[Muvieguy]

Saw your profile Allanmarcus so did you work for Sandia or Los Alamos national lab?

 

[Allanmarcus]

Saw your profile Allanmarcus so did you work for Sandia or Los Alamos national lab?

Los Alamos. Sandia is 2 hours away in Albuquerque. 

 

[Muvieguy]

well had to ask in your profile it's just says New Mexico so was not sure which Lab.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

anyone who wants to showcase the Utopia's very underrated bass and sub-bass abilities:
 
pull up Lorde's "Royals" from 2:20 - 2:45
 
the bass punch is visceral, but unlike many many other high-performing bass headphones, there is NO wobble or distortion.  the clarity of how the bass is echoing in that space is exceptional.  
 
the Utopia is unique in bringing that level of bass clarity along with bass quantity.  the LCD-4 has more quantity, but a tad less clarity.  so while my LCD-4 is still my go-to for hip-hop and most other bass-heavy music, i still really love switching it up and hearing the unrivaled clarity the Utopia gives.  great stuff. 

 

[phaeton70]

agree 100%
 
at first I thought Utopia was a little bass-shy. nothing more wrong. bass is there, rock solid, fast, clear. the only trick is to have at least 200hr on the Utopia.
 
before that figure bass is actually a little bit recessed and lifeless.

 

[reddog]

I am i audiophile heaven , I am jamming out to Frank Zappa's Jazz From Hell and the album never sounded better through the Utopia. I am using a Tascam CD player ( AES/EBU) to a Yggdrasil to a Liquid Gold to drive the Utopia ( stock cable). I am hearing stuff, in the album, I have not heard before. The level of detailed transparency is fantastic. The soundstage seems perfect for the different instrument used in the album. One can precisely place the many different instruments and how natural they sound. The bass is rock solid and is neither lite nor to much. The mids are smooth yet ever so revealing. Likewise the highs are spot on, and are not bright or unduly strident. The Utopia truly does bring out the beauty and genius of Zappa's Jazz From Hell.

 

[paul2qute]

agree 100%.

that's why almost every internet forum i visit talking about anything..... the question comes up: "but is ~fillintheblank~ really worth $X,XXX???"

and that's an impossible question to debate unless everyone has the exact same net worth and expenses.  

a silver headphone cable is probably not going to be worth the $500 for someone with a family making $25,000/year.  but that same $500 silver headphone cable is probably totally worth it to a retired millionaire.  

I totally agree with you

 

[paul2qute]

I had a Wadia CD player naim nap dr 300 and b & w cm 10 s2 speakers, also had a stax srm 323s and stax sr-L700 headphones,now call me totally nuts but I part ex it all for the arcam avr 550 surround processor for films and got the trilogy 933 and focal utopia headphones, also bought a rel s/5 sho and with my Wadia dying of death a naim nd5 xs and a Chord 2 qute,so I still listen to music through my speakers but have to use my focal utopias for high fidelity sound,the stax was clear but harsh or bright at times, spoke to spritzer who is a intelligent bloke and was gonna buy one of his amps but took a chance on the focal utopias,think I made the right decision

 

[buzzlulu]

Trilogy - are you in the UK?  Seems like they are not sent over to the States?
 
Thumbs up to a fellow Naimee

 

[paul2qute]

Trilogy - are you in the UK?  Seems like they are not sent over to the States?

Thumbs up to a fellow Naimee

Yes I'm in the UK mate, shame Trilogy aren't sold in America, if you can break America then it's quids in

 

[buzzlulu]

Yes - looking for an amp to pair with my 552/500
at least we have black boxes with green logos on my side of the pond!

 

[dannybgoode]

Trilogy - are you in the UK?  Seems like they are not sent over to the States?

Thumbs up to a fellow Naimee

Highendheadphones.co.uk ship abroad and stock Trilogy. The 931 is an incredible amp for the money and works brilliantly with the Utopia.

 

[buzzlulu]

problem is the voltage - it is not 120 for use on our side of the pond

 

[paul2qute]

Yes - looking for an amp to pair with my 552/500
at least we have black boxes with green logos on my side of the pond!

haha yes you do but urs is way more expensive than mine.It was all Linn and naim in the UK when I was in my prime,had it all, Linn lp 12 sondek ekos arm troika cartridge,NAIM nap 135 amps only had the 82 pre amp though but loved it

 

[TSAVJason]

haha yes you do but urs is way more expensive than mine.It was all Linn and naim in the UK when I was in my prime,had it all, Linn lp 12 sondek ekos arm troika cartridge,NAIM nap 135 amps only had the 82 pre amp though but loved it

You left Meridian out of that British high end product. Meridian - Naim - Linn all have a similar DNA ....not just being U.K. made and designed but actual engineering DNA.