[npdang]

Depends on how you're looking at it... I paid over $8k for a second-hand pair of Focal Diablos... if I can get 70-80% of the performance or enjoyment for less than half the price, it's a fair deal to me.  Also, it's been my experience that high end cans also tend to scale significantly better with high performance amps AND more discerning tastes  If your iphone is your main source, and you listen primarily to youtube and video games, nothing over $100 is probably worth it.  

 

[Evshrug]

I'm still trying to figure out which Pittsburgh store might stock the Focals... Music To My Ears?

And to npdang, I might agree for many iPhone games... But modern PC and console games frequently have more to offer than what $100 headphones can give

 

[TSAVJason]

I'm still trying to figure out which Pittsburgh store might stock the Focals... Music To My Ears?

And to npdang, I might agree for many iPhone games... But modern PC and console games frequently have more to offer than what $100 headphones can give

None for quite some time but in a couple months it will be Northern Audio/Music to my Ears. Same owner Mark ... a good honest guy and good customer care. Marks store is a much better choice than online purchases if you're in his area.

 

[TSAVJason]

I'm not going to comment on SQ, FR or any other aspect of the Focal Elear & Utopia but I'll give you sales and pre-order statistics I also can't speak to other stores/sellers that are taking pre-orders. This is only referenced by the sales and pre-order activity at The Source AV. Our Elear sales/pre-orders @ $999 = 113 Units. Our Utopia sales/pre-orders @ $3999 = 71 Units. When someone says things like only the top 1% are buying Utopia these numbers don't support that statement. When others say it's not $4000 good, these numbers again, don't support that statement. It's not that your judgements are not fair in your opinions, it's that so far, our sales and pre-orders don't match your opinions. In point of fact, it seems the Utopia sales/pre-orders are increasing in pace more as time and auditions happen. This week the sales/pre-orders are equal at 9 of each. We are somewhat new to this market but these seem like very good ratios. ....regardless, people buy what they can afford and it appears there are more people affording higher dollar products as this genre of product grows in popularity.

Just food for thought.

I respect when a person puts a cap on their budget like the $2500 post but that obviously is not what some others are prepared to pay ....for their audio nirvana.

There is always going to be premium and luxury products in any product group being sold. Congratulations to those of you that have recognized this in your posts.

Good luck in your quests for audio nirvana!

 

[echineko]

Which is why it only really makes sense to listen for yourself, and decide how good it sounds for you. We don't even all hear things the same, let alone how much we're willing to spend on what we actually do hear

Aka another reason I'm kicking myself for being out of town, it will just be that much longer till I find out for myself.

 

[nicolo]

That's a pretty interesting ratio. Basically you're selling 3 Utopias for every 5 Elears, which is incredible as the Utopia is 4x the Elear's price. Wow!

 

[raypin]

mmm......1. the best metric to measure the commercial success (or failure) of the Utopia is how well it sells vs. comparably priced TOTL headphones. 2. the top 1% is a huge market and not to be underestimated. In 2013,  there were around 12 million millionaires or HNWI (in USD terms) worldwide and growing. That's a lot of disposable income to chase after.

 

[AxelCloris]

  Does anyone know what kind of travel case would work with the Elear?  Is it about the same size as the HD650?  Would something like this case work?
 
https://www.amazon.com/Slappa-Full-Sized-HardBody-Headphone-Protection/dp/B009NE7B06

 
Yes, that case will work well with the Elear. There's also a coupon code floating around that will knock it down to $10 if you're willing to wait until the end of the month for it to ship. I just ordered one myself.

 

[ddanois]

   
So.... 

  did you get your WA8 ? 

I did...
 
Had to travel for a couple of days so I let it play while I was away before doing any critical listening. I retuned last night and could help trying it for a few minutes before bed. All I can say is WOW! The WA8 with the Utopia is an amazing combination. The warmer tube sound is a great compliment to the Utopia in that there is a great sense of tonal balance. I'll leave more detailed impressions of the WA8 over in that forum thread but suffice to say that you won't find anything lacking in this combination. Simply fantastic and this baby is now going on the road with me the next time I travel.

 

[Currawong]

I can't remember posting my impressions from the SF meet in this thread, so I'll write them here again.
 
Starting with the Elear, it had a wonderfully pleasant presentation with acoustic music that on the rigs I tried it, made me forget the gear and just want to listen. That I remember more than any specifics. I wasn't feeling that it offered anything specifically better or worse than any other headphones in the $1-2k range while I was listening. That's something I'd want to sit down for some time and assess. 
 
The Utopias were completely different -- not like any other headphones I've ever owned. The analogy I used was that Focal had literally strapped a high-end speaker driver inside a high-end speaker case-based material and put it on my head. It made everything else, except maybe Stax, sound veiled and hazy. I don't know if it was macro speed or micro speed, but it was so fast, like a top sports person who moves completely reflexively without hesitation or holding back. Totally immediate and up-front. In a way, too good. Beyond brutally revealing. Everything about the source and amp was revealed. Remember how it was when we all first heard LCD-2s and the immediacy was overwhelming at first? It was like that, but so much more so.
 
Probably the easiest way to look at the Utopias is: If you've heard how their Utopia speakers sound, that's what you'll get that in the Utopia headphones.

 

[god-bluff]

It's been asked before but not far as I'm aware answered; how does the Elear compare to the Spirit Classic?

This is a very fine sounding headphone from a time before Focal was getting all the current publicity. it seems to some extent you need to release ever more expensive headphones before you're taken seriously

 

[nicdub]

It's been asked before but not far as I'm aware answered; how does the Elear compare to the Spirit Classic?
 

 
I wonder the same thing, as I was listening again to the Classic recently and felt it was really excellent, despite some comfort issues.  An open version of the Classic with better ear pads would be great.

 

[rthomas]

I can't remember posting my impressions from the SF meet in this thread, so I'll write them here again.

Starting with the Elear, it had a wonderfully pleasant presentation with acoustic music that on the rigs I tried it, made me forget the gear and just want to listen. That I remember more than any specifics. I wasn't feeling that it offered anything specifically better or worse than any other headphones in the $1-2k range while I was listening. That's something I'd want to sit down for some time and assess. 

The Utopias were completely different -- not like any other headphones I've ever owned. The analogy I used was that Focal had literally strapped a high-end speaker driver inside a high-end speaker case-based material and put it on my head. It made everything else, except maybe Stax, sound veiled and hazy. I don't know if it was macro speed or micro speed, but it was so fast, like a top sports person who moves completely reflexively without hesitation or holding back. Totally immediate and up-front. In a way, too good. Beyond brutally revealing. Everything about the source and amp was revealed. Remember how it was when we all first heard LCD-2s and the immediacy was overwhelming at first? It was like that, but so much more so.

Probably the easiest way to look at the Utopias is: If you've heard how their Utopia speakers sound, that's what you'll get that in the Utopia headphones.

These are some incredible claims! I will listen for myself in London in a few weeks and report back

Let's see if they destroy my HD800S, ZMF BW or HD650..

Are you suggesting that these make an HD800 sound veiled and hazy?

 

[bmichels]

I did...

Had to travel for a couple of days so I let it play while I was away before doing any critical listening. I retuned last night and could help trying it for a few minutes before bed. All I can say is WOW! The WA8 with the Utopia is an amazing combination. The warmer tube sound is a great compliment to the Utopia in that there is a great sense of tonal balance. I'll leave more detailed impressions of the WA8 over in that forum thread but suffice to say that you won't find anything lacking in this combination. Simply fantastic and this baby is now going on the road with me the next time I travel.

I am vey happy for you that you enjoy so much your 2 new toys. Congratulation.

I am looking forward hearing WA8+Utopia at CanJam London, and in the mean time your additional feedback will be welcome.

 

[up late]

high praise indeed from currawong