Focal Utopia 2022 Review, Measurements

[Progisus]

First time I feel no need to upgrade. The driver failure fix is good for new users though.

 

[meomap]

Have the OG Utopia.
Wait for another 2 years B4 looking into 2022 version.
Reliability issue....
It's not a WOW WOW factor now from any reviewers now like the first time.....

 

[rthomas]

Jude: why no comparison to Expanse in the vid?!?!?

Any who have heard any impressions between the new focal vs DCA flagships?

You’re supposed to pre order both so the dealers can make their $2500 margin on each.

Don’t ask questions, both are amazeballs and make your older stuff sound horrible

Don’t miss out on all the previously missing details in your previous music .

Don’t forget to get a Dave plus Mscaler to maximise the potential of your new toys

 

[szymonsays]

Yup, over ten years of being into audio gear, I have never clipped a headphone, or speaker, in the way the Utopia did.

Yes, it was the most pathetic thing I have ever encountered in a flagship headphone. My brother who listens to music at a more conservative listening volume also thought it was pathetic when he had a listen. The Stellia also had the clipping problem albeit it being a bit less noticeable than the Utopia.

 

[joshnor713]

First time I feel no need to upgrade. The driver failure fix is good for new users though.

I dunno if I'm one of the few that doesn't feel like the treble needed to be messed with. Found it so perfect with the OG. Surprised to hear that there was so much feedback that it was peaky/fatiguing. I actually have ears sensitive to harsh treble and have been able to listen to the Utopia for hours since the beginning.

But a tad more oopmh on the low end would be a welcomed addition, as well as a more open stage (but again, minor improvement from what it sounds like). Dunno if it's worth selling my current Utopia for $2500 and then spending $2500 more for the new model.

 

[Clemmaster]

You're saying the graphs of the frequency response used a weirdly shaped head wearing glasses?

I'm saying that actually listening to them with my own ears / head, they don't sound like how you describe them.
I don't listen to measurements.

 

[Arnold Schwartz]

Yes, it was the most pathetic thing I have ever encountered in a flagship headphone. My brother who listens to music at a more conservative listening volume also thought it was pathetic when he had a listen. The Stellia also had the clipping problem albeit it being a bit less noticeable than the Utopia.

I own a pair and they don’t clip whatsoever and listen to pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, EDM with SPL meter at 80-85db so I think you’re exaggerating, listening to loud or you have a defective pair.

I’ll admit to being grumpy about the price but my gut tells me the pricing strategy assumes buyers care most about the marginal cost. In other words, it’s only 2k more if I sell my other headphones.

 

[szymonsays]

I own a pair and they don’t clip whatsoever and listen to pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, EDM with SPL meter at 80-85db so I think you’re exaggerating, listening to loud or you have a defective pair.

I've listened to three different pairs. They all had the same issue. As quoted before in this thread, it seems Focal made this design on purpose. Apart from the low frequency clipping issue, they sounded great.

 

[AudiophileJargon]

I’m surprised Focal did not go with their Grand Utopia designation instead of Utopia 2022. Anyway, timbre improved is always a win in my book. Cheers to dynamic drivers and that sweet natural timbre! Cannot wait to hear this one

Sennheiser and Sony are fading away…. Jk

 

[ufospls2]

I've listened to three different pairs. They all had the same issue. As quoted before in this thread, it seems Focal made this design on purpose. Apart from the low frequency clipping issue, they sounded great.

Me too, I had two pairs with the problem, and what was even more concerning is on the replacement pair which I had for longer, it got worse over time. Eventually becoming unlistenable with electronic (which has a lot of low end information,) even at moderate volumes.

Just my experience, can't speak for others ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Ciggavelli]

I’m surprised Focal did not go with their Grand Utopia designation instead of Utopia 2022. Anyway, timbre improved is always a win in my book. Cheers to dynamic drivers and that sweet natural timbre! Cannot wait to hear this one

Sennheiser and Sony are fading away…. Jk

They really shoulda gone with the Grande Utopia designation. I'm hoping that the fact that they didn't means that there may actually be a new better Grande Utopia in the future

 

[rmsanger]

When you said the jump from 2020 to 2022 Utopia was > HD800 -> HD800s jump... could you specify if that was the +5k tuning change for freq response or were you meaning stage width + imaging or did you mean perceived resolution?

Just trying to unpack expectations as what is really standing out.. sometimes the Aire freq range elevation bumps leads to increased perception of stage and resolution without actual improvements to technical performance.

 

[joshnor713]

I’m surprised Focal did not go with their Grand Utopia designation instead of Utopia 2022.

I'm not. Not a big enough upgrade. I think the name is very appropriate for what it is.

 

[Ciggavelli]

So, I asked my dealer when he is gonna ship my 2022 Utopia, and he said within 2 weeks. Are other places shipping it earlier? I looked at Headphones.com, but it's not clear when it ships there either

 

[TheMiddleSky]

The mystery about clipping feature still exist or not, and comparison with DCA Expanse are my main curiosity.

About same time last year we had LCD-5, Diana TC and Meze Elite as new open back TOTL. This year we have Focal Utopia 2022, DCA Expanse and ZMF Caldera. What a great time to become audiophile

I think make one specific thread is better for them as it looks more active, and easier to use search button. Still better than what happened with Meze Elite though, they only allowed to kept one particular thread in Sponsor Announcement, none in Summit-Fi Forum.