the QP1R?

 

[musicman59]

  This is really unfortunate. I have a pair of Utopias, but they're terribly bright and the bass is lacking. The Elear pads sound like they would solve both problems. How are other people demo'ing Utopia's with Elear pads? Anyone have any secret hookups? 

Are you using the stock cable? what is your upstream equipment?

 

[goldendarko]

I don't find them bright sounding or lacking in bass at all. I'm curious what gear is being used as well.

 

[thatonenoob]

Anybody attended the Questyle enigmaccustic event? Anybody listened to the Elear or Utopia with the QP1R?

I've heard it through the CMA800i and it is a blast.

 

[TSAVJason]

This is really unfortunate. I have a pair of Utopias, but they're terribly bright and the bass is lacking. The Elear pads sound like they would solve both problems. How are other people demo'ing Utopia's with Elear pads? Anyone have any secret hookups? 

There are no secret hook ups. In a more serious note, if you find them bright and bass light, you are either on gear that creates this bright sound or your taste is more in the bass dominant style headphone like the TH900. I see people recommend Elear pads for Utopia to generate more bass. This is not recommended if you want the quality mids and high's the Utopia reproduce so well. Let's find your circumstances that cause this impression so that you can make your best decision in how to approach the issue. We're happy to help with that. Let's start with your inventory. What electronics are you using and what headphone did you typically use before you became a Utopia owner?

 

[nickif]

There are no secret hook ups. In a more serious note, if you find them bright and bass light, you are either on gear that creates this bright sound or your taste is more in the bass dominant style headphone like the TH900. I see people recommend Elear pads for Utopia to generate more bass. This is not recommended if you want the quality mids and high's the Utopia reproduce so well. Let's find your circumstances that cause this impression so that you can make your best decision in how to approach the issue. We're happy to help with that. Let's start with your inventory. What electronics are you using and what headphone did you typically use before you became a Utopia owner?

Can't agree more, this HAS to be something wrong with what's feeding the Utopia. The Utopia is crude as to exposing the front end, please feed them nicely otherwise just don't bother.

 

[SurFi]

  This is really unfortunate. I have a pair of Utopias, but they're terribly bright and the bass is lacking. 

 
 
I do find the Utopia to be bright, but not terribly bright. Still evaluating whether this is going to change (within my current system) as I am approaching 200 hours on the Utopias. Or if this is a recording specific issue, Or a pairing issue in terms of my upstream equipment, Or part of the Utopia's natural signature.
 
I however, do not find the bass to be lacking at all. This is one of the areas I am in disagreement with Tyll's review (realizing fully that feelings/preferences about bass quality are divergent).
 
Since both the brightness and quality of the bass vary by track, when listening via the Utopia, my gut tells me it is likely that the Utopia is being faithful to the recording.
 
Once I get some more time on the Utopia, I will A/B 'mainstream' vs 'high quality'  (same resolution) recordings/masterings to verify.

 

[phonomat]

There are no secret hook ups. In a more serious note, if you find them bright and bass light, you are either on gear that creates this bright sound or your taste is more in the bass dominant style headphone like the TH900. I see people recommend Elear pads for Utopia to generate more bass. This is not recommended if you want the quality mids and high's the Utopia reproduce so well. Let's find your circumstances that cause this impression so that you can make your best decision in how to approach the issue. We're happy to help with that. Let's start with your inventory. What electronics are you using and what headphone did you typically use before you became a Utopia owner?

As an owner of the TH-900, I consider it to be a very bright headphone. Yes, it has a lot of bass, but the treble is just as dominant, if not more so. It has a V-shaped signature.

 

[TWerk]

As an owner of the TH-900, I consider it to be a very bright headphone. Yes, it has a lot of bass, but the treble is just as dominant, if not more so. It has a V-shaped signature.

Absolutely agreed, TH900 is very bright and is not a good recommendation for someone who does not want a bright headphone.
 
There are plenty of other headphones out there with a much less aggressive treble!

 

[servantsaber]

I'd say Utopia has enough bass to enjoy music.
But sometimes I want to feel the bass rumble like on TH-X00.

 

[TWerk]

I'd say Utopia has enough bass to enjoy music.
But sometimes I want to feel the bass rumble like on TH-X00.

 
Well, it's good you have a purple heart, then! They're good at that

 

[servantsaber]

Well, it's good you have a purple heart, then! They're good at that

Yea, I appreciate having Purpleheart for that reason.
I appreciate having Utopia 'cause I get to remind myself how thankful it is to have healthy ears that allow me to experience eargasm from listening to music.
No headphone other than Utopia has made listening to music more enjoyable.

 

[Niaron]

I tried Utopia with Elear pads, and I did not like it. Once again i am not sound engineer and had only listen to this set up for a couple of songs, so take a gran of salt on my impression. I feel that the sound got "thinner" overall, bass wise, there isn't a big difference to my raw ear. As for Utopia being bright or not? My quick answer is no, not to my ear, even coming from my HD800s daily driver. I am using the supposedly more bright sounding Hugo as the DAC, while supported by wa22 from woo audio as my tube amp.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I've said this before, but for me the Utopias are just about as perfect, tonally speaking, I've heard from any pair of headphones. That they do very well...perfect sub-bass, bass, mids, upper mids and treble and all in pretty spot on in relation to each other. No headphone I've owned/heard has hit this target so very well. The HD800S does sound "bigger" and the SR-009s seem a bit faster with more fleshed out detail, the LCD-4s offer a wonderfully engaging and rich sound and the HE-1000 V2s are certainly very hard to put down. But tonally speaking, my vote goes to the Utopias. YMMV of course. 

 

[reddog]

I've said this before, but for me the Utopias are just about as perfect, tonally speaking, I've heard from any pair of headphones. That they do very well...perfect sub-bass, bass, mids, upper mids and treble and all in pretty spot on in relation to each other. No headphone I've owned/heard has hit this target so very well. The HD800S does sound "bigger" and the SR-009s seem a bit faster with more fleshed out detail, the LCD-4s offer a wonderfully engaging and rich sound and the HE-1000 V2s are certainly very hard to put down. But tonally speaking, my vote goes to the Utopias. YMMV of course. 

Thanks for your keen impressions sir. I am sorely tempted to save up for these headphones. These headphones look great and seem to sound even better.