[TSAVJason]

Blu2 also has USB, BNC, and AES inputs in addition to its internal CD drive. It very effectively autoswitches between them based on a priority scheme. All my sources run through Blu2 and then onto DAVE. Many people expect Chord to bring out a stand-alone M-Scaler someday without the internal CD transport. Not sure it will be that much cheaper if they do. I have a very large CD library so it was the perfect solution for me. The CD mechanism definitely sounds better than my optimized audio server running Roon/TIDAL into an UltraRendu. The Blu2 is hands-down the best audio product I've ever owned. The synergy between it, DAVE, and Utopia is unreal

Pricey but awesome for sure!

 

[TSAVJason]

never been able to find them. we think the code FGG.0B.302.KLAD52Z

They might be custom for Focal.

I’ll see if I still have it but there is a discrete code to indicate the black version.

 

[Allanmarcus]

I’ll see if I still have it but there is a discrete code to indicate the black version.

We believe the "k" indicates black.
FGG.0B.302.CLAD52Z "c" for chrome finish
FGG.0B.302.NLAD52Z - nickel finish

if you can verify, that would be great.

 

[Energy]

I saw it posted some time before maybe around page 200-ish of this thread but I can't find it again. It showed all finishes. Chrome, Nickel, and Matte Black.

 

[Allanmarcus]

I saw this posted before but couldn't find its whereabouts, so I'll have to ask again unfortunately.

But does anyone know where to source the black style connectors from?

Made me do more searching! I found these:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/LEMO-0B-Series-Black-2-pin-waterproof-connector-plug-socket-FGG-0B-302-CLAD-Z-EGG/32796821354.html

Not cheap for clones, and comes with the female jack, which is probably not needed. Maybe you can request they put just the plug up on Ali.

 

[Tobes]

I was reading Tyll's re-assessment or the Utopia and I'm a little surprised he finds the "razor sharp peak at 6kHz" so objectionable. It's curious because to me the Utopia has great tonal balance and is very smooth sounding and listenable for hours on end. Maybe my hearing has a dip at 6KHz?
What's also curious is that the Clear has a very similar peak at 6KHz. The main difference in the responses of the two headphones seems to be the small peak on the Utopia at 4K before it dips towards 5K - the Clear starts dipping slightly before 4kHz with a wider trough between 4-5.5KHz (before the 6KHz peak).

 

[up late]

i was wondering when this would be brought up here. i also considered suggesting a minute's silence to mark the removal of the utopia from tyll's wall of fame but thought better of it.

 

[Energy]

Made me do more searching! I found these:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/LEMO-0B-Series-Black-2-pin-waterproof-connector-plug-socket-FGG-0B-302-CLAD-Z-EGG/32796821354.html

Not cheap for clones, and comes with the female jack, which is probably not needed. Maybe you can request they put just the plug up on Ali.

Nice find! I'll ask to see if they can send two male plugs instead of one of each.

I was reading Tyll's re-assessment or the Utopia and I'm a little surprised he finds the "razor sharp peak at 6kHz" so objectionable. It's curious because to me the Utopia has great tonal balance and is very smooth sounding and listenable for hours on end. Maybe my hearing has a dip at 6KHz?
What's also curious is that the Clear has a very similar peak at 6KHz. The main difference in the responses of the two headphones seems to be the small peak on the Utopia before it dips towards 5K - the Clear starts dipping slightly before 4kHz with a wider trough between 4-5-5KHz (before the 6KHz peak).

I had the same thoughts. Mine too sound super smooth, and for me, still the best headphone under $5,000. it doesn't make sense on how he once said it was the best headphone to now not even worthy of being on the Hall of Fame..

 

[bidn]

I was reading Tyll's re-assessment or the Utopia and I'm a little surprised he finds the "razor sharp peak at 6kHz" so objectionable. It's curious because to me the Utopia has great tonal balance and is very smooth sounding and listenable for hours on end. Maybe my hearing has a dip at 6KHz?
What's also curious is that the Clear has a very similar peak at 6KHz. The main difference in the responses of the two headphones seems to be the small peak on the Utopia at 4K before it dips towards 5K - the Clear starts dipping slightly before 4kHz with a wider trough between 4-5.5KHz (before the 6KHz peak).

I had the same thoughts. Mine too sound super smooth, and for me, still the best headphone under $5,000. it doesn't make sense on how he once said it was the best headphone to now not even worthy of being on the Hall of Fame..

I agree with you Tobes and Energy!
Among others, I listen to high-pitched metal, sometimes for hours, and if the Utopia had such a peak, I would hear it and it would be fatiguing, which is the case with the HD 800 and K812 which unfortunately do have such a fatiguing peak.
(I could understand that the wealth of information provided by the Utopia (tonal details, speed, imaging separation and positioning of sound sources) could be seen as overwhelming and too much for some people, in this sense fatiguing, but then this is not a default, and you can just turn the volume down).

BTW, I listened for 3h1/2 last Friday to a bunch of TOTL headphones with my own amp at a store and with some (mostly metal) tracks I use for comparisons,
their Utopia just sounded like mine,
and it was for me clearly the best, e.g. the LCD-4 and the expensive Susvara (although much better than the HE1000 V2) in this set up could not match for the level of details, speed, drum attacks and 3D imaging separation and precision of the Utopia,
you can see my comparative impressions here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/totl-headphones-comparison.856079/page-4#post-13956473

Re. Innerfideltiy's removal of the Utopia from their WoF, I fear this may have to do with Bob Katz who is also part of Innerfidelity, loves headphones like the Oppo PM-3 (very dark and dull) or the LCD-4 (dark), and opposed strongly that the Utopia made it so well to the WoF and not the LCD-4
(even using different amps = scientifically invalid comparisons, i.e. not comparing thje headphones themselves but amp-headphones combinations, and not with measurements but with the output of speakers which he had been tuned to his liking, not with a feedback loop giving them a flat FR...).

BTW I had already compared my DAC-amp (RME ADI-2 PRO) in NOS mode to my SP1000Cu, and at the store compared it with the Hugo 2, all with my Utopia,
they are all globally the same level of SQ, so I find this interesting because if you can get more from the Utopia with the Dave than with the Hugo 2, then it would be also the same when going from my RME DAC-amp to the Dave.

Morever I find the following comparisons of SQ are very interesting:

I would say if Mojo is an overall 4 and Hugo2 is an overall 6 and DAVE is an overall 10 (using the scale from my Mojo vs Hugo2 vs DAVE review), then BluDAVE is 40, and BluHugo2 is maybe ~25.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/chord-blu-mk-ii-digital-cd-transport.22848/reviews#review-19675

In this case for me who don't want devices that cannot be normally stacked like the Dave or the Blu2 (and don't need an expensive CD-player, I only use them for ripping new CDs),
I dream Chord would produce a DAC-amp with filter of the Blu2 in the format of a normally stackable desktop device like the Chord TT (and ideally without the volume buttons and lights, just a normal button)

 

[Energy]

I cannot agree with you enough.

 

[buzzlulu]

Just coming back to this thread after a bit.
I guess I need to put my Utopia's up for sale now that "Tyl" has removed them from the wall

First they are the best - now they are not
Same story with the Z1R's

I realize his contribution to this hobby but geez - he is only one guy.
Too much importance is given to one person's reviews. What about all of the other professional reviewers in the industry?
The Stereophile review waxed poetic over the Z1R's - Tyl trashed them
The funny thing is - the same parent company owns both the Stereophile and Inner Fidelity web sites

Best thing - take it all with a grain of salt

Rant over

PS - On second thought I think I will keep my Utopia's and Z1R's

 

[up late]

^ let the tyll bashing begin! it's not the same story as the z1r as he was critical of its sound in his one and only review of it. with regard to the utopia, tyll claims that the unit he reviewed "sounded quite different, and better" than other units that he'd heard subsequently.

i'm not noticing the "razor sharp peak at 6khz", whereas i used to notice it with the hd800, but it's a brighter sounding headphone overall to my ears.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Just coming back to this thread after a bit.
I guess I need to put my Utopia's up for sale now that "Tyl" has removed them from the wall

First they are the best - now they are not
Same story with the Z1R's

I realize his contribution to this hobby but geez - he is only one guy.
Too much importance is given to one person's reviews. What about all of the other professional reviewers in the industry?
The Stereophile review waxed poetic over the Z1R's - Tyl trashed them
The funny thing is - the same parent company owns both the Stereophile and Inner Fidelity web sites

Best thing - take it all with a grain of salt

Rant over

PS - On second thought I think I will keep my Utopia's and Z1R's

The short end of the story is to not let others opinions affect enjoying of a piece of audio equipment or headphone.

Thats what this hobby should be about- Enjoyment.

 

[ubs28]

I was reading Tyll's re-assessment or the Utopia and I'm a little surprised he finds the "razor sharp peak at 6kHz" so objectionable. It's curious because to me the Utopia has great tonal balance and is very smooth sounding and listenable for hours on end. Maybe my hearing has a dip at 6KHz?
What's also curious is that the Clear has a very similar peak at 6KHz. The main difference in the responses of the two headphones seems to be the small peak on the Utopia at 4K before it dips towards 5K - the Clear starts dipping slightly before 4kHz with a wider trough between 4-5.5KHz (before the 6KHz peak).

Looks to me the biggest difference is that the Clear suppresses the treble region overall after the peak, similar to what the Aeon Flow Closed does. I'm actually quite surprised how similar the Clear and Aeon Flow Closed look in terms of measurements. The Aeon Flow Closed also has a peak before it supresses the treble region.

I will for certainty will test it out against the Aeon Flow Closed when I get my hands on the Focal Clear.

 

[jlbrach]

I was reading Tyll's re-assessment or the Utopia and I'm a little surprised he finds the "razor sharp peak at 6kHz" so objectionable. It's curious because to me the Utopia has great tonal balance and is very smooth sounding and listenable for hours on end. Maybe my hearing has a dip at 6KHz?
What's also curious is that the Clear has a very similar peak at 6KHz. The main difference in the responses of the two headphones seems to be the small peak on the Utopia at 4K before it dips towards 5K - the Clear starts dipping slightly before 4kHz with a wider trough between 4-5.5KHz (before the 6KHz peak).

tyll lost me with the whole utopia and lcd-4 situation....he spoke of the utopia as if it was the holy grail and best HP in the world pretty much and now all of a sudden it is a flawed product and he just moves on to telling us that the new focal clear is the best thing since sliced bread....he lost me