[rthomas]

The Hugo 2 still has alot of digital artifects in the sound.

The Chord Dave simply is able to reproduce the analog signal like how it should be.

Headphones like the Utopia are so good, it will easily pick up the digital harshness from the Hugo 2 making it sound “brighter” and “thinner”. With the Focal Clear, it is less of an issue as it will not pick up the limitations of the Hugo 2.

That is why I have been saying for years, if you buy a Focal Utopia, you need a Chord Dave. Else you might as well settle for the Focal Clear imo.

So Chord couldn't figure out how to design a DAC for $2000 without "digital artifacts"?

I guess you need to pay $5000 more to clean up these digital gremlins....

You have any evidence of these artifacts other than what you hear? Any other digital artifact free DACs you've heard?

 

[iamoneagain]

The Hugo 2 still has alot of digital artifects in the sound.

The Chord Dave simply is able to reproduce the analog signal like how it should be.

Headphones like the Utopia are so good, it will easily pick up the digital harshness from the Hugo 2 making it sound “brighter” and “thinner”. With the Focal Clear, it is less of an issue as it will not pick up the limitations of the Hugo 2.

That is why I have been saying for years, if you buy a Focal Utopia, you need a Chord Dave. Else you might as well settle for the Focal Clear imo.

I also added the mscaler and a Danacable, so I’m set. Even so, there are a few songs that remember liking more with my old setup of the L3000 but because of their crazy bass impact. But I do think the Utopia are perfectly balanced from mscaler/Dave and needs no EQ.

 

[Hoegaardener70]

That is why I have been saying for years, if you buy a Focal Utopia, you need a Chord Dave. Else you might as well settle for the Focal Clear imo.

This is very funny, I said exactly the same for years to people using the Utopia with a Chord Mojo. Yes, here a Clear is the better choice.
However, I am still able to enjoy my Utopia with a lesser DAC. But it might be just because all the fun I am having with the 10k I saved .

 

[dontfeedphils]

This is very funny, I said exactly the same for years to people using the Utopia with a Chord Mojo. Yes, here a Clear is the better choice.
However, I am still able to enjoy my Utopia with a lesser DAC. But it might be just because all the fun I am having with the 10k I saved .

I have no doubt that the DAVE/Utopia combo sounds much better than Hugo2/Utopia, but it's not as if the differences between the Utopia and Clear cease to exist just because the upstream gear driving them isn't top dollar reference (this comment is aimed more @ubs28).

He does seem prone to making bombastic comments though, so a grain of salt and all that.

 

[iamoneagain]

To me it’s that the Utopia’s are ultra transparent, so they just show the strengths and weaknesses of the source. I had the original Hugo paired with the Utopia’s for about a week and actually thought it was more musical than the Hugo 2. It was warmer and less analytical. Only issue was it was much more closed in sounding. The Dave just makes the headphones melt away. Big soundstage and warmer analog sound.

I just don’t think I was that big of fan of Hugo 2 because even with the L3000, I used original Hugo for months and then was disappointed when I first tried the Hugo 2. Basically had to convince myself I liked it better.

 

[triggsviola]

What would you say is giving it the full sound? I understand the 2 dacs are in different leagues but thought maybe some of it was due to the Dave having more power. I never heard the TT2, so don’t know how power actually affects the sound.

Output impedance. If the output impedance is really low, the Utopia can sound thin (edit: depending on the music). Find an amp with an output impedance above 8ohms and it starts to make the Utopia sound fuller and and more satisfying. The Headphone Show did a video about this in their review. They have an amplifier (I think a Cayin something) that can adjust the output impedance and they even measured the difference. For the Utopia, if you increase the output impedance, it increases the bass.

 

[iDesign]

The Hugo 2 still has alot of digital artifects in the sound.

Very interesting. Can you please explain this in more technical detail?

 

[iamoneagain]

Output impedance. If the output impedance is really low, the Utopia can sound thin (edit: depending on the music). Find an amp with an output impedance above 8ohms and it starts to make the Utopia sound fuller and and more satisfying. The Headphone Show did a video about this in their review. They have an amplifier (I think a Cayin something) that can adjust the output impedance and they even measured the difference. For the Utopia, if you increase the output impedance, it increases the bass.

Do we know Hugo 2’s vs Dave’s output impedance? I see 0.025 vs 0.055 ohm on page but you’re saying close 8 ohms is best, so not sure this is same spec.

 

[triggsviola]

Do we know Dave’s vs Hugo 2’s output impedance? I see 0.025 vs 0.055 ohm on page but you’re saying 8 ohms, not sure this is same spec.

No those are correct. To my ears, I would imagine both of those would sound thin. But it depends on the music. Typically, an amp will have a very low output impedance to avoid coloring the sound of headphones. Different headphones responding different to higher output impedance. For instance, a low impedance planar like the Æon sounds terrible with high output impedance amps. But the Utopia, being a dynamic with a moderate impedance of 80 ohms, pairs nicely with higher impedance amps. Generally, you follow the 10x rule to avoid coloration. The max output impedance to avoid coloration on the Utopia would be 8ohms. Go above that and the amp starts increasing the bass, which is how the Utopia expresses a mismatched output impedance.

this is my potentially flawed, overly simple understanding.

 

[iamoneagain]

No those are correct. To my ears, I would imagine both of those would sound thin. But it depends on the music. Typically, an amp will have a very low output impedance to avoid coloring the sound of headphones. Different headphones responding different to higher output impedance. For instance, a low impedance planar like the Æon sounds terrible with high output impedance amps. But the Utopia, being a dynamic with a moderate impedance of 80 ohms, pairs nicely with higher impedance amps. Generally, you follow the 10x rule to avoid coloration. The max output impedance to avoid coloration on the Utopia would be 8ohms. Go above that and the amp starts increasing the bass, which is how the Utopia expresses a mismatched output impedance.

this is my potentially flawed, overly simple understanding.

Out of the Dave, the Utopia’s are not thin at all. I’ve heard people say they can sound fuller with an additional amp but doesn’t seem needed for my tastes.

I’m also not sure digital artifacts are the issue either. It’s not like adding the mscaler to the mix actually makes them fuller sounding. That just affects the realism of the sound. I’d say the Dave on its own is actually fuller sounding because has more bass bloom.

It’s possible I’m confusing warmth for fullness. Maybe Hugo 2 and Utopia’s were just too much on the cool side for my tastes. But as said even with L3000, it took some of the magic away.

 

[iamoneagain]

Hopefully I’m not getting off topic. Really just trying to find how different amp output affects the Utopia’s. Just bringing up Dave and Hugo 2 since that all I have experience with.

Well actually can add in the original Hugo that I listened to for a week. Even though that was warmer than the Hugo 2, it wasn’t full sounding. By full sounding it’s not only the weight of the music but the impact. The L3000 always sounded full no matter what the source was.

 

[up late]

Very interesting. Can you please explain this in more technical detail?

i very much doubt it

 

[KennyDow]

Today the Utopia came back from the local dealer with the left driver repaired.
It took around 2 weeks (15 days) which is really fast considering Australia is usually lack of everything and the Covid-19 making it worse.

From the first examination, the left side (failed side) BE diaphragm looks a little darker than what I remember. Not sure if they replace both driver or just the faulty one because the serial number is inside the headphone and I don't want to open it.

Sound signature is same as usual, which means it is as brilliant as before. Trying to go through the burn-in period again.
I'll give a huge thumbs up for the local dealer here in Sydney (Addictedtoaudio) for great service.
Let's hope this time the driver can last as long as my HD800

 

[up late]

both drivers are replaced with new matched drivers

 

[Progisus]

Goop removal.... cotton balls to apply film of Goop Off (very carefully), wait 30 sec, buff clean with micro fibre cloth, wait till dry, reassemble, enjoy. I think more goop will come out of the pad until it needs to be replaced.

I must say I am disappointed in this and the fact the rep on the thread claims no knowledge of the issue. If there was no lockdown I would have tried for warranty but at least it now not leaking out of the junction.