[jcdreamer]

Good man, great communication. I bought my HEK from him a year ago.

 

[Kamb1ng]

This might be a bit unorthodox... but the past 3 days I fully extended the length of the focal utopia. Naturally, with it fully stretched out, it does not fit on my head lol. Being the eccentric person I am, I scourged the house for something I could rest on my head, to act as a buffer for the extra space and get a right fit -- well, after fiddling with half a dozen things, folded hand towels fit the bill. It stacks about 3/4 of an inch. Perhaps I do have a big head lol, but boy oh boy are the headphones WAY more comfortable now. Honestly it has lessened the pressure from the headphones clamping on my ears, and moved the pressure to the top of my head, which I prefer. Feels as comfortable as my 800's now believe it or not.
 
Give it a try if you are finding the headphones a bit uncomfortable -- sure you might look a bit daft, but who cares!

 

[kaushama]

Here are links for them at Mouser. Here and here with collet

Thank you! I have found them on eBay too. Anyone happen to know how these are wired?

 

[paul2qute]

You have a fiancé and a wife? Nice.

I know I've been very lucky when it comes to women and both got so much patience with me when it comes to hi-fi,they both sisters, identical twins Seriously though the focal utopia headphones are fantastic but practical I'm not so sure, yes it's great the neighbours don't complain about the noise but being open back the Mrs has to watch her TV programmes with the sound off and subtitles on,most of the time we just use sign language to communicate these days.yes love glass needs topping up,cable won't reach to the fridge.

 

[buzzlulu]

Been through these threads too many times to keep on going back and forth
 
How many are running a balanced cable with the Utopia?  Happy with the difference - or is it just fair?
The Utopia are so good as is with the stock cable

 

[JohnnyCakes]

I know I've been very lucky when it comes to women and both got so much patience with me when it comes to hi-fi,they both sisters, identical twins Seriously though the focal utopia headphones are fantastic but practical I'm not so sure, yes it's great the neighbours don't complain about the noise but being open back the Mrs has to watch her TV programmes with the sound off and subtitles on,most of the time we just use sign language to communicate these days.yes love glass needs topping up,cable won't reach to the fridge.

 
what is going on

 

[JohnnyCakes]

  Been through these threads too many times to keep on going back and forth
 
How many are running a balanced cable with the Utopia?  Happy with the difference - or is it just fair?
The Utopia are so good as is with the stock cable

 
i like the 4-XLR Black Dragon i upgraded to with the Utopia. 
 
but you're right, it didn't make as big of a difference as when i put a 4-XLR Silver Dragon on the LCD-4.  another win for the Utopia's efficiency.  doesn't need a huge amp, doesn't need cable tricks.  

 

[EdmontonCanuck]

There is no such thing as a balanced headphone cable. Still only 2 conductors per channel An XLR connector on the end of a cable doesn't make it balanced.

 

[paul2qute]

There is no such thing as a balanced headphone cable. Still only 2 conductors per channel An XLR connector on the end of a cable doesn't make it balanced.

very interesting I never knew that,the Americans love the balanced amps but not so much in the UK,so how does that work when the headphone amp is balanced and the cable never is?

 

[Allanmarcus]

  There is no such thing as a balanced headphone cable. Still only 2 conductors per channel An XLR connector on the end of a cable doesn't make it balanced.

"balanced" means two things now. The more traditional 3 wire, differential/ground interconnect and the relatively more recent 2 wires to each transducer cable in the headphone world. Wikipedia needs to be updated. 

 

[paul2qute]

"balanced" means two things now. The more traditional 3 wire, differential/ground interconnect and the relatively more recent 2 wires to each transducer cable in the headphone world. Wikipedia needs to be updated. 

So is the headphone amp three wire and the headphone cable is two wire? So is it really truly balanced when listening through headphones?

 

[snellemin]

 
"balanced" means two things now. The more traditional 3 wire, differential/ground interconnect and the relatively more recent 2 wires to each transducer cable in the headphone world. Wikipedia needs to be updated. 

Yea that headphone balance thing, is basically a dual mono amp configuration going to your headphone. Eliminating crosstalk is what the "balanced" headphone amps are doing.  Keeping the stereo signal "pure" all the way to your ears.  
 
XLR balanced is Positive signal, Negative signal and Ground, at the input side of the amp for example.

 

[paul2qute]

Yea that headphone balance thing, is basically a dual mono amp configuration going to your headphone. Eliminating crosstalk is what the "balanced" headphone amps are doing.  Keeping the stereo signal "pure" all the way to your ears.  

XLR balanced is Positive signal, Negative signal and Ground, at the input side of the amp for example.

I think of mono as in two different amps driving each transducer I think Woo audio do a pair,some balanced amps have a single ended as well, so does the amp split into mono blocks when balanced, my head is cabbaged

 

[buzzlulu]

Yes - my understanding was dual mono amp.  I am looking at the Sony TA-ZH1ES which I believe is, in addition to having a SE output, also has a balanced output with two mono amps.  Just like the new Sony Walkmans WM1Z/A.
 
So - eliminating crosstalk - check
     - more powerful output - check
 
noticeable difference on the Utopia ?????

 

[EdmontonCanuck]

 
"balanced" means two things now. The more traditional 3 wire, differential/ground interconnect and the relatively more recent 2 wires to each transducer cable in the headphone world. Wikipedia needs to be updated. 

 
Only certain headphones can truly be balanced due to connections at the headphone that requires a separate left/right, positive and negative signal. So while some headphones may have an XLR connection to the amp, they may not be balanced due to the connections on the headphone side.