[Jtom94]

Does anyone know how much replacement drivers cost for the Utopia? I'm on the fence and I want to know what I'm getting into before I make the leap. The warranty is 2 years but at 4k it's something I plan on keeping for much longer than 2 years.

 

[TSAVJason]

Does anyone know how much replacement drivers cost for the Utopia? I'm on the fence and I want to know what I'm getting into before I make the leap. The warranty is 2 years but at 4k it's something I plan on keeping for much longer than 2 years.

$960.00 USD

 

[iAudio365]

Does anyone know how much replacement drivers cost for the Utopia? I'm on the fence and I want to know what I'm getting into before I make the leap. The warranty is 2 years but at 4k it's something I plan on keeping for much longer than 2 years.

There’s a guy on the Australian forum stereo net that just had his focals take a dump I think its the driver, and all he’s said so far is he’s scared. This happened after a year of owning them he said and he only had a 1 year warranty on his not sure if thats changed since release or based on country etc but he’s the original owner.

I’ve heard though if its done directly through focal its $1200, I’m assuming if your buying new then your covered anyway within focals warranty period so probably you pay nothing I’d guess.

I was dead set on getting some utopias as well even had my sennheiser hd800S up for sale here but decided just to keep them and skip the focals after doing a heap of research and seeing comparisons etc, I personally don’t jump on the hype trains and for me the utopias just don’t justify the difference in price for me which after i sold the sennys if i went through with it would still cost me nearly 3k more haha. Sure they might be more resolving than the HD800S amongst other things but not 3k better from what I’ve heard.

The Focal Clears though based on Judes imoression on his youtube video seem better for my tastes I can keep my sennheisers as well and even buy some audeze lcd 2c when they drop as well wiith change in my pocket.

 

[iAudio365]

Does anyone know how much replacement drivers cost for the Utopia? I'm on the fence and I want to know what I'm getting into before I make the leap. The warranty is 2 years but at 4k it's something I plan on keeping for much longer than 2 years.

Here’s one post I found regarding the utopias vs sennheiser hd800S that made me realise I was better of sticking to what I have for the time being.

“In general terms, as an owner of both, I would recommend the Sennheiser is a better fit for most people. Yes, the Focals are slightly better and more revealing BUT this will only be apparent in an optimised system. Here are my reasons –



1. The Focals are NOT twice as good as the price difference might suggest.

2. The Sennies weigh less and are more comfortable.

3. The Sennies have a 2 year guarantee while the Focals have only one. This is more important than you might first think as I’ve never had to have Sennies repaired but currently have my Focals in for repair at a (most likely high) cost, yet to be determined.

4. The Sennies do have a superior soundstage and are delight to listen to (mostly classical in my case) music.



My advice would be that the extra dollars required for the Focals over the Sennies would yield better results if spent elsewhere, in particular on the DAC.



Getting to where I am now has been a long, long and often wasteful road. I cut my teeth on the first audio delight with headphones listening to AM radio on a constructed crystal set back in the 1950’s. Yes, this audio idiot is pretty old at 82 next month!!! And I’ve trodden the vinyl path with fancy Linn Sondel tables, Koetsu cartridges etc etc and initially hated CDs. And that dislike was well founded as the conversion from digital to analog was pretty bad in those days with jitter fouling up the audio.



But technology has moved on so I sold my vinyl collection, then a few years later sold the CD collection and moved on to the expensive Meridian Sooloos server system. Even that is now abandoned in favour of Roon so the headphone setup now is:



Music files (around 16,000) on a 6TB HDD in this drive, processed by Roon, hardwired by a LAN connection to an Aurilac Aries streaming bridge –> AES balanced digital out via Canare DA206 115 ohm cabling -> Schiit Yggdrasil DAC -> bal;anced analog audio -> Auralic Tausus MkII amp -> balanced headphone.



A footnote to the above is that it is only recently I woke up to the importance of the quality of the digital cable. If that cable is not chosen with care it can be responsible for nasty jitter which can make a mockery of the best DAC etc.



So I’ve actually come full circle, starting off his cheap headphones on a crystal set, ending up with a nice music system still listening on headphones!!! And I’m not expecting sympathy about having to use the Sennies while the Focals are being repaired because none would be appropriate. The AQ is currently VERY nice thank you!”

 

[up late]

i've auditioned the hd800/s several times and compared them directly to the utopia on a couple of occasions. i've not bought an hd800 or hd800s but i am seriously considering buying a utopia. and i'm not one to jump on board head-fi hype trains either.

 

[iAudio365]

i've auditioned the hd800/s several times and compared them directly to the utopia on a couple of occasions. i've not bought an hd800 or hd800s but i am seriously considering buying a utopia. and i'm not one to jump on board head-fi hype trains either.

Yeh it’s all subjective everyone has different taste when it comes to sound thats why I love this hobby always hearing different impressions etc. just for me, I can’t see the utopia being $3000.00 better, in materials yes but not sound their maybe some variables bit just not enough for me, I wish there was.

If I didn’t own what I currently do I would consider the utopia but still in that price range you could buy a few pairs of really nice headphones including the hd800S and still have cash to spair.

 

[up late]

you can't objectively quantify whether the utopia is $3k better than the hd800s. however, you can put a price or a price limit on what you're prepared to pay for a perceived headphone upgrade.

bear in mind that we are talking about high-end head-fi here. diminishing returns are a given when you enter this market.

have you had an opportunity to hear the utopia and compare it to the hd800s?

 

[iAudio365]

you can't objectively quantify whether the utopia is $3k better than the hd800s. however, you can put a price or a price limit on what you're prepared to pay for a perceived headphone upgrade.

bear in mind that we are talking about high-end head-fi here. diminishing returns are a given when you enter this market.

have you had an opportunity to hear the utopia and compare it to the hd800s?

I will be having a listen to them soon, but your 100% correct, that’s the word i was looking for is dimishing returns, there’s no doubt their going to sound great I guess that my point is hd800S 1600 or so US$? (1900 over here) vs utopia 5.5k over here, I just cant see their being 3k+ jump in sound quality that’s all, I feel a bit of the cost is in the manufacturing being french made is it? As apposed to chinese made so costs would be higher, then there’s the leather, carbon fibre and the beryllium I think is a very expensive lab made metal so there’s a sh+t load of added material costs as well, allthough i understand the drivers are made from and get the bulk of their tonality from the beryllium drivers which is the main point behind these headphones.

I have the cash to buy them, after I listen to them if I go dammmmmn these are it, this is the headphone that’s gonna cure world hunger and bring about the rapture for me, then I will buy them no questions, but I just don’t see it. As I say I have no doubt I’m gonna go wow, but I’m almost positive I’m not gonna go wow here’s 5.5k because I dont see the returns. We’ll see

 

[up late]

good luck trying to come to an informed decision as to whether to purchase the utopia or not based on a comparative cost analysis of the r&d, materials and manufacturing etc, that went into it and the hd800s - that you obviously have no knowledge of (and nor do i).

why don't you just give the utopia an audition if you're genuinely interested in it, compare it to an hd800s if you can, and then you'll be in a much better position than you are currently to comment on whether it is worth the $3k jump to you or not.

 

[Allanmarcus]

I have the cash to buy them, after I listen to them if I go dammmmmn these are it, this is the headphone that’s gonna cure world hunger and bring about the rapture for me, then I will buy them no questions, but I just don’t see it. As I say I have no doubt I’m gonna go wow, but I’m almost positive I’m not gonna go wow here’s 5.5k because I dont see the returns. We’ll see

That is pretty much the conclusion I came to after having a loaner for a week and comparing to the HD800sdr and all my other headphones at the time. I ended up buying a used pair, and they actually did need repair. Or seller helped, so we got it repaired under warranty. If the money is an issue, buying used from a local original owner that is willing to help you get a repair, if you should need it, is the optimal way to get the utopia at a good price. The next best would be to get an open box from an authorized dealer. Third is to take a chance on a used unit from a reputable seller.

Obviously, if you can afford it, getting a new one from a dealer is the "safest" approach, since you get a full warranty and you continue, or start, a relationship with a dealer. If you go the dealer route, talk to the dealer for a while and see what sort of deal you might be able to work out. Build that relationship.

 

[jscmd2000]

Is $960 USD what it costs to replace a driver or repair? Or doens't matter?
That sounds exceedingly unreasonable to me. I am not being sarcastic... just asking. Do you need to replace the whole thing if there is a failure?

Starting to think twice about owning these long term.

So far, I am not hearing many positive things about Focal. This cannot be good for the company. Don't care how good they are. I will switch to LCD4 or Abyss in a heart beat.

 

[wldcohso]

Is $960 USD what it costs to replace a driver or repair? Or doens't matter?
That sounds exceedingly unreasonable to me. I am not being sarcastic... just asking. Do you need to replace the whole thing if there is a failure?

Starting to think twice about owning these long term.

So far, I am not hearing many positive things about Focal. This cannot be good for the company. Don't care how good they are. I will switch to LCD4 or Abyss in a heart beat.

You must not have heard about Audeze after warranty repair prices because they’re more expensive to repair than focal based on a few friends experience and what I’ve read online. This is why I purchased in store rather than online to get their 5yr warranty but only if it was transferable it would really sweeten the deal for current owners and 2nd hand owners. Personally, I think 5yr warranty should be the norm for devices costing this much but that’s just me.

 

[jscmd2000]

Maybe I need to do the same.
I never go out with these and seldom listen to them for more than an hour. How heavy or odd looking really doesn't matter to me.
I heard that about Audeze.
Abyss is covered for 3 yrs upon approval if you purchase new from an authorized dealer.

 

[bflat]

Is $960 USD what it costs to replace a driver or repair? Or doens't matter?
That sounds exceedingly unreasonable to me. I am not being sarcastic... just asking. Do you need to replace the whole thing if there is a failure?

Starting to think twice about owning these long term.

So far, I am not hearing many positive things about Focal. This cannot be good for the company. Don't care how good they are. I will switch to LCD4 or Abyss in a heart beat.

Just because you don't like the price doesn't mean it's unreasonable. What is your frame of reference? Here's one for you - A set of Beyerdynamic T1 drivers will run you about $500 just for the parts. That is nearly 50% of a brand new T1 headphone. Compare that to Utopia's $960 and that is 25% of a brand new price. Or put another way, do you expect a replacement engine and transmission for a Ferrari to cost the same as a Honda?

On your other question, in most cases you will need to replace a driver rather than repair it. Also, you will want an authorized service center to do the work. This is true for all headphones.

 

[jscmd2000]

Easy there, @bflat. And read my post again... I said unreasonable to me.
That is crazy, to me, about T1. So it is reasonable to you?
You need to be on their payroll.