[joseph69]

I have never seen the arche. But I thought it had a specific setting optimised for each of the focal headphone models.

It does.
I heard both, the Utopia & Stellia via the Arche at CJNYC '19 & '20 and it does have specific settings for their headphones. It was also one of the very few combos I heard that left a positive impression on me.

 

[MacedonianHero]

It does.
I heard both, the Utopia & Stellia via the Arche at CJNYC '19 & '20 and it does have specific settings for their headphones. It was also one of the very few combos I heard that left a positive impression on me.

You can add me to the list of people impressed with the Arche with both the Utopia and Stellia. Very impressed actually.

 

[joseph69]

You can add me to the list of people impressed with the Arche with both the Utopia and Stellia. Very impressed actually.

For a second, it made me think why I owned everything I own.

 

[Failed Engineer]

I’d like to try the Arche one day as I’ve solidly become a Utopia/Stellia owner with zero interest in any other phones. But the 3F has pretty much killed all interest I have in amps (so much so that I have two in my house now) and have long been satisfied with my source. The Arche might make a great on the road solution for hotels once I start traveling again for work along with the Utopia or Stellia.

 

[joseph69]

But the 3F has pretty much killed all interest I have in amps

I'm not familiar with the "3F"?

 

[up late]

^ made by ecp audio specifically for the utopia. it is a thing of beauty to behold.

 

[zeny]

Do you guys think that the dac section of the Arche is on the same level of something like the chord qutest?

 

[corentin]

Hey guys, I have been interested in both the stellia and the utopia for a while now. What do you think of these cans for metal music (specifically heavy, power and symphonic metal)?
Also, I could get my hands on the Arche, the Stellias and the Utopias (all brand spanking new of course) for 5900€; what do you guys think of such a deal?

 

[Progisus]

Hey guys, I have been interested in both the stellia and the utopia for a while now. What do you think of these cans for metal music (specifically heavy, power and symphonic metal)?
Also, I could get my hands on the Arche, the Stellias and the Utopias (all brand spanking new of course) for 5900€; what do you guys think of such a deal?

I was listening to Nightwish earlier today on the Utopia. They are able to retreive all the details with great bass transients.

 

[corentin]

Thanks Progisus, sounds good!

 

[Mh996]

Hey guys, I have been interested in both the stellia and the utopia for a while now. What do you think of these cans for metal music (specifically heavy, power and symphonic metal)?
Also, I could get my hands on the Arche, the Stellias and the Utopias (all brand spanking new of course) for 5900€; what do you guys think of such a deal?

Utopia does well with metal on warm gear (in my opinion). The Utopia setting on the Arche has a high output impedance and up’s the mid-bass and below by about 4dB. And most accounts I’ve seen from Focal owners who tried Arche were positive. I think that deal is worth considering if you won’t financially stress yourself. That would be akin to paying under 2000€ for each of the three brand new, which is likely not a sale we’d be seeing if the purchasing market for high end components was doing well.
Have you owned or auditioned any Focal headphones before? If not, are you sure you want to spend that much money on two fairly similar headphones when you’re not sure that’s the sound you’re going for? Intimate and dynamic is the Focal house sound, and while the tonality between Stellia and Utopia are different, they’re still plucked from the same tree. Using the presets on Arche may even make them sound more tonally similar. Just some things to consider.

 

[Ilomaenkimi]

Hey guys, I have been interested in both the stellia and the utopia for a while now. What do you think of these cans for metal music (specifically heavy, power and symphonic metal)?
Also, I could get my hands on the Arche, the Stellias and the Utopias (all brand spanking new of course) for 5900€; what do you guys think of such a deal?

What comes to Stellia, in my system metal music works very well. Among everything else. Stellia is very, very versatile headphone. Utopias i haven't heard.

 

[ClicketEKlack]

Hey Utopians, just bought my first pair. Since I can't audition any high-end gear in person, like tube amps, etc., wondering what might be a good mid-range quarantine setup. The Hugo 2 looks appealing, but might be too expensive to pull the trigger right now. Something @$500 (give or take) would be ideal, used exclusively for streaming Tidal/Qobuz with an all-Mac iOS environment. Could be a DAP like a HiBy 6 Pro (bypassing the computer and phone altogether), could be a Mojo, a THX 789 -- maybe even the Monoprice THX Amp/Dac combo. Appreciate any input.

 

[lawshredpower]

Anyone looking to get rid of their Utopia in Europe for a nice price? Hit me up

 

[thecrow]

Hey Utopians, just bought my first pair. Since I can't audition any high-end gear in person, like tube amps, etc., wondering what might be a good mid-range quarantine setup. The Hugo 2 looks appealing, but might be too expensive to pull the trigger right now. Something @$500 (give or take) would be ideal, used exclusively for streaming Tidal/Qobuz with an all-Mac iOS environment. Could be a DAP like a HiBy 6 Pro (bypassing the computer and phone altogether), could be a Mojo, a THX 789 -- maybe even the Monoprice THX Amp/Dac combo. Appreciate any input.

How about something like a mojo dac with a thx789?

thx789 gives you the power.

i once heard an lcdx out of a mojo and magni and that worked really well. So I’m thinking the 789/mojo combo would be under $1000 or with a second hand mojo will get closer to the $500 (with a thx 789)

note i have never heard the 789 myself