[Roasty]

just listening to Utopia and the Stellia side by side and i'm wondering where did the Utopia bass suddenly go..? hah!

 

[Hoegaardener70]

just listening to Utopia and the Stellia side by side and i'm wondering where did the Utopia bass suddenly go..? hah!

So, did you find it, Roasty? Enigmatic!

 

[Roasty]

So, did you find it, Roasty? Enigmatic!

Yes, I found the missing Utopia bass. I located it in the Stellia LOL

 

[MacedonianHero]

Yes, I found the missing Utopia bass. I located it in the Stellia LOL

The Stellia do have a tad more heft down low for sure, but the familial similarity to the Utopia is there as well. I do find the Utopia a tad more detailed and transparent overall, but damn, this is the fist time a closed-back headphone has got this close in that case. I love owning both.

 

[Roasty]

The Stellia do have a tad more heft down low for sure, but the familial similarity to the Utopia is there as well. I do find the Utopia a tad more detailed and transparent overall, but damn, this is the fist time a closed-back headphone has got this close in that case. I love owning both.

Yes. I agree. The Utopia wins hands down in air, openness, space, clarity. Only initial impressions but, the Utopia also has much better and very effortless detail retrieval and a more pleasing/less edgy upper registry. It is just silky smooth without sounding muddy/veiled. Some grain and slight pierce with the Stellia and hoping this will settle down with use.

But the Stellia bass and mid bass.. My goodness. Really really good. I think it beats the VC in the low end. Comfort and fit are great too.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Yes. I agree. The Utopia wins hands down in air, openness, space, clarity. Only initial impressions but, the Utopia also has much better and very effortless detail retrieval and a more pleasing/less edgy upper registry. It is just silky smooth without sounding muddy/veiled. Some grain and slight pierce with the Stellia and hoping this will settle down with use.

But the Stellia bass and mid bass.. My goodness. Really really good. I think it beats the VC in the low end. Comfort and fit are great too.

Give them about 75 hours or so...simply magical headphones. The absolute first time that I don't feel that I'm sacrificing sound quality for noise isolation from a closed-back headphone. And like your photos showed, just gorgeous!

 

[KPzypher]

Some grain and slight pierce with the Stellia and hoping this will settle down with use.

Does Utopia not have this grainy/metallic HFs? That's what's stopping me from loving my Stellias. Hard to get emotional with the tunes with that grainy/metallic treble.

 

[Roasty]

Does Utopia not have this grainy/metallic HFs? That's what's stopping me from loving my Stellias. Hard to get emotional with the tunes with that grainy/metallic treble.

I actually find the Utopia has an amazing top end. Didn't think it sounded "metallic" as others have mentioned. The Abyss has a comparatively less forgiving upper registry.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I actually find the Utopia has an amazing top end. Didn't think it sounded "metallic" as others have mentioned. The Abyss has a comparatively less forgiving upper registry.

Me neither for either the Utopia or Stellia. That said, the whole setup matters too.

 

[wishbon3]

Thinking of trading my Utopia for a Stellia, would love having a closed-back for certain times. Crazy?

 

[Failed Engineer]

Does Utopia not have this grainy/metallic HFs? That's what's stopping me from loving my Stellias. Hard to get emotional with the tunes with that grainy/metallic treble.

I think some people hear the flagship Focals that way, and others don't (or it doesn't bother them). I've had others try my Utopia/Stellia system (in my signature) and have been told they hear the metallic timbre and it overcast the listening experience. They mostly are Audeze and ZMF heads. I can understand.

I don't think the Utopia and Stellia are growers. There's very little grey area, either you love them from first listen or not. I knew in the first hour with the Utopia that I wanted to build a system that accentuated and optimized everything it was strong in. Then I added the Stellia a month later (while owning the VC at the same time) and realized I needed to sell the VC an hour in.

But that doesn't mean they don't have their shortcomings and that they are for everyone. They aren't. You may prefer a different sound signature and thankfully there are a lot of good options.

 

[KPzypher]

I've had others try my Utopia/Stellia system (in my signature) and have been told they hear the metallic timbre and it overcast the listening experience. They mostly are Audeze and ZMF heads. I can understand.

You are spot on. I am in that crowd that prefers warmer, full-bodied, lush sound. I know Stellia is a wonderful headphone and technically capable, but that timbre prevents me from getting emotionally attached. I was hoping time will change that.

Thanks. May have to put up for sale my Arche/Stellia to someone that can fully appreciate the pairing.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

I think some people hear the flagship Focals that way, and others don't (or it doesn't bother them). I've had others try my Utopia/Stellia system (in my signature) and have been told they hear the metallic timbre and it overcast the listening experience. They mostly are Audeze and ZMF heads. I can understand.

I don't think the Utopia and Stellia are growers. There's very little grey area, either you love them from first listen or not. I knew in the first hour with the Utopia that I wanted to build a system that accentuated and optimized everything it was strong in. Then I added the Stellia a month later (while owning the VC at the same time) and realized I needed to sell the VC an hour in.

But that doesn't mean they don't have their shortcomings and that they are for everyone. They aren't. You may prefer a different sound signature and thankfully there are a lot of good options.

One of my Utopia systems is fairly similar to yours. How does the Stellia pair with the 3F in comparison with the Utopia/3F? I am curious in the Stellias.

 

[MrPanda]

The Stellia do have a tad more heft down low for sure, but the familial similarity to the Utopia is there as well. I do find the Utopia a tad more detailed and transparent overall, but damn, this is the fist time a closed-back headphone has got this close in that case. I love owning both.

I've been going to the CanJam in New York for the last several years, and I listen to as many phones as I can, but always come home with Focals. Year 1, Clear Pro's, Year 2, Elegia, Year 3, Stellia, and if we have a Year 4, it looks like Utopia!

 

[Hoegaardener70]

Thinking of trading my Utopia for a Stellia, would love having a closed-back for certain times. Crazy?

Not crazy but eventually costly. At least for me it was ... I sold my utopia, and bought a Stellia from the money. I love my Stellia, but I always secretly missed the utopia ... telling myself a zillion times that the Stellia are more versatile and also more often usable since I mostly require a closed headphone. Fast forward a year and I got the utopia again. In the end, both are great but quite different (but of course they still share a lot).