[6PANDEMONIUM6]

I guess I'm looking for a headphone that is extremely open sounding but still has nice pluck and impact with a fairly neutral sound signature.

 

[Roasty]

I guess I'm looking for a headphone that is extremely open sounding but still has nice pluck and impact with a fairly neutral sound signature.

Susvara? has most of the attributes u listed. but i do find it thin compared to the utopia. and when too adventurous with the volume, it can get bright quite fast and easily. it is one of the headphones which really made me "work hard" to make it sound good; source, cables, EQ and amplification.

 

[thecrow]

Between the 007 mk.1s and the Empyreans I preferred the Empyreans by a large margin. The 007s have a very strange tuning. I couldn't wrap my head around what sort of sound signature they were going for. They were well built and pretty comfortable but so are the Empyreans. Also, it is much simpler to drive the Empyreans.

If I'm going to listen to an estat I want something airy and bright. Not dark and hazy like the 007s.

I think that I may just like bright and airy headphones more in general though. Which is why I think the Utopia will be right up my alley.

There is the utopias and he1000se (or v2 as the slightly cheaper option).

currawong has a good review on youtube of the he1000v2 that describes their nature pretty well.
the he1000se are a bit more precise with imaging and have a tighter bottom end. Hekse are VERY easy to drive

imho utopias are more punchy. Maybe hekse are a bit brighter up high. Hekse are more open sounding. Both are quite precise.

i love both

i think on youtube resolve reviews, or headphone show channel, has a review where he compares the two

in the currawong hekv2 review he mentions the characters that are similar to electrostats

 

[LCMusicLover]

There is the utopias and he1000se (or v2 as the slightly cheaper option).

currawong has a good review on youtube of the he1000v2 that describes their nature pretty well.
the he1000se are a bit more precise with imaging and have a tighter bottom end. Hekse are VERY easy to drive
imho utopias are more punchy. Maybe hekse are a bit brighter up high. Hekse are more open sounding. Both are quite precise.

i love both

i think on youtube resolve reviews, or headphone show channel, has a review where he compares the two

in the currawong hekv2 review he mentions the characters that are similar to electrostats

I’ve owned Utopia for about 3 years— owned HEKv2 concurrently for about 2 years, and have owned HEKse for the last 6 months.

Listening to HEKse & Utopia simultaneously via Hugo2go (from sd card) right now — they are close in tonality. HEK is 2 - 3 dB quieter. HEK sounds a bit more linear to me, while Utopia has more high freq energy, and slightly less bass energy.

To my ears, HEKv2 seemed thinner resulting in more ethereal vocals which felt like they had less body. Hannah Reid’s voice (London Grammar) brings this out clearly. But I don’t really hear that from HEKse. In fact I’d say her voice might actually sound fuller from HEKse vs Utopia.

While HEKse seems slightly more relaxed than Utopia, that difference seemed greater for Utopia vs HEKv2.

I would say that, to my ears, the headstage is the biggest differentiator between HEKse & Utopia. HEKse stage is notably more open & airy.

I was surprised to see the comment (not from you) that Utopia & Empyrean are close — not even in the same neighborhood to my ears.

To be clear, none of this should be taken as criticism of either Utopia or HEKse. They ‘surround’ my preferred tonality and I love them both.

 

[thecrow]

I’ve owned Utopia for about 3 years— owned HEKv2 concurrently for about 2 years, and have owned HEKse for the last 6 months.

Listening to HEKse & Utopia simultaneously via Hugo2go (from sd card) right now — they are close in tonality. HEK is 2 - 3 dB quieter. HEK sounds a bit more linear to me, while Utopia has more high freq energy, and slightly less bass energy.

To my ears, HEKv2 seemed thinner resulting in more ethereal vocals which felt like they had less body. Hannah Reid’s voice (London Grammar) brings this out clearly. But I don’t really hear that from HEKse. In fact I’d say her voice might actually sound fuller from HEKse vs Utopia.

While HEKse seems slightly more relaxed than Utopia, that difference seemed greater for Utopia vs HEKv2.

I would say that, to my ears, the headstage is the biggest differentiator between HEKse & Utopia. HEKse stage is notably more open & airy.

I was surprised to see the comment (not from you) that Utopia & Empyrean are close — not even in the same neighborhood to my ears.

To be clear, none of this should be taken as criticism of either Utopia or HEKse. They ‘surround’ my preferred tonality and I love them both.

I pretty much agree with all of that

good post

 

[grooveriders]

I’ve owned Utopia for about 3 years— owned HEKv2 concurrently for about 2 years, and have owned HEKse for the last 6 months.

Listening to HEKse & Utopia simultaneously via Hugo2go (from sd card) right now — they are close in tonality. HEK is 2 - 3 dB quieter. HEK sounds a bit more linear to me, while Utopia has more high freq energy, and slightly less bass energy.

To my ears, HEKv2 seemed thinner resulting in more ethereal vocals which felt like they had less body. Hannah Reid’s voice (London Grammar) brings this out clearly. But I don’t really hear that from HEKse. In fact I’d say her voice might actually sound fuller from HEKse vs Utopia.

While HEKse seems slightly more relaxed than Utopia, that difference seemed greater for Utopia vs HEKv2.

I would say that, to my ears, the headstage is the biggest differentiator between HEKse & Utopia. HEKse stage is notably more open & airy.

I was surprised to see the comment (not from you) that Utopia & Empyrean are close — not even in the same neighborhood to my ears.

To be clear, none of this should be taken as criticism of either Utopia or HEKse. They ‘surround’ my preferred tonality and I love them both.

I was on the look for the utopia and I came across the HEK V2 for half the price of the offer I got for the utopia and I took them up without second thought.
The utopia is more “energetic” and punchy than the HEK v2 from what I remembered the Utopia is brighter than the HEK v2 (test on different amps).

 

[LCMusicLover]

... from what I remembered the Utopia is brighter than the HEK v2 ...

I think they’re close, and either might seem brighter, depending on where the most high freq energy is in the music.

 

[claud W]

Its been a week and one day of continuous 24/7 breakin of my Utopias and the Norne no name cable. Late this afternoon, switched to Stratus CD system. Listened to about 3 cuts off a Faithless CD , then cued up Sade Ultimate hits. WOW!!!!
Best sound and resolution on that system. I have heard/read owners complaining about light bass for the Utopias. All you need is the no name Norne cable. Great neutral , but punchy and articulate bass.

 

[6PANDEMONIUM6]

Its been a week and one day of continuous 24/7 breakin of my Utopias and the Norne no name cable. Late this afternoon, switched to Stratus CD system. Listened to about 3 cuts off a Faithless CD , then cued up Sade Ultimate hits. WOW!!!!
Best sound and resolution on that system. I have heard/read owners complaining about light bass for the Utopias. All you need is the no name Norne cable. Great neutral , but punchy and articulate bass.

What amplifier are you running them on?

 

[up late]

Its been a week and one day of continuous 24/7 breakin of my Utopias and the Norne no name cable. Late this afternoon, switched to Stratus CD system. Listened to about 3 cuts off a Faithless CD , then cued up Sade Ultimate hits. WOW!!!!
Best sound and resolution on that system. I have heard/read owners complaining about light bass for the Utopias. All you need is the no name Norne cable. Great neutral , but punchy and articulate bass.

unbelievable!

 

[6PANDEMONIUM6]

*Deleted

 

[up late]

^ fixed

 

[claud W]

What amplifier are you running them on?

Can you not see the big blue in my avatar? DNA Stratus.

 

[Hoegaardener70]

It will be interesting to hear your thoughts. I auditioned the Empyreans. Very spectacular presentation. Very similar to Utopia. Had I not already owned the Utopias, I may very well have purchased the Empyreans. Not worth the subtle differences to buy both. It is one or the other for me.

Sorry, I really have to follow up on this. By all means - saying that the Empy is similar to the Utopia is ... well, let's say in conflict with all subjective experiences, measurements and planar / dynamic driver technicalities.

No offense, but this might justify a second audition .

 

[NOMOS]

I can't see any sound similarities.
The Utopia has a great tonality.