[MacedonianHero]

   
Hey M.H. it's been a while!, is this the 10' cable?

Correct!

 

[Toolman]

The LCD-4 is even cheaper, they sell it for $2800. So perhaps the Focal Utopia they are selling is a new unit. Everything is discounted in that store so it looks to me they are simply closing the store and try to get rid of all their inventory. But I wouldn't buy from a store that closes down because where will you go to for warranty then?

So the real price Audeze and Focal charge for the headphones are around $3000, so stores generally earn around $1000 per sale it seems?

That will be my observation as well...noticed that HEK (rrp $2,999) were discounted by most shops to just under $2,000 when the V2 were announced. I don't expect anything less for a LCD-4 & Utopia

 

[Toolman]

I'm currently using the excellent Moon Audio Silver Dragon V3 (4 pin XLR balanced) with my Utopia headphones. But I will be reviewing both the Utopia and Z1R Axios cables soon...I'll will sprinkle in some of my thoughts when they arrive. 

Will that be the >$3,000 Axios Silver cable?

 

[MacedonianHero]

Will that be the >$3,000 Axios Silver cable?

 
To be honest, I don't know what Kimber will be sending for me to review. If that's the one, I'll definitely have to baby it before sending it back. 

 

 

[vert]

Will that be the >$3,000 Axios Silver cable?

 
I'm huge believer in cables, but $3k for a headphone cable? Enough is enough.
 
I am getting the Danacable for the Utopia though.

 

[Whitigir]

I'm huge believer in cables, but $3k for a headphone cable? Enough is enough.

I am getting the Danacable for the Utopia though.

Danacables is just as expensive as Kimber, I am seeing 1-1.4k pricing for Copper materials. The 3K from Kimber is pure-silver materials. If you believe in cables, then you would already know how different materials will affect the performances in different ways. Then, there is no beating silver or silver-gold

 

[vert]

Danacables is just as expensive as Kimber, I am seeing 1-1.4k pricing for Copper materials. The 3K from Kimber is pure-silver materials. If you believe in cables, then you would already know how different materials will affect the performances in different ways. Then, there is no beating silver or silver-gold

 
Yeah, that's why I'm buying the Danacable used.
 
I just can't get myself to pay full retail for these cables.

 

[sdwong]

I just pull the trigger and wired money for Dana cables. Now the wait and hope I like the pairing with my Utopia. My decision is just base on review and more importantly, customer feedback here and other forum.

 

[Lappy27]

Danacables is just as expensive as Kimber, I am seeing 1-1.4k pricing for Copper materials. The 3K from Kimber is pure-silver materials. If you believe in cables, then you would already know how different materials will affect the performances in different ways. Then, there is no beating silver or silver-gold

All my cabling is from TOTL Audio Sensibilty (a reputed small canadian cable maker) in OCC silver for signal and OCC copper for power.
 
I aleady have his Testament OCC silver headphone that I was using for my now sold LCD-2. This cable was absolutely perfect for the warm Audeze LCD-2.2. It brought much more resolution, air, soundstage and bass accuracy in comparison with the already excellent Norn v2 OCC copper cable it replaced.
 
But with the upcoming Utopia, I'm a bit concerned because they have much more resolution and extended high frequencies than the Audeze. But my dac/headamp is smooth and musical (R2R multibit with PCM 1704UK chips) and is on the warm side of neutral. I could easily change the sound of the dac for a warmer signature from jumpers settings Inside the machine. The jumpers alters oversampling and stop band attenuation.
 
I had a conversation with Steven Huang (Audio Sensibility owner) yesterday. He loaned me a Testament cable (just like mine for Audeze) for Utopia with XLR to 3.5 pin adaptor to compare with the Utopia stock cable after proper burn in. Then, after significant listening impressions, Steven will tweaked me a cable to address any shortcomings I could have with the Utopia sound (if it ever arise). He definitely masters round OCC silver and OCC copper conductors but he told me that he is currently experimenting with rectangular OCC copper and silver. His finding is that rectangular OCC copper retains some qualities (at least a good part of it) of silver like speed and resolution without compromising the fulness of sound and bass of copper. He will send me a rectangular copper cable in 20 AWG in about 3 weeks to compare with the 24 AWG silver Testament and stock Focal cable. Since it's like the Utopia love copper, it could be a winner here.
 
Ultimately, if I ever want more performance without any compromise, I could ask Steven to build me a Signature cable with twice the silver content of the Testament. That will bring the gauge from 24 to 21 and that should be sufficient to have fuller sound with good bass quantity. But that will be the most expensive alternative. As Steven like to say, It's easy for him to make a cable sounds better, it only cost more money!

 

[Whitigir]

I think Utopia will love Silver-Gold much better than anything else. I could be wrong, but from my brightest headphones the SA5000, it also love silver-gold cables. However I do use hybrid cables for it, just because I could not justify myself spending even more on cables for the sa5000 than it physical self. Utopia, it is already expensive, and so is my Wm1z. This is the first time ever that I am making such expensive cables for myself....21 AWG of silver-gold cables.

Trust me when I say larger silver will have better timbres but not the bass that you want. Silver-gold will do it. I had already experienced silver cables upto 18AWG UPOCC just FYI. I agree about cables can be tweaked to sound different, but money is the ultimate factor.

 

[The Walrus]

Already got the Elear, but it's sound is too dark for my taste so much so that I can't listen to them without EQ'ing 4 KHz and up. Just playing with the idea of buying the Utopia, only problem; it's not available anywhere to audition. 
If I were to buy the Utopia pads, will it give me an idea as to what to expect from Utopia (by making the FR closer to Utopia)? Yes or no?

 

[Whitigir]

Already got the Elear, but it's sound is too dark for my taste so much so that I can't listen to them without EQ'ing 4 KHz and up. Just playing with the idea of buying the Utopia, only problem; it's not available anywhere to audition. 

If I were to buy the Utopia pads, will it give me an idea as to what to expect from Utopia (by making the FR closer to Utopia)? Yes or no?

Lol, I would seriously doubt that. From the interview, Utopia not only has different Pads, it is also a totally different in design and constructions from the ground up with similar driver diaphgram concept to Elear but exceptionally better

 

[TSAVJason]

Lol, I would seriously doubt that. From the interview, Utopia not only has different Pads, it is also a totally different in design and constructions from the ground up with similar driver diaphgram concept to Elear but exceptionally better

It doesn't make for the best example of sound signature but it does give the sense of less bass when using the Utopia pad on the Elear.

 

[Whitigir]

Thanks Jason! Thanks For the Utopia TSAVJason

 

[stacker45]

Wow!, reading about these expensive cables, has me thinking that I might be shortchanging my utopia.
 
I mostly listen straight from my i-pod, or watch song videos on you tube with my laptop.