[Allanmarcus]

Is the Ether Flow rated as good as the Elear? Would love some opinions of people that have heard both Focals and the Ether Flows.

Check here
http://www.head-fi.org/t/811961/focal-elear-impressions-thread

 

[frederickwild]

Hey guys - I've been a longtime lurker around head-fi and have decided to come out of the shadows and get posting. This forum was instrumental in helping me choose which headphones to audition when I was looking for a ToTL pair a couple of months ago, and I eventually went for the Utopias.
 
I'll just report a few quick excerpts from my notes, as I'm not remotely experienced enough to give full impressions. I auditioned the Utopias, Elears, Sennheiser HD800S, Audeze LCD-3, and Oppo PM-3. I was coming from a pair of HD650s. All were driven from my Schiit Mjolnir and Gungnir MB, which I carted round to all the shops I tested from up here in Scotland. I mostly listen to hip-hop and rock, but I also tested with some classical and jazz pieces for completeness.
 
For me, the true contest was between the Utopias and the LCD-3. They were very different beasts, and quite complementary, so it was a difficult choice between them.The Sennheiser HD800S was immediately discounted after hearing the Utopias, sounding dry, screeechy, and uninvolving. I found I responded far better to a more emotional listening experience which the Senns couldn't provide. Again, my main tests were in hip-hop and rock, which aren't known to be in the HD800S wheelhouse. The Oppo PM-3 were unremarkable in comparison, and the Elears clearly outclassed by the Utopia. I would think of the Elears as very similar to Utopia, but at reduced quality - ie, the Elears are good, but not a re-defining experience like the Utopias.
 
So, the battle between Utopia and LCD-3s: I didn't have the opportunity to listen to the LCD-4s, so this is in no way a fair contest. The Audeze phones gave me the emotional experience in the music, and I remember listening to certain tracks, like Danny Brown's '25 Bucks' giving me a measure of raw power in the song that I'd never heard before. However, this emotionality was tempered by their innate darkness. In comes the Utopia, and it is the complete absence of dark. I have never heard my music, in any genre I tried, sound so immediate, present, defined and clear. I felt that I was unwrapping the music in ways I'd never done before, and it was exceptional. This is why I chose the Utopia.
 
Once again, thanks to you guys for the advice, and I hope these brief notes can help someone else make their auditioning choice!!

 

[JohnnyCakes]

  Hey guys - I've been a longtime lurker around head-fi and have decided to come out of the shadows and get posting. This forum was instrumental in helping me choose which headphones to audition when I was looking for a ToTL pair a couple of months ago, and I eventually went for the Utopias.
 
I'll just report a few quick excerpts from my notes, as I'm not remotely experienced enough to give full impressions. I auditioned the Utopias, Elears, Sennheiser HD800S, Audeze LCD-3, and Oppo PM-3. I was coming from a pair of HD650s. All were driven from my Schiit Mjolnir and Gungnir MB, which I carted round to all the shops I tested from up here in Scotland. I mostly listen to hip-hop and rock, but I also tested with some classical and jazz pieces for completeness.
 
For me, the true contest was between the Utopias and the LCD-3. They were very different beasts, and quite complementary, so it was a difficult choice between them.The Sennheiser HD800S was immediately discounted after hearing the Utopias, sounding dry, screeechy, and uninvolving. I found I responded far better to a more emotional listening experience which the Senns couldn't provide. Again, my main tests were in hip-hop and rock, which aren't known to be in the HD800S wheelhouse. The Oppo PM-3 were unremarkable in comparison, and the Elears clearly outclassed by the Utopia. I would think of the Elears as very similar to Utopia, but at reduced quality - ie, the Elears are good, but not a re-defining experience like the Utopias.
 
So, the battle between Utopia and LCD-3s: I didn't have the opportunity to listen to the LCD-4s, so this is in no way a fair contest. The Audeze phones gave me the emotional experience in the music, and I remember listening to certain tracks, like Danny Brown's '25 Bucks' giving me a measure of raw power in the song that I'd never heard before. However, this emotionality was tempered by their innate darkness. In comes the Utopia, and it is the complete absence of dark. I have never heard my music, in any genre I tried, sound so immediate, present, defined and clear. I felt that I was unwrapping the music in ways I'd never done before, and it was exceptional. This is why I chose the Utopia.
 
Once again, thanks to you guys for the advice, and I hope these brief notes can help someone else make their auditioning choice!!

 
 
great post and great choice on the Utopia!  def the best of the bunch you auditioned.
 
that said, after you live with the Utopia for a while, go ahead and try the LCD-4.  hip-hop sounds incredible on the LCD-4.  if that is a big chunk of your listening, you owe it to yourself to listen to hip-hop on the LCD-4.  and, if possible, own both!  

 

[paul2qute]

great post and great choice on the Utopia!  def the best of the bunch you auditioned.

that said, after you live with the Utopia for a while, go ahead and try the LCD-4.  hip-hop sounds incredible on the LCD-4.  if that is a big chunk of your listening, you owe it to yourself to listen to hip-hop on the LCD-4.  and, if possible, own both!  

my personal opinion is that the utopia is the best headphone out there, the money focal spend on R&D is unbelievable, they one of the few companies that knows putting money back into the company to progress their products pays off.imagine in a few years they gonna dominate this market, this is their first attempt at a high end headphone and everyone is talking about it

 

[frederickwild]

   
 
great post and great choice on the Utopia!  def the best of the bunch you auditioned.
 
that said, after you live with the Utopia for a while, go ahead and try the LCD-4.  hip-hop sounds incredible on the LCD-4.  if that is a big chunk of your listening, you owe it to yourself to listen to hip-hop on the LCD-4.  and, if possible, own both!  
 

 
Oh, I'm far too scared to listen to the LCD-4 - I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be unable to resist! 
 
Quote:

my personal opinion is that the utopia is the best headphone out there, the money focal spend on R&D is unbelievable, they one of the few companies that knows putting money back into the company to progress their products pays off.imagine in a few years they gonna dominate this market, this is their first attempt at a high end headphone and everyone is talking about it

 
I agree - I tried to get the impression across that the Utopias seemed to be an evolutionary step beyond the other 'phones I listened to. Incredible R&D.

 

[paul2qute]

Oh, I'm far too scared to listen to the LCD-4 - I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be unable to resist! 

listen to them and be totally disappointed,great bass but accurate? Then it all goes down from there in my totally hearing aid opinion

 

[TSAVJason]

listen to them and be totally disappointed,great bass but accurate? Then it all goes down from there in my totally hearing aid opinion

Hahahaha ouch!

 

[frederickwild]

listen to them and be totally disappointed,great bass but accurate? Then it all goes down from there in my totally hearing aid opinion

You're right that the Focals might well have spoiled other headphones for me, in the sense of being used to a certain level of resolution. I hope not though - I think sound is quite unique in the home entertainment field of TV, iPads, Kindles, etc, in that we want to own multiple 'phones because they give us something different from the music. It would be a shame if this were the case (until the competition catches up, of course)

 

[Thaudiophile]

I actually liked He 1000 and Audeze lcd 4 more than the focal utopia.Personally tho i would go with the stax route at this price. Elear presents a better value in my opinion while utopia i think is overpriced.But that's just me.

 

[paul2qute]

You're right that the Focals might well have spoiled other headphones for me, in the sense of being used to a certain level of resolution. I hope not though - I think sound is quite unique in the home entertainment field of TV, iPads, Kindles, etc, in that we want to own multiple 'phones because they give us something different from the music. It would be a shame if this were the case (until the competition catches up, of course)

I think this is totally weird in my opinion because do ppl lift in and out different speakers when they listen to different music?

 

[Kukua]

You'll hear very polarised opinions on hifiman in general because Dr Fang Brian is a polarising kind of guy and some people slate his products without elven hearing them.

I don't care for the politics of hi fi, nor do I care that hfm are a Chinese company etc. I care about sound and the HEK's are right up there and they're £1k ($1250 or so) cheaper than the Utopia.

That's a chunk of change!

You really need to hear both I think as you need to see which you prefer.

Just for reference the headphone specialist I bought my amp from said the Utopia and HEK see the two totl can's these people go for. Some prefer one, some the other...

HEK version 1 or 2...please advise

 

[frederickwild]

I think this is totally weird in my opinion because do ppl lift in and out different speakers when they listen to different music?

No, but I kind of see this as one of the advantages of the headphone world - that you can tune your musical experience to your mood!

 

[dannybgoode]

HEK version 1 or 2...please advise

I gave the v2. I have just done a final a/b with the Utopia and I definitely prefer the HEK.

There's very little in it to be honest but for what I'm looking for the HEK come closest but by the slimmest of margins.

Copied from the other Elear / Utopia thread

---
Nope, just had a final listen to the utopia before I boxed them up and I definitely prefer the HEK. The more I listen to them the less I feel they give away to the Utopia.

You know-they are desparately close-almost thing in it. There's just an openness to the HEK that isn't there with the Utopia.

To counter the Utopia is a slightly fuller sound. Guitars have a touch more attack and decay and more shape to the note. Each pluck is felt a little more, Similarly with drums there is a shade more subtance.

But then back to the HEK it counters with notes hanging in the air a touch longer giving violins for example an ethereal texture.

And so it goes back and forth.

But no, I prefer the HEK and it would be entirely frivolous to keep them both. And besides I can afford a Schiit Gungnir Multibit this way smily_headphones1.gif

They still look like something you'd find in a skip though (build quality is actually very good for the record they just look odd smily_headphones1.gif ).

 

[bfreedma]

You're right that the Focals might well have spoiled other headphones for me, in the sense of being used to a certain level of resolution. I hope not though - I think sound is quite unique in the home entertainment field of TV, iPads, Kindles, etc, in that we want to own multiple 'phones because they give us something different from the music. It would be a shame if this were the case (until the competition catches up, of course)

I think this is totally weird in my opinion because do ppl lift in and out different speakers when they listen to different music?

No, but if speakers were as easy to switch out as headphones, people might

I could see having an alternate set of front mains depending on whether I was listening to music or watching a movie. It would be a challenge dealing with the differing room acoustic requirements and EQ , but again, that's something not required for headphones.

 

[paul2qute]

No, but if speakers were as easy to switch out as headphones, people might

I could see having an alternate set of front mains depending on whether I was listening to music or watching a movie. It would be a challenge dealing with the differing room acoustic requirements and EQ , but again, that's something not required for headphones.

Jesus I just wanna sit down in one listening session and enjoy what I've paid for,busy working my bollocks off to pay for this so I just wanna sit and enjoy,ppl just wanna Fanny about to much.I look at my gorgeous fiancee and everything else goes out the window,definition, bass clarity,nothing else matters,please tell me I love my Mrs more than hi-fi... God help me.she fit but put a pair of grand utopias behind her then my eyes will wander