[Galm]

Got Utopias here from TheCableCompany for the next ten days. First time I've ever compared another TOTL can on my own set up with my own HD800s.

And man, are these things resolving.

http://imgur.com/a/hRvDs

 

[joseph69]

Got Utopias here from TheCableCompany for the next ten days. First time I've ever compared another TOTL can on my own set up with my own HD800s.

And man, are these things resolving.

http://imgur.com/a/hRvDs

This is an awesome way to listen headphones with your own system.

 

[STR-1]

my lcd-4 sounds great out of the Dave but that is me....i also have the utopia,different lsiten entirely...both great

Yes. I have both cans. It annoys me at times that (for the benefit of the uninitiated) it isn't always made clear in comments comparing these two excellent cans just how different they are. Too often, the comparison wrongly (imho) aims for a 'which is best' conclusion. With enough funds available to the listener, each can have a treasured place in the same system. With my Chord DAVE, I listen more to the Utopias, but still enjoy swapping out for the LCD4 fairly regularly.

 

[Imusicman]

Yes. I have both cans. It annoys me at times that (for the benefit of the uninitiated) it isn't always made clear in comments comparing these two excellent cans just how different they are. Too often, the comparison wrongly (imho) aims for a 'which is best' conclusion. With enough funds available to the listener, each can have a treasured place in the same system. With my Chord DAVE, I listen more to the Utopias, but still enjoy swapping out for the LCD4 fairly regularly.

IMHO there is no "best" I just prefer the Utopias to the LCD 4

 

[Alu]

Tyll's adjustments:

https://www.innerfidelity.com/conte...ame-adjustments-focal-utopia-and-audeze-lcd-4

 

[Imusicman]

Tyll's adjustments:

https://www.innerfidelity.com/conte...ame-adjustments-focal-utopia-and-audeze-lcd-4

Interesting article. Thanks.

 

[Whitigir]

I love the Utopia exactly the way it came off the manufacturer and out of the box. Upgraded cables bring more Joys , but that is it

 

[kingkikapu]

Hi peeps. Have enough money for one major upgrade to pair with utopia: either a nice DAC like Yggy or a nice amp like GSXMk2 or HA430. What are your opinions on which would make the most impact to my enjoment given current setup.

Thanks muchly.

 

[Whitigir]

Hi peeps. Have enough money for one major upgrade to pair with utopia: either a nice DAC like Yggy or a nice amp like GSXMk2 or HA430. What are your opinions on which would make the most impact to my enjoment given current setup.

Thanks muchly.

Get any DAC in the price range of Yggy, and get SuSy Dynalo. I would do LKS 004 and SuSy Dynalo....only that I am too freaking lazy to make the Dynalo lol...

 

[Allanmarcus]

Hi peeps. Have enough money for one major upgrade to pair with utopia: either a nice DAC like Yggy or a nice amp like GSXMk2 or HA430. What are your opinions on which would make the most impact to my enjoment given current setup.

Thanks muchly.

Assuming you will use the Oppo HA-1 for the DAC or Amp, I think the the Oppo as a DAC is a relatively thin, so pairing with the GSX might not e great. Pairing it with the warmer moon might be better.

Then again, the amp section on the Oppo is relatively good, so getting the yggy now and getting a better, possible tube, amp later might be a better choice. I think you will get more a sonic upgrade replacing the Opps DAC with a Gumby or Yggy. Note, there are some that prefer the Gumby to the Yggy, so you should try to listen before you buy, if possible. Heck, if I were you, I would take a trip to Bain Bridge island in seattle and go to the Bottlehead store.

 

[Whazzzup]

Be interested in what utopia, LCD 4, hd800S owners think of susvara. I just tested it versus he1 , and he 6 not heard the utopia lcd4 yet. Susvara is a sweet sound with that in your head hifi man way. I'm ruined in that for hifi man it's susvara or nothing. He 6 is a bass machine, he1 is a balanced machine, susvara brings the vocals mids forward, throws a great bass, not fatiguing in that smooth in your head hifi sound... the best jazz headphone, not bad with electronic, made me smile. interesting times if you got some money to burn.

 

[kingkikapu]

Assuming you will use the Oppo HA-1 for the DAC or Amp, I think the the Oppo as a DAC is a relatively thin, so pairing with the GSX might not e great. Pairing it with the warmer moon might be better.

Then again, the amp section on the Oppo is relatively good, so getting the yggy now and getting a better, possible tube, amp later might be a better choice. I think you will get more a sonic upgrade replacing the Opps DAC with a Gumby or Yggy. Note, there are some that prefer the Gumby to the Yggy, so you should try to listen before you buy, if possible. Heck, if I were you, I would take a trip to Bain Bridge island in seattle and go to the Bottlehead store.

I was leaning more towards Yggy for the reason that there seems to be a lot of flak out there for Sabre glare. From what I've read HA-1 amp section is pretty respectable, so a DAC replacement was where my mind went to and given Utopia's relatively easy driving load it probably makes sense to focus on DAC. That said, I also worry that DAC differences are overstated and there feels like a massive dearth in ABX testing when it comes to DAC's. Hell, just watch Tyll's comments on R2R vs DeltaSigma in his big sound review and I don't leave the conversation feeling like there is a massive difference either...



Hence my curiosity as to people's concensus...

 

[Whitigir]

That is funny, my LKS has dual 9038 Pro with all Pure Silver Interconnect wires everywhere even inside my amp toward Stax 009 and there is 0 glares

 

[rnros]

I was leaning more towards Yggy for the reason that there seems to be a lot of flak out there for Sabre glare. From what I've read HA-1 amp section is pretty respectable, so a DAC replacement was where my mind went to and given Utopia's relatively easy driving load it probably makes sense to focus on DAC. That said, I also worry that DAC differences are overstated and there feels like a massive dearth in ABX testing when it comes to DAC's. Hell, just watch Tyll's comments on R2R vs DeltaSigma in his big sound review and I don't leave the conversation feeling like there is a massive difference either...



Hence my curiosity as to people's concensus...

My vote would also be for the DAC first. Have the Gumby, outstanding. So whichever, Yggy or Gumby.

 

[kingkikapu]

That is funny, my LKS has dual 9038 Pro with all Pure Silver Interconnect wire
s everywhere even inside my amp toward Stax 009 and there is 0 glares

I'm not doubting you. My undergrad was in astrophysics, so I like to think that I know just enough to be dangerous when it comes to E&M. I'm certainly not qualified to call myself an EE, but I'm not exactly a total rookie either. My problem is there is so much confirmation bias on so many posts that I get uncomfortable listening to anyone that doesn't have a modicum of understanding of the fundamental principles. Everyone is free to believe what they want, but I tend to discount those that can't articulate why something they hear is borne in actual science. If you can derive it then I can follow you. Sadly a lot of what gets discussed here never goes that far.

So here I sit, very confused. Do I invest in a better amp with the hopes of better detail retrival and increased PRAT responses while I ponder the thought that the HA-1 is already sufficiently powered and offeres good slew rates, or do I invest in DAC tech which supposedly increases soundstage and increased high end retrieval, but ABX testing seems to be non-existent. Or a third option: move away from USB and focus on optical input, or use a DDC to leverage AES inputs and eliminate a possible limiting factor of interconnection noise.

I just want to give these headphones a shot at even more awesomeness.

Just not at any cost...