[x RELIC x]

Yeah, don't underestimate that the Utopia's are microscopes to upstream gear... DACs, amp, cables, all of it.

 

[Roasty]

Agreed...this cable made the biggest difference with the Utopias that I've ever come across. These headphones also scale with better amplification and sources (more for the latter than the former however).

have u tried a Danacable with the Meze Empyrean? or do you think the empys are better suited for silver cables rather than copper?
I'm going to try and reterminate my utopia lavricable for the meze.. but was just wondering if a danacable would improve the empy Iike it did for the utopia.

 

[triggsviola]

Yes I agree. The lazuli reference really completed the Utopias for me. It took off some harshness, and added good middle and low end weight. The bass is better and tighter as well. Whether or not these changes are worth their price, well..

Did any of you Danacable Lazuli Reference owners notice a decrease in detail retrieval? I purchase the c3 audio cable and, though it provided more body to the sound, it seemed to lose some detail, which is a major reason I love my Utopia.

 

[pataburd]

Am having a balanced 4-core [4x] 24 AWG Neotech UP-OCC silver|gold cable made for the Utopia.
Am currently running a balanced 8-core: 4x 26 AWG silver & 4x 24 AWG copper [Neotech UP-OCC] and it suits the Clear very well.

 

[TSAVJason]

Yeah, don't underestimate that the Utopia's are microscopes to upstream gear... DACs, amp, cables, all of it.

Would you agree the Utopia performs commensurate to the performance of the upstream gear?

 

[Progisus]

Moon Silver Dragon is an improvement in ergonomics and is great sounding at a reasonable price.

 

[x RELIC x]

Would you agree the Utopia performs commensurate to the performance of the upstream gear?

Yes, to a degree. I’ve always seen transducers as the fixed part of the chain that doesn’t actually scale, which goes against conventional thought here.

Put another way, the headphones themselves don’t fundamentally change with different gear. They do reveal, to the best of their ability, the upstream quality. The better the transducer - low distortion, excursion, transient speed / damping, etc - then the better it is at being able to reveal the source quality.

 

[MacedonianHero]

have u tried a Danacable with the Meze Empyrean? or do you think the empys are better suited for silver cables rather than copper?
I'm going to try and reterminate my utopia lavricable for the meze.. but was just wondering if a danacable would improve the empy Iike it did for the utopia.

I haven't...but I would love to! I don't think silver sounds like anything really, it's a better conductor than copper by 7%, but sonically hard to say. I haven't met a headphone that wasn't improved with a Danacable!

 

[MacedonianHero]

Did any of you Danacable Lazuli Reference owners notice a decrease in detail retrieval? I purchase the c3 audio cable and, though it provided more body to the sound, it seemed to lose some detail, which is a major reason I love my Utopia.

Goodness no! Things just got better across the board!

 

[Roasty]

I haven't...but I would love to! I don't think silver sounds like anything really, it's a better conductor than copper by 7%, but sonically hard to say. I haven't met a headphone that wasn't improved with a Danacable!

Let us know after u spring for the danacable for the empy and update us on the results ha ha ha

 

[TSAVJason]

Yes, to a degree. I’ve always seen transducers as the fixed part of the chain that doesn’t actually scale, which goes against conventional thought here.

Put another way, the headphones themselves don’t fundamentally change with different gear. They do reveal, to the best of their ability, the upstream quality. The better the transducer - low distortion, excursion, transient speed / damping, etc - then the better it is at being able to reveal the source quality.

I’d agree with that. There is however an uncanny compatibility with the Utopia and nearly every upstream devices. For me, it just starts at higher level of dynamic performance. The use of better upstream gear seems to make the Utopia want to do more for you. Out of all the headphones that have spent time on my skull, this is the only headphone that make me feel that way. Sorry I know this is more emotional than scientific

 

[pervysage]

All of the initial things, or dare I say faults, you are hearing now will improve over time. The biggest change that happened for me with the Utopia's came when I added the Danacable Lazuli Reference cable to it. It's not a cheap cable but it fixes a lot of the shortcomings of the Utopia's. I listen to my Utopia's with the GL Mk2 and it sounds great. But it sounds even better with the warmer, Cavalli Liquid Carbon 2.0.

Yes I agree. The lazuli reference really completed the Utopias for me. It took off some harshness, and added good middle and low end weight. The bass is better and tighter as well. Whether or not these changes are worth their price, well..

Agreed...this cable made the biggest difference with the Utopias that I've ever come across. These headphones also scale with better amplification and sources (more for the latter than the former however).

+1 on the above. Sad to say with such an already expensive headphone but that vacuum cleaner cable that comes with it is some hot garbo, lol.

 

[paul30d]

I’d agree with that. There is however an uncanny compatibility with the Utopia and nearly every upstream devices. For me, it just starts at higher level of dynamic performance. The use of better upstream gear seems to make the Utopia want to do more for you. Out of all the headphones that have spent time on my skull, this is the only headphone that make me feel that way. Sorry I know this is more emotional than scientific

I have to agree. Since buying the utopias, I have then upgraded my DAC, amp and added a micro-rendu (in that order). The DAC and Amp made significant and noticeable improvements to the sound of the utopias. The micro-rendu not so much, but still detectable I think. I have a set of balanced headphone cables (moon silver dragon) on order and will see what that does (if anything). I am not much of a believer in cable differences, but I wanted to try a balanced system and see how it goes. I am sure the utopias will highlight any differences.

Paul

 

[LCMusicLover]

have u tried a Danacable with the Meze Empyrean? or do you think the empys are better suited for silver cables rather than copper?
I'm going to try and reterminate my utopia lavricable for the meze.. but was just wondering if a danacable would improve the empy Iike it did for the utopia.

I prefer Empyrean/Silver Dragon to Empyrean/Laz Ref. True both from my Liquid Platinum/Brimar CV-2492 and from my (now sold) Bryston BHA-1. Not a huge difference. About the same as preference for LP w/ Brimars over Siemens CCa tubes.

Waiting for DSHA-3F and wondering if that will change my preferences.

Prefer Utopia/Laz Ref with every chain I’ve tried — by a wide margin.

 

[Roasty]

I prefer Empyrean/Silver Dragon to Empyrean/Laz Ref. True both from my Liquid Platinum/Brimar CV-2492 and from my (now sold) Bryston BHA-1. Not a huge difference. About the same as preference for LP w/ Brimars over Siemens CCa tubes.

Waiting for DSHA-3F and wondering if that will change my preferences.

Prefer Utopia/Laz Ref with every chain I’ve tried — by a wide margin.

I just sold off my silver dragon cables, and am waiting on an order for the norne silvergarde S3. But trevor seems a bit busy these days. Hope he will get round to making my order soon.