[TSAVJason]

I have not had the privilege of listening to the Stax but i find it hard to imagine it being dramatically better than Utopia with the Dave just as any of the high end HP's with the dave

Your opinion is just as valid as Whitigirs ....don’t let him bully you into submission lol he’s actually a good guy

 

[scottsays]

I recently was fortunate to get a set of Focal Utopia at a great price, also came with a $500 upgrade cord.
I am TOTALLY blown away by the depth and clarity--I am hearing things that I never knew existed on recordings I have listened to countless times.
It's like the veil has been lifted and I am hearing it for the first time---before was just a partial listen--now I can hear it all, Freakin' unbelievable--I am so happy with these headphones. Unless I win the lottery--these are my endgame headphones.

 

[forestitalia]

I have not had the privilege of listening to the Stax but i find it hard to imagine it being dramatically better than Utopia with the Dave just as any of the high end HP's with the dave

They are close somewhere but different too, I really miss the Stax headstage with the Utopia. Then "better" is just a personal taste.

 

[Whitigir]

They are close somewhere but different too, I really miss the Stax headstage with the Utopia. Then "better" is just a personal taste.

Wrong! For example, soungstage on Stax is amazing Vs Utopia. If that is personal taste, then I think the person is in the wrong hobby

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

IMOP

Electrostatics are known for speed, and possibly air as well?

Planars are known for bass quantity and weight to the music

Dynamics- mix of everything.... jack of all trades? you have to pick and choose it seems what attributes you want. cant seem to have them all.


I feel like the Utopia due to its excellent use of Beryllium has changed the game. The speed that you can get from it is really impressive. It is an excellent mix of speed and also weight to the music (body) that I don't really get with E-stats. So depending on what features you care most about will probably divide you into that "camp" of driver. I don't really think any one field is better then the other one fully.

 

[forestitalia]

Wrong! For example, soungstage on Stax is amazing Vs Utopia. If that is personal taste, then I think the person is in the wrong hobby

Mehh! I have a friend that prefer Grado 80 and he could buy everything if wants, so what? I don't give a damn, I keep mine and we both are HAPPY

 

[Whitigir]

Mehh! I have a friend that prefer Grado 80 and he could buy everything if wants, so what? I don't give a damn, I keep mine and we both are HAPPY

Well, I suppose when you put it that way. To a friend of mine, a Wm1z and Utopia with upgraded cables just can not beat his S8 and Stock earbuds...needless to say, audio quality is not his hobby

 

[Whitigir]

IMOP

Electrostatics are known for speed, and possibly air as well?

Planars are known for bass quantity and weight to the music

Dynamics- mix of everything.... jack of all trades? you have to pick and choose it seems what attributes you want. cant seem to have them all.


I feel like the Utopia due to its excellent use of Beryllium has changed the game. The speed that you can get from it is really impressive. It is an excellent mix of speed and also weight to the music (body) that I don't really get with E-stats. So depending on what features you care most about will probably divide you into that "camp" of driver. I don't really think any one field is better then the other one fully.

E-stat is not easy to get to the performances, and to keep on saying that E-stats like Stax, lacking of Dynamic, or Bass is a total fault. When properly driven, the Stax 007 and 009 both pump out hell lot of bass and dynamic. There are plenty of Amplifiers said to be able to drive, or correctly driving the E-stats, but marketing aside, Stax can be driven “ways better”. Stax already prove it back in the day when they released Omega I , Stax T2. Yes, they don’t make it anymore, and many people guess is that it does not fit into the criteria’s of financial interests to cost-performances. Stax was awesome enough to allow people to copy, and improve the “legendary design”.

In the end, it is not justified to keep on spreading the myth about E-stats and Bass/dynamic capability when a person don’t have a proper setup.

Again, the best headphones systems, or being named so, called so, priced so....whatever....Orpheus I, Omega I &T2, Orpheus II, they are all E-stats. Possibly the new kid (sangrila) ?

The Utopia have done what no others Dynamic or Orthodynamic had done....the efficiency to scale with big gears, or to be driven nicely to performances by Portable devices/players.

For that alone, Utopia is the best Dynamic Headphones so far. IMO

 

[xxx1313]

E-stat is not easy to get to the performances, and to keep on saying that E-stats like Stax, lacking of Dynamic, or Bass is a total fault. When properly driven, the Stax 007 and 009 both pump out hell lot of bass and dynamic. There are plenty of Amplifiers said to be able to drive, or correctly driving the E-stats, but marketing aside, Stax can be driven “ways better”. Stax already prove it back in the day when they released Omega I , Stax T2. Yes, they don’t make it anymore, and many people guess is that it does not fit into the criteria’s of financial interests to cost-performances. Stax was awesome enough to allow people to copy, and improve the “legendary design”.

In the end, it is not justified to keep on spreading the myth about E-stats and Bass/dynamic capability when a person don’t have a proper setup.

Again, the best headphones systems, or being named so, called so, priced so....whatever....Orpheus I, Omega I &T2, Orpheus II, they are all E-stats. Possibly the new kid (sangrila) ?

The Utopia have done what no others Dynamic or Orthodynamic had done....the efficiency to scale with big gears, or to be driven nicely to performances by Portable devices/players.

For that alone, Utopia is the best Dynamic Headphones so far. IMO

If I would win the lottery, I would go for the Orpheus 2. This is PERFECTION, it is that simple.

For me personally, the Utopia is the way that I can get closest to that. Maybe soon in combination with the Chord Dave (I will see), but Hugo 2, SP1000 and AK380 are very good as well.

Moreover, there is one common problem with many E-stats and M-stats: numerous driver failures. In this case both drivers need to be replaced or you will get back from repair a headphone with quite serious channel imbalance.

 

[Whitigir]

Well, you don’t do “low maintenances” on :high-maintenance” Models....do you ? . The same here. Just take good care of the E-stats, they last for decades.

 

[christianicon]

Well, i already order chord dave so i can pair it with my utopia, and yes it really sound wonderful!
But i also have tried the stax 009 with stax newest amp T8000 and, to be honest, stax with that amp really sound slightly better than utopia with dave

But i guess, if audio is your hobby, i would buy stax system, because they have different sound signature

 

[ubs28]

The Focal Utopia headphone sounds closer to Focal Utopia speakers so I consider the SR-009 as a downgrade. Imo, best is to save your money and call it a day after the Focal Utopia headphones.

For a serious jump in audio, it’s not in headphones.

 

[Whitigir]

The Focal Utopia headphone sounds closer to Focal Utopia speakers so I consider the SR-009 as a downgrade. Imo, best is to save your money and call it a day after the Focal Utopia headphones.

For a serious jump in audio, it’s not in headphones.

Seriously, did you even try 009+BHSE as a setup yet ?

 

[ubs28]

Seriously, did you even try 009+BHSE as a setup yet ?

Please, I used the official stax amplifier (T8000 I believe, it was $6500) which should deliver enough power for their SR-009. Did you hear the Focal Utopia speakers because more power will not fix that?

 

[Whitigir]

Please, I used the official stax amplifier (T8000 I believe, it was $6500) which should deliver enough power for their SR-009. Did you hear the Focal Utopia speakers because more power will not fix that?

There is no arguement or debate about speakers VS Headphones. I am asking that because You are saying “009 is a downgrade to Utopia which is closer sounding to Utopia Speakers”. I never seen anyone running 009 with BHSE or Carbon to rate Utopia better, even out of top tier amplifier on utopia. @purk for example. I am just curious about your Bold “claims”

T8000 ? If you know just a little bit by Stax amplifier, you may not say such thing, but that is ok to claims because T8000 is Stax current best production....could have been better