[PointyFox]

Dropped as low as $2566 and was about $2900 for a bit for a new one. I can't imagine the Utopia costing much more than the Elegia ($399 on sale, so probably far less than that) to make. Beryllium isn't expensive and I doubt the process (probably outsourcing for chemical vapor deposition) costs a lot compared to the cost of the headphones. Especially considering that there are beryllium driver IEMs from China that cost $17. Headphones can be hyped up more than most other products, like "hand selected electrons placed by white-gloved artisanal gnomes in every cable", but at the end of the day they're just headphones, not something complex or intrinsically expensive to make unless you go out of your way to do so; and I'm not seeing anything in the Focal line that make them obviously expensive to make.

 

[dontfeedphils]

Dropped as low as $2566 and was about $2900 for a bit for a new one. I can't imagine the Utopia costing much more than the Elegia ($399 on sale, so probably far less than that) to make. Beryllium isn't expensive and I doubt the process (probably outsourcing for chemical vapor deposition) costs a lot compared to the cost of the headphones. Especially considering that there are beryllium driver IEMs from China that cost $17. Headphones can be hyped up more than most other products, like "hand selected electrons placed by white-gloved artisanal gnomes in every cable", but at the end of the day they're just headphones, not something complex or intrinsically expensive to make unless you go out of your way to do so, and I'm not seeing anything in the Focal line that make them obviously expensive to make.

The driver is pure beryllium, not coated, so I imagine the process is not only tricky but pricey as well.

 

[PointyFox]

The driver is pure beryllium, not coated, so I imagine the process is not only tricky but pricey as well.

Thanks, didn't know that. I found 50mm pure beryllium drivers for about $110 from China. So assuming Focal uses better ones, that might put the cost around a few hundred dollars for the drivers with fancy French quality control and all, assuming they make the drivers and don't buy them from China themselves.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Especially considering that there are beryllium driver IEMs from China that cost $17.

I believe it's not as simple as that.

There are $5 copper cable and there are $1000 copper cable. Yes, the copper itself is copper, but what about purity? treatment? research?

Never value a product only by calculate the raw material to built them. There are plenty other things need to be calculated into equation.

 

[dontfeedphils]

Thanks, didn't know that. I found 50mm pure beryllium drivers for about $110 from China. So assuming Focal uses better ones, that might put the cost around a few hundred dollars for the drivers with fancy French quality control and all, assuming they make the drivers and don't buy them from China themselves.

Pretty sure they make everything in house.

You seem to be keen on making spurious claims without any evidence.

 

[PointyFox]

Pretty sure they make everything in house.

You seem to be keen on making spurious claims without any evidence.

What claim did I make without evidence? If you can't point to any, it's you making the spurious claims without evidence.

 

[dontfeedphils]

What claim did I make without evidence? If you can't point to any, it's you making the spurious claims without evidence.

All of your claims regarding the manufacture of the drivers thus far, some of which I've already corrected.

 

[PointyFox]

All of your claims regarding the manufacture of the drivers thus far, some of which I've already corrected.

Show me one. I made no such claims.

 

[GrandNagus50]

According to Michel of Focal Naim America, all Focal Utopia headphones, including refurbished ones, carry a five-year warranty. Live and learn.
On the other hand, the refurbs are sold out at Accessories4Less. C'est la vie.

 

[GrandNagus50]

Dropped as low as $2566 and was about $2900 for a bit for a new one. I can't imagine the Utopia costing much more than the Elegia ($399 on sale, so probably far less than that) to make. Beryllium isn't expensive and I doubt the process (probably outsourcing for chemical vapor deposition) costs a lot compared to the cost of the headphones. Especially considering that there are beryllium driver IEMs from China that cost $17. Headphones can be hyped up more than most other products, like "hand selected electrons placed by white-gloved artisanal gnomes in every cable", but at the end of the day they're just headphones, not something complex or intrinsically expensive to make unless you go out of your way to do so; and I'm not seeing anything in the Focal line that make them obviously expensive to make.

I don't want to get into a big argument here, and I would never be so naive as to think there is not a big markup on Focal Utopia headphones from the immediate manufacturing cost. However, I saw a video about their product line that alluded to the manufacturing process; apparently, making the beryllium drivers is indeed a fairly sophisticated process that includes a heavily-protected worker toiling in a hot room. The cheap "beryllium" IEMs from China (e.g., the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014) are actually beryllium-coated drivers. The IEMs with pure beryllium drivers are quite expensive, such as the Dunu Luna. Also, the truth is that for products that require a lot of R&D in preparation for manufacture some of those costs will be added to every unit sold, so that will account for some of the higher cost of the Utopia and Stellia models.

What are the headphones made in China that have 50mm pure beryllium drivers?

 

[GrandNagus50]

According to Michel of Focal Naim America, all Focal Utopia headphones, including refurbished ones, carry a five-year warranty. Live and learn.
On the other hand, the refurbs are sold out at Accessories4Less. C'est la vie.

For future reference, people:
Hot off the "presses":
ACCESSORIES 4 LESS INC is a long standing dealer of ours and his stock comes exclusively from us and is fully guaranteed.
As we are the only one with original parts, we are also the only one capable of servicing those, so they would have to go through us.

My best
Michel

 

[tomwoo]

I don't want to get into a big argument here, and I would never be so naive as to think there is not a big markup on Focal Utopia headphones from the immediate manufacturing cost. However, I saw a video about their product line that alluded to the manufacturing process; apparently, making the beryllium drivers is indeed a fairly sophisticated process that includes a heavily-protected worker toiling in a hot room. The cheap "beryllium" IEMs from China (e.g., the Urbanfun YBF-ISS014) are actually beryllium-coated drivers. The IEMs with pure beryllium drivers are quite expensive, such as the Dunu Luna. Also, the truth is that for products that require a lot of R&D in preparation for manufacture some of those costs will be added to every unit sold, so that will account for some of the higher cost of the Utopia and Stellia models.

What are the headphones made in China that have 50mm pure beryllium drivers?

You obviously didn't consider the cost of R&D, marketing, etc...I heard the same argument for iPhone many many times, people always say the cost of the components add up to maybe $400 while Apple is selling it for $1000. Another thing is Utopias retail @4k and people are still buying them, so why not having this big margin in profit?

 

[PointyFox]

You're comparing R&D cost of a headphone to the iPhone?

 

[GrandNagus50]

I want that $110 headphone with pure beryllium drivers
.

 

[tomwoo]

You're comparing R&D cost of a headphone to the iPhone?

I'm not comparing the R&D cost between a headphone and iPhone. The point is there would be more costs to consider other than just manufacturing cost. Ultimately it is the market that determines the worth of a product.