[jamato8]

  I received my Utopia last week.  So far, I actually slightly prefer my HD 800S to the Utopia.  I'm using a Yggy/Rag combo balanced.  My Chord Dave should arrive end of next week so I'll see if that changes my preferences.  I've only listened for about 20 hours so far so maybe it is the burn in period.  I'm also not a fan of the Utopia's earpads - really soft and comfortable, but flimsy and don't encapsulate my ears they way the HD 800S does.  I'll update my impressions in a month or so after burn in and after I receive Dave.  Again, the difference is very small and both are great headphones, but I expected to prefer the Utopias...

The Utopia really do need time to open up and refine totally. I found they really need a few hundred hours. They didn't jump out at me either but I think that is better than something that is so noticeable that in the end, it was too much and proved to be not all that musical. 

 

[AnakChan]

I've put my thoughts on the Utopia against the other cans I have (in my sig) but sadly it's a loaner therefore I have to return them tomorrow. However as they're demo units, I'd gather they would have had quite a few hours clocked in from the various shows they've toured around.
 
Nice cans but somehow still feel a little closed compared to the other cans I'm used to (namely HD800S and Staxes). Probably the best dynamic driver I've heard to date reaching close to the mid/upper end electrostat territory.
 
I did try the Utopia with the Elear pads and hear what's been said, although not certain if that FR is my kinda taste yet.

 

[Kamil21]

I've put my thoughts on the Utopia against the other cans I have (in my sig) but sadly it's a loaner therefore I have to return them tomorrow. However as they're demo units, I'd gather they would have had quite a few hours clocked in from the various shows they've toured around.

Nice cans but somehow still feel a little closed compared to the other cans I'm used to (namely HD800S and Staxes). Probably the best dynamic driver I've heard to date reaching close to the mid/upper end electrostat territory.

I did try the Utopia with the Elear pads and hear what's been said, although not certain if that FR is my kinda taste yet.

Did you have a chance (I know it's not on your list ) to do any meaningful comparison with the Sony MDR-Z1R?

 

[BScherzer]

  Great write up and good to to hear you are loving the Utopias!  You are correct; while they sound good they do not blow you away on an initial listen.  However, as they break in and the more you listen the more their special qualities sneak up on you.  They are very transparent to upstream components in a way I have not experienced before.
 
Curious as to your impressions of the Phonitor 2 versus the MHA 100 with the Utopia.  I have heard both amps, but never with the Utopia and think they both bring a lot to the table.  

Having now had over 200 hours on the Utopias, I feel more confident that what I write here will continue to be my perception for a long time. I have a hard time believing that the phones will change much more than they already have.
 
Flat out, I prefer the Utopia with the Phonitor 2. If you want a warm sound, this wouldn't be a good combo. The amp seems to be pretty darn neutral, with a lot of detail, wallop and drive. I think that it brings some of the best out of the Utopias without adding much. As with any headphone amp I have paired these phones with, your choice of volume can be critical to experiencing the best. The Utopias are very dynamic sounding and, if you aren't careful, it's easy to have the volume a bit too high.
 
Everything that I wrote about the McIntosh MHA 100 remains consistent to now. The combo of McIntosh/Utopia does sound a bit clearer than it did when the headphones were at less than 100 hours. However, the impression of being overly warm in certain frequencies continues. I do notice that in my search for audible sounds that I know are there in the recording but just seem pushed back a bit leads me to have the volume too high. When I dial the volume back just a bit, I continue to feel that the colorations of the McIntosh don't work that well with these cans....certainly not for the price of the amp.
 
BTW, I was pretty surprised by the differences I heard over time as the Utopias were being "broken in". I really thought that I wouldn't hear much change after 50 hours but that turned out to not be true. The change I'm hearing most since about 100 hours would be covered by the words "becoming even more refined". I spoke to a friend who sells the Focal Utopia speaker line (but not the headphones) and he wasn't at all surprised by what I told him. He said that his experience with the speakers is that they continue to change for at least 200 hours.
 
I think that I have given as much info as I'm likely to have. I did decide to wait to get a chance to listen to some different amps other than the Woo I mentioned in past posts. I know how wonderful the Utopia sounds with the Woo but I'd like to hear some amps like the Pathos Aurium. I may still buy a Woo but I'm becoming more and more impressed with how the Utopias sound with the Phonitor 2......which I already paid for!

 

[AnakChan]

Did you have a chance (I know it's not on your list ) to do any meaningful comparison with the Sony MDR-Z1R?

 
Nope, sorry. My demo of the MDR-Z1R was in the Sony labs almost 2 months back and therefore didn't compare side-by-side to the Utopia. As such I can't speak much about the technicalities (e.g. detail retrieval, decay, etc.). However at a higher level overview about the tonal signature (which to me is the subjective part as my point of view that's personal preference), the MDR-Z1R is probably closer to the Elear family than the Utopia. I've just written up a very brief Elear review as per my sig below and made a brief mention about that.

 

[hyde27]

How about Utopia +Auralic Vega+Taurus?

 

[brams]

Having now had over 200 hours on the Utopias, I feel more confident that what I write here will continue to be my perception for a long time. I have a hard time believing that the phones will change much more than they already have.

Flat out, I prefer the Utopia with the Phonitor 2. If you want a warm sound, this wouldn't be a good combo. The amp seems to be pretty darn neutral, with a lot of detail, wallop and drive. I think that it brings some of the best out of the Utopias without adding much. As with any headphone amp I have paired these phones with, your choice of volume can be critical to experiencing the best. The Utopias are very dynamic sounding and, if you aren't careful, it's easy to have the volume a bit too high.

Everything that I wrote about the McIntosh MHA 100 remains consistent to now. The combo of McIntosh/Utopia does sound a bit clearer than it did when the headphones were at less than 100 hours. However, the impression of being overly warm in certain frequencies continues. I do notice that in my search for audible sounds that I know are there in the recording but just seem pushed back a bit leads me to have the volume too high. When I dial the volume back just a bit, I continue to feel that the colorations of the McIntosh don't work that well with these cans....certainly not for the price of the amp.

BTW, I was pretty surprised by the differences I heard over time as the Utopias were being "broken in". I really thought that I wouldn't hear much change after 50 hours but that turned out to not be true. The change I'm hearing most since about 100 hours would be covered by the words "becoming even more refined". I spoke to a friend who sells the Focal Utopia speaker line (but not the headphones) and he wasn't at all surprised by what I told him. He said that his experience with the speakers is that they continue to change for at least 200 hours.

I think that I have given as much info as I'm likely to have. I did decide to wait to get a chance to listen to some different amps other than the Woo I mentioned in past posts. I know how wonderful the Utopia sounds with the Woo but I'd like to hear some amps like the Pathos Aurium. I may still buy a Woo but I'm becoming more and more impressed with how the Utopias sound with the Phonitor 2......which I already paid for!

Thanks again for your impressions. Based on my brief experience with the Phonitor 2 and how it woke up the Focal Spirit Pro I would have been surprised if it had not been your preference. Plus it's also available in red!

Isn't it funny how the Utopia leads you to neutral gear? I settled on the COS Engineering H1 for just that reason. Neutral and extremely detailed ... maybe too much for the faint of heart if everything in the chain isn't pulling its weight. My experience has been the same with neutral speakers as well. Any problem in the connected components are magnified and it makes sense that should be the case when you think about it. The negative of course is that it can set off multiple rounds of upgrades and we all know "That way madness (and the poorhouse) lies"!

The McIntosh is actually a good amp. It just needs to be paired with the right headphones to complement its strengths. I've heard it pair well with Audeze and Hifiman, but I must stress again that a lot depends on the source, cabling, power cords and personal preference. At this level everything matters.

Finally, I do have the Pathos Aurium and can report it works well with the Utopia. It is detailed, but not overly so, and does provide a nice, balanced sound. A lot depends on the tubes used though and when used with the Utopia you can change the signature pretty significantly going from something like NOS Amperex to Mullards. When I do occasionally use the Aurium I switch tubes depending on my mood. Having said this, I am pretty confident that it would be bettered by the Phonitor 2. Perhaps the same would not hold true for Pathos' new Inpol Ear though.

 

[Sonic Guild]

  Pretty good review of Focal Elear in this month's Stereophile magazine

..."the Elear sounded just a smidge thicker in the lower mid range and upper bass.
To me, the aluminumness of the Elear dome adds an extra, enjoyable measure of tonal color that's absent from the more pure and empty-sounding Utopias"

Where can I find this review? I searched for "Stereophile magazine Elear", but got nothing. 
Did they end up preferring the Elear? 

 

[Sonic Guild]

Can someone describe the difference between the Elear and Utopia, by using other headphones as reference and examples?
 
My impression that the Elear is thick like Audeze and Utopia is airy like the Ether Flow, right???
 
I don't want to get the Elear and end up with a thick phones just like LCD3/4, which I already own. 
 
Price is what is moving me toward the Elear. Is there a real difference between them? 

 

[ray-dude]

Can someone describe the difference between the Elear and Utopia, by using other headphones as reference and examples?

My impression that the Elear is thick like Audeze and Utopia is airy like the Ether Flow, right???

I don't want to get the Elear and end up with a thick phones just like LCD3/4, which I already own. 

Price is what is moving me toward the Elear. Is there a real difference between them? 

We spent quality time with the Elears and (not enough) with Utopias, along with 10 other headphones. Very definite difference (of a family, but Utopias are in a different league)

See the too long review below:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/824351/adventures-of-2-channel-guy-diving-head-first-into-the-head-fi-deep-end

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Can someone describe the difference between the Elear and Utopia, by using other headphones as reference and examples?

My impression that the Elear is thick like Audeze and Utopia is airy like the Ether Flow, right???

I don't want to get the Elear and end up with a thick phones just like LCD3/4, which I already own. 

Price is what is moving me toward the Elear. Is there a real difference between them? 

There is a huge difference between the 2. The Elear has an intimate warm sound with punchy bass. The instruments have good seperation but the soundstage is closer together. People here draw comparison to the Elear and 650 in regards to size of soundstage, (and warmth level?). To my ears I feel like the bass is punchier on the Elear then it is the LCD 3. I can't comment on the size of the stage between the 2 or seperation of instruments but I feel like they are more similar then not.... if you think the LCD 3 are "thick" then I think you would feel the same about the Elear. The Utopia on the other hand has a soundstage closer to the HD 800. The HD 800 to my ears still sounds larger and wider but it's not dramatically different.... anyways the utopia's instrument seperation is incredible and tonally doesn't sound as warm as the Elear. So closest thing to the Utopia that i know of is the HD 800s, and the Elear would be a warmer 600. How much "better" these cans are compared to the ones I mentioned is too subjective. BUT the Utopia with the gear i heard it with is totally a TOTL can. Also- I have yet to hear the Ether Flow which I would love to compare these all too.

 

[guitardave]

 
Where can I find this review? I searched for "Stereophile magazine Elear", but got nothing. 
Did they end up preferring the Elear? 

It is in the most recent issue, and it is a favorable review.  But in another section of the same issue, in the annual Editor's Choice section, he says "Rarely do I experience something that makes me think the world I live in will never be the same again.  Previously, wars, love, and disasters inspired such consciousness-altering moments.  This year, the world I live in changed surprisingly and pleasurably for the better when I put on Focal's new Utopia Reference headphones."
I think he likes the Utopias.

 

[Sonic Guild]

  It is in the most recent issue, and it is a favorable review.  But in another section of the same issue, in the annual Editor's Choice section, he says "Rarely do I experience something that makes me think the world I live in will never be the same again.  Previously, wars, love, and disasters inspired such consciousness-altering moments.  There year, the world I live in changed surprisingly and pleasurably for the better when I put on Focal's new Utopia Reference headphones."
I think he likes the Utopias.

POWERFUL statement! 
I know nothing about the credibility of the author or the magazine. 

 

[Sonic Guild]

There is a huge difference between the 2. The Elear has an intimate warm sound with punchy bass. The instruments have good seperation but the soundstage is closer together. People here draw comparison to the Elear and 650 in regards to size of soundstage, (and warmth level?). To my ears I feel like the bass is punchier on the Elear then it is the LCD 3. I can't comment on the size of the stage between the 2 or seperation of instruments but I feel like they are more similar then not.... if you think the LCD 3 are "thick" then I think you would feel the same about the Elear. The Utopia on the other hand has a soundstage closer to the HD 800. The HD 800 to my ears still sounds larger and wider but it's not dramatically different.... anyways the utopia's instrument seperation is incredible and tonally doesn't sound as warm as the Elear. So closest thing to the Utopia that i know of is the HD 800s, and the Elear would be a warmer 600. How much "better" these cans are compared to the ones I mentioned is too subjective. BUT the Utopia with the gear i heard it with is totally a TOTL can. Also- I have yet to hear the Ether Flow which I would love to compare these all too.

Thank you so much!
You made it much easier for me now. 
 
Recently I got the LCD4 (which is fantastic), I believe that no thick headphones will beat it. 
NOW I am looking for the complementary headphones that has the airy sensation of the HD800S but without being thin. Based on your comment, the Utopia is the headphones that I am looking for. 
I will sell the HE1000 and PM2.
Will keep the LCD4 and get Utopia. 

 

[goldendarko]

You won't be disappointed in the Utopia if that's what you are looking for. IMO it's the best mainstream headphone available right now.