[up late]

i don't think that it's odd for audiophiles to attribute changes in what they're hearing to their gear rather than themselves

 

[MarkF786]

I noticed on Focal's website that the Utopia now includes two cables (10 ft. w/XLR and 3 ft. w/3.5mm) and a carrying case, but on dealer websites they only list the old accessories as included.

Do many dealers have the updated accessories, or is everyone still selling the old ones?

 

[AuditoryCanvas]

i didn't notice any change in the sound of my utopia over time with the original or replacement drivers, which is why i won't be making assurances of that kind to someone who is finding the utopia's sound signature fatiguing

You appear to be referring to my reply...No need for the dig. I wasn't making or intending any assurances, just relaying personal experience. Maybe it was my brain adjusting to the sound, maybe it was the drivers loosening up.

 

[up late]

yes, i was replying to your post and there was no "dig" intended

 

[pervysage]

The Utopia itself won't really change much in sound but it's insanely responsive to any changes you make in your listening system whether that's an amp, DAC, cables, power etc. It's basically a microscope when it comes to that IMO.

 

[joseph69]

My issue is with on ear headphones like Grados with bowl pads and the pressure they put on the ear itself.

Streach out the headband so the G cushions barley touch your ears.

My personal experience showed that dac/amps being used made a BIG difference to how fatiguing the utopia is.

+1

A lot of the weight problem I think comes from the monstrosity of a cable.

I used the Lazuli Reference cable for a short time with my Utopia. This cable killed the comfort of the Utopia for me. Using the WireWorld Nano-Platinum Eclipse, it doesn't even feel like I have a cable connected to the Utopia.

The Utopia itself won't really change much in sound but it's insanely responsive to any changes you make in your listening system whether that's an amp, DAC, cables, power etc. It's basically a microscope when it comes to that IMO.

Couldn't agree more.
I posted basically the same thing a while back.

 

[gurus]

For EQ, I’ve only tried the bass bump that was suggested using roon. It gave it similar bass to the AT L3000 I had but I thought lost a little low level detail so I prefer no EQ. I have no issues with the high peaks so haven’t tried advanced EQ.

Don't tell me the Utopia is as slow as the AT L3000, just waiting to receive mine. And I am glad to see you are still enjoying the L3000!

 

[LCMusicLover]

Night three and I'm finding the Utopia quite fatiguing and heavy. That slight weight increase on the Clear seems to make a difference over a long period.

The plot thickens...

Fatigue: I didn’t call them ‘fatiguing’, but I found them ‘sharp’ (whatever that means) with my chain when I first got them — I suspect we’re interpreting the same characteristics with different words. I made a bunch of changes to my chain, and eventually found cable (Lazuli Ref) and amp (Liquid Platinum w/ Siemens NOS E88CC & CCa tubes) swaps that ‘fixed’ things for me. DSHA 3F is great with Utopia as well.

All that is a long way of saying that I agree with others who suggest that you try a different amp. The trick is to find one which offers the improvement you’re looking for, but which doesn’t cost too much Utopia ‘goodness’. For example, I tried the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads. They really knocked the ‘sharpness’ back but, to my ears, they cost too much detail and messed up the tonality. I actually liked how the Elex pads changed the sound and used them until I got the LP (even after I got the Laz Ref cable).

Weight: I was surprised to see you comment — for me, Utopia is the 3rd most comfortable headphone I’ve tried (after Empyrean & Ether 2). While they are fairly heavy, I find the weight really well distributed.

Would you like to borrow my (650g) Blackwood Auteur? After a few weeks with those you won’t even notice Utopia on your head

 

[iamoneagain]

Don't tell me the Utopia is as slow as the AT L3000, just waiting to receive mine. And I am glad to see you are still enjoying the L3000!

I ended up selling the L3000 to fund my Utopia purchase. I was ready for a change. So I never got to do a direct comparison. I’m not sure what I expected of the Utopia when I first got it but I didn’t get the feeling that they were way better than the L3000. Not saying that the two sound anything like each other.

I am a huge fan of the L3000 but I was missing the airiness and top end sparkle I got just from my Grado 225e that I use at work. I was also able to get open headphones again for my home so that made me start looking at what the best open headphones out there were. The LCD-4 looked like it might be a good match for my taste but I already had a Hugo 2 and saw it couldn’t handle those headphones.

Now that I’ve spend more time with the Utopia it’s definitely a better headphone overall since it can handle any genre and has amazing detail and speed. The L3000 are better at rhythm and groove. They are slower and have more weight and impact to the music. The issue is sometimes they felt slightly closed in and vocals weren’t always the smoothest. Utopia wins hands down on vocals. They also have the airlines and sparkle I was missing.

 

[triggsviola]

So I've using the Moon Audio Black Dragon cable and I find it to be a bit stiff. As far as I can tell, it sounds fine. I mainly got it because it came highly recommended and I wanted a shorter cable (compared to the original stock cable) for desktop use. I hear a lot of talk about the Danacable Lazuli Reference as being the one to get for Utopia. It's not stiff, is it?

 

[Roasty]

So I've using the Moon Audio Black Dragon cable and I find it to be a bit stiff. As far as I can tell, it sounds fine. I mainly got it because it came highly recommended and I wanted a shorter cable (compared to the original stock cable) for desktop use. I hear a lot of talk about the Danacable Lazuli Reference as being the one to get for Utopia. It's not stiff, is it?

I have the silver dragon and lazuli reference. Dragon is much lighter, but stiffer.

I find the dragon is a bit more airier and clear up top. Lazuli mids seem fuller and vocals are amazing with these cables. Bottom end are about the same, maybe just very slightly more thump with the dragon.

Can't really go wrong with either one but the lazuli is the pricier option. There are however other cable options like the PlusSound X8 or X16 which I find have some nice options eg silver, copper, silver plus gold etc etc

 

[joseph69]

It's not stiff, is it?

It's not exactly stiff, but it's not exactly flexible either because
it's a thick & heavy cable.

 

[thecrow]

I have the silver dragon and lazuli reference. Dragon is much lighter, but stiffer.

I find the dragon is a bit more airier and clear up top. Lazuli mids seem fuller and vocals are amazing with these cables. Bottom end are about the same, maybe just very slightly more thump with the dragon.

Can't really go wrong with either one but the lazuli is the pricier option. There are however other cable options like the PlusSound X8 or X16 which I find have some nice options eg silver, copper, silver plus gold etc etc

What about detail and clarity of dragon v lazuli

 

[Roasty]

What about detail and clarity of dragon v lazuli

To be honest they're both detailed and clear. Between them, I still prefer the LR with the utopia. I think the LR give a more balanced presentation with Utopia.

I'm now trying out the utopia with a Norne Audio Silvergarde S3.. Will listen over the next few days and see what I think of them.

I've always enjoyed the silver dragons and have had them for my iems and senn, and now am using them for my abyss. I think they're quite underrated nowadays. I think they're quite "fairly" priced compared to the more expensive options out there.

 

[thecrow]

I'm now trying out the utopia with a Norne Audio Silvergarde S3.. Will listen over the next few days and see what I think of them

That would be great as i have had the s2 and have the silver draug with other headphones

how long was the wait for the s3?