[stacker45]

If you don't have a good room and private time...then speakers are useless

Toxic cables

 
Don't forget the ''head in a vice'' thing, if you move your head an inch in any direction, you loose your stereo image.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

I am listening to "Ghost of Perdition" by Opeth right now. I was turning it up trying to hear the faint guitar in the beginning and then the song kicks in full force. It almost gave me a heart attack! anyways after my heart recovered this song is awesome ha. I'm A/Bing the Utopia versus the Z1R and using the Chord TT (just picked that combo since I was doing an A/B with it for something else). The speed of the kick drums are definitely faster and tighter on the Utopia. The acoustic guitar sounds crisp on both headphones. Maybe slight edge to Utopia. I feel like i get more body to the guitar but it may be in my head. so take that part with a grain of salt..
 
For some reason this song makes me want to turn it up to ear crushing levels... I don't know if its because there is so much energy in the song or what. I just want to blast my ears out lol.
 
"The baying of hounds" is legit too. I am going to keep listening to this band.  If the lead signer growled anymore in his voice and it turned into just screaming then I wouldn't be about it, but there is tons of great attributes to their structure that I really dig. 

 

[bidn]

 

 

 
 

Yeah I'll give it a listen. I don't listen to anything extremely metal so I need to know what to listen for ha. By today's standard I would suspect that Metallica's new album isn't metal enough? My friend once told me how versatile the genre is now

 

yeah, metal is very versatile, it is understandable to state that some headphone may perform well on some sub-genre while being decent for others.
   
  hmm, I don't know a track that might be good for you.
   
  I think this is good since it has both harsh and smooth vocals.
   
 

 


Hi ,

I listened to this nice track with both the Utopia, the LCD-X, (and also the HD 800 because of the issue of fatigue for is crucial for listening to metal during long sessions).
The difference is like day and night: compared to the Utopia, the LCD-X sounds to me slow, dull, veiled, muddy, I miss a lot, the LCD-X can't keep up with the music in comparison (although it is already a great headphone). It does not best the Utopia for the bass, on this track the Utopia completely crushes the LCD-X in all respects.
I find that the distorted and confused vocals at about 6:00 are interesting because they fall under what I find fatiguing on both hps, but I find that the Utopia is actually less fatiguing (maybe because better resolved and less confusing without being bright? the HD 800 could resolve them but it somewhat too bright here?).
I find that the electric guitar at 7:40 is fatiguing on the HD 800 (bright), also on the LCD-X (fails at resolving properly) and the least fatiguing on the Utopia (resolves well without brightness).

thx mate, I've since opt for MDR-Z1R since I need the isolation.
 
The Utopia seems to be an excellent headphone, I definitely agree with your opinion on the HD800, so I think your impression could mirror mind if I audition the Utopia(hopefully sometime soon), but Opeth is one of my favourite band, and so if it's fatigueing on the Utopia, it's no good for me and not worth spending the 4K USD on it, it also leaks like crazy and can't be used at work.
 
very nice post though...
 
btw I listen to all kinds of metal, but mainly the Extreme stuff

 
Thank you for your compliments!
 
I wouldn't take the Utopia to work: not so practical (it doesn't fold) and above all too expensive, I am not taking the risk of them being stolen. I take every day either the Oppo PM2 or the PM3 (both foldable) to work (depending if I want closed or open).
 
I hope you enjoy the MDR-Z1R. I have written and will post some thoughts and comments on various albums, on why I find the Utopia the best of my hps for metal.
 
BTW you say you listen mostly to extreme stuff, but then I assume Opeth is not typical of what you listen (I find is quite progressive, I listened to further tracks on the youtube playlist and they even sounded rather progressive rock than metal to me?

 

[bidn]

Hi,
 
 
I have been thinking about why I find that the Utopia is much better for metal than my other hps,
and have theorized things:
- several former dynamic hps (HD 800, K812) could resolve well and were fast enough for metal, but then they were bright and fatiguing
- (dynamic Sonorous X and VIII are actually great for metal, but given their price ratio and they are not popular)
- planar magnetic (Audeze, Oppo) remove the fatigue with a dark coloration but then are too slow and not detailed enough, you miss a lot
- the Utopia is by far the best because not only it is much much faster, detailed, punchy, etc, beating the HD 800 and the K812 (in these respects where the planar had failed). but it does it without brightness and fatigue, and this without the need for the dark coloration of the planars.
 
With the Utopia (make sure they have been burning 24h/14 days) you can listen to metal just as it is, at full speed, with all the details of realism, at full punch, no coloration and no more fatigue than the real music (which may still be inherently fatiguing).
None my other hps would do this (except for the Sonorous X but too lesser extents than the Utopia).
 
 
Here some impression with albums from different subgenres which could be fatiguing (so no atmospheric, no funeral...)
 
 
Softer forms of different kinds of metal:
Agalloch's Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
I take this album because its tracks have quite diverging orientations:
track 1 = black metal
track 2 = folk metal with vocal and synth
track 3 = folk acoustic metal
track 4 = gothic metal
track 5 = atmospheric metal
Nowhere fatiguing, just absolutely superb, here is no competition among my hps for the Utopia.
 
 
Heavy metal:
Manowar's Warriors of the World
I take this album because its give a taste of the incredible pleasures you can get through the Utopia and you can't really imagine it until you have experienced it.
Utopia gives me zero fatigue. The whole album is stunning in CD quality, an experience which any metal -lover who can afford the Utopia should not miss!! And then listening to the same album in SACD quality: for sure quite subjective, but I have no words to describe this nirvana...
 
 
 
black metal
Antiquus Scriptum's Conclamatum Est
The full spectrum is used most of the time, this kind of fast riffs, drums, growls etc. is definitely typical of fatiguing stuff.
I listened for about 20 min. I had no fatigue with the Utopia, but this is too short for a test, I am sorry, I like black metal less than other genres. (sometimes I listen for long periods, but as kind of background, ambiance, I am then not focused on the music itself)
Anyway the Utopia is super fast and precise. On large part of the tracks the sound is not beautiful enough to make the Utopia shine for me, however there is are some beautiful parts (e.g. around 13:00) which deserve the realism of the Utopia.
 
 
Symphonic metal
no need to give examples, you can believe there is no question the Utopia is the best of the best here and there are no words to describe these sublime experiences....
 
 
power metal
Majesty's Hellforces
From track 2 on this music is fatiguing on bright headphones: lot of fast, distorted electric guitar, high pitch voices.
No fatigue with the Utopia, I love it very much!!
 
 
pagan folk metal
Equilibrium's Sagas
Very intensive and fast; occupation of the full spectrum.
The Utopia has no issues following the speed and separating the more beautiful and acoustic components from the perpetual electric guitars. No fatigue and superb experience with the Utopia, I love it and love it! You miss so much with the other hps.
 
 
Melodic death metal
Amon Amrath's Deceiver of the Gods
Waooh! This the kind of stuff where the Utopia won't stop electrifying you, striking you all the time with Thor's lightnings!!! The AKG K812 is quite fast and punchy, but so much less than the Utopia, and the K812 is bright and tiring.
I must say this is the kind of music where I turn the volume higher up with dynamic headphones than with planar magnetic dark headphones (Oppo, Audeze) because the Utopia and the K812 can deliver whereas the planar magnetic ones and also the HD 800 will remain lifeless for me.
So here listening at high volume is less fatiguing than with the K812 (I am taking K812 here instead of the HD 800 because the latter can't deliver the punch). Still at higher volume the Utopia may be more fatiguing then listening at a much lower level on planars. But at the same volume level as the planar magnetic, the Utopia is no more fatiguing than the planar.
(at home I would normally NOT listen to this kind of music with planar magnetic headphones because they miss all the required punch -- no fun. However the only hps I take to work are the portable Oppo PM2 or PM3, so I will still listen to this stuff at work with them because I have no choice there).
 
 
Goth metal
Saviour Machine's Saviour Machine's II
Zero fatigue and quite nice.
 
alt, nu metal
Demon Hunter's Storm the Gates of Hell
quite intensive and fast, rather fatiguing music. Besides the electric guitar the Utopia images and represents super clearly the other musical components and shines here compared to the other hps: superb and with zero fatigue!

 

[emptymt]

   
Thank you for your compliments!
 
I wouldn't take the Utopia to work: not so practical (it doesn't fold) and above all too expensive, I am taken the risk of it being stolen. I take every day the Oppo PM2 or PM3 (foldable) to work.
 
I hope you enjoy the MDR-Z1R. I have written and will post some thoughts and comments on various albums, on why I find the Utopia the best of my hps for metal.
 
BTW you say you listen mostly to extreme stuff, but then I assume Opeth is not typical of what you listen (I find is quite progressive, I listened to further tracks on the youtube playlist and they even sounded rather progressive rock than metal to me?

definitely not the most extreme, but extreme enough for me.
The most extreme kinds tends to be mastered quite poorly so it wasn't good for testing headphone.
 
Lol, They have since transitined to progressive rock since 2008 (Watershed album).
Before that, all their albums are metal except for Damnation album.
 
check this link oif you are interested:
http://www.metalstorm.net/bands/band.php?band_id=13&bandname=Opeth
 
The albums with high ratings are truly good, but my favourite is of course The Blackwater Park record, you may want to give it a try.
Last 3 albums are all Prog Rock. 

 

[emptymt]

  Hi,
 
 
I have been thinking about why I find that the Utopia is much better for metal than my other hps,
and have theorized things:
- several former dynamic hps (HD 800, K812) could resolve well and were fast enough for metal, but then they were bright and fatiguing
- (dynamic Sonorous X and VIII are actually great for metal, but given their price ratio and they are not popular)
- planar magnetic (Audeze, Oppo) remove the fatigue with a dark coloration but then are too slow and not detailed enough, you miss a lot
- the Utopia is by far the best because not only it is much much faster, detailed, punchy, etc, beating the HD 800 and the K812 (in these respects where the planar had failed). but it does it without brightness and fatigue, and this without the need for the dark coloration of the planars.
 
With the Utopia (make sure they have been burning 24h/14 days) you can listen to metal just as it is, at full speed, with all the details of realism, at full punch, no coloration and no more fatigue than the real music (which may still be inherently fatiguing).
None my other hps would do this (except for the Sonorous X but too lesser extents than the Utopia).
 
 
Here some impression with albums from different subgenres which could be fatiguing (so no atmospheric, no funeral...)
 
 
Softer forms of different kinds of metal:
Agalloch's Of Stone, Wind and Pillor
I take this album because its tracks have quite diverging orientations:
track 1 = black metal
track 2 = folk metal with vocal and synth
track 3 = folk acoustic metal
track 4 = gothic metal
track 5 = atmospheric metal
Nowhere fatiguing, just absolutely superb, here is no competition among my hps for the Utopia.
 
 
Heavy metal:
Manowar's Warriors of the World
I take this album because its give a taste of the incredible pleasures you can get through the Utopia and you can't really imagine it until you have experienced it.
Utopia gives me zero fatigue. The whole album is stunning in CD quality, an experience which any metal -lover who can afford the Utopia should not miss!! And then listening to the same album in SACD quality: for sure quite subjective, but I have no words to describe this nirvana...
 
 
 
black metal
Antiquus Scriptum's Conclamatum Est
The full spectrum is used most of the time, this kind of fast riffs, drums, growls etc. is definitely typical of fatiguing stuff.
I listened for about 20 min. I had no fatigue with the Utopia, but this is too short for a test, I am sorry, I like black metal less than other genres. (sometimes I listen for long periods, but as kind of background, ambiance, I am then not focused on the music itself)
Anyway the Utopia is super fast and precise. On large part of the tracks the sound is not beautiful enough to make the Utopia shine for me, however there is are some beautiful parts (e.g. around 13:00) which deserve the realism of the Utopia.
 
 
Symphonic metal
no need to give examples, you can believe there is no question the Utopia is the best of the best here and there are no words to describe these sublime experiences....
 
 
power metal
Majesty's Hellforces
From track 2 on this music is fatiguing on bright headphones: lot of fast, distorted electric guitar, high pitch voices.
No fatigue with the Utopia, I love it very much!!
 
 
pagan folk metal
Equilibrium's Sagas
Very intensive and fast; occupation of the full spectrum.
The Utopia has no issues following the speed and separating the more beautiful and acoustic components from the perpetual electric guitars. No fatigue and superb experience with the Utopia, I love it and love it! You miss so much with the other hps.
 
 
Melodic death metal
Amon Amrath's Deceiver of the Gods
Waooh! This the kind of stuff where the Utopia won't stop electrifying you, striking you all the time with Thor's lightnings!!! The AKG K812 is quite fast and punchy, but so much less than the Utopia, and the K812 is bright and tiring.
I must say this is the kind of music where I turn the volume higher up with dynamic headphones than with planar magnetic dark headphones (Oppo, Audeze) because the Utopia and the K812 can deliver whereas the planar magnetic ones and also the HD 800 will remain lifeless for me.
So here listening at high volume is less fatiguing than with the K812 (I am taking K812 here instead of the HD 800 because the latter can't deliver the punch). Stil ore fatiguing then listening at lower level on planars. But at the same volume level as the planar magnetic, no more fatiguing than the later.
(at home I would normally NOT listen to this kind of music with planar magnetic headphones because they miss all the required punch -- no fun. However the only hps I take to work are the portable Oppo PM2 and PM3, so I will still listen to this stuff at work with them because I have no choice there).
 
 
Goth metal
Saviour Machine's Saviour Machine's II
Zero fatigue and quite nice.
 
alt, nu metal
Demon Hunter's Storm the Gates of Hell
quite intensive and fast, rather fatiguing music. Besides the electric guitar the Utopia images and represents super clearly the other musical components and shines here compared to the other hps: superb and with zero fatigue!

interesting choice of tracks mate, looks like you like Melodeath and Power, you may want to check Be'lakor (Melodeath) and Wintersun (Extreme Power)

 

[bidn]

Hi,
 
you are right on target!,
I actually have all Be'lakor and used to listen to them a lot, not so much currently.
I will check Wintersun, thank for the hint
Making the metal hand sign with my fingers :   |..|
 
When doing chores, I like more joyful music, hence power. But I don't like the high pitch voices of pwer,
I prefer the deep and powerful voices of death.
and I love all the fantasy stuf, thus again power. Amon Amarth is ideal = melodeath + fantasy, and so good vocals and riffs.
 
Right now I am enjoying listening to Manowar's Kings of Metal on the Utopia, so superb !!!!!
 
I am so thankful to Focal for making the Utopia. So fantastic and so easy to use, the best gift ever to music-lovers, seems to me!
(I bought their car speakers after buying the Utopia...)

 

[stacker45]

  Hi,
 
you are right on target!,
I actually have all Be'lakor and used to listen to them a lot, 

 

[draytonklammer]

Been listening for days straight. My Abyss presents well, but the Utopia sounds more natural, and thus to my ears sounds "better."
I realize in this hobby "better" is extremely subjective, so YMMV.
 
I am hoping to eventually write a comparison, upload my photos (with the Moon, my external gear, cables, and the Abyss + Utopia)
 
I will say, the Utopia IS NOT bass light, I don't know what some people are talking about. These shoot right up there with my Abyss, but still feel more accurate.
Almost feels like they might extend farther, but the Abyss has more mid bass? Makes for very different listening experiences.
 
For example, Bassgasm by Techmaster P.E.B. is a fantastic experience on both. including the Utopia.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Been listening for days straight. My Abyss presents well, but the Utopia sounds more natural, and thus to my ears sounds "better."
I realize in this hobby "better" is extremely subjective, so YMMV.
 
I am hoping to eventually write a comparison, upload my photos (with the Moon, my external gear, cables, and the Abyss + Utopia)
 
I will say, the Utopia IS NOT bass light, I don't know what some people are talking about. These shoot right up there with my Abyss, but still feel more accurate.
Almost feels like they might extend farther, but the Abyss has more mid bass? Makes for very different listening experiences.
 
For example, Bassgasm by Techmaster P.E.B. is a fantastic experience on both. including the Utopia.

 
Subjectivity is definitely one thing, but objective measurements are another...and there is a BIG difference there between the Utopia and Abyss. 

 

 

[draytonklammer]

   
Subjectivity is definitely one thing, but objective measurements are another...and there is a BIG difference there between the Utopia and Abyss. 

 

Although I can somewhat agree, a lot of the measurements are null and void if you consider fit IMO.
You also have to consider, something like the Innerfidelity FR was with a broken pair.
 
Not to discredit how well tuned the Utopia is, but the Abyss is no slouch. I find it more compelling than the LCD-4/HEK, but I think it has met its maker with the Utopia...
 
Not quite ready to fully back the above statement, but considering I haven't felt the need to pick it up, I might be selling to grab a Dave eventually...
Can't decide... I love both, and think the Abyss has its place for sure, but man the Utopia is impressive. It's the most impressive thing I have put on my head in awhile.
That and my friends haven't made fun of it. As always, everyone thinks the Abyss is a medieval torture device, the HEK were like a pair of sandals out of the 80s, and the LCD-4 was the George Foreman grill.

 

[boomtube]

 
That and my friends haven't made fun of it. As always, everyone thinks the Abyss is a medieval torture device, the HEK were like a pair of sandals out of the 80s, and the LCD-4 was the George Foreman grill.

LOL!

 

[Sonic Defender]

   
Subjectivity is definitely one thing, but objective measurements are another...and there is a BIG difference there between the Utopia and Abyss. 

 

Haven't really bothered to look, so which one measures better, objectively of course? My assumption is the Utopia.

 

[draytonklammer]

  LOL!

This is the first headphone I haven't had gawked. Everyone thinks it looks amazing.
Looks are one thing though.
 
Everyone I have had try them so far versus my Abyss has preferred the Utopia, except for one. So far that's 80% (4/5) not including my vote -- I don't know where my vote is YET.
 
I am looking for a Utopia stand though, so these are not going anywhere. I also have a silver cable on the way, should arrive Monday, it's also balanced and not like a snake is coming off of my headphones.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Although I can somewhat agree, a lot of the measurements are null and void if you consider fit IMO.
You also have to consider, something like the Innerfidelity FR was with a broken pair.
 
Not to discredit how well tuned the Utopia is, but the Abyss is no slouch. I find it more compelling than the LCD-4/HEK, but I think it has met its maker with the Utopia...
 
Not quite ready to fully back the above statement, but considering I haven't felt the need to pick it up, I might be selling to grab a Dave eventually...
Can't decide... I love both, and think the Abyss has its place for sure, but man the Utopia is impressive. It's the most impressive thing I have put on my head in awhile.
That and my friends haven't made fun of it. As always, everyone thinks the Abyss is a medieval torture device, the HEK were like a pair of sandals out of the 80s, and the LCD-4 was the George Foreman grill.

 
Listening is where the "rubber hits the road", no arguments there; but measurements keep us (and manufacturers for that matter) honest. And fooling oneself is easy...as Richard Feynman said "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool."