[ubs28]

How does the Elear compare to the HD600? I adore the midrange and the mid-high balance of the Senns, but bass definition and quantity could be improved. The original plan was to pick up a pair of used HD800s. The Elear pricing isn't so far away, if it's a better choice.

If that is what you like, then don't get the Elear. It is not as good in the mids and treble like the Sennheisers according to my ears.

However with EQ you can fix the Elear I suppose.

 

[ubs28]

I finally have the Focal Utopia in. The soundstage on the Chord Dave is really good. But this is probably the Chord Dave doing it's magic.
 
First impression, it's a bassier HD 800 S and I like it alot. It's probably the best headphone I have ever heard and I have heard many.

 

[Yoga]

  I finally have the Focal Utopia in. The soundstage on the Chord Dave is really good. But this is probably the Chord Dave doing it's magic.
 
First impression, it's a bassier HD 800 S and I like it alot. It's probably the best headphone I have ever heard and I have heard many.

Have you run your HD800 though Sonarworks Reference 3 yet? Add to that a powerful amp and goodness me, what a transformation. SW3 is crucial (and surprisingly cheap considering its power).

Audio Hijack is the best app to do so. 
 

(Above: quick toggle for specific apps, or system-wide.)
 

 
Give a pop, you may be surprised! Would be very interested in how the SW3 HD800 compares to the Utopia (tempted by them). All other references have been stock HD800, which I—quite literally—cannot stand. Tinny, hollow and lifeless. Add SW3 and that completely changes. Marvellous!

 

[ubs28]

 
Have you run your HD800 though Sonarworks Reference 3 yet? Add to that a powerful amp and goodness me, what a transformation. SW3 is crucial (and surprisingly cheap considering its power).

Audio Hijack is the best app to do so. 
 

(Above: quick toggle for specific apps, or system-wide.)
 

 
Give a pop, you may be surprised! Would be very interested in how the SW3 HD800 compares to the Utopia (tempted by them). All other references have been stock HD800, which I—quite literally—cannot stand. Tinny, hollow and lifeless. Add SW3 and that completely changes. Marvellous!

 
With EQ, you'l never get it to sound like the Focal Utopia I think because it is not as dynamic. 
 
But this is only first impressions ofcourse. I'm currently burning in the Utopia's.

 

[nvfan]

Alot of the dynamism and punchiness of the Elear and Utopia come from the small earpad opening and the excellent seal it makes with the head. Its a bit akin to cupping your hands over your mouth to get more volume.

After testing larger earpads with bigger openings (including the HD800 earpads on the Utopias), alot of that punchiness goes away and it starts sounding more like a typical open back dynamic. On the flip side the soundstage really opens up too.

 

[Jawed]

So the Utopia earpads on HD 800 make HD 800 sound like Utopia?

 

[nvfan]

I dont think thats actually possible since the actual earcup cavity is bigger, but if you did manage to mod it correctly youd basically be DIYing your own horn :-D

 

[Yoga]

I don't expect the SW3 driven HD800 to equal the Utopia, it was more to hear of the comparisons between them. All others I've read have been stock HD800.

 

[ubs28]

This might be a silly question, but how easy is to blow the driver? (so basically at what volume levels can you destroy the driver) And if you blow a Beryllium driver by accident, will there be dangerous dust? 

 

[bigfatpaulie]

I would guess at some point after distortion is heard like most drivers...

 

[TSAVJason]

This might be a silly question, but how easy is to blow the driver? (so basically at what volume levels can you destroy the driver) And if you blow a Beryllium driver by accident, will there be dangerous dust? 

If you blow the driver you will actually be damaging the voice coil not the cone. And NO! No Be dust is caused by blowing the driver.

 

[ubs28]

If you blow the driver you will actually be damaging the voice coil not the cone. And NO! No Be dust is caused by blowing the driver.

Ok thanks. That is good to hear. 

 

[ubs28]

If any of the Focal engineers read this forum, a big thanks to you for creating this headphone. I absolutely love them. 

 

 

[Mist3rLao]

ubs28 One of the drivers on mine are actually dead after around 2 weeks of use. I don't know how it happened. I have been using it an hour a day every morning, and then one night, the right driver just went hush! I would have thought the HEK which was almost a year old would give out first, based on the construction of the two, I guess not..

 

[aRRR]

Yup, they are amazing. Every other headphone I own sounds veiled compared to it. The utopia is just so crystal clear while at the same time being so very smooth. The only thing that plays in the same neighbourhood in clarity is the SR009 but from my memory it had a harshness to it that was quite fatiguing.
 

 One of the drivers on mine are actually dead after around 2 weeks of use. I don't know how it happened. I have been using it an hour a day every morning, and then one night, the right driver just went hush! I would have thought the HEK which was almost a year old would give out first, based on the construction of the two, I guess not..

That is unfortunate to hear, but are you certain it is the driver and not any of the cabling/connectors towards the driver? Those LEMO connector pins are tiny!