[llamaluv]

The Utopia hits all the right spots for me. Sweet upper range, lots of detail. Very upfront presentation. Accurate, punchy bass which is really IMO not lacking at all.

Compared to Abyss:
Abyss has much more bass. Tonnes of bass which is also accurate and punchy. Thumping bass, to the point of chest rumbling. The bass never leaks into mid range. Mid range sounds just a bit thin/hollow. Highs are detailed. But seems like whole mid/upper range is recessed; utopia singer is in your face, whereas abyss singer is maybe several feet away. Vocals have a bit of an echoey/in the box sound. Also, very finicky with positioning on your head; find the sweet spot and it's all good, but shift a bit and u can hear change in sound, such that it almost seems like there is a subtle time delay between L and R driver. Tilt the headphones a bit forward or backwards and bass becomes boomy/loose or suddenly severely lacking . Funny headphones in that when I raise the volume, I can hear the mids and bass increase, but the highs seem to stay relatively low volume.. Whereas with utopia, increase volume and the highs goes up first.

Speaking of the Abyss... I had similar misgivings with the mids when I had the Phi CC: A little thin, almost scratchy-sounding even, and generally too unsatisfying to bother with going through the effort to make the headphone's marginal, finicky fit work out in relation to its variable bass behavior. So I let them go after not so long.

Interestingly though, with the Phi TC, that main criticism is now a non-issue, at least to my ears. The rest of my signal chain is completely different than that first time around though also. Tonality is even and not offensive to my ears in any region. I'm especially impressed at how clean and undistorted it sounds. And the bass, of course, is the Abyss's killer app.

However, the sense of realism conveyed by the Utopia driven by the right amp is still unmatched to me.

 

[ekfc63]

Speaking of the Abyss... I had similar misgivings with the mids when I had the Phi CC: A little thin, almost scratchy-sounding even, and generally too unsatisfying to bother with going through the effort to make the headphone's marginal, finicky fit work out in relation to its variable bass behavior. So I let them go after not so long.

Interestingly though, with the Phi TC, that main criticism is now a non-issue, at least to my ears. The rest of my signal chain is completely different than that first time around though also. Tonality is even and not offensive to my ears in any region. I'm especially impressed at how clean and undistorted it sounds. And the bass, of course, is the Abyss's killer app.

However, the sense of realism conveyed by the Utopia driven by the right amp is still unmatched to me.

I really appreciate what the Utopia does, but once I heard the bass on the Abyss TC I made the switch. For the music I listen to the Abyss gave me what I was missing with the Utopia.

 

[llamaluv]

I really appreciate what the Utopia does, but once I heard the bass on the Abyss TC I made the switch. For the music I listen to the Abyss gave me what I was missing with the Utopia.

Ah, I could see that. Still early days yet for me with the TC, so I wouldn't be able to predict where the chips will ultimately fall in my case.

 

[jlbrach]

the TC is as detailed as the utopia, has far better bass and a much grander soundstage....to me no contest

 

[mixman]

Yep I've driven the abyss with the hpa4. The hpa4 is more than enough to power the abyss. It can go to uncomfortably loud if needed, and then some more. I don't have a preference of amp with the abyss; I feel both wa22 and hpa4 are good with that headphone.

With the abyss, what doesn't change is that echoey hollowness in the mids and highs with all my music and both amps. It's very apparent with vocals. I don't get the same problem with the Utopia or Meze. Perhaps some folks would interpret it as a bigger soundstage? I dunno..

I find the VC reverb is hard to get used to especially when I compare it to the Meze and Empy. I think most people on the VC/VO thread regard those headphones as one of the best they've ever had. Unfortunately I can't say the same for myself. Believe me, I've tried very hard to enjoy the VC, paired them with stock cable, lavricable, abyss cable, danacable, but I guess the sound signature and tuning are just not for me. I have tried the VO and the VC and to me, they are indeed almost indistinguishable except that the VC bass is a bit more impactful and there is that reverb sensation.

IMO for the price they command, I would take the Utopia over the VO/VC.

Also, I hesitate to say the abyss is a utopia replacement. The sound signatures are very different especially the mids and highs. If u like the Utopia for their presentation, you will likely miss it when going to the Abyss. To choose one over the other means trading off some good stuff from each..

Well that reverb on the ZMF is the air and sense of space that the Utopia is totally missing,

 

[Liu Junyuan]

Well that reverb on the ZMF is the air and sense of space that the Utopia is totally missing,

I have never heard the VC. I am confident it is a great headphone. I do happily own a blackwood Auteur and respect Zach's work. The reverb effect is also at work in the Atticus and is one of its special charms IMO. It is what makes differences in wood more apparent. For some, it is a weakness; for others, it is a strength. From what I understand, the harder woods reflect less reverb than the softer woods. It's fair to expect there will be some people who experience fatigue with reflection in the cups/reverb.

In terms of soundstage and a sense of openness, it is remarkable what Zach and Dan Clarke have been able to do with sealed headphones recently, starting to bridge the cap with their open variants.

I would not say the Utopia has a lack of air, at least on my setup. YMMV. The sense of "air" around instruments, while not as vast as what I have heard with something like HD800(S), is readily apparent to me. I remember doing A/B comparisons with the Clear at my home setup; when I put the Utopia back on after having listened to the Clear for a number of hours, I was immediately struck by how much open and "airy" they sounded.

 

[MacedonianHero]

the TC is as detailed as the utopia, has far better bass and a much grander soundstage....to me no contest

I own both and I mostly agree with this...except I would say the TC is more detailed as well.

 

[jlbrach]

well, I dont think anyone could complain about the detail of either HP that said the soundstage and bass in the TC are head and shoulders better...

 

[ekfc63]

well, I dont think anyone could complain about the detail of either HP that said the soundstage and bass in the TC are head and shoulders better...

so is the price!

 

[jlbrach]

very true but the utopia aint exactly cheap...retail the utopia is 4k and the TC is 5k

 

[MacedonianHero]

well, I dont think anyone could complain about the detail of either HP that said the soundstage and bass in the TC are head and shoulders better...

Agreed...hard to complain about that with either.

 

[up late]

i've always enjoyed the abyss's sound but the ergonomics will continue to be a deal breaker for me. still, i'm curious to hear how it has evolved with the tc iteration.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

very true but the utopia aint exactly cheap...retail the utopia is 4k and the TC is 5k

Can you please tell me, just to clarify, if you think the Abyss TC is objectively superior to the Utopia? I have a very difficult time understanding if you do. So I would appreciate it if you could just drop by the thread once a week and let us all know. I am not capable of searching the thread and confirming the more than ten instances, over the course of years, you've made the same point, now with the TC, before with the LCD-4.

For all of the great music out there to enjoy on our headphones, one would think it might help us move beyond an infantile, suffocating ideology that splits the universe into two parts, white and black, best and worse, TC and Utopia, myself with which I identify my gear vs. them who doltishly cling to gear over which "my" shadow ostensibly eclipses.

What does the music you listen to have to do that with that? At this point, I guess either the music people listen to reinforces this binary thinking or the listener is too distracted with her image reflected favorably in her gear, or rather sadistically intent on squashing the subjective enjoyment of others' experiences, that she is rendered incapable of grasping the possibility that subjective preferences are not determined by a transcendent reference of objective superiority. Since the period in which you owned the LCD-4, you did the same thing--stating how much better the LCD-4 was than the Utopia--ad infinitum, I am starting to wonder if you need to change, figuratively, the record on your turntable; it seems to be broken.

Not only do I not care if someone distastes the Utopia, or X piece of gear, but I welcome it. What I despise is this evangelical dogmatism that seeks to preach, iteratively and closed-mindedly (there is no room for debate!), the supposed factual hierarchical tyranny of one piece of gear over the other, the mirror in which the user admires himself smiling.

I am glad you enjoy your TC. You seem to be perturbed by the fact I enjoy the Utopia.

 

[DaYooper]

wow

 

[llamaluv]

Wow is right. Best post of the year.