[John2e]

Think it through..
How could a non authorized seller get stock when there is so little available to the authorized sellers currently 

 

[pkcpga]

I'm surprised audiolab is a focal dealer with natural sound being a focal dealer a few feet down the road. As far as I've seen with audiolab in the past they mostly carry used or repair hifi equipment. But who knows if they are, just very closer proximity for dealers.

 

[positively4th]

They're listed as a dealer on focal's site, list themselves as a focal dealer on their own site, have positive feedback on Amazon etc... I took the gamble. Will have elears next week. My first ever pair of open cans. Looking forward to it.

 

[pkcpga]

They're listed as a dealer on focal's site, list themselves as a focal dealer on their own site, have positive feedback on Amazon etc... I took the gamble. Will have elears next week. My first ever pair of open cans. Looking forward to it.

Congrats, their a reputable shop, I just personally have only used them for repairs. Small place in Cambridge, never seem to have much in the way of new equipment mostly used.

I did look them up on focal, parsons and natural sound are the two focal dealers in Boston, audiolabs did not show up, but the rep on here did say there are new dealers.
I just called audiolab they are not a dealer of focal.

 

[guitardave]

I got my Utopia's today, and they are pretty great.  My question is, has anyone found a good case for them?  I don't really want to go through the whole process of repacking them in the original box when putting them away.  Any thoughts on this?  I got kind of spoiled with the Ether case...  That is a good case.

 

[third_eye]

  I got my Utopia's today, and they are pretty great.  My question is, has anyone found a good case for them?  I don't really want to go through the whole process of repacking them in the original box when putting them away.  Any thoughts on this?  I got kind of spoiled with the Ether case...  That is a good case.

This one works perfectly (minus the cables though).
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NE7B06/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[tomatoshoe]

  I got my Utopia's today, and they are pretty great.  My question is, has anyone found a good case for them?  I don't really want to go through the whole process of repacking them in the original box when putting them away.  Any thoughts on this?  I got kind of spoiled with the Ether case...  That is a good case.

I would personally go the custom route and get a pelican case that has the customizable foam.

 

[DKMTech]

Good to see these cans popping up in all sorts of areas. This means production is going well and they will become available for all of us no matter our location.

 

[jamato8]

  This one works perfectly (minus the cables though).
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NE7B06/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have 5 cases that are more or less like this and have traveled the world with them. They work great, provide enough protection, aren't overly expensive and they are light. That is the type I would use for the Utopia as well.

 

[thomson]

  This one works perfectly (minus the cables though).
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NE7B06/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use this exact case with my AKG K812s. Only thing is that I have to detach the cables first but the fit is perfect and the quality, especially considering the price, is excellent.
 
It's of course not as sturdy as a Pelican case (I wouldn't recommend jumping on it for example) but I've traveled with it extensively and it has withstood all the normal abuse that comes with traveling without any issues whatsoever. I would say that it's at least as good as the case that comes with the MrSpeakers Ethers.

 

[mrip541]

Specs list this at 80ohms but looking at the innerfidelity measurements I see that the impedance spikes up to 300-325(!!) in the bass.  This could explain the differing opinions regarding bass response. A phone or small portable amp won't give you the bass as intended.

 

[musicday]

Specs list this at 80ohms but looking at the innerfidelity measurements I see that the impedance spikes up to 300-325(!!) in the bass.  This could explain the differing opinions regarding bass response. A phone or small portable amp won't give you the bass as intended.

Every headphone will benefit from being used with a powerful amplifier.
The sound will be more mature,fuller, with all the frequency response extended.

 

[npdang]

  Specs list this at 80ohms but looking at the innerfidelity measurements I see that the impedance spikes up to 300-325(!!) in the bass.  This could explain the differing opinions regarding bass response. A phone or small portable amp won't give you the bass as intended.

 
The headphone presents a reactive, not resistive load to the amplifier... looking at the phase angles will tell you that the load at resonance is mostly inductive (if it wasn't you could imagine how terrible it would sound with the driver being completely undamped at resonance).  Most solid state amps in my experience don't have a problem driving an inductive load, even ones with a relatively weak power supply.  Your problem is more likely higher in frequency ~200hz, where the load is far more capacitive and the current demand may outstrip what a portable amp is capable of providing.

 

[mrip541]

   
The headphone presents a reactive, not resistive load to the amplifier... looking at the phase angles will tell you that the load at resonance is mostly inductive (if it wasn't you could imagine how terrible it would sound with the driver being completely undamped at resonance).  Most solid state amps in my experience don't have a problem driving an inductive load, even ones with a relatively weak power supply.  Your problem is more likely higher in frequency ~200hz, where the load is far more capacitive and the current demand may outstrip what a portable amp is capable of providing.

 
Thanks for the info! I'd put my knowledge level at just enough to be dangerous.

 

[jude]

  Specs list this at 80ohms but looking at the innerfidelity measurements I see that the impedance spikes up to 300-325(!!) in the bass.  This could explain the differing opinions regarding bass response. A phone or small portable amp won't give you the bass as intended.

 
Here's a link to our impedance measurements for both the Elear and Utopia. Given that the Audio Precision APx1701 Transducer Test Interface we used to do these measurements was a pre-production unit, I sent these plots to Focal's Clement Azou for confirmation, and he said our graphs looked good. (We now have a production APx1701 at Head-Fi's office, but haven't yet re-run these measurements.)
 

Focal Elear and Utopia Impedance Measurements (link)​

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