[Saturday]

What's agressive attack mean?

Bear with me because I’m not an expert but this is what I’ve gathered over the past couple months of experiencing an odd journey with Focal headphones- I mean that Focal’s ultralight drivers like Mg and Be seem to cheat on the clarity by overshooting the attack, particularly on higher frequencies. This is based off of purr1n’s measurements at SBAF. (Attached)

I wonder if this leads to transients being louder than they would normally be and subsequently leading to the mysterious fatigue people get listening to some Focal headphones despite the fact they’re not even bright.

I seem to be susceptible to whatever is going on, which is a shame because I love the tonality and the detail Focal offers regardless. So yeah, trying to find a solution here.

Even more interestingly, when I underpower Focal headphones (by say using a phone jack) the fatiguing effect completely disappears for me. Transients are the first thing to go when underpowering a transducer so this would seem to support this explanation of what’s happening.

 

[Saturday]

Anyway, thank you all so far for the suggestions. I’m going to check them out. The Mojo idea intrigues me, and I’d get a mobile solution as a bonus! I wouldn’t walk around with Utopias on but it would be useful if I travel with them to a hotel or work.

I’m partial to Schiit so I’ll check out a bifrost/jot combo

 

[Gorf]

+1 for the Mojo idea. I use a Mojo for my mobile rig. Im not sure it will fix a perceived aggressive sound as im not sure how that would sound to me. I could not describe my mobile rig as aggressive though. Even when listening to Evanescence.

 

[up late]

Bear with me because I’m not an expert but this is what I’ve gathered over the past couple months of experiencing an odd journey with Focal headphones- I mean that Focal’s ultralight drivers like Mg and Be seem to cheat on the clarity by overshooting the attack, particularly on higher frequencies. This is based off of purr1n’s measurements at SBAF. (Attached)

I wonder if this leads to transients being louder than they would normally be and subsequently leading to the mysterious fatigue people get listening to some Focal headphones despite the fact they’re not even bright.

I seem to be susceptible to whatever is going on, which is a shame because I love the tonality and the detail Focal offers regardless. So yeah, trying to find a solution here.

Even more interestingly, when I underpower Focal headphones (by say using a phone jack) the fatiguing effect completely disappears for me. Transients are the first thing to go when underpowering a transducer so this would seem to support this explanation of what’s happening.

glad my perception of the utopia's highs doesn't accord with any of that

 

[Saturday]

glad my perception of the utopia's highs doesn't accord with any of that

The Clear Mg was much worse for me and the 4800hz attack measurements would indicate why. This is the reason I returned my Clear Mgs and getting Utopias because their overshoot is much more tolerable to my ears both by measurement and by A/B comparison over a several hour demo session. Actually it’s quite possible that with just about any usual discrete amp and not much thought, I’d be perfectly happy. But I’m trying to be proactive on the fatigue front particularly because a significant number of other people seem to experience this problem.

 

[up late]

The Clear Mg was much worse for me and the 4800hz attack measurements would indicate why. This is the reason I returned my Clear Mgs and getting Utopias because their overshoot is much more tolerable to my ears both by measurement and by A/B comparison over a several hour demo session. Actually it’s quite possible that with just about any usual discrete amp and not much thought, I’d be perfectly happy. But I’m trying to be proactive on the fatigue front particularly because a significant number of other people seem to experience this problem.

and it's likely that it is not a problem for a significant number of utopia owners, of which i am one. good luck with it anyway.

 

[Saturday]

and it's likely that it is not a problem for a significant number of utopia owners, of which i am one. good luck with it anyway.

It clearly isn’t! And many Clear MG folks are perfectly happy too. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with my ears or maybe I just got bad Clear MGs previously- quite possible.

But thank you. I just ordered a Mojo from the classifieds here. I think I’ll be happy trying that while I consider my end game chain over the next several months.

 

[dontfeedphils]

It clearly isn’t! And many Clear MG folks are perfectly happy too. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with my ears or maybe I just got bad Clear MGs previously- quite possible.

But thank you. I just ordered a Mojo from the classifieds here. I think I’ll be happy trying that while I consider my end game chain over the next several months.

FWIW I also enjoyed Utopia/Mojo a good bit before upgrading to a Hugo 2. Utopia is just so revealing that it keeps giving you more the better your upstream gear is.

 

[Saturday]

FWIW I also enjoyed Utopia/Mojo a good bit before upgrading to a Hugo 2. Utopia is just so revealing that it keeps giving you more the better your upstream gear is.

That’s awesome. I’m excited!

 

[WaveTheory]

I just posted a Utopia review on my new YT channel:



Enjoy!

 

[Raghu6446]

Does the 2020 driver have driver failure ?? I have already replaced thrice the launch edition drivers.

 

[up late]

I just posted a Utopia review on my new YT channel:



Enjoy!

i wouldn't have minded you touting your YouTube channel here if your review of the utopia had brought something new to the discussion of a headphone that's been available since 2016, but i soon became bored with it - sorry

 

[Saturday]

Does the 2020 driver have driver failure ?? I have already replaced thrice the launch edition drivers.

Just curious, do you EQ at all?

 

[MvRBE10]

Saturday? You now mojo2 is coming veryvery soon

 

[Raghu6446]

Just curious, do you EQ at all?

No I don't .just worried about the new 2020 drivers about failure rates