[RobertSM]

"new design codes" and "future Utopia products"

What does that mean? Is there going to be a different Utopia product than this one (maybe the Grande Utopia, rumored), or am I just reading too much into that?

This text definitely reads as to more products in the range. Maybe the Utopia line will have multiple headphones in it?

 

[BassicScience]

Why would a grille improve treble? Also, what does improved linearity mean? Anybody have any ideas?

The decrease in mass of the voice coil could result in improved treble, since higher mass/inertia is harder to control at higher frequencies. The effects of the change in grille are harder to predict, but might possibly result in improved linearity (i.e. flatter frequency response). FWIW.

Based on what I've read so far, I wouldn't necessarily expect a radical change in sound signature with these updates. We shall see.

 

[iDesign]

Is anyone else bothered that they're using "improved reliability" as an upgrade, when the original should have totally had all the reliability baked-in at $4K?

While I appreciate they have acknowledged the reliability issues, the emphasis on "vastly improved reliability!" in their marketing is so strong that it reads as if the original driver design was knowingly flawed. Its the word vastly and the punctuation that are problematic.

 

[joshnor713]

This text definitely reads as to more products in the range. Maybe the Utopia line will have multiple headphones in it?

Looks like Grande Utopia's back on the menu boys!

 

[DJJEZ]

Looks like Grande Utopia's back on the menu boys!

For the low low price of $6999

 

[Ciggavelli]

This text definitely reads as to more products in the range. Maybe the Utopia line will have multiple headphone in it?

If I was to forecast, I’d guess if there is a “Grande Utopia,” it’s probably not coming out for a while. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense to revamp the Utopia and then sell a better version a few months later. It would piss off customers, like what happened with Hifiman in the past. But I guess you never know

 

[RobertSM]

Also wondering if this new voice coil will change sensitivity and impedance.

 

[Ciggavelli]

I'm surprised they didn't call this an "Utopia S," a la Sennheiser and Stax. Also, I can't tell if the price on the used market for the original Utopia is going to get worse or get better, given the new one costs more.

 

[DJJEZ]

Also wondering if this new voice coil will change sensitivity and impedance.

Apparently they are identical

 

[up late]

Thanks

I had to look up what a voice coil does on Wikipedia. I thought it might have to do with voice reproduction, but it appears it does more than that.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_coil

I guess a new voice coil could change the sound. From that side by side comparison earlier, it looks like the driver may be housed more forward than the original Utopia. What that means, if anything, is not clear to me.

Content was removed in response to a copyright claim by a third party.

thanks for enlightening us about voice coils and if you take a closer look at the photos, you may notice that you are comparing the right ear cup of the og utopia with the left ear cup of the new model

 

[iDesign]

I'm surprised they didn't call this an "Utopia S," a la Sennheiser and Stax. Also, I can't tell if the price on the used market for the original Utopia is going to get worse or get better, given the new one costs more.

It’s possible the Grande Utopia is similar to the previous 40th Symphonie bundle. I would be surprised if they invested in the R&D of an even higher end headphone ahead of a economic recession and slowing consumer spending:
https://www.focal.com/en/symphonie-40th

 

[Sajid Amit]

Damn, what's happening. I decide to go easy on the hobby to relieve my neck pain and how Focal releases an upgraded Utopia!

 

[up late]

looks more like a technical tweak and refresh to me at this early stage

 

[enragedlemon]

Damn, what's happening. I decide to go easy on the hobby to relieve my neck pain and how Focal releases an upgraded Utopia!

Regardless of how small a refresh it is I look forward to your inevitable review

 

[LCMusicLover]

Literally all metal. What do you think the strings and valves are made of?

Orchestral strings are gut, not metal. Guitar stings can be metal or nylon. Bodies of clarinets are wooden. Valves are metal, but the resonance doesn’t come from that. All the valves do is control the air flow.

Bongos, congas, marimbas … all wooden.

Bottom line, many acoustic instruments are wooden and produce ‘wood-flavored’ timbre.