[Ciggavelli]

My Utopia 2020 finally came today. This is my 2nd time owning Utopias. I’m using the XLR cable that came with the headphones. Also, mDAVE into a WA33 EE JPS.

First quick impressions, I’m not super impressed.

I’m going to try the Abyss Superconductor with it later. I used to have the Lazuli Reference with my 1st pair of Utopias, and I really liked them.

This is my first time using the Utopias with my WA33 EE JPS. It’s been a while since I had the first pair, so take that into consideration with what I’m saying next. I feel like the bass quantity and soundstage are much better than I remember them with my old setup (Hugo 2 into LTA MZ2 and standard WA33).

I need to break this new pair in (both with the headphones and for my brain) to see what the Utopias are really like. At the moment I feel they do not do anything better than my other headphones (see my signature). I hope my opinions change. At a minimum they are probably a good pair of headphones to use on the go.

I might pair them with that new Naim headphone streamer/dac/amp and put them next to my bed. That would be a pretty good and small setup. I imagine I can take all that with me when I’m traveling. Maybe

 

[DJJEZ]

Can I ask what the difference is between the 2020 model utopia and previous ones?

 

[Tanalasta]

Can I ask what the difference is between the 2020 model utopia and previous ones?

Nothing that I could find other than differences in packaging and different included cables. A short 3.5mm TRS with 1/4 inch adapter and a longer 4-pin XLR balanced

Burn in controversies aside, I found subjectively they did improve with burn-in after >20 hours.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Can I ask what the difference is between the 2020 model utopia and previous ones?

It comes with a case and XLR cables. The non-2020 doesn’t come with either.

 

[jlbrach]

My Utopia 2020 finally came today. This is my 2nd time owning Utopias. I’m using the XLR cable that came with the headphones. Also, mDAVE into a WA33 EE JPS.

First quick impressions, I’m not super impressed.

I’m going to try the Abyss Superconductor with it later. I used to have the Lazuli Reference with my 1st pair of Utopias, and I really liked them.

This is my first time using the Utopias with my WA33 EE JPS. It’s been a while since I had the first pair, so take that into consideration with what I’m saying next. I feel like the bass quantity and soundstage are much better than I remember them with my old setup (Hugo 2 into LTA MZ2 and standard WA33).

I need to break this new pair in (both with the headphones and for my brain) to see what the Utopias are really like. At the moment I feel they do not do anything better than my other headphones (see my signature). I hope my opinions change. At a minimum they are probably a good pair of headphones to use on the go.

I might pair them with that new Naim headphone streamer/dac/amp and put them next to my bed. That would be a pretty good and small setup. I imagine I can take all that with me when I’m traveling. Maybe

they need the danacable..also use them straight out of the dave...no need for the dave they are very efficient...I have had 2 pairs of the utopia..liked them but not as much as the big boys sr1a,susvara and abyss....I do however have a stellia which I enjoy when I go on the road with my hugo 2

 

[Roasty]

I've had the danacable LR three times now.. Once with utopia, once again with Abyss, and was really hoping third time lucky with VO and Utopia.

Each time I compared with my other cables, and I felt that silver/palladium plays to the Utopia and VO strengths, whereas the LR blunts and dulls it a bit too much for me..

Oh well.. At least I know there won't be a fourth time.

 

[Tanalasta]

Vinh recommended the Lazuli Reference Plus over the Reference. They're not cheap cables at all.
The Utopia is a chameleon. It can be silky smooth, laid back (e.g. out of my Cayin C9) or it can be a technical beast (out of a CHORD DAC).
I am yet to receive my Danacables so this is with the Utopia 2020 stock cabling.

Like Chord, it is also something that grow on you over time. What I have learnt over time is that the Utopia is source specific. But if you're coming from Susvara / Abyss then ... it's a league and level above my current listening setup.

The Utopia ended up being my favourite full sized headphone. There's that x-factor in it's fast paced dynamics and detail that always brings me back to it.

 

[iamoneagain]

My Utopia 2020 finally came today. This is my 2nd time owning Utopias. I’m using the XLR cable that came with the headphones. Also, mDAVE into a WA33 EE JPS.

First quick impressions, I’m not super impressed.

I’m going to try the Abyss Superconductor with it later. I used to have the Lazuli Reference with my 1st pair of Utopias, and I really liked them.

This is my first time using the Utopias with my WA33 EE JPS. It’s been a while since I had the first pair, so take that into consideration with what I’m saying next. I feel like the bass quantity and soundstage are much better than I remember them with my old setup (Hugo 2 into LTA MZ2 and standard WA33).

I need to break this new pair in (both with the headphones and for my brain) to see what the Utopias are really like. At the moment I feel they do not do anything better than my other headphones (see my signature). I hope my opinions change. At a minimum they are probably a good pair of headphones to use on the go.

I might pair them with that new Naim headphone streamer/dac/amp and put them next to my bed. That would be a pretty good and small setup. I imagine I can take all that with me when I’m traveling. Maybe

Keep in mind the Naim Uniti Atom HE is 20 pounds. The good thing is it’s worked effortlessly with roon and a wireless connection but can use completely stand alone with Naim’s own app or AirPlay. I have in bedroom and great thing is the remote has play/pause/skip. So don’t have to open app after you’ve started playing. I’ve posted about sound quality already in its own thread and maybe somewhere here as well.

 

[up late]

My Utopia 2020 finally came today. This is my 2nd time owning Utopias. I’m using the XLR cable that came with the headphones. Also, mDAVE into a WA33 EE JPS.

First quick impressions, I’m not super impressed.

I’m going to try the Abyss Superconductor with it later. I used to have the Lazuli Reference with my 1st pair of Utopias, and I really liked them.

This is my first time using the Utopias with my WA33 EE JPS. It’s been a while since I had the first pair, so take that into consideration with what I’m saying next. I feel like the bass quantity and soundstage are much better than I remember them with my old setup (Hugo 2 into LTA MZ2 and standard WA33).

I need to break this new pair in (both with the headphones and for my brain) to see what the Utopias are really like. At the moment I feel they do not do anything better than my other headphones (see my signature). I hope my opinions change. At a minimum they are probably a good pair of headphones to use on the go.

I might pair them with that new Naim headphone streamer/dac/amp and put them next to my bed. That would be a pretty good and small setup. I imagine I can take all that with me when I’m traveling. Maybe

diminishing returns perhaps

 

[llamaluv]

I've had the danacable LR three times now.. Once with utopia, once again with Abyss, and was really hoping third time lucky with VO and Utopia.

Each time I compared with my other cables, and I felt that silver/palladium plays to the Utopia and VO strengths, whereas the LR blunts and dulls it a bit too much for me..

LOL, I've had the LR twice -- once with lemo connectors for the Utopia and once with 3-pin mini-XLRs for the Abyss, also. Drew similar conclusions.

 

[TDinCali]

I played my Utopia’s moderately loud for ~25 hours and to me it sounded noticeably better.

That being said, I’m curious what you were expecting compared to the 1266 and Susvara.

 

[Ciggavelli]

I played my Utopia’s moderately loud for ~25 hours and to me it sounded noticeably better.

That being said, I’m curious what you were expecting compared to the 1266 and Susvara.

I don’t really know…

I had some hd800s in the past, but sold them. I then recently bought them again to try on my wa33. The combo is great. Much better than I remembered.

So, I got curious about using the Utopias with my WA33. I also see many head-fi members talk about how much they like the Utopias, including some people who have similar equipment as me.

I’m going to break them in and see how that is.

 

[joseph69]

I don’t really know…

I had some hd800s in the past, but sold them. I then recently bought them again to try on my wa33. The combo is great. Much better than I remembered.

So, I got curious about using the Utopias with my WA33. I also see many head-fi members talk about how much they like the Utopias, including some people who have similar equipment as me.

I’m going to break them in and see how that is.

Definitely give the Utopia sufficient time to burn in and consider using a good silver cable.
The Utopia sound incredible too me out of my WA33, so much so that I haven't rotated my headphones weekly in a good month now.
I could actually live with just this combo without issue.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Definitely give the Utopia sufficient time to burn in and consider using a good silver cable.
The Utopia sound incredible too me out of my WA33, so much so that I haven't rotated my headphones weekly in a good month now.
I could actually live with just this combo without issue.

I just swapped out the stock xlr cable, used an adapter and put in the JPS SuperConducter cable. The improvement is substantial. The Utopias now sound very, very good out of the WA33. I guess the stock XLR cable is trash, like the old stock cable. Time to put in an order for the Lazuli Reference Plus.

 

[TDinCali]

Hmm. I just order the reference edition…did I make a mistake and should have ordered the reference plus? My understanding is that the plus has more silver making it brighter which I’m not convinced I want. Would love to hear other’s opinions.