Focal Utopia General Discussion
Jun 15, 2020 at 3:19 PM Post #11,971 of 20,433
Could you please explain in more detail what you mean by hardness in the mids?

It sounds like the Platinum remains a solid choice for those without comparable fatigue-inducing systems. I do wonder, though, whether this cable contributes to your sense of hardness in the mids on the Utopia.
When my system is too bright, the midrange on the Utopia specifically has a piercing, "hard" quality, especially with the piano. Even a loud, sustained middle-C from a piano could make me wince a little. I'm guessing it has to do with higher-order harmonics in the upper-mids/treble. I've noticed that certain headphone cables make this worse for me.

Interestingly though, a recent, beefy power cable upgrade for my DAC has definitively resolved this issue for me with the Utopia now, regardless of what amp or headphone cable I'm using.

But yea, since the power situation in my household isn't great, for sure I wouldn't want to generalize about whether any particular Utopia cable would be too "bright" for anyone else or not.
 
Jun 15, 2020 at 9:01 PM Post #11,972 of 20,433
When my system is too bright, the midrange on the Utopia specifically has a piercing, "hard" quality, especially with the piano. Even a loud, sustained middle-C from a piano could make me wince a little. I'm guessing it has to do with higher-order harmonics in the upper-mids/treble. I've noticed that certain headphone cables make this worse for me.

Interestingly though, a recent, beefy power cable upgrade for my DAC has definitively resolved this issue for me with the Utopia now, regardless of what amp or headphone cable I'm using.

But yea, since the power situation in my household isn't great, for sure I wouldn't want to generalize about whether any particular Utopia cable would be too "bright" for anyone else or not.

That helps me understand. Thanks!

It sounds like some dirty power was exacerbating this--glad to hear the cable sorted this out. I would be interested in hearing about this cable (will PM to keep the thread uncluttered).

Based upon what you and others are saying here, the WyWires Platinum cable is most suitable for systems that are on the warmer or even neutral side of the spectrum and is less suitable for systems that already lean bright, unless of course user preference gravitates toward brightness or recordings/genres allow for, or even thrive with, a brighter sound signature.

In my case, it seems like worthy of an audition. I think it would play nicely with my audio chain (s) and current preferences without sliding too far into the bright side of neutral. Even with the amorphous transformers in the DSHA-3F and the relatively neutral Soekris 1541, I am not really wanting to add any warmth to the Utopia experience.
 
Jun 15, 2020 at 9:03 PM Post #11,973 of 20,433
That's a poor assumption. Have never tried the WyWires Platinum. The only way to see if it is good/better than AC would be to try it, no?

I love the DanaCables with them, but I'm now rocking the Nordost Heimdall 2. A bit more on the neutral side compared to the warmer Lazuli cable and the ergonomics are off the chart great!
 
Jun 15, 2020 at 11:57 PM Post #11,974 of 20,433
And as a reference point, for what it’s worth, i read from one member that the stock (old) cable is a tad on the warm side
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 12:15 AM Post #11,975 of 20,433
The stock Focal cable is shockingly unpleasant to handle for a premium product. I got Arctic Cables' Signum Series with a 4.4mm balanced plug for my Hiby R6 Pro, and the AC cable is a marked sonic step up from stock. Sounds fuller, more detailed, and smoother. And it feels soft and pliable, rather than like rusty barbed wire! Bonus!
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 12:22 AM Post #11,976 of 20,433
Anyone looking to sell a 4.4mm terminated cable for the utopia?
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 1:17 AM Post #11,977 of 20,433
And as a reference point, for what it’s worth, i read from one member that the stock (old) cable is a tad on the warm side

I have the old stock cable. I had no complaints about the sound. I find the Draug Silver sounds warmer than the stock cable. The primary problem with the stock cable was its ergonomics. But for those who liked to listen far away from their listening station, it was a blessing. It just wasn't ideal for desktop use.

The stock Focal cable is shockingly unpleasant to handle for a premium product. I got Arctic Cables' Signum Series with a 4.4mm balanced plug for my Hiby R6 Pro, and the AC cable is a marked sonic step up from stock. Sounds fuller, more detailed, and smoother. And it feels soft and pliable, rather than like rusty barbed wire! Bonus!

This is good to hear. I have a Signum + cable incoming.
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 1:25 AM Post #11,978 of 20,433
I love the DanaCables with them, but I'm now rocking the Nordost Heimdall 2. A bit more on the neutral side compared to the warmer Lazuli cable and the ergonomics are off the chart great!

And since you are using the slightly warmly tuned GSX-mini with the Utopia, a more neutral cable probably makes more sense at this point anyway. The Heimdall was a popular cable with the Utopia, particularly in the early days of its release, as was the Kimber Axios. I don't hear much discussion about them anymore though. But yes, the Lazuli Reference is a well-regarded pairing with the Utopia, for good reason, making them more accessible to those easily fatigued by the Beryllium drivers.
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 2:02 AM Post #11,979 of 20,433
I love the DanaCables with them, but I'm now rocking the Nordost Heimdall 2. A bit more on the neutral side compared to the warmer Lazuli cable and the ergonomics are off the chart great!
My local store tells me the heimdall 2 has been popular recently for the utopias. But when i heard it with my hd800 it was too thin in sound or something like that from memory. Hence i currently can’t bring myself to buy one
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 2:41 AM Post #11,980 of 20,433
I owned both simultaneously. I ended up selling the Empy. I liked them, but found them to be 'too far from neutral' for my tastes. I especially didn't care for the way the mid-bass/lower mids sounded -- a bit elevated, or even bloated on some tracks. In addition, I found the headstage to be wonderfully enveloping, but also imprecise. So vocals and instruments were not well-defined spatially. Utopia headstage can seem a bit constricted, but it is very precise (That instrument, RIGHT THERE!)

I think most folk with the Empyrian end up buying a silver cable. Even Currawong (a Head-Fi reviewer), said for most, it's an Emperian +$500 headphone cable, headphone purchase.
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 8:43 AM Post #11,981 of 20,433
Is anybody using the Utopia “new” stock cables which come with the new Stellia-like packaging?

I first dismissed the ones coming with the Stellia but I am listening to them right now and they are really good. May be the same with the 2019 utopia ones? I like the color match and the microphonics bother me less since I stopped tapping the cable to check if it is microphonic :)
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 12:48 PM Post #11,982 of 20,433
I love the DanaCables with them, but I'm now rocking the Nordost Heimdall 2. A bit more on the neutral side compared to the warmer Lazuli cable and the ergonomics are off the chart great!

I'm familiar with heimdall 2, but never heard Dana, even though lately I'm eyeing their line up. So if Nordost could be too sterile/bright (for me), Lazuli Reference could be better suit me?

I like the soundstage performance of Nordost though, what do you think compare to soundstage with Lazuli Ref?

Thanks
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 7:02 PM Post #11,983 of 20,433
I'm familiar with heimdall 2, but never heard Dana, even though lately I'm eyeing their line up. So if Nordost could be too sterile/bright (for me), Lazuli Reference could be better suit me?

I like the soundstage performance of Nordost though, what do you think compare to soundstage with Lazuli Ref?

Thanks

I know you asked MacedonianHero, but since I currently own the Lazuli Reference, I may be able to help fill in some details. He will be in a better position to discuss its merits/shortcomings in relation to the Heimdall 2.

  1. First, many people have posted impressions of Lazuli Reference's synergy with the Utopia in this thread and elsewhere. A search may turn up some information you find helpful in making the decision.
  2. Second, in my opinion, the answer to your question is a provisional "yes." But I have not heard the Heimdall 2 to definitely say so.
  3. The Lazuli Reference is the type of component that one might use to make up for perceived sins of commission in a headphone. That is, if one's goal is to make up for relative weaknesses one perceives in the Utopia (bright signature, small stage, "unnatural" Beryllium timbre, etc.), the Lazuli Reference may be worth serious consideration. If your goal is to accentuate the inherent strengths of the Utopia (lighting speed, penetrating resolution, clear transparency) without taking away from them, the Lazuli Reference becomes more controversial for some. Why is this?
  4. I, and others, have tended to find the Lazuli Reference to add more weight to the Utopia, particularly the bottom end, to create a more immersive experience by enlarging the stage, and to warm up the sound signature. While it does not transform the Utopia into a pre-fazor Audeze or HD650, it allows the Utopia to become less uninviting to poorly recorded music. In short, the LR above all aims for "fun" where the Utopia may be said to aim for uncompromised technical prowess (for a dynamic driver).
  5. While the Lazuli Reference does accord well with the crazy dynamics of the Utopia, some have found it to attenuate its speed, hold back its resolution, and to compromise "air" in the highest octaves. I have also read complaints that it makes the bass less textured, more undefined ("fatter" vs "tighter"). I have not been very bothered by this while using my OTL amp. But since mine is not terminated for balanced, I have been able to try it out on the DSHA-3F. It may be that as I move up in transparency in terms of my amp that I will notice this more.
  6. The Lazuli Reference is like adding a tube-amp to the Utopia without compromising too much on transparency. The good thing about the Utopia, I have found--and what makes it great with the ZDS--is that its technicalities allow it to shine through components in the chain that may warm up the sound signature. Perhaps this is the magic (re: science) of the Focal beryllium drivers.
  7. The ergonomics are not too bad, but it will add weight and bulk to the headphone, unlike some other offerings--pretty much the opposite of the Heimdall II or, from what I read, the WyWires Platinum.
  8. It is not cheap.
Final thoughts are that the Danacable is a fun cable to pair with the Utopia. It is worth an audition if your objective is to offset perceived sins of commission in the Utopia, your system, or both. As with WyWires, Danacable offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

I stand by my statement that the Norne Silvergarde 3 is the best cable I have yet heard with the Utopia. I found that it played very well to the Utopia's inherent strengths while never introducing a hint of fatigue--as good silver should. Maybe it compromised some air in the top octaves but less so than the Draug Silver in my opinion. Time will soon tell if I prefer the Arctic Cables Silver (Signum +) or the WyWires Platinum to the S3 and the Lazuli Reference. If we can go by recent impressions, this very well may be the case.
 
Jun 16, 2020 at 7:04 PM Post #11,984 of 20,433
Just placed order for the WyWires Platinum. Sale price was too tempting. 10ft length came up to about usd580.
 

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