[LarsMan]

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.

Is it a surprise that Vinh recommended the more expensive one, as he's selling these? Nothing against Vinh, that's just good business - I've got Lazuli Reference from him myself and am very happy. Keep spending more money on audio gear and you can keep bettering the sound incrementally, but at some point....

 

[LarsMan]

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 live to hear other’s opinions.

If you're happy with what you've got, unless you enjoy doing A/B comparisons more than listening to music, my suggestion is don't worry about it - the grass ain't necessarily greener, just more expensive, and at some point ya gotta stop and hold, yeah? BTW, I've got Lazuli Reference and am quite happy and have no desire at all to deal with 'Reference Plus'.

 

[TDinCali]

Yeah, I get what you’re saying. Considering how much money I’ve already spent on this hobby, $300-400 more makes no difference. The guy I exchanged emails with wasn’t very pushy either way. Made it sound like it was more of a personal preference. I found a thread on the cables and need to read through it. Perhaps that will give a better sense of which one I want.

 

[iamoneagain]

If you're happy with what you've got, unless you enjoy doing A/B comparisons more than listening to music, my suggestion is don't worry about it - the grass ain't necessarily greener, just more expensive, and at some point ya gotta stop and hold, yeah? BTW, I've got Lazuli Reference and am quite happy and have no desire at all to deal with 'Reference Plus'.

I have the Reference as well and completely happy with it. The plus version wasn’t out at the time. But I did read a review where they compared the Reference to the Nirvana on the Utopia’s and the review preferred the Reference due to tone. Saying even though Nirvana had better extension at both ends, he didn’t find it as musical as the Reference. So maybe with the Reference Plus, he got the tone the same but with the extension but it’s have no desire to find out.

 

[vonBaron]

For me silver OCC cables are best with Utopia. Lazuli maybe great with them too but they are garden horse.

 

[silversurfer616]

For me silver OCC cables are best with Utopia. Lazuli maybe great with them too but they are garden horse.

I actually quite liked that garden hose feel that you get with the Reference. Eventually sold it because it softens the Utopia around the edges. It’s too lush…to my ears.

 

[jlbrach]

for the utopia it was perfect when I owned it,in fact the danacable was the cable convinced me that cables matter

 

[silversurfer616]

It’s one of those rare cables to shut up cable sceptics.

 

[Slim1970]

I’m definitely enjoying the Danacable Lazuli Reference on my Utopia’s. Listening to them directly out of the Dave they sound perfectly balanced to my ears.

 

[Ciggavelli]

So, I’ve been listening to the Utopias with the SuperConducter all day today. I’m very happy with the Utopias out of my WA33 EE JPS. The things that impress me the most are layering and staging.

With my first pair of Utopias, they seemed closed in and lacked physicality in the bass (that was before I had this WA33).

With the SC cable and the WA33, the bass sounds great, the soundstage, while not the biggest compared to my other headphones, is big enough to hear sounds outside of my head. The staging of the instruments and the layering just work so well. The Utopias have been great with indie rock and alt rock albums. I think that’s where they shine, at least at the moment.

 

[Roasty]

This amp is just so good with the Utopia.. Have been listening with it for a few days in a row.

I thought the EML 2a3 tubes were good in the Stellaris, but swapped in the KR 2a3 tubes and they're even better. Super clear, airy and detailed. Very nice mids, although not as thick or lush as the wa33. Very very tight punchy bass. A very dynamic and engaging overall sound!

If I was going to start all over again, and wanted to have a rig centered around the Utopia, this amp would be a top choice.

The downside is.. For my other headphones like the Stellia and VO, I find these sound better with the WA33. The TC and Susvara can be driven with the Stellaris, but the treble energy is a bit much and the highs seem a bit strained. Also, the soundstage I'm getting is noticeably smaller than with a speaker amp.

The amp itself weighs a fair bit. One of the 2a3 sockets is looser than the other. The blue paint job looks nice but it is a scratch magnet..! I guess it would probably benefit from a nice strong clear coat during the build. Otherwise, never use a tissue, or anything less than a super soft microfiber cloth to clean it..

Audible clicks and pops when turning on/off the amp is a slight annoyance. Also, more usable volume would be nice with the Utopia (max is 1.5 on the knob for me..). This is the single ended version.. Not sure how the one with balanced connections will fare.

Wish I could try my tak274b on it.. But unfortunately it is limited to 5u4g recs.

So again, if centering solely around the Utopia, this amp should be high on your list. But if u have other headphones.. Then I'm thinking the wa33 will be a better choice.

 

[silversurfer616]

This amp is just so good with the Utopia.. Have been listening with it for a few days in a row.

I thought the EML 2a3 tubes were good in the Stellaris, but swapped in the KR 2a3 tubes and they're even better. Super clear, airy and detailed. Very nice mids, although not as thick or lush as the wa33. Very very tight punchy bass. A very dynamic and engaging overall sound!

If I was going to start all over again, and wanted to have a rig centered around the Utopia, this amp would be a top choice.

The downside is.. For my other headphones like the Stellia and VO, I find these sound better with the WA33. The TC and Susvara can be driven with the Stellaris, but the treble energy is a bit much and the highs seem a bit strained. Also, the soundstage I'm getting is noticeably smaller than with a speaker amp.

The amp itself weighs a fair bit. One of the 2a3 sockets is looser than the other. The blue paint job looks nice but it is a scratch magnet..! I guess it would probably benefit from a nice strong clear coat during the build. Otherwise, never use a tissue, or anything less than a super soft microfiber cloth to clean it..

Audible clicks and pops when turning on/off the amp is a slight annoyance. Also, more usable volume would be nice with the Utopia (max is 1.5 on the knob for me..). This is the single ended version.. Not sure how the one with balanced connections will fare.

Wish I could try my tak274b on it.. But unfortunately it is limited to 5u4g recs.

So again, if centering solely around the Utopia, this amp should be high on your list. But if u have other headphones.. Then I'm thinking the wa33 will be a better choice.

What cable do you use with the Utopias? As far as I remember you have sold the Lazuli Reference too.

 

[Roasty]

What cable do you use with the Utopias? As far as I remember you have sold the Lazuli Reference too.

I'm using the arctic cables palladium.
I have their aeris on the way too.

 

[silversurfer616]

…and you obviously prefer it to the Lazuli Reference. Have to do some reading up on it. Thanks.

 

[bfreedma]

It’s one of those rare cables to shut up cable sceptics.

No, they don't.

This entire thread has turned into a cable discussion. Perhaps a separate thread specifically for Utopia cables would be appropriate?

I don't think this thread would benefit from a counter argument to the "cables sound different" viewpoint. There can be 1000 posts about cable "differences", but the minute a counterpoint is made, there has been and will be an outcry of "take the cable talk somewhere else".