[iDesign]

Focal writes:

RUNNING-IN PERIOD​

These headphones require a running-in period in order to operate at their best.
They will run themselves in naturally after several hours of listening time. If you want to speed up the process,
we recommend playing very bassy music through them for at least 24 hours at a relatively high volume.
This will stabilise the speaker drivers and allow you to get the very best out of your headphones.

 

[MusicalDoc8]

So...why don't they do it in the first place if it's such a requirement?

 

[jamato8]

So...why don't they do it in the first place if it's such a requirement?

It wouldn't be practical. Setting up hundreds and in some case, 1000s of units, daps, headphones, what ever is in the line, to be setup and then taken down, boxed etc. Cars need a period to settle. It used to be for the 1st 500 miles and then an oil change and to not take above X rpm. Do I want someone to drive my car around for 500 miles? lol But back to headphones, wouldn't be practical IMO.

 

[MusicalDoc8]

It wouldn't be practical. Setting up hundreds and in some case, 1000s of units, daps, headphones, what ever is in the line, to be setup and then taken down, boxed etc. Cars need a period to settle. It used to be for the 1st 500 miles and then an oil change and to not take above X rpm. Do I want someone to drive my car around for 500 miles? lol But back to headphones, wouldn't be practical IMO.

24 hours of simply playing music in a standardized environment wouldn't be an issue, since i doubt they are going to go for 10k units/months. Best case is a tenth of that, and isn't there already QC?
It's like saying "oh yeah now this car needs to stay indoor 24 hours for the paint to set in".

 

[jamato8]

24 hours of simply playing music in a standardized environment wouldn't be an issue, since i doubt they are going to go for 10k units/months. Best case is a tenth of that, and isn't there already QC?
It's like saying "oh yeah now this car needs to stay indoor 24 hours for the paint to set in".

Right, doubt there will be 1000s. Most likely 500 or 600 at first or 1000. But still a lot of motion and I would burn them in for at least 100 hours. Stax needs to do this. On the latest model, plenty of failures with out of balance drivers and a few that have drivers that have failed. But still, the practicality of it all though many fewer Stax so in that case, I would agree, they should to a process of at least 100 hours.

I was at a HiFiman factory years ago with Fang. He had rows of players being burned in. Must have been at least 200 all hooked up, maybe more.

 

[MusicalDoc8]

Right, doubt there will be 1000s. Most likely 500 or 600 at first or 1000. But still a lot of motion and I would burn them in for at least 100 hours. Stax needs to do this. On the latest model, plenty of failures with out of balance drivers and a few that have drivers that have failed. But still, the practicality of it all though many fewer Stax so in that case, I would agree, they should to a process of at least 100 hours.

I was at a HiFiman factory years ago with Fang. He had rows of players being burned in. Must have been at least 200 all hooked up, maybe more.

It feels like for high end gear with high costs this kind of care should be considered the norm not the exception. I guess if hifiman does it to their quite less costy headphones and shows care for the customer, 4k headphones should AT LEAST come prepared by them in a condition that doens't require me to put on loud music 24x4 to have the "reccomended settling in".

 

[jamato8]

It feels like for high end gear with high costs this kind of care should be considered the norm not the exception. I guess if hifiman does it to their quite less costy headphones and shows care for the customer, 4k headphones should AT LEAST come prepared by them in a condition that doens't require me to put on loud music 24x4 to have the "reccomended settling in".

The units were daps. This was about 10 years ago. For headphones, they had a bunch of electrostatic phones all hooked up and playing non stop. It was a secret project that Fang was working on and only 2 employees could go in the room. It was nice seeing all the phones burning in to test reliability. They would be the Jade II.

 

[TheRudeDog]

If you want to break in your headphones (or speakers) fast, copy and paste the following below on youtube.

Burn in your earphones, headsets, iem, complete {low, mid, high} 1hour audio lover's recommendation

You should see a baby wearing headphones

 

[silversurfer616]

Why would they pre burn headphones when half the users don’t believe in burn in. In case you are a believer, more fun to do it yourself and confirm your bias.

 

[rfernand]

Why would they pre burn headphones when half the users don’t believe in burn in. In case you are a believer, more fun to do it yourself and confirm your bias.

Hey, some people buy external clocks, directional gold cables, and power purifiers.

It’s only weird if it doesn’t sound better to the owner.

 

[Tanalasta]

You should see a baby wearing headphones

I actually took a photo of my 3 year old the other day with headphones.

Ironically, since we're on the Utopia thread - she was wearing the Utopia listening to the Wiggles on Roon. We had them connected to the Danacable Reference Plus.

On a more serious note, listening to the same set-up out of a Chord Hugo 2 / 2Go. Bloody magnificent. I don't care how they upgrade the Utopia. I'm content with how it sounds as it is.

It's a bit like wine. Glass shapes (yes it can matter) ; airing wine (definitely matters, although at home I just leave it to sit in the glass) ; wine temperature serving (yep also matters). You either perceive the difference or you don't. Many of us have years of listening experience over many permutations of gear. To find out what we like. There's probably also a psychological aspect to burn-in. You brain gets used to a certain signature and retunes it to 'normal'. Someone needs to do a PhD to it,

Don't believe me? Start with a 55" TV. Buy a 80 inch TV. It feels huge. It doesn't take long before that 80" looks normal. And the 55' or even 65' looks too small.

 

[Godbluffer]

Having listened to the OG and the 2022 a little more, and now also on the Naim Uniti Atom HE, connected to the XLR output, providing a fuller and weightier sound than the 1/4 inch output, I notice the 2022’s greater neutrality compared with the OG. What I also consistently notice is that this neutrality more often than not comes across as rather too polite to my ears. The reduced highs also take away some of the OG’s uncanny imaging qualities, especially on the HE, so a return of the 2022 is looking ever more likely.

 

[Nomax]

Even after months I put it on...press play and have nothing to complain about
Can listen to all my genres happily without anything bothering me
(This was not always possible with the OG at higher volume and certain music tracks)
And the best...much more airier the full performance of the New 2022

NOMAX

PS.lol

 

[ra990]

I guess I posted my initial impressions in one of the other several Utopia 2022 threads...but strongly agree that the 2022 are noticeably more neutral/reference type sound compared to the flashy and sparkly OG Utopia. Other than the treble being more controlled, which naturally brings out better perception of the bass and mids, all the original's qualities remain. Someone mentioned that the staging/imaging might not be as good, but I do think that's just the emphasized treble on the OG that has been improved on the 2022. Imaging is very accurate and perfectly spherical from what I am hearing.

Also, the build on the 2020 and 2022 Utopias that I had in my hands were much better built than the first released Utopias that I owned, which creaked a lot. I had to put silicon lubrication on the headband on the first pair I owned. Thankfully, it appears that Focal has addressed this issue and these look and feel like the price you paid for them.

EDIT: I started having some hotspot issues with the headband right at the very top of my head. Not unusual for me with these types of headbands. I put a couple of Dekoni nuggets around the sides of the headband and covered it with a headband sweater. This seems to have fixed my issue.

 

[Nomax]

Some have already read my opinion about A&K new Sp3000...(not all is positive)
But in conjunction with the NUTOPIA...great sound and synergy

NOMAX