[vonBaron]

What? On Niimbus utopia hits hard. They never lack bass.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Agree, with the right set up Utopia has punchy bass, not bloated of course. Clear's bass seems like sound "one note" compare to rich of texture on Utopia's bass.

 

[up late]

I agree that utopia’s bass is one of weakest part, even Clear to my ears bested utopia in subbass region which sounded more naturally textured, but utopia was a big win over the rest of sound signature. Timbre as well sounds a bit artificial( I preffer HD650 here). The music where Utopia excells for me is Electronic. It just nails it with it’s speed and sterile presentation. Another thing is that utopia sounds amazing on low volumes and don’t need mutch regards source. I do enjoy them straight out of my macbook.

I’m thinking to buy a portable dac/amp to take with me on trips. Does anyone knows any which would play in favour with Utopia’s strengths ?

I had an eye on abyss, but 1266 looks too funky to me, maybe one day I’ll give it a go for diana phi or audeze as I do miss that planar bass sometimes...

'your ears, my ears' as another poster says here. i don't listen to edm but i don't find the utopia lacking in bass quantity or quality with the music i listen to. nor do i find it artificial or sterile. and having compared the clear and utopia, i found the former meh tbh. ymmv.

 

[Arnold Schwartz]

It’s already been mentioned (and proven) by multiple reviewers that the bass response of the Utopia changes with the impedance of the amp - so when people talk about the bass being not enough or plentiful they are really talking about the synergy in their system as-well as personal preference.

 

[hakunamakaka]

Might be my amp maybe :0

luxman p1u -> denafrips iris -> qutest
I really felt that subbass was better on clear, but that’s going by memory now

 

[ClicketEKlack]

Well my goal in getting the Focal Utopia was trying to get one of the best headphones that was easy to drive so I wouldn’t have to spend a fortune on equipment. Originally I thought the Hugo 2 would be the perfect match but now very happy with Naim Uniti Atom HE.

I’m willing to believe based on your review and others, that there are better sounding headphones out there if your budget allows. Even with the Utopias, you can go crazy on equipment but then that’s where you need to decide if you’d be better served by another headphone. But it will still come down your own personal taste.

I had to pick a headphone that would work with both desktop and DAP, as I travel for work. The Utopia was the only TOTL headphone that works equally well with both, ergo the only choice. The Utopias are so good, I don't find myself wanting to go down the road of power-hungry options for what are likely incremental improvements in resolution or stage.

 

[ClicketEKlack]

I agree that utopia’s bass is one of weakest part, even Clear to my ears bested utopia in subbass region which sounded more naturally textured, but utopia was a big win over the rest of sound signature. Timbre as well sounds a bit artificial( I preffer HD650 here). The music where Utopia excells for me is Electronic. It just nails it with it’s speed and sterile presentation. Another thing is that utopia sounds amazing on low volumes and don’t need mutch regards source. I do enjoy them straight out of my macbook.

I’m thinking to buy a portable dac/amp to take with me on trips. Does anyone knows any which would play in favour with Utopia’s strengths ?

I had an eye on abyss, but 1266 looks too funky to me, maybe one day I’ll give it a go for diana phi or audeze as I do miss that planar bass sometimes...

I just got the Shanling M8 and it sounds amazing with the Utopias -- very smooth yet detailed. Don't miss my desktop rig while traveling at all.

 

[up late]

It’s already been mentioned (and proven) by multiple reviewers that the bass response of the Utopia changes with the impedance of the amp - so when people talk about the bass being not enough or plentiful they are really talking about the synergy in their system as-well as personal preference.

yep, the utopia's bass response is affected by an amplifier's output impedance. the higher the output impedance - the bigger the bass boost.

i've tried the utopia with solid state amplification with low output impedance, and tube amplification with relatively high output impedance. while the difference in bass amplitude was noticeable, the utopia's bass presence has always been ample for my personal preference regardless.

 

[hakunamakaka]

I just got the Shanling M8 and it sounds amazing with the Utopias -- very smooth yet detailed. Don't miss my desktop rig while traveling at all.

I had Fiio M11 pro and sold it few months later. DAP are not my kind of cup of tea, very bulky plus you need wifi for streamed music...I’m thinking of something like chord mojo or oppo ha2 which I could carry with my laptop. Maybe someone has experience with such devices and how they pair eith utopia

 

[dontfeedphils]

I had Fiio M11 pro and sold it few months later. DAP are not my kind of cup of tea, very bulky plus you need wifi for streamed music...I’m thinking of something like chord mojo or oppo ha2 which I could carry with my laptop. Maybe someone has experience with such devices and how they pair eith utopia

I used the Hugo 2 as my main DAC/Amp for about 3 years before I sold my system off. I loved the combo, although some here don't seem to as much as I did.

Mojo/Poly would be a pretty nice little on the go rig with the warmth of the Mojo possibly offsetting some of "sterile-ness" you hear from the Utopia. Plus it seems like they've (Chord) ironed out most of the ridiculous gremlins that were originally present in the Poly.

 

[iamoneagain]

Does the Hugo 2 have a different impedance output that the Dave or TT2. I still was never able to figure out why the Hugo 2 didn’t drive the Utopia’s to my liking but now thinking maybe the impedance was making them slightly bass light? The Dave had no problems with bass and the Naim Uniti Atom HE gives them the most bass out of all the setups I’ve had. They certainly are not lacking in bass with that paring.

 

[TDinCali]

I think picking on the Utopia’s perceived lack of bass is a bit nitpicking. I can find bigger faults with my Stellia, 1266 and Empyerian. My Utopia hits just as hard as any of my other headphones with my Feliks Euforia amp. It won’t hit as hard on the SS amps. If I put my 1266 on the feliks, the 1266 sounds like crap but with the Xi Audio stack it sounds great. None of these headphones are “perfect”.

 

[iamoneagain]

I think picking on the Utopia’s perceived lack of bass is a bit nitpicking. I can find bigger faults with my Stellia, 1266 and Empyerian. My Utopia hits just as hard as any of my other headphones with my Feliks Euforia amp. It won’t hit as hard on the SS amps. If I put my 1266 on the feliks, the 1266 sounds like crap but with the Xi Audio stack it sounds great. None of these headphones are “perfect”.

But the Utopia’s aren’t bass light. Think maybe just on a few systems. And sure you can find other headphones with more bass but think on the right systems the Utopia’s have the right balance. And they can hit hard and fast and have great texture and warmth.

 

[Arnold Schwartz]

I agree that the Utopia has great bass, it’s punchy and detailed. It’s different presentation then a planar headphone - my LCD3 has a satisfying bass that’s what you expect to hear, a nice low boom. The Utopia goes low but has more detail and less of a blooming bass sound. I think it’s a difference of opinion what is better - do you like the deep, slow rumble of a 15” sub or the speed and punch of 2 10” subs.

 

[Gorf]

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