[phase0]

  yes!  precisely!  hence it's coming from a SYNTHESIZER, and not a real instrument!
 
did you read the article i posted by chance?

 
What originally got me interested and excited about music when I was a kid? Synthesizers... I never would have gotten into music if it wasn't for electronic music. If you don't consider it music and think subwoofers and bass are a waste of time then enjoy what you got. I found out I like clubs and body feel of a lot of bass. I like sequencers, TB-303, TR-808/909, Samplers. I still like the tuning of the Audeze LCD-XC. After reading Katz articles I'm considering selling the Utopia or offering it for trade with Abyss/LCD-4. Yea I think the Utopia is technically superior to the LCD-XC but I also think Utopia needs a little boost down low. I don't really want to mess with the EQs that much. I panned the LCD-4 v1 because I just got the XC at the time and my 5 min with them I didn't think it was that much of a difference.
 
Anyways your comment made me laugh. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer in these things, maybe it's generational... are you one of those old crotchety "get off my lawn you whippersnapper!" guys? Synths let you build alien worlds and travel to other dimensions. I'm not saying old acoustic instruments are bad but why eliminate the diversity? They tools, additional colors in the palette to make more vibrant art... It doesn't have to be either/or. I also like it when the floor and walls shake when I'm watching a movie... terrible I know. I should just save my money and learn to enjoy the factory speakers that come with the television set...

 

[phaeton70]

.............. cheers to Utopia's bass chops..... which so often get overlooked because of its spectacular mids and highs.  

fully agree. the experience with a well burned Utopia, a good UPOCC copper cable and a good amp is simply amazing, bass included.
 
and for those who think that they cannot live without those earthquaking 16Hz, here you go: http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/main_display.htm
the only real instrument that can possibly go under 30Hz is the pipe organ, and only when implemented in very large and long pipes arrangement.

 

[phaeton70]

Interesting comparison between the LCD-4 and the Focal Utopia

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/katz’s-corner-episode-13-big-shootout-audeze-lcd-4-vs-focal-utopia?page=1#3JmPg1tdSDu7A9xV.97

I have not tried the LCD-4's but I am inclined to agree. I have the LCD-X's and have done a side by side demo against the Utopia's with the same high end amp. Surprisingly, the X's won out. I will retest these at a later date.

well, this is a 100% subjective hobby, everyone listen with his own ears and mind, so opinions can differ, even substantially.
 
I have done the same experience as you, I have auditioned side-by-side and with the same very high-end gears an Abyss, an LCD4, an Utopia, and a couple others, and at the end decided to buy the Utopia. 
 
LCD4 was quite close, but just not at Utopia's level. Abyss for my taste was simply not there, but I can fully understand why many consider these the best cans you can buy.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

 
The article is click-baity with inconsistencies and factual errors, right up somebodys reinforcement theory-alley.

 
Pitchfork is "click-bait"?
 

 now i've heard it all.
 
 
and please - do point out these "factual errors" you speak of...

 

[drwlf]

   
Pitchfork is "click-bait"?
 

 now i've heard it all.
 
 
and please - do point out these "factual errors" you speak of...

 
I said the article.
Blatant copying from a Wikipedia entry, sprinkled with subjective interpretations of the history of music, some of which are false/irrelevant to the subject/fallacies e.g. the gaming industry-throw, EDM "rising" in the 2000s, specifications/categorizations like acoustic and electric, pre-computer, wait.. What? If you're not devolving in the history of amplification itself; or synthesizers in this subject, how can you be taken seriously?
If you want me to continue, I guess PM is a better place.

 

[jlbrach]

at the level of the LCD-4,the Abyss and the Utopia there is no such thing as best....there is subjective favorite ....

 

[Kukua]

at the level of the LCD-4,the Abyss and the Utopia there is no such thing as best....there is subjective favorite ....

agree with your assertion

 

[Imusicman]

agree with your assertion

+1

 

[phaeton70]

  at the level of the LCD-4,the Abyss and the Utopia there is no such thing as best....there is subjective favorite ....

another +1

 

[TWerk]

Can I also put +1?

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Can I also put +1?

I think you would have to be a +3? I don't know what the official ruling on the field would be.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

   
What originally got me interested and excited about music when I was a kid? Synthesizers... I never would have gotten into music if it wasn't for electronic music. If you don't consider it music and think subwoofers and bass are a waste of time then enjoy what you got. I found out I like clubs and body feel of a lot of bass. I like sequencers, TB-303, TR-808/909, Samplers. I still like the tuning of the Audeze LCD-XC. After reading Katz articles I'm considering selling the Utopia or offering it for trade with Abyss/LCD-4. Yea I think the Utopia is technically superior to the LCD-XC but I also think Utopia needs a little boost down low. I don't really want to mess with the EQs that much. I panned the LCD-4 v1 because I just got the XC at the time and my 5 min with them I didn't think it was that much of a difference.
 
Anyways your comment made me laugh. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer in these things, maybe it's generational... are you one of those old crotchety "get off my lawn you whippersnapper!" guys? Synths let you build alien worlds and travel to other dimensions. I'm not saying old acoustic instruments are bad but why eliminate the diversity? They tools, additional colors in the palette to make more vibrant art... It doesn't have to be either/or. I also like it when the floor and walls shake when I'm watching a movie... terrible I know. I should just save my money and learn to enjoy the factory speakers that come with the television set...

 
easy boss.... you must have missed the part where i said:
 
"as an Audeze LCD-4 owner, and a fan of sub-bass in general (home system, cars, etc)"  and  "you might like it, and if so that's great.."
 
 
so let me repeat..... I LOVE BASS.  i love sub-bass.  i have two 15" powered subs in my house.  i have dedicated aftermarket subwoofers in my car.  i'd say i listen to rap, hip-hop and R&B 50% of the time. i also really like techno and synths and when it comes to 808's, it's all heartbreak to me baby.
 
BUT, i know enough about music and the history of music to know that it's a techno party trick.  so all the criticism the Utopia gets for not providing this party trick is bullsh*t.  the Utopia is purpose-built to recreate natural sound frequencies, not unnatural ones.  again, there are plenty of headphones like the Fostex monsters that you can go play Skrillex with.  don't look to the Utopia for that.  it's like criticizing a Mercedes S600 because it can't do burn outs and donuts in the parking lot.  
 
as for being an "old, crotchety guy"..... let me just ask - is that you in your avatar pic?

 

[TonyNewman]

  ...
BUT, i know enough about music and the history of music to know that it's a techno party trick.  so all the criticism the Utopia gets for not providing this party trick is bullsh*t.  the Utopia is purpose-built to recreate natural sound frequencies, not unnatural ones.  again, there are plenty of headphones like the Fostex monsters that you can go play Skrillex with.  don't look to the Utopia for that.  it's like criticizing a Mercedes S600 because it can't do burn outs and donuts in the parking lot.  
...

 
No headphone does everything (at least not any that I have heard). The lack of sub-bass was a small factor in my selling the Utopia and going back to my modded HE6. By far the bigger issue for me was the forward / edgy character of the Utopia. It's like going balls out all the time - that's not for me, but I certainly do appreciate what the Utopia can do.
 
None the less - I did notice the lack of sub-bass compared to the HE6 and I did miss it on occasion, and not all of it was 'fake'. One of my favorite test tracks is "The Foggy Dew" by The Chieftains. This is a track with hefty kettle drum bass in the starting sequence - these sounds are not 'fake' and they certainly have sub-bass - sub-bass that the Utopia just can't reproduce like the HE6 can.

 

[eantala]

Interesting comparison between the LCD-4 and the Focal Utopia

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/katz’s-corner-episode-13-big-shootout-audeze-lcd-4-vs-focal-utopia?page=1#3JmPg1tdSDu7A9xV.97

I have not tried the LCD-4's but I am inclined to agree. I have the LCD-X's and have done a side by side demo against the Utopia's with the same high end amp. Surprisingly, the X's won out. I will retest these at a later date.

curious could you tell me what amp your using?
 
I own LCD-X and hd800, and the LCD-X sounded fuzzy/muddy in comparison to hd800 when listening to Jazz/classical on a Tuarus mk2 using the balanced out.
I consider my Utopia to be much better than either.

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
No headphone does everything (at least not any that I have heard). The lack of sub-bass was a small factor in my selling the Utopia and going back to my modded HE6. By far the bigger issue for me was the forward / edgy character of the Utopia. It's like going balls out all the time - that's not for me, but I certainly do appreciate what the Utopia can do.
 
None the less - I did notice the lack of sub-bass compared to the HE6 and I did miss it on occasion, and not all of it was 'fake'. One of my favorite test tracks is "The Foggy Dew" by The Chieftains. This is a track with hefty kettle drum bass in the starting sequence - these sounds are not 'fake' and they certainly have sub-bass - sub-bass that the Utopia just can't reproduce like the HE6 can.

The Focal's have excellent sub-bass...the measurements back this up as do my low frequency sweeps (and measure quite similarly to the HE-6s for that matter and go down to 20Hz). I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with you on the HE-6s...owned them for a few years, liked them...never, ever loved them. Don't miss them one iota as the LCD-4, Utopia and HE1000V2's have eclipsed them for me. 

Just in general (just to other HE-6 owners

), yes, I've heard the HE-6s through some very powerful and impressive speaker amps and my comments hold.