[XeNoNF50]

I am waiting for this bad boy to arrive so I can Roon-ify the Arche
Apparently there is also an easy way to program a remote to perform simple next/previous/volume up&down actions too

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roon-Endpoint-Bridge-Volumio-RoPieee-Streamer-Pi4-B/254585420442?_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20160908105057&meid=8e56f741bd2249d1b210677bbfb45857&pid=100675&rk=2&rkt=15&mehot=pp&sd=164612234680&itm=254585420442&pmt=1&noa=1&pg=2380057&brand=Unbranded&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci:248c675d-4afb-11eb-ad1a-5673c5db4ad4|parentrq:b618313f1760a9cb719e7061fffff66c|iid:1

Now I just need to find someone willing to sell me a Danacable Lazuli Reference cable (not keen on buying new given the cost involved) and my desktop setup will be complete.

That's pretty cool! Seems good value, that. I'm very much into computing and recently upgraded my set up to Ryzen 5950x, RTX 3080 & 32gb 3600mhz RAM so had a bunch of spare PC parts to create a HTPC for Roon (and Plex) which I duly obliged!

 

[thecrow]

Just realized now I have owned the entire focal headphone line-up except the one from drop

including the focal spirit classic and pro?

 

[iamoneagain]

So I always found a lot of headphones have a hard time getting electric guitars to sound right. Most are too polite. I started my headphone journey with HD650 and loved their lush sound but weren’t great with rock music even with a cable upgrade. I ended up loving the original line of Grados, the ones without giant bagel pads. They did a great job of capturing the energy of rock but didn’t do that great of job with soundstage. Maybe my rare PS-1 did everything I wanted it to do but had to sell because needed closed headphones at that point.

The Utopia’s with the Danacable give me everything I’m looking for in a headphone. Crunchy guitars, lots of impact and a small precise soundstage where I’m right up front but there is still enough depth.

 

[thecrow]

The Utopia’s with the Danacable give me everything I’m looking for in a headphone. Crunchy guitars, lots of impact and a small precise soundstage where I’m right up front but there is still enough depth.

it’s the jangle of the guitars - as per this review

 

[MacedonianHero]

Has anyone tried the raal sr1a / jotunheim R (or just the sr1a)? I'm interested in it but wasn't sure if there was any kind of overlap with the Utopia that would dissuade someone from owning both.

The head speaker design would seem to create a sound all its own..

I actually own both (and have recently added an HSA-1b for a review) and both are in my top 5 of all time. I love owning both FWIW.

 

[trigeminalv3]

I actually own both (and have recently added an HSA-1b for a review) and both are in my top 5 of all time. I love owning both FWIW.

I got the sr1a/ jot r combo yesterday and wow, it really is a musical experience (especially when I got the angles of the wings to my liking). But yeah I don't see much overlap at all..they both make me want to sit down and listen to music in different ways

I think what it is is that a lot of reviewers use the Utopia as a comparison/measuring stick..I took the sr1a-utopia comparisons to suggest they are similar/competing with each other for a certain type of sound.

 

[dontfeedphils]

So I always found a lot of headphones have a hard time getting electric guitars to sound right. Most are too polite. I started my headphone journey with HD650 and loved their lush sound but weren’t great with rock music even with a cable upgrade. I ended up loving the original line of Grados, the ones without giant bagel pads. They did a great job of capturing the energy of rock but didn’t do that great of job with soundstage. Maybe my rare PS-1 did everything I wanted it to do but had to sell because needed closed headphones at that point.

The Utopia’s with the Danacable give me everything I’m looking for in a headphone. Crunchy guitars, lots of impact and a small precise soundstage where I’m right up front but there is still enough depth.

Agree with this. I listen to Tool a lot and I love Adam's guitar through Utopia.

 

[iamoneagain]

it’s the jangle of the guitars - as per this review

I watched this whole thing. He’s spot on about the qualities of the Utopia. I would say the Danacable gives you even more of these qualities especially the jangle.

Another great album is The Replacements Dead Man’s Pop. It’s a new version their Don’t Tell a Soul album but so much better and in hires on Qobuz. Sounding great out of the Arche. Plenty of jangle.

 

[up late]

If I recall right, the Stellia came like in a brown box within a brown box. The outer Stellia brown box was cellophane wrapped. It was only flimsy cellophane, so actually looked out of place. However it did assure me that the headphones were brand-new. That whole package came inside another box which was a Focal cardboard box.

Yes I would buy from a physical store who was an authorised dealer.

I looked for Youtube videos of unboxing. However none of them showed an official Focal factory seal, that they opened on the video. I was wondering exactly what type the factory seal was if there actually was one.

if it reeks of tobacco smoke then it's not factory sealed

 

[MSA1133]

Awesome, I just unpacked these from storage as they haven't been used for the past year and the left earcup driver is NOT WORKING

Wow, and this pair was supposed to be from the new 2018 batch too.

 

[ASIN]

With so many of us purchasing the Arche for our Utopias, competition for the Danacable Lazuli could be interesting. I hope I can get to test them in the New Year. On that note, may the new year bring us all enough time to enjoy the music we love and a special offer on Danacables

 

[bpcans]

Now I just need to find someone willing to sell me a Danacable Lazuli Reference cable (not keen on buying new given the cost involved) and my desktop setup will be complete.

NYanakiev, do yourself a solid and contact Vinh Vu at Danacable directly thru email. He knows more about the availability of Dana Robbins handmade cables than anyone else in the world. I too initially wanted a Lazuli Reference cable for my Utopias, but after communicating with Vinh he told me about a new Lazuli Ultra cable that he could offer me at a substantial discount. It won’t hurt to at least ask him.

 

[NYanakiev]

NYanakiev, do yourself a solid and contact Vinh Vu at Danacable directly thru email. He knows more about the availability of Dana Robbins handmade cables than anyone else in the world. I too initially wanted a Lazuli Reference cable for my Utopias, but after communicating with Vinh he told me about a new Lazuli Ultra cable that he could offer me at a substantial discount. It won’t hurt to at least ask him.

Thanks for the suggestion. I am already in touch with him. I suppose I need to ask the right questions lol

 

[bpcans]

Thanks for the suggestion. I am already in touch with him. I suppose I need to ask the right questions lol

NYanakiev, are you using a balanced or unbalanced amplifier to drive your headphones?

 

[Deolum]

Can anyone tell me how fast the Utopia is? Would be nice if compared to something like Stax 007/009, HEKv2 and AKG K702 if possible.