[hafzz123]

Sus is much cheaper to build than Utopia.

And how do you know that?

 

[chesebert]

And how do you know that?

HFM and Audeze guys used to build their cans in their garage (or something like that). There is minimal tooling needed and the driver is just a piece of polymer rather than vapor deposited beryllium. Also cheap engineered wood veneer vs carbon fiber.

 

[yrstruly]

I bought the Utopia 22 a month ago. It is a headphone i love. The detail retrieval is amazing. The punchy sound is very nice for rock, pop, metal. I like the sound that is detailed but forgiving.

I run it with a Cayin Ha6a amp and i am very happy.

Have you tried Calculating Infinity on them yet

 

[ShortBtwnHdset]

Ok, I'll give Ya'll my full experience on getting the drivers replaced recently on my OG Utopia's.

I bought these headphones used a little under a year ago here on Head-fi. The price was just too good to pass up ($1300), and what I recieved I was very happy with. Love my Utopia's, they are my end-game!

Several months ago I had an accident while cleaning aound my computer/hifi setup. I was on hands and knees under the desk, had noticed a lot of hair/lint/whatever had accumulated around the cables and was cleaning when I knocked a cable loose with the hifi on at half volume. A loud buzzing came from both drivers, and being startled I knocked my head hard against underside of desk in my haste to turn the system off, took me approx 10 seconds to get to the amp power switch. After reconnecting and repowering, the frequency response had definitely changed, seemed midrange and down was very recessed. Crap!

I had heard from others on this thread that I should expect the repair cost to be somewhere around half the retail value. My thinking was that I had the opportunity to experience the Utopia's for nearly a year, and the sound was sooo good it sold me on getting them repaired, even at that expense. I would not have been able to afford them initially at list price. I figure that by the time I add the original cost of purchase plus the replacement drivers cost, I've still paid less than new retail price. And I'm now thinking that when I originally bought the Utopia's, the seller likely was unloading them because of a mishap of some sort that affected the sound. They sounded great to me, but I had no reference of what a new pair should sound like.

Focal gave me the choice of either getting OG drivers (I'm assuming the updated ones which are more resilient) for $1923 + shipping, or wait for the 2022 refresh drivers to get in stock and pay $100 more. I chose the OG drivers and the shorter wait, I really liked the way my OG Utopia's sounded. I was given the billing departments number, I exchanged credit card info, and the repair went thru. I got them back maybe 8 days later.

There are some differences in sound. Number one, they are a little easier to drive, in that the volume knob is a set a little lower for the same percieved volume levels. This makes me think maybe the headphones had been dropped previously. I have also come to the conclusion that I will need to reEQ at some point, as there are some sonic differences from what I remember. BUT, I'm extremely pleased to have them back, just can't imagine listening to anything else as my daily driver. And they are still amazing, just an incredibly resolving and enjoyable headphone. I'm really glad these didn't get added to my local landfill.

I did learn a few lessons from this. #1, buying used headphones is ill advised, you just don't know what might have happened that could have affected the drivers. On all other gear I have few qualms about buying used, but I need to stear clear and purchase new headphones. Too many unknowns.

#2, all gear needs to be turned off and if applicable stowed before working around cables or gear. Accidents happen when I don't forsee the risks and prepare accordingly, I really don't want to pay for another lesson like this.

Anyway, that's my experience. For those considering replacement, it was worth it for me!

 

[meomap]

Ok, I'll give Ya'll my full experience on getting the drivers replaced recently on my OG Utopia's.

I bought these headphones used a little under a year ago here on Head-fi. The price was just too good to pass up ($1300), and what I recieved I was very happy with. Love my Utopia's, they are my end-game!

Several months ago I had an accident while cleaning aound my computer/hifi setup. I was on hands and knees under the desk, had noticed a lot of hair/lint/whatever had accumulated around the cables and was cleaning when I knocked a cable loose with the hifi on at half volume. A loud buzzing came from both drivers, and being startled I knocked my head hard against underside of desk in my haste to turn the system off, took me approx 10 seconds to get to the amp power switch. After reconnecting and repowering, the frequency response had definitely changed, seemed midrange and down was very recessed. Crap!

I had heard from others on this thread that I should expect the repair cost to be somewhere around half the retail value. My thinking was that I had the opportunity to experience the Utopia's for nearly a year, and the sound was sooo good it sold me on getting them repaired, even at that expense. I would not have been able to afford them initially at list price. I figure that by the time I add the original cost of purchase plus the replacement drivers cost, I've still paid less than new retail price. And I'm now thinking that when I originally bought the Utopia's, the seller likely was unloading them because of a mishap of some sort that affected the sound. They sounded great to me, but I had no reference of what a new pair should sound like.

Focal gave me the choice of either getting OG drivers (I'm assuming the updated ones which are more resilient) for $1923 + shipping, or wait for the 2022 refresh drivers to get in stock and pay $100 more. I chose the OG drivers and the shorter wait, I really liked the way my OG Utopia's sounded. I was given the billing departments number, I exchanged credit card info, and the repair went thru. I got them back maybe 8 days later.

There are some differences in sound. Number one, they are a little easier to drive, in that the volume knob is a set a little lower for the same percieved volume levels. This makes me think maybe the headphones had been dropped previously. I have also come to the conclusion that I will need to reEQ at some point, as there are some sonic differences from what I remember. BUT, I'm extremely pleased to have them back, just can't imagine listening to anything else as my daily driver. And they are still amazing, just an incredibly resolving and enjoyable headphone. I'm really glad these didn't get added to my local landfill.

I did learn a few lessons from this. #1, buying used headphones is ill advised, you just don't know what might have happened that could have affected the drivers. On all other gear I have few qualms about buying used, but I need to stear clear and purchase new headphones. Too many unknowns.

#2, all gear needs to be turned off and if applicable stowed before working around cables or gear. Accidents happen when I don't forsee the risks and prepare accordingly, I really don't want to pay for another lesson like this.

Anyway, that's my experience. For those considering replacement, it was worth it for me!

So, what did Focal warranty for this pair of drivers, 1 yr or 5 yr ?

 

[ShortBtwnHdset]

Never asked, I may need to call and find out

 

[chesebert]

So, what did Focal warranty for this pair of drivers, 1 yr or 5 yr ?

3yrs in us for new cans.

 

[meomap]

3yrs in us for new cans.

Question was Old cans, new repaired drivers...

 

[up late]

HFM and Audeze guys used to build their cans in their garage (or something like that). There is minimal tooling needed and the driver is just a piece of polymer rather than vapor deposited beryllium. Also cheap engineered wood veneer vs carbon fiber.

the utopia's driver is solid beryllium - not vapor deposited. i've little doubt that the rest of your post is as ill-informed.

 

[DillingerEP]

Have you tried Calculating Infinity on them yet

Yes i have.
As i wrote, punchy, detailed and forgiving. Even with this complex music it excels.

 

[yrstruly]

Yes i have.
As i wrote, punchy, detailed and forgiving. Even with this complex music it excels.

100%. They're incredible for heavy music.

 

[bcaulf17]

I don’t quite understand the mild uproar on the manner which Focal handles an out of warranty claim on a 7 year old headphone. I’d say that is a good run. I’m more skeptical of HifiMan charging a $300 full replacement on a $6k headphone, one can deduce the mark up on the Susvara is significantly higher than the Utopia.

A brand new set of drivers for under $2k, if it’s already your favorite headphone then its cost/7 year usage is reasonable. These blown driver mentions get overblown every few months, nothing lasts forever and we should not expect warranty support several years past the warranty period.

I think the problem people have is that a headphone of this price should be built, and expected to last forever. At least a lot longer than 7 years. People still have their Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic headphones from 20 years ago still working just fine.

 

[chesebert]

I think the problem people have is that a headphone of this price should be built, and expected to last forever. At least a lot longer than 7 years. People still have their Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic headphones from 20 years ago still working just fine.

I thought the latest OG death was caused by user error. I am not sure you can blame Focal this time. I agree cans should last longer than 7 years but it’s either Utopia or something like Aperio, which is 6x the price and no guarantee those will last for 20yrs. No other cans in the Utopia price range that can compete with Utopia as the best all arounder suitable for all genres of music recorded at all quality levels.

 

[bcaulf17]

I thought the latest OG death was caused by user error. I am not sure you can blame Focal this time. I agree cans should last longer than 7 years but it’s either Utopia or something like Aperio, which is 6x the price and no guarantee those will last for 20yrs. No other cans in the Utopia price range that can compete with Utopia as the best all arounder suitable for all genres of music recorded at all quality levels.

Do agree with what you're saying. Though, I have seen a lot of people pass on the Utopia and other highly priced headphones from manufacturers like Focal and Hifiman that have a questionable or dodgy track record of their products breaking down in favor of a cheaper HD600 solely based on the fact that they know they have a better track record when it comes to longevity. Then again the Utopia is only 8 years old in general so only time will tell, and surely there are HD600's out there that have died. But there's a much greater sample size with that headphone being around longer so people just want to opt for the safer choice even if it means they might not be getting sound production near the levels of the Utopia, Susvara, etc.

 

[chesebert]

Do agree with what you're saying. Though, I have seen a lot of people pass on the Utopia and other highly priced headphones from manufacturers like Focal and Hifiman that have a questionable or dodgy track record of their products breaking down in favor of a cheaper HD600 solely based on the fact that they know they have a better track record when it comes to longevity. Then again the Utopia is only 8 years old in general so only time will tell, and surely there are HD600's out there that have died. But there's a much greater sample size with that headphone being around longer so people just want to opt for the safer choice even if it means they might not be getting sound production near the levels of the Utopia, Susvara, etc.

I get the concern - I called out Focal multiple times on this issue. I did give in eventually and bought both Utopias - it turns out I wasn’t strong enough.

I suppose you can always buy new and resell every 3 years so you are always within warranty.

Alternatively you can settle for Auture Classic, NDH30 or Focal OG and get something almost as good but not as fragile.