xxearvinxx
100+ Head-Fier
Is there a release date for this yet? I haven’t had a chance to watch the video. Apologies if it was mentioned there.
Focal Utopia 2022 Review, Measurements
- Thread starter jude
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singingbee
100+ Head-Fier
In stock now at headphones. Com $4999.00
No. The discontinued HD414 from Sennheiser is the best headphone in the world. Value is part of the equation, whether you admit it or not. No $4000 headphone is worth the money unless you can burn it and walk away.Thanks to Jude...after 400 Hours LONG LIVE THE NEW KING
The best headphone in the world for portable devices
ufospls2
Headphoneus Supremus
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Would be good if the two threads (the 2022 ones) could be merged.
Also, I would be interested to hear Focals response on whether or not the "mechanical clipping" is still a...feature? Or is the Utopia 22 free from this..feature?
To quote from Focal directly about the original Utopia
"As already mentionned several times on Head-Fi, the issue described is actually not a quality issue.
Indeed, we have made a clear design choice on Elear (and by consequence Elex) and Utopia. Our headphones have been designed to favor the respect of the dynamic contained within the audio signal versus dynamic compression that would offer a higher SPL capability but less respect of the original audio signal. To cut a long story short, the choice was audio quality oriented rather than SPL oriented. This allows our products to work with full performances until the mechanical clipping is activated. This means that you jump directly from a very low distortion to a sound which could be heard as rattling / cracking noise. On very special tracks with only very low frequencies at very high level, you can thus hear some noises - as you will do on classic loudspeakers.
If we change your pair of headphones, the new one will be designed similarly and it will also have a kind of cracking sound when you will be listening to music with high volume and a fair amount of bass.
The only solution we can recommend you is therefore to listen to your headphones at a lower volume.
Thank you for your understanding,
Best regards,
Marine, Community Manager Focal"
Also, I would be interested to hear Focals response on whether or not the "mechanical clipping" is still a...feature? Or is the Utopia 22 free from this..feature?
To quote from Focal directly about the original Utopia
"As already mentionned several times on Head-Fi, the issue described is actually not a quality issue.
Indeed, we have made a clear design choice on Elear (and by consequence Elex) and Utopia. Our headphones have been designed to favor the respect of the dynamic contained within the audio signal versus dynamic compression that would offer a higher SPL capability but less respect of the original audio signal. To cut a long story short, the choice was audio quality oriented rather than SPL oriented. This allows our products to work with full performances until the mechanical clipping is activated. This means that you jump directly from a very low distortion to a sound which could be heard as rattling / cracking noise. On very special tracks with only very low frequencies at very high level, you can thus hear some noises - as you will do on classic loudspeakers.
If we change your pair of headphones, the new one will be designed similarly and it will also have a kind of cracking sound when you will be listening to music with high volume and a fair amount of bass.
The only solution we can recommend you is therefore to listen to your headphones at a lower volume.
Thank you for your understanding,
Best regards,
Marine, Community Manager Focal"
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Excellent question! And I know for a fact that some people listening to their full-size very loud…like uncomfortably loud for me, but there are people out there. Some people a;so shake their cars listening to their set up!
I also wonder if the soundstage has improved over the 1st Gen Utopia
ufospls2
Headphoneus Supremus
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Yup, over ten years of being into audio gear, I have never clipped a headphone, or speaker, in the way the Utopia did.
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What worries me next is the M-shaped grill that stays so close to the dome drivers. This was the phenomenon that came to my mind. What if someone started blasting it so loud, with the way the dome is moving...what if it is torn and damaged by hitting the grill ?
May be it was already accounted for though
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Jude: why no comparison to Expanse in the vid?!?!?
Any who have heard any impressions between the new focal vs DCA flagships?
Any who have heard any impressions between the new focal vs DCA flagships?
Is good to see so many high end headphones lately.
The choice is yours.
The choice is yours.
joshnor713
Headphoneus Supremus
This is an example as to why it's best to not rush to a new product right away. Let the antsy folks vet it first (at their expense) then buy when you're sure it's worth your top dollar.
Electrocrytic
100+ Head-Fier
It looks like a Drop version of the Utopia. Xutopia ? so should be cheaper rather than more expensive 
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Peaky treble and lack of bass?
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Only if you have a weirdly shaped head (or wear glasses)
You're saying the graphs of the frequency response used a weirdly shaped head wearing glasses?
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