[iamoneagain]

Cool...thanks for clearing that up. I love the Danacable FWIW.

Ah, so just saying you prefer the Black Dragon over the stock by great margin.

I’d say the same about the Danacable if compared to stock side by side. But in my setup, if I was handed the Utopia with the stock cable, I’d keep listening with a smile on my face. For me, the Utopia with the Dave without the mscaler and all stock cables is still an amazing listening experience. Everything beyond that is so called icing on the cake.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Ah, so just saying you prefer the Black Dragon over the stock by great margin.

I’d say the same about the Danacable if compared to stock side by side. But in my setup, if I was handed the Utopia with the stock cable, I’d keep listening with a smile on my face. For me, the Utopia with the Dave without the mscaler and all stock cables is still an amazing listening experience. Everything beyond that is so called icing on the cake.

I was specifically referring to my preference of the Black Dragon to the Silver Dragon and stock for the Utopia FWIW.

 

[thecrow]

I was specifically referring to my preference of the Black Dragon to the Silver Dragon and stock for the Utopia FWIW.

May i ask for general impressions/memories of danacable v black dragon v nordost v old stock cable?
tia

 

[wishbon3]

I just got my Utopia in, and it sounds great. But I really want to try the Empyrean too, as I would love to compare.

I have biggish ears, so I think I'd prefer the Empyrean comfort wise.

Has anyone tried both, and if so, what do you prefer?

 

[dontfeedphils]

I just got my Utopia in, and it sounds great. But I really want to try the Empyrean too, as I would love to compare.

I have biggish ears, so I think I'd prefer the Empyrean comfort wise.

Has anyone tried both, and if so, what do you prefer?

Utopia, hands-down. Empyrean didn't do anything wrong, per-se, they just didn't really do anything to draw me in or excite me. Found myself bored while listening to them. I was also unimpressed with it's technical abilities given the price tag.

That said, I think they're gorgeous, well-designed, and comfortable.

 

[Hoegaardener70]

I just got my Utopia in, and it sounds great. But I really want to try the Empyrean too, as I would love to compare.

I have biggish ears, so I think I'd prefer the Empyrean comfort wise.

Has anyone tried both, and if so, what do you prefer?

I owned both and sold the Utopia, and I still own the Empy. The Utopia sounded great on my big amp, but in the end I listened more often with my DAP, where the Empy really shines, it is so easy to drive. It also helps that the Empy is so comfy. Plus, it makes baldy mastered music sound good.

 

[thecrow]

I just got my Utopia in, and it sounds great. But I really want to try the Empyrean too, as I would love to compare.

I have biggish ears, so I think I'd prefer the Empyrean comfort wise.

Has anyone tried both, and if so, what do you prefer?

i bought my utopia in october last year and my empyreans a couple of months before. I enjoy them both.

the longer i own them the more i use my utopias.
the empys are now “simply“ another really good/ great headphone. But the utopias are special.

but my preferences do change from time to time so you may go back to using more of my empys soon

i also have found that when going from using my utopias for a while to my empys i need, say, 15 mins to adjust to what they offer or i need to find the right tracks. I don’t find that with the utopias at all

of course this is all subjective

ps i can’t see myself selling the utopias but not so sure about the empys - though i do enjoy them

also, final note, they complement each other quite well

 

[Hoegaardener70]

I owned both and sold the Utopia, and I still own the Empy. The Utopia sounded great on my big amp, but in the end I listened more often with my DAP, where the Empy really shines, it is so easy to drive. It also helps that the Empy is so comfy. Plus, it makes baldy mastered music sound good.

PS: I heard from several sources that the Empy can be eq-ed to sound decisively more exciting. I will report soon

 

[wishbon3]

i bought my utopia in october last year and my empyreans a couple of months before. I enjoy them both.

the longer i own them the more i use my utopias.
the empys are now “simply“ another really good/ great headphone. But the utopias are special.

but my preferences do change from time to time so you may go back to using more of my empys soon

i also have found that when going from using my utopias for a while to my empys i need, say, 15 mins to adjust to what they offer or i need to find the right tracks. I don’t find that with the utopias at all

of course this is all subjective

ps i can’t see myself selling the utopias but not so sure about the empys - though i do enjoy them

also, final note, they complement each other quite well

Awesome to hear! These do sound very clear and dynamic, similar to my HD800, just "better."

If you end up wanting to sell your empyreans though, I'm here! Heh.

 

[wishbon3]

PS: I heard from several sources that the Empy can be eq-ed to sound decisively more exciting. I will report soon

This would be interesting to know, as I want them to sound as good as they look!

 

[pataburd]

I had the Empyrean a short while before selling them. The deal-breakers for me were: (i) inadequate HF extension; (ii) inadequate detail resolution. Consequently, the Meze couldn't hold my [critical] attention for very long. [This speaks more to my listening preferences than to the objective merit of the Empyrean: they do what they do very well.]
Today, if it came down to one set of headphones and one amplifier for me they would be the Focal Utopia and ecp DSHA-3F, respectively.

 

[Roasty]

https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/Au...le/crinacle_harman_over-ear_2018/Focal Utopia

Has anyone tried this EQ? I tried it with Roon. Not sure if I like it or not.. Highs seem clearer and sharper, mids sound a bit lean, bass is tighter. Feels like some meat has been removed from the music.

 

[Allanmarcus]

if anyone tries the new ZMF Co-pilot with the Utopia, please post impressions.

https://www.zmfheadphones.com/pads-and-cables/copilot

 

[up late]

Utopia, hands-down. Empyrean didn't do anything wrong, per-se, they just didn't really do anything to draw me in or excite me. Found myself bored while listening to them. I was also unimpressed with it's technical abilities given the price tag.

That said, I think they're gorgeous, well-designed, and comfortable.

x2. i found the empyrean inoffensive but ultimately dull.

@wishbon3 - i also found that the stock leather ear pads cramped my generously proportioned ears, but i've not experienced that problem with the utopia's ear pads

 

[LCMusicLover]

I just got my Utopia in, and it sounds great. But I really want to try the Empyrean too, as I would love to compare.

I have biggish ears, so I think I'd prefer the Empyrean comfort wise.

Has anyone tried both, and if so, what do you prefer?

I owned both simultaneously. I ended up selling the Empy. I liked them, but found them to be 'too far from neutral' for my tastes. I especially didn't care for the way the mid-bass/lower mids sounded -- a bit elevated, or even bloated on some tracks. In addition, I found the headstage to be wonderfully enveloping, but also imprecise. So vocals and instruments were not well-defined spatially. Utopia headstage can seem a bit constricted, but it is very precise (That instrument, RIGHT THERE!)