[BassicScience]

I have had the same experience with my pair of Utopias after purchasing new pads from Focal. The soundstage got a bit larger, bass increased slightly etc. My old pads got pretty soft and flabby so I decided to buy new ones from Focal. I've never had any driver issues and the headphones don't feel like they will fall off if I lean my head back or forward but the new pads are stiffer and sit a bit farther from my ears so that could be what is making the sound different to you.

Interesting, and thanks for the input. The new pads I received are far cushier (less stiff) than the old ones. They feel lighter in weight, as well. Because the headband now has much less grip, I think the net result is that the drivers may be a bit further from my ears than before. With the old clamping force, I'm not sure these new pads would prevent my ears from contacting the inside of the ear cup, honestly. It also feels like I have a lesser quality seal than previously. Am looking forward to comparing to other Utopias that will be at CanJam. I like the new sound, but not the new fit and feel.

 

[BassicScience]

Not too sure , but I remember reading a post mentioning they were $200.00

I was quoted $250 a month ago.

 

[BassicScience]

You should, they are a totally different listening experience from the TC's and Susvara's. Best part is you can listen to them straight out of the Dave.

I don't own the TC, but I'm not sure I'd categorize the Utopia and Susvara as totally different listening experiences. They are both pretty neutral through the frequency range. The Susvara sounds more spacious to me and slightly more detailed. The Utopia may be slightly more incisive on transients. As mentioned, the Utopia is the clear winner on lack of fussiness. They sound excellent on pretty much every headphone amp I've driven them with, but they do scale with quality components upstream, as well.

While I may just be arguing semantics, if someone owned a Susvara and wanted a totally different listening experience, the Utopia wouldn't be one of the cans I'd recommend to them. YMMV.

 

[joseph69]

I was quoted $250 a month ago.

Thanks
I guess they went up in price like everything else.

 

[Tobes]

But I guess it is just a compound that seeps out of the ear pad over time based on your comment?

Correct.
There have been several others that have commented on this issue.
There was also some (horrific) pictures posted where the gunk had migrated to driver area and the headphones were a write-off and had to be replaced.
Better to check and remove pads with this fault before damage occurs.
Focal apparently made a change to the pads to avoid this issue going forward.

 

[MACyaner]

Hi All,

A few days ago I received my Utopias back from being serviced. The left driver had just died out of the blue while listening at moderate volume. The cans were still under warranty, so I was only out about $15 for shipping. Kudos to Focal and @TSAVWayne (Source AV) for excellent service and communication throughout the repair process. I tested the Utopia very briefly the day I received them back, but actually listened to them at length last night. A few things became apparent:

1) They sound much better to me than they did before. Bass sounds fuller/louder while still maintaining tautness. Soundstage size also increased. The gap between Utopia and Susvara has now significantly decreased for me. Obviously, this impression is subject to change with more extended listening, but I truly enjoyed my session with the Utopia last night!

2) The clamping force is now much less than previously, to the point where the cans feel as if they might fall off when leaning forward or backward. Previously, they were very secure on my noggin. When holding an ear cup in either hand, there is FAR more lateral play before as if the headband is simply much more compliant now.

3) Focal provided new ear pads. For all I know, they may have simply replaced the entire driver/ear cup/slider assemblies, including the pads. The new ear pads have a lighter, cushier feel than the old ones. They feel a bit less substantial, but I believe the outer material is the same (or very similar).

So, my questions are:

A) Did Focal modify the drivers or ear cups on the Utopia at some point?

B) Can anyone shed some light on whether and when Focal did any other modifications to the Utopia?

C) Are the sonic changes (improvements) I'm perceiving likely just related to clamping force and/or ear pad composition?

I bought my Utopia almost exactly four years ago, in August 2017.

Thanks in advance for any info or insights.

Hello everyone - my first post actually belong to the silent readers

Because nobody else answers - I can confirm the perception of "BassicScience"!

My Utopia (latest version), which I bought last year at “HiFi im Hinterhof - Berlin”, had a total failure on the left.
According to the repair report supplied, both drivers have been replaced (normal in this price segment to get a pair of drivers with the same sound). The Utopia sounded only marginally different than before (it is also normal that each Utopia sounds different - meanwhile I have been able to hear 7 different Utopia each longer and each one sounds marginally different).

For a better understanding, my preferred chain for at home:
all genres SACDs - Cayin N8 - Cayin C9 - Cardas Clear with Pentaconn plug - Utopia
I don't like desktop devices at home either - I want to be able to move freely with the music system at any time Do not even open the box of my Focal Arche, if anyone is interested

However, I suddenly had "bass bells" on the right.
So a few days later the repaired Utopia for repair again.
10 days later to "HiFi im Hinterhof - Berlin" and pick up the Utopia.

Again, briefly rehearsing the Hifiman HE1000se and He1000V2 and then checked the Utopia - now I wanted to make sure that everything was OK.

And if everything was okay: this Utopia is by far the best I've heard so far

It sounds so good - that's unbelievable!

That's why I assumed that Focal would buy me the “very best” driver pair because of the lapse (installing a defective driver on the right) - I was super happy and no longer angry at all about the 2nd repair.

After reading the article by “BassicScience”,
I think it is entirely possible that Focal has made a “silent upgrade” of Utopia - they will neither confirm nor comment on that.
The problem: New buyers cannot judge that, they only know one!
Another problem: you can only hear the differences with the "right" chain.
And the most important link in the chain is the music recording quality - with MP3s and streaming players that will be difficult to judge - in my opinion.
The most expensive thing about all my hi-fi equipment is my SACD collection

With the new N8II, Cayin will give in to the general customer request pressure and make it streaming-capable - that means: incorporate all the necessary "crap" and the next high-end player says goodbye.
Then for me it will be the new "Luxury & Precision LP7" - I could imagine that L&P will finally make it Gapless capable!?
I know that's a contradiction: Gapless also worsens the sound but I can't / won't do without it

Sorry, that has now become a long text and then translated with Google.

 

[up late]

^ i would like to think that it is anything but 'normal' for each utopia to sound different. And I would expect focal to be committed to producing a flagship headphone with negligible variations between the units rolling off the production line.

by way of another anecdotal data point, i've heard three different utopia's, including my own pair (which also had the drivers replaced) and they all sounded the same to me - different ears, ymmv, etc.

 

[MACyaner]

^ i would expect that it is anything but 'normal' for each utopia to sound different. And I would hope that focal is committed to producing a flagship headphone with neglible variations between the units rolling off the production line.

i've heard three different utopia's, including my own pair, which have had the drivers replaced and they also sounded the same to me - different ears, ymmv, etc.

No, different set up chain and as I wrote the sound differences are marginal (very small and probably not audible in most chains

Incidentally, these sound differences are normal and can at least be measured with all other high-end devices (DACs, amplifiers, loudspeakers, etc.).

Therefore, even if only one driver is defective, Focal replaces both sides.
Sennheiser does the same with the HD800s and HD820.

Even when installing new headphones, two selected units are always installed that harmonize optimally with each other - they are not fun

 

[up late]

No, different set up chain and as I wrote the sound differences are marginal (very small and probably not audible in most chains

Incidentally, these sound differences are normal and can at least be measured with all other high-end devices (DACs, amplifiers, loudspeakers, etc.).

Therefore, even if only one driver is defective, Focal replaces both sides.
Sennheiser does the same with the HD800s and HD820.

Even when installing new headphones, two selected units are always installed that harmonize optimally with each other - they are not fun

are you saying that you listened to these different utopia's on different rigs? if so, then you have introduced variables into your headphone comparisons. unless you are comparing the units side by side on the same rig, then not only are you relying on your memory of how the units sounded, which is fallible, you might also be mistakenly attributing the differences you hear to the headphones while not allowing for the possibility that the different rigs they were paired with could have affected the sound.

your assertion that 'these sound differences are normal' is unsubstantiated. and as the 'high-end devices' that you refer to reproduce sound rather than measure it, i am going to assume that your claims are based on your aural perception rather than headphone measurements. as i posted previously, your subjective experience with different utopia units doesn't align with my own.

yes, focal replaces both drivers with a matched pair but it doesn't necessarily follow that this would perceptibly change the sound of the headphone as a consequence.

 

[Barone Birra]

After reading this, I checked the pads of my (2016) Utopia. Well, the gunk showed up!
Good:
It did not transfer to the headphone frame, which is still in perfect shape.
Bad:
Trying to clean it up, the plastic comes off the ring on which the leather pad is glued (see pic!).

I think an emergency solution is possible (like a plastic sheet between the pad and the chassis), but obviously I have to get new ones.
What do you recommend? In those of recent Focal production, have they solved the problem? Dekoni? Other?

 

[MatW]

After reading this, I checked the pads of my (2016) Utopia. Well, the gunk showed up!
Good:
It did not transfer to the headphone frame, which is still in perfect shape.
Bad:
Trying to clean it up, the plastic comes off the ring on which the leather pad is glued (see pic!).

I think an emergency solution is possible (like a plastic sheet between the pad and the chassis), but obviously I have to get new ones.
What do you recommend? In those of recent Focal production, have they solved the problem? Dekoni? Other?

Thanks for sharing. I wonder how many owners of older Utopias are pulling the pads off right now... No issues with mine fortunately.

With yours, at least it is not leaking on the side of the drivers, so I guess it could be worse..

 

[Barone Birra]

Well, just ordered the Dekoni Elite fenestrated Sheepskin, very similar to the stock ones, I believe. And cheaper.

 

[Tobes]

Well, just ordered the Dekoni Elite fenestrated Sheepskin, very similar to the stock ones, I believe. And cheaper.

Well I was going to mention again the Focal Elex pads which are being sold by Drop for $60. They are a sort of microsuede similar to the Clear pads but black in color, so a nice visual match with the Utopia. Not as upmarket in feel as the Utopia pads but fine after a bit of break-in. The perforations in the pads match the Utopia pads. And they sound really good.
I referenced the Utopia pad rolling experiments previously and below I've circled the deviations of the Elex(red) from the Utopia (black) - note this is a raw, not compensated, frequency graph. Credit for the measurements to Torq at Headphones.com.
The Elex, Clear and Utopia pads all have fairly similar response.
As you can see there is a very slight bass boost with the Elex pads below 40Hz, a ~2db rise between 1.6-2.5KHz and some differences between ~6-8KHz.
The Elex pads sound less sharp and overtly detailed than the Utopia pads but the have a bit more body and overall sound well balanced (to me). Preference may depend on the recording/source and amp used.
In any case they're not a bad buy at $60 given the cost of Utopia pads.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Well, just ordered the Dekoni Elite fenestrated Sheepskin, very similar to the stock ones, I believe. And cheaper.

…The Elex pads sound less sharp and overtly detailed than the Utopia pads but the have a bit more body and overall sound well balanced (to me). Preference may depend on the recording/source and amp used.
In any case they're not a bad buy at $60 given the cost of Utopia pads…

Personally, I thought the Dekoni pads move the sound too far. Reduce the highs and detail. Also, made the bass seem less precise.

I agree with @Tobes — Elex pads are very nice and make only small changes to the Utopia sound, elevating the bass a bit without ‘doing damage’. Definitely not as luxurious feeling as the stock Utopia pads though.

 

[Barone Birra]

Personally, I thought the Dekoni pads move the sound too far. Reduce the highs and detail. Also, made the bass seem less precise.

I'll report my opinion, once received.

However, attempting to clean and/or scrape off the glue from the plastic rim will get you nowhere, but passing some talcum powder reduces the stickiness a lot, and makes the original pads usable again.
I recommend this method if you have a small leakage. Of course, afterwards it's good to check constantly.