Focal Utopia 2022 Review, Measurements

[meomap]

The boutique Ears Unlimited in Deft, Netherlands, gave me the opportunity to listen to the Stax X9000 paired with the SRM-T8000, and compare it with the Focal Utopia 2022, which was connected to an amplifier whose name I can’t recall.


I had high expectations for the Stax and was even considering buying it, but I ultimately found the Focal offering more impressive.

On orchestral music with dramatic volume shifts, or electronic tracks with hard-hitting kicks, I felt the Stax lacked punch and overall dynamics compared to the Focal. The sound was smooth and airy, but felt disembodied and weightless. With the Focal, it was like having the actual orchestra playing just 10 centimeters from my face—so much more alive!

I do acknowledge that the Stax offers a wider stereo image, but if soundstage width is what I’m after, I’d rather go for speakers. In a headphone, having drivers so close to your ears and yet sounding too wide often comes at the cost of physicality and impact, in my opinion.

, I had my wife—who knows nothing about audio gear—listen to both headphones without telling her their prices or specs. She also preferred the Focal. In her own words, the Stax sounded like music coming from a room, while the Focal acted like a magnifying glass, revealing every micro-detail. Fun fact: she guessed the Focal cost €700 and the Stax €500.

Moral of the story: never buy into hype, price tags, or forum chatter—trust your own ears.

And also never bring ur W with U to audition anything.....
Too dangerous.....

 

[noirceurfg]

Don’t worry, she wants to buy some Chanel and Hermès bag one day that costs over €5,000, so she easily understands my passion for luxury headphones and the financial sacrifice it involves !
She loves seeing me passionate about hi-fi and music.

Plus, she can’t wait to listen to music on my futur headphone ! I picked the right woman i guess hahaha

But yeah, from a sound perspective, she thinks these headphones are worth at max €1,000 and the rest is just the luxury prestige markup, which she understands, because according to her, the markups in luxury leather goods brands are even crazier.

 

[bcaulf17]

Very random thought but...

For all my bald friends...putting the Utopia on after a freshly shaved head and face is an incredibly underrated feeling....