[LCMusicLover]

Sorry but I can't find the coherence with :
"Even if we managed to take on defective headphones returns, some units can be left on the market."

How can you manage to take on defective headphones return without knowing the serial numbers ? Just take returns on all potential faulty headphones from the batches concerned and remove them from the second-hand market before faulty ones appears. Those are clearly hidden defects.

"not all headphones from the first batches were affected" tells a lot about FOCAL's manufacturing process and quality checking of finished products. Even the cheap $100-200 Grado cartridges are all individually tested.

There are hand made but the guy who has finished making one don't test it ? At their price, each should be individually tested.

You don't want to give serial numbers because per the US law, "Hidden defects entitle the buyer to demand replacement or cancellation of the contract."

So all concerned by this issue shouldn't ask for guarantee but for replacement.

I don't think FOCAL behaviour is fair with their customer : included in your price is the fact that faulty items have to be replaced, even if there are hundreds of them. That's what audioquest did with an HDMI cable : they found a batch had termination problems (before they put it on the market as they check what they are selling). They cut the terminations, replaced them and as the cables where 0.95-0.98m instead of one meter, they sold it at 40-50% of the retail price. This is the "Mocha" serie, it is 100% similar to coffee HDMI, except the lost of 5cm maximum.

I find this post quite surprising.

I've been as critical as anyone regarding Focal's warranty policy, but it seems to me that Focal is doing the right thing, and trying to make up for a problem with their product.

You quoted two lines out of Marine's post:

Even if we managed to take on defective headphones returns, some units can be left on the market.

I suspect there's a bit of a language issue here -- I think she's saying that it was impossible for them to catch all the defective sets before they flowed through to retailers and purchasers.

not all headphones from the first batches were affected

You suggest that these all should have been caught in QC prior to shipping. But reports of Utopia driver failures seem to all have happened some time after the customer received them. So they were not 'defective' when shipped or received, and would not have been caught during 'individual testing'.

In addition, this answers your suggestion that Focal should:

Just take returns on all potential faulty headphones from the batches concerned and remove them from the second-hand market before faulty ones appears. Those are clearly hidden defects.

Finally, your comparison to AudioQuest's problem and how they handled it is specious at best. First, because (as stated above) the Utopia problem was simply not discover-able prior to shipping. Second, because you're talking about products with orders of magnitude difference in price. Also note that cable profit margins dwarf margins for other audio goods percentage-wise. And finally, AudioQuest discovered their problem prior to shipping the product, so they simply pulled the batch and re-worked them. Focal is dealing with a problem with products which are already in the consumers' hands, across the globe.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Dear all,
.
.
.
...we decided that Elear and Utopia headphones will now benefit from a 5-year warranty worldwide (starting from the first date of purchase by the first buyer). If you already own a pair of Elear or Utopia headphones, the warranty is extended.
.
.
.

To be clear, does this change or maintain Focal's policy of providing warranty coverage only to the first buyer? In other words, will you replace drivers for headphones which are within the stated five-year warranty period, even if the owner is not the original purchaser?

Thanks

 

[bfreedma]

Sorry but I can't find the coherence with :
"Even if we managed to take on defective headphones returns, some units can be left on the market."

How can you manage to take on defective headphones return without knowing the serial numbers ? Just take returns on all potential faulty headphones from the batches concerned and remove them from the second-hand market before faulty ones appears. Those are clearly hidden defects.

"not all headphones from the first batches were affected" tells a lot about FOCAL's manufacturing process and quality checking of finished products. Even the cheap $100-200 Grado cartridges are all individually tested.

There are hand made but the guy who has finished making one don't test it ? At their price, each should be individually tested.

You don't want to give serial numbers because per the US law, "Hidden defects entitle the buyer to demand replacement or cancellation of the contract."

So all concerned by this issue shouldn't ask for guarantee but for replacement.

I don't think FOCAL behaviour is fair with their customer : included in your price is the fact that faulty items have to be replaced, even if there are hundreds of them. That's what audioquest did with an HDMI cable : they found a batch had termination problems (before they put it on the market as they check what they are selling). They cut the terminations, replaced them and as the cables where 0.95-0.98m instead of one meter, they sold it at 40-50% of the retail price. This is the "Mocha" serie, it is 100% similar to coffee HDMI, except the lost of 5cm maximum.

You should definitely not purchase anything from Focal then. I'm sure both you and Focal will be better off that way.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Dear all,

As already mentioned several times, we are aware that the very first production batches of Elear and Utopia have had some voice coil issues. Even if we managed to take on defective headphones returns, some units can be left on the market.

We heard your complaints and in order to treat you the best way and to offer the best warranty service possible, we decided that Elear and Utopia headphones will now benefit from a 5-year warranty worldwide (starting from the first date of purchase by the first buyer). If you already own a pair of Elear or Utopia headphones, the warranty is extended.

Our distribution network has been officially informed. So, if you are experiencing any driver failure, please contact your local dealer who will ensure the After-Sales Service of your headphones.

I stay at your disposal if you have any questions.

Best regards
Marine, Community Manager Focal

That is awesome! Well done Focal!

 

[Focux]

Sorry but I can't find the coherence with :
"Even if we managed to take on defective headphones returns, some units can be left on the market."

How can you manage to take on defective headphones return without knowing the serial numbers ? Just take returns on all potential faulty headphones from the batches concerned and remove them from the second-hand market before faulty ones appears. Those are clearly hidden defects.

"not all headphones from the first batches were affected" tells a lot about FOCAL's manufacturing process and quality checking of finished products. Even the cheap $100-200 Grado cartridges are all individually tested.

There are hand made but the guy who has finished making one don't test it ? At their price, each should be individually tested.

You don't want to give serial numbers because per the US law, "Hidden defects entitle the buyer to demand replacement or cancellation of the contract."

So all concerned by this issue shouldn't ask for guarantee but for replacement.

I don't think FOCAL behaviour is fair with their customer : included in your price is the fact that faulty items have to be replaced, even if there are hundreds of them. That's what audioquest did with an HDMI cable : they found a batch had termination problems (before they put it on the market as they check what they are selling). They cut the terminations, replaced them and as the cables where 0.95-0.98m instead of one meter, they sold it at 40-50% of the retail price. This is the "Mocha" serie, it is 100% similar to coffee HDMI, except the lost of 5cm maximum.

Did u pass contract law101? :s

Edit: are we allowed to make allegations against manufacturers?

 

[tmarshl]

Very interested in your impressions regarding the Transparent headphone cable (the Utopia version is around $2,200!). I couldn’t really justify the price so I went for the Kimber Axios. But then again, I never had the chance to hear the Ultra headphone cable, and there are no reviews available anywhere. So $2,200 for a blind buy is too much.

I have had the Transparent Ultra balanced cable (XLR4) for a few days now. Since my dCS Bartok is also brand new, it is difficult for me to determine how much of the combined sound signature is from the Bartok, and how much is from the Transparent Ultra, but I can say that I am very happy with the combination. I purchased this cable on the recommendation of my dealer, whose recommendations in the past have been excellent. I am looking forward to further improvements as the system hours increase.

 

[feddar]

I am sorry for the ignorant question, buthow do you know if there is a driver failure on your Utopias?

 

[TSAVJason]

I am sorry for the ignorant question, buthow do you know if there is a driver failure on your Utopias?

It makes a consistent popping noise at all levels or you hear nothing on the suspected side of the headphone. ....it’s pretty easy really

 

[silversurfer616]

Waking up to the '5 year warranty' seems to be a good start into the day. Always thought it was unfair that some got 5 years and some only 2 years for the same product/price.
Obviously we have been 'heard'; all that's left now is 'transferable warranty' and all is good in 'Utopia Heaven'!

 

[up late]

On a different note, does Focal provide transferable warranties? I gathered from the low prices seen in the classifieds that they do not. Transferable warranties add value to a product so that a buyer of a used pair still receives what’s left of the remaining warranty.

the utopia's warranty is not transferable

 

[Arniesb]

Dear all,

As already mentioned several times, we are aware that the very first production batches of Elear and Utopia have had some voice coil issues. Even if we managed to take on defective headphones returns, some units can be left on the market.

We heard your complaints and in order to treat you the best way and to offer the best warranty service possible, we decided that Elear and Utopia headphones will now benefit from a 5-year warranty worldwide (starting from the first date of purchase by the first buyer). If you already own a pair of Elear or Utopia headphones, the warranty is extended.

Our distribution network has been officially informed. So, if you are experiencing any driver failure, please contact your local dealer who will ensure the After-Sales Service of your headphones.

I stay at your disposal if you have any questions.

Best regards
Marine, Community Manager Focal

Wow that means if i would buy Utopia from Usa and if something happens i can just send it to France for warranty?

 

[FocalOfficial]

On a different note, does Focal provide transferable warranties? I gathered from the low prices seen in the classifieds that they do not. Transferable warranties add value to a product so that a buyer of a used pair still receives what’s left of the remaining warranty.

The warranty is transferable if you have the invoice of the very first owner These headphones are under warranty during 5 years from the very first buyer.

Wow that means if i would buy Utopia from Usa and if something happens i can just send it to France for warranty?

The After-Sales Service is ensured by the local dealer or distributor in your country. If you buy your headphones in the US, it will be repaired by Focal Naim America Team. Our distributor network has been trained to change headphones drivers.

Kind regards
Marine, Community Manager Focal

 

[Tekunda]

The warranty is transferable if you have the invoice of the very first owner These headphones are under warranty during 5 years from the very first buyer.



The After-Sales Service is ensured by the local dealer or distributor in your country. If you buy your headphones in the US, it will be repaired by Focal Naim America Team. Our distributor network has been trained to change headphones drivers.

Kind regards
Marine, Community Manager Focal

Allow me to chime in.
Does this only apply to the Utopia or to all Focal headphone models like e. g. the Clear? :

(You have stated that the warranty will be transferable, as long as the second hand buyer is able to produce the invoice of the very first buyer, so that Focal is able to verify when the warranty has started).

 

[FocalOfficial]

This applies to all headphones.
Exactly, the warranty starts with the first buyer which is why we need the very first invoice.

Marine, Community Manager Focal

 

[emrelights1973]

hey what do you want more..... they did ****e up but at least doing something to correct it, I had an Elear that stop working all of a sudden and changed by my long time dealer with a new Utopia and some change