[Vigrith]

  are u listening to yourself? Saying the Utopia cheap by its Berrylium dome? Is it Head-fi channel anymore or mineral trade market? 

 
How is that even remotely relevant? His comment is accurate, beryllium is exotic and expensive. He didn't say "cheap", he said "cheapest", those are two different notions. Regarding your previous comment, why does it bother people so much how expensive it is? This sort of thing happens everywhere, with everything, in every market.
 
It has also been said discussions like this purely based off of complaints regarding pricing on headphones these days should be kept off this thread.

 

[warrenpchi]

Slightly off topic...
 
I got a chance to get a quick audition of the Focal Listen yesterday, and I must say, it's a very competent headphone, particularly given it's $249 asking price.  Obviously, you won't get the detail, staging or imaging that you do from the Elear, much less the Utopia... but it's got a very nice tonal balance indeed (well-balanced overall with a very shallow U and slight upper-midrange accentuation).  If anyone is interested in this headphone, please let me know, and I'll try to gather more detailed impressions if I get a chance.

 

[up late]

@vigrith - folks express their concerns at the rapidly escalating prices of totl cans in the high-end forum so why can't they do it here? if folks can be critical of the utopia's design aesthetics for example, then they should also be allowed to be critical of its asking price. personally, i think the pricing of totl cans has got out of hand, and i know i'm not the only head-fi'er who does.

 

[TSAVJason]

@vigrith - folks express their concerns at the rapidly escalating prices of totl cans in the high-end forum so why can't they do it here? if folks can be critical of the utopia's design aesthetics for example, then they should also be allowed to be critical of its asking price. personally, i think the pricing of totl cans has got out of hand, and i know i'm not the only head-fi'er who does.

That is ludicrous! Headphone tech is advancing rapidly. To expect all headphones to be low cost is absurd. When the audio quality is as high as its getting it's inevitable the price would go up. On the other hand tech eventually begins to be more affordable. Aspiration has alway been a part of luxury and performance buying. In point of fact, the Utopia is cheap when you compare it to its competitors at higher prices being that it outperforms them. The Elear is also very kind on price for the same reason. The Listen is priced very nicely as well when compared to most $700 and down headphones. Personally I think Focal did not hit a homerun, they hit a Grand Slam! ...I'd be more concerned with with DIY amps being production made at extreme costs and I would absolutely be concerned with wire companies that are selling cheesy wire at ridiculous prices. I won't name names on who does this but I can tell you that this is where snakes are and its buyer beware. I've auditioned quite a few wires that are sold buy your online dealers that are absolute snake oil. I've seen DIY based amps now in production that are stupid low in build costs but extraordinarily high at sell price. What you should question is your seller and what the motive is for his/her selling these items.

 

[Stillhart]

@vigrith - folks express their concerns at the rapidly escalating prices of totl cans in the high-end forum so why can't they do it here? if folks can be critical of the utopia's design aesthetics for example, then they should also be allowed to be critical of its asking price. personally, i think the pricing of totl cans has got out of hand, and i know i'm not the only head-fi'er who does.

I think the issue is twofold:  
 
One - this thread is to discuss impressions of the unit.  Clogging it up with arguments about the state of flagship headphone pricing doesn't help people who are here for useful information.
 
Two - It's not much of a discussion.  It's two sides yelling their points at eachother and nobody getting anywhere.  It a shouting match that's been had every time a new flagship launches and it's just not interesting to a lot of people.
 
You're entitled to your opinion and you're welcome to discuss it.  I'll gladly join you in that discussion.  But this isn't the place for it.

 

[yates7592]

In point of fact, the Utopia is cheap when you compare it to its competitors at higher prices being that it outperforms them

Well you would say that wouldn't you? It seems that this is your own (possibly biased) opinion, given that very few other people have heard them. I'm not saying they're not great cans because I'm sure they are, but your statement is unproven.

 

[up late]

@tsavjason - tone it down pal. it's neither ludicrous nor absurd to note that the price of flagship headphones has increased at an extraordinarily rapid rate, and to question whether these price hikes are warranted. i know that tyll hertsen has, and he's challenged headphone manufacturers to lift their game in this segment of the headphone market. and please note that i was referring to totl headphones and not all headphones.

 

[raypin]

OT: mmm......I think this discussion about the pricing will just derail this thread because, at the end of the day, it will  be pointless. If you find the price too high, don't buy. Don't patronize the product. What you do with your money is your business. What others do with their money is theirs and theirs alone. Let the market determine the price. It is not as if we are lacking in choice of which headphone to buy. Focal has introduced 3 new models at 3 different price points. CHOOSE YOURS. Or not. I couldn't care less  since that is your sole decision to make. You are complaining that the Utopia is priced sky-high. SO WHAT? It is not as if you are the ones who invested money, talent and resources to build that headphone. See where this is going?

 

[up late]

I think the issue is twofold:  

One - this thread is to discuss impressions of the unit.  Clogging it up with arguments about the state of flagship headphone pricing doesn't help people who are here for useful information.

Two - It's not much of a discussion.  It's two sides yelling their points at eachother and nobody getting anywhere.  It a shouting match that's been had every time a new flagship launches and it's just not interesting to a lot of people.

You're entitled to your opinion and you're welcome to discuss it.  I'll gladly join you in that discussion.  But this isn't the place for it.

i must have missed that memo. i thought this thread was about the launch of the focal elear and utopia (with impressions).

i don't intend to enter into a shouting match with anyone over this, but i'd like to think that i can express my opinion about it here in a reasonable manner, unless the moderators deem otherwise.

 

[fiascogarcia]

Pricing arguments always manage to suck the fun right out of lots of these threads.  I haven't noticed that complaining or supporting has actually dissuaded or persuaded any vendors to change their price.

 

[grizzlybeast]

 

@vigrith - folks express their concerns at the rapidly escalating prices of totl cans in the high-end forum so why can't they do it here? if folks can be critical of the utopia's design aesthetics for example, then they should also be allowed to be critical of its asking price. personally, i think the pricing of totl cans has got out of hand, and i know i'm not the only head-fi'er who does.

That is ludicrous! Headphone tech is advancing rapidly. To expect all headphones to be low cost is absurd. When the audio quality is as high as its getting it's inevitable the price would go up. On the other hand tech eventually begins to be more affordable. Aspiration has alway been a part of luxury and performance buying. In point of fact, the Utopia is cheap when you compare it to its competitors at higher prices being that it outperforms them. The Elear is also very kind on price for the same reason. The Listen is priced very nicely as well when compared to most $700 and down headphones. Personally I think Focal did not hit a homerun, they hit a Grandslam!

Perspectives:
 

1. Hifiman and Audeze have put out some very overpriced gear lately. Audeze with their home made designs, HiFiMan with their plasticky cheap edition X so its possible the price to performance standards are degrading but the LCD2 was one of the most expensive headphones at 1 grand so for that specific company they could be charging based on their own improvements as a brand. 
2. extreme pricing is nothing new, but neither is the level of sound quality being put out. Just the abundance of that high quality and the options of that high quality has increased. Sony MDR R10 and Stax Omega and some old school headphones have achieved these high levels of quality and were similarly priced.
3.  Its also quite embarrassing that the HD800 hasn't officially been dethroned. What if now it finally is?

 
We really can't call this headphone in particular overpriced until we know how it compares sonically to the greats. After it gets its full reviews and is pitted against the best then we will know. For now it seems like people just whining about what they can't afford. I am one of those that can't afford it but if it bests what is currently out there and matches the level of sound quality required to make it truly elite than I will have one eventually. 
 
If you knew how much I made but purchased a 5k DAC and 2.5k amp you would call me stupid and the gear overpriced but to me, if I can hear music at its best, it's worth it to me. I am a drug free, non-alcoholic, non-smoking, very hard working music feign. My addiction is a lot less than that of cigarettes "If you are a smoker, you’ll know smoking is expensive! Imagine how much money you could save if you stopped. We are not talking small amounts here – someone smoking a pack a day spends about $160 a week on cigarettes, which is nearly $8,500 each year" edit:  2200. The internet lied to me again lol 
 
However they don't get that money back, or the time shaved off of their lives. Me, I smoke tubes, power headphones and can sell it if I'm done. All addictions are costly, I can get a refund on mine!
 
I will admit though that more affordable gear would be nice!.... buy used if you can!!! Audition THEN call it overpriced. 

 

[spook76]

I could not agree more with Grizzly except where are cigarettes $23 a pack. I am in the market for an endgame headphone to complement my KSE1500s so I eagerly await impressions. Moedawg, where are your impressions?

 

[grizzlybeast]

I could not agree more with Grizzly except where are cigarettes $23 a pack. I am in the market for an endgame headphone to complement my KSE1500s so I eagerly await impressions. Moedawg, where are your impressions?

woops found it online... didn't really do the math there lol that was silly, Its more like 2,200 a year. 
 
@moedawg140 where you at!

 

[up late]

@grizzlybeast - you've quoted my post so i'm going to respond. i didn't single the utopia out as over-priced. i just made a comment about the rapidly escalating prices of flagship cans in general, and the introduction of the utopia continues that trend. it's a trend that i personally frown upon and i'm not alone in doing so, and it has nothing to do with me being priced out of the market or being a whiner - ok? anyways, as i said earlier, i'll follow the thread and read the impressions as usual, and probably give it a listen at some point.

 

[conquerator2]

I came for the experiences. This is the experiences thread.
All I am reading in the last two pages is whining about price.
Every industry has products that cost thousands of dollars. Watches, cameras, speakers, headphones, jewelry. You can have a perfectly fine ruby ring but some people want diamond. Is it inherently more beautiful? I don't think so but apparently some people think it's worth springing for diamonds!
I have a perfectly good under-a-grand TV. People buy multi-thousand dollars TVs! And watches! And cameras! I am outraged beyond outrage and I don't know what to say! Although I do have something to say. 

Headphones at least sometimes offer better sound quality, besides just more bling...
If you don't like the headphone's price and performance, don't buy it. If other people share your sentiment, they won't either, and the product will die or disappear... 
I can't afford the Utopia, but I will be happy to hear the Elear and kudos to Focal for actually pricing one of the headphones like that simultaneously, because some companies just roll out their 2,3 and 4K flagships without anything else to satisfy the less fortunate of us 

Now, I'll patiently await some experiences, at last, I hope...