[goldendarko]

No shooting, promise.

I am just disappointed in Focal for deciding on those advertised retail prices.

I mean it IS a $4000 headphone, so what were you expecting? At least they don't want $700 dollars like Hifiman does to upgrade the HE1000 to V2 which essentially is just some new earpads and a new cable you probably won't need. 

 

[jamato8]

I used to make boots, purses for a high end New York store and many other items out of the best leather, ostrich etc. The material cost of the Utopia ear pads is relatively low, maybe 10 dollars at the most. The labor, the same as any other ear pad. Soooo. . . . 

 

[Audio Addict]

I mean it IS a $4000 headphone, so what were you expecting? At least they don't want $700 dollars like Hifiman does to upgrade the HE1000 to V2 which essentially is just some new earpads and a new cable you probably won't need. 

Does not make it right. It is also $150 on a $1000 headphone. It is just my opinion.

 

[Jalo]

The Utopia also has an enormous -15db drop between 5-6KHz (and 11-13KHz). You just don't notice as much because it's quite a bit more resolving and transparent than the Elear.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FocalUtopia.pdf

Thanks for the link, I wonder if that is the reason why the Utopia's sound is a bit distance? That is an interesting tuning, did Focal ever explain their tuning philosophy or what kind of sound they are trying to get? I don't seem to remember what they say in Jude's interview.

 

[james6333]

Thanks for the link, I wonder if that is the reason why the Utopia's sound is a bit distance? That is an interesting tuning, did Focal ever explain their tuning philosophy or what kind of sound they are trying to get? I don't seem to remember what they say in Jude's interview.

I think it is a function of pad reflections. Many over the ear headphones have this issue but the Elear is one of the worst offenders I have encountered.

Focal said they were going for a sound that sounded like a good pair of speakers in a good room.

 

[brams]

I used to make boots, purses for a high end New York store and many other items out of the best leather, ostrich etc. The material cost of the Utopia ear pads is relatively low, maybe 10 dollars at the most. The labor, the same as any other ear pad. Soooo. . . . 

And for how much did the high end store sell those boots and purses? My assumption is it had nothing to do with the production costs.

It's all about supply and demand. Pricing is based on what the market will bear and this is especially true for non-essential goods and services. I would definitely say that $4000 headphones qualify as non-essential. Someone not affiliated with our hobby would probably find it funny that purchasers of $1000 and $4000 headphones are complaining about spending $150 for replacement earpads ... in most cases just to obtain a slightly different sound signature!.

Some would argue that any company that does not charge what they can is acting irresponsibly on behalf of its owners. Anyone here own Apple stock?

Although I also find the pricing on the high side of what seems reasonable the best way for us to make that point to Focal is to simply not buy them.

 

[applebook]

Thanks for the link, I wonder if that is the reason why the Utopia's sound is a bit distance? That is an interesting tuning, did Focal ever explain their tuning philosophy or what kind of sound they are trying to get? I don't seem to remember what they say in Jude's interview.

 
I don't think that it's a coincidence that the Elear and the Utopia have similar sound signatures despite using different drivers. The Elear is warmer, but their FR is similar. I believe that the Utopia's slightly brighter presentation can be attributed to its greater transparency overall. Some listeners don't prefer this. A recent video reviewer even devalued the Utopia for having too "impactful" treble, which I think is a pretty absurd criticism. To me, that's like criticizing fresh food for being too fresh and not frozen tasting enough.

 

[james6333]

I don't think that it's a coincidence that the Elear and the Utopia have similar sound signatures despite using different drivers. The Elear is warmer, but their FR is similar. I believe that the Utopia's slightly brighter presentation can be attributed to its greater transparency overall. Some listeners don't prefer this. A recent video reviewer even devalued the Utopia for having too "impactful" treble, which I think is a pretty absurd criticism. To me, that's like criticizing fresh food for being too fresh and not frozen tasting enough.

Yeah when people call good gear bright it makes me think they have no reference of what is accurate or listen way too loud.

 

[up late]

i wouldn't call the utopia bright. i think that descriptor applies more to the hd800/s having compared them.

 

[nvfan]

  I mean it IS a $4000 headphone, so what were you expecting? At least they don't want $700 dollars like Hifiman does to upgrade the HE1000 to V2 which essentially is just some new earpads and a new cable you probably won't need. 

 
The rumor is the replacement Utopia earpads will cost $600 right now, so I'm not so sure about that lmao.
 

   
I don't think that it's a coincidence that the Elear and the Utopia have similar sound signatures despite using different drivers. The Elear is warmer, but their FR is similar. I believe that the Utopia's slightly brighter presentation can be attributed to its greater transparency overall. Some listeners don't prefer this. A recent video reviewer even devalued the Utopia for having too "impactful" treble, which I think is a pretty absurd criticism. To me, that's like criticizing fresh food for being too fresh and not frozen tasting enough.
 

 
The Utopia is brighter mostly because the leather earpads are more reflective which adds to the highs, whereas the velour earpads act like acoustic foam and absorb some of the highs. The Utopia is actually the darker headphone when both of them are using the Elear velour earpads.
 

 
 

 

[AnakChan]

   
The rumor is the replacement Utopia earpads will cost $600 right now, so I'm not so sure about that lmao.
 
[snip!]

 
? Moon Audio has them for $248.

https://www.moon-audio.com/focal-utopia-headphones-earpads-pair.html

 

[ubs28]

   
? Moon Audio has them for $248.

https://www.moon-audio.com/focal-utopia-headphones-earpads-pair.html

​I see the Elear pads are $150. Very tempting to try it out.

 

[TWerk]

LOL.... $150 and $250 for a pair of earpads after paying $1000/$4000 to them for the headphones?! What?
 
Talk about a freaking price mark up. $250 for two earpads with pinholes poked into them is simply both unacceptable and insane.

 

[TWerk]

  Is Focal insane???
 
$150 for Elear pads for a headphone that costs $1000.  
If they value two leather pads at $150 what do they value the chasis?  left and right headphone transducers?  cable?  box and packaging?  It almost seems that if you add up the replacement cost from for all of the parts that make up a pair of Elears you will probably end up over $2000!  So I guess they are being real nice and only selling it for $1000
 
I have been looking into the Elear however this is grounds to end my search.
 
I hope Focal is still looking at this thread.  Highway robbery for a $20 pair of leather pads made in China

 
Lol... totally agree. This is absurd.
 
If the pads can have such an insane price mark-up, it really makes you wonder also about the mark-up on the headphones themselves. 

 

 

[Kukua]

LOL.... $150 and $250 for a pair of earpads after paying $1000/$4000 to them for the headphones?! What?

Talk about a freaking price mark up. $250 for two earpads with pinholes poked into them is simply both unacceptable and insane.

are these made by moon audio or focal?