Focal Stellia Review, Measurements, Interview - Head-Fi TV
Mar 5, 2020 at 2:46 PM Post #1,666 of 4,499
I guess my real question is, in your subjective opinion, is the Stellia enough of a worthy counterpoint to the Utopia that you would own both. To put it another way, if you could always listen in a more or less optimal environment is the Utopia a clear better choice or not.

Ok, from my perspective - no, I would not own both. They are different headphones but they do share a similar signature. I would (and did) divert the funds towards a headphone which is clearly different.

Is the Utopia the better choice - yes, if you ONLY listen to classical music or Jazz (take this with a grain of salt, I stated this earlier and not all agree). But if you listen to all genres, especially metal (which is not Utopia music at all!) and everything else, the Stellia is in my opinion the more versatile headphone.
 
Mar 5, 2020 at 3:53 PM Post #1,668 of 4,499
Ok, from my perspective - no, I would not own both. They are different headphones but they do share a similar signature. I would (and did) divert the funds towards a headphone which is clearly different.

Is the Utopia the better choice - yes, if you ONLY listen to classical music or Jazz (take this with a grain of salt, I stated this earlier and not all agree). But if you listen to all genres, especially metal (which is not Utopia music at all!) and everything else, the Stellia is in my opinion the more versatile headphone.
Thank you...that’s actually very helpful. I do listen to a wide variety of music, but mostly female vocals and jazz so I am very satisfied with the Utopia and I also own Sony MDR-Z1R closed back headphones. The Sony is nice but can’t compete with the Utopias so I was considering another closed back alternative at some point but no hurry for sure. definitely a “first world” problem...
 
Mar 5, 2020 at 4:00 PM Post #1,669 of 4,499
Thank you...that’s actually very helpful. I do listen to a wide variety of music, but mostly female vocals and jazz so I am very satisfied with the Utopia and I also own Sony MDR-Z1R closed back headphones. The Sony is nice but can’t compete with the Utopias so I was considering another closed back alternative at some point but no hurry for sure. definitely a “first world” problem...

Well, given this is the Stellia thread, most people will probably advise to get it too. I at one point also owned the Utopia and Z1R, and thought they are worlds apart. They were comfy though :).
 
Mar 5, 2020 at 5:28 PM Post #1,670 of 4,499
Being a closed headphone, the Stellia is really sounds kinda open, even more than some open designs.
As mentioned in the other thread, I think it is the more reasonably priced closed back focal flagship.
The Utopia got very slight or a tad more resolution and the details are presented more forward (for mid - high frequencies). The soundstage is a bit wider to the left/right, but the Stellia sounds a bit more near my head and around it. Both Utopia/Stellia got the typical dynamic driver bass. I liked the bass and low frequencies of Stellia more, quantitatively and qualitatively. The Utopia is just a bit too bright tuned for me, details sometimes a bit too forward and "unruly" (as someone described).
They both sound simply as very very good headphones, dynamic drivers, when one think about the term "headphone".
Neither of them gave me that immediate feeling of staying in a mid-sized concert hall or spacy room as with the hedd heddphone, or sitting in the second seat with the sennheiser hd 800s. King in those aspect are the stax^^
I do say that besides the stax and heddphone, the Utopia and Stellia were the only headphones were I could hear the "layering" of the sound, the instruments, left or right to each other, or even a bit in front/behind (depth). The same with the imaging.
Both sound characteristics not as good as with the heddphone or even the better stax.

Regarding the MSRP and the overall timbre, the Stellia was more pleasing to me to listen to. "Fun to listen to" (without being fun tuned or a fun frequency response).
I'd buy the Stellia if I would be crazy spending that much money :smile_phones:
 
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Mar 5, 2020 at 7:29 PM Post #1,671 of 4,499
Well, given this is the Stellia thread, most people will probably advise to get it too. I at one point also owned the Utopia and Z1R, and thought they are worlds apart. They were comfy though :).
Unfortunately (or, fortunately) I need to mostly rely on input from knowledgeable head fi posters to make decisions about future purchases because I live in a rural area without access to high end headphones and supporting equipment (DACs, amplifiers, cables, etc). For example, I purchased the Utopia without listening to it first; ditto for the Sony MDR-Z1R and my trusty Audeze LCD-X. I research as thoroughly as possible and buy new from trusted sellers like Moon Audio or gently used from other forum members. Not optimal but it’s worked out well so far. The Stellia may well be in my future based on threads like this and the heavily favorable reviews I’ve read. No hurry, but it’s fun looking!
 
Mar 5, 2020 at 8:18 PM Post #1,672 of 4,499
I had the idea to purchase a set of Stellia pads to put on my Elegia to see if I could split the difference sonically. When I found out (from the Focal NAIM distributor) they were $400,
I aborted this plan. $400 for foam pads?? Like, faw cough.
 
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Mar 5, 2020 at 8:36 PM Post #1,674 of 4,499
Just curious...since you have ownership experience with both the Utopia and Stellia, would you own both or are they too similar? I find my Utopus’s open design really do require a quiet listening environment but there are many times when I am surrounded by low level ambient noise which is distracting. Any thoughts?

They certainly do share a familial bond sonically. But if you wanted a warmer headphone with a bit more bass and open sound (but at the cost of some transparency and detail extraction), then yes, they are worth owning both. Or if you require a closed-back headphone, I can't think of any better that I've tried.
 
Mar 5, 2020 at 8:48 PM Post #1,676 of 4,499
Mar 5, 2020 at 8:56 PM Post #1,677 of 4,499
They certainly do share a familial bond sonically. But if you wanted a warmer headphone with a bit more bass and open sound (but at the cost of some transparency and detail extraction), then yes, they are worth owning both. Or if you require a closed-back headphone, I can't think of any better that I've tried.
Good to know...I like my Sony MDR-Z1R but the Stellia would be a step up and I like that I could use them with my Sony WM1Z because they are only 35 ohm.
 
Mar 5, 2020 at 9:05 PM Post #1,678 of 4,499
Good to know...I like my Sony MDR-Z1R but the Stellia would be a step up and I like that I could use them with my Sony WM1Z because they are only 35 ohm.

I used to own the Z1R and loved them, but the Stellia are several steps up for sure!
 
Mar 5, 2020 at 9:06 PM Post #1,679 of 4,499
I had the idea to purchase a set of Stellia pads to put on my Elegia to see if I could split the difference sonically. When I found out (from the Focal NAIM distributor) they were $400,
I aborted this plan. $400 for foam pads?? Like, faw cough.
Focal luvs to bitch slap with their prices don't they? And we thought putting crystals on power lines was crazy!
 
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Mar 5, 2020 at 10:29 PM Post #1,680 of 4,499

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