[up late]

on a more constructive note, perhaps @PhenixS1970 could send a pm to marine, focal's community manager

 

[FocalOfficial]

Update: So another week has passed and my dealer just informed me that he is still waiting for the Focal distributor to let him know when they'll send out a new Utopia. This level of customer service is just...... Seven weeks now since the U left after a couple of days of use.

Dear PhenixS1970,

I have read your numerous messages and I am sorry about this bad experience.
Feel free to contact me via PM if you want me to enquiry, I will be glad to help.

Kind regards
Marine, Community Manager Focal

 

[PhenixS1970]

Dear PhenixS1970,

I have read your numerous messages and I am sorry about this bad experience.
Feel free to contact me via PM if you want me to enquiry, I will be glad to help.

Kind regards
Marine, Community Manager Focal

Hi Marine,

Thank you very much for your kind offer to follow-up, highly appreciated

I have sent you a PM.

Kind Regards,
Stef

 

[up late]

good to see. i hope it's resolved to your satisfaction.

 

[echineko]

good to see. i hope it's resolved to your satisfaction.

This is one perspective.

Another would be, why did it need to go this far, delays, lack of response etc in the first place? Why only when it's publicly highlighted is there response?

Still another would be, what sort of quality of service levels are dealers expected to uphold before being given the responsibility of carrying the products in the first place?

I'm not being facetious, these questions are exactly why I chose to forego my regional dealer and take my business elsewhere.

Focal would do well to hold their dealers to a uniform standard of customer service.

 

[up late]

if you saw my earlier post then you would know that i described @PhenixS1970's customer experience as "unacceptable". i regard this as a positive development for him and nothing more.

 

[dontfeedphils]

This is one perspective.

Another would be, why did it need to go this far, delays, lack of response etc in the first place? Why only when it's publicly highlighted is there response?

Still another would be, what sort of quality of service levels are dealers expected to uphold before being given the responsibility of carrying the products in the first place?

I'm not being facetious, these questions are exactly why I chose to forego my regional dealer and take my business elsewhere.

Focal would do well to hold their dealers to a uniform standard of customer service.

^ Agreed.

If the dealer model is the one Focal wants to follow, then they need to seriously step up their game on ensuring these "dealers" are living up to the expectation. An RMA/warranty return/repair should be no different an experience if you're in Asia/North America/Europe/etc. @FocalOfficial

 

[franz12]

A price broke below my psychological resistance level, and finally bought one. I much enjoyed Clear and hope Utopia is a solid step from Clear.
I also bought Ether 2 a few months ago, but I can't keep both as I want to keep audio expenses under control.

 

[up late]

some do but not all. i think that audeze might have started that trend.

 

[pataburd]

I just got the Utopia [used] and will say that they are a significant step up from the Clear, across the board. [And I have really been enjoying the Clear.] Compared to the Utopia, the Clear sound a bit thin and veiled--if you can even imagine that.

However, I am noting something of a channel imbalance with the Utopia: the sound field seems to be collapsed slightly on the left side, just annoying enough to prevent a good listen. There seems to be less discernible air, bloom and detail from the left channel compared to the right.

. . . and this after they were sent back under warranty [by the prior owner] and a new pair of matched drivers was reportedly installed.

Oh! the vicissitudes of this hobby!

 

[jwbrent]

I just got the Utopia [used] and will say that they are a significant step up from the Clear, across the board. [And I have really been enjoying the Clear.] Compared to the Utopia, the Clear sound a bit thin and veiled--if you can even imagine that.

However, I am noting something of a channel imbalance with the Utopia: the sound field seems to be collapsed slightly on the left side, just annoying enough to prevent a good listen. There seems to be less discernible air, bloom and detail from the left channel compared to the right.

. . . and this after they were sent back under warranty [by the prior owner] and a new pair of matched drivers was reportedly installed.

Oh! the vicissitudes of this hobby!

Try cleaning the connectors on both ends of the cable with isopropyl achohol and plug them in and out a few times. Does your source have a balance control? Finally, try cleaning your ears thoroughly just to make sure it isn’t built up ear wax in your left ear. Good luck!

 

[Svatopluk]

I just got the Utopia [used] and will say that they are a significant step up from the Clear, across the board. [And I have really been enjoying the Clear.] Compared to the Utopia, the Clear sound a bit thin and veiled--if you can even imagine that.

However, I am noting something of a channel imbalance with the Utopia: the sound field seems to be collapsed slightly on the left side, just annoying enough to prevent a good listen. There seems to be less discernible air, bloom and detail from the left channel compared to the right.

. . . and this after they were sent back under warranty [by the prior owner] and a new pair of matched drivers was reportedly installed.

Oh! the vicissitudes of this hobby!

Make sure you have the headband adjusted the same on both sides, without reference marks it's not uncommon to unwittingly have the cups unequal.

 

[pataburd]

Adjusted to four clicks down on each side. [I can feel when the level is offset.] Will try to swap R-L Lemo connectors to see if it is cable-related.

Will try cleaning the connectors as noted. No balance control on sources used so far. Will reclean my ears. But will add that after swapping in another set of headphones--K812, HE-560 V2 or Mikros 90--there is no perception of channel imbalance.

 

[FLTWS]

Something else to consider; look at your self in the mirror, (And have someone exam your ears from the side or take a pic) are your ears exactly the same size and shape and equally positioned in relation to the center top line of your skull. Ever see those pictures where they take 1/2 of somebodies face and duplicate that half, flip it over to complete the head? I've heard that ear canals themselves can vary a bit in shape.

 

[pataburd]

Something else to consider; look at your self in the mirror, (And have someone exam your ears from the side or take a pic) are your ears exactly the same size and shape and equally positioned in relation to the center top line of your skull. Ever see those pictures where they take 1/2 of somebodies face and duplicate that half, flip it over to complete the head? I've heard that ear canals themselves can vary a bit in shape.

You make an interesting point, but I do not perceive the slight channel imbalance with any of the other headphones that I have in-house at the moment.