Focal Utopia General Discussion

[Infoseeker]

How long have you had the Utopia?

It is really really old now, it had come with that rubbery thick cord that is solid black.

Not the Ikea-looking black/white striped fabric headphone cable.

So no warranty I can use. haha

 

[tomwoo]

OG Utopia owners.

I got a gooey problem:


Instead of putting forth crazy money for new Utopia earpads.....and all the damn 3rd party earpads are crazy more deep than the original earpads.

I decided to be the crazy one instead:
Be silly like me and just stick on some of this:



Futuwi Air Conditioner Foam-2 Rolls, 1 Inch Wide (~25.4mm) X 3/4 Inch (~19mm) Thick, Open Cell Sponge-version AC Foam Weather Seal for Gap Blocker, Anti-Vibration, Anti-Collision (6.5ft x 2 Rolls) https://a.co/d/03jN5xei

&

DIY Plastic Mounting Ring Base Compatible with Focal utopia clear elegia clear mg elex stellia celestee radiance https://a.co/d/03wwi3MZ

Can even use different depths to get closer to your ear. Then play around.

I used a 3/4 Inch deep roll. Less deep than the original pads, but mimics the depth after compression of wearing the original pads.



Cherry-picked FR:


Frequency Response at several positions of shifting the headphone around the coupler. Like moving it forward so the earpads touch the back of the ears. Etc.


Using an ICP-version IEC711 coupler to make the graph. With an official B&K 5128 to power it. Only downside, is I am using an Aliexpress copycat GRAS pinnae.

I had the same problem about 2 year into ownership of OG. The pads were replaced under warranty and I have not noticed any goo so far. I'm not sure if Focal had addressed the issue with the replacement pads.

 

[gerelmx1986]

OG Utopia owners.

I got a gooey problem:


Instead of putting forth crazy money for new Utopia earpads.....and all the damn 3rd party earpads are crazy more deep than the original earpads.

I decided to be the crazy one instead:
Be silly like me and just stick on some of this:



Futuwi Air Conditioner Foam-2 Rolls, 1 Inch Wide (~25.4mm) X 3/4 Inch (~19mm) Thick, Open Cell Sponge-version AC Foam Weather Seal for Gap Blocker, Anti-Vibration, Anti-Collision (6.5ft x 2 Rolls) https://a.co/d/03jN5xei

&

DIY Plastic Mounting Ring Base Compatible with Focal utopia clear elegia clear mg elex stellia celestee radiance https://a.co/d/03wwi3MZ

Can even use different depths to get closer to your ear. Then play around.

I used a 3/4 Inch deep roll. Less deep than the original pads, but mimics the depth after compression of wearing the original pads.



Cherry-picked FR:


Frequency Response at several positions of shifting the headphone around the coupler. Like moving it forward so the earpads touch the back of the ears. Etc.


Using an ICP-version IEC711 coupler to make the graph. With an official B&K 5128 to power it. Only downside, is I am using an Aliexpress copycat GRAS pinnae.

I haven'y noticed goo as of now

 

[TheAbyss2022]

The tube mode on the iFi Phantom is absolutely stunning and I have had some emotional listening sessions with the OG Utopia on this mode.

I use the 20hz xbass mode which gives the Utopia a nice punch and slam.

 

[Musicophilesblog]

I had the same problem about 2 year into ownership of OG. The pads were replaced under warranty and I have not noticed any goo so far. I'm not sure if Focal had addressed the issue with the replacement pads.

Whenever I read about the goo problem here I check my 2020 "facelift" OG Utopias and nothing there yet after 3 years of ownership. Do people know if the goo issue was fixed with the newer presentation (different cables) of the OG?

 

[Chesty]

Whenever I read about the goo problem here I check my 2020 "facelift" OG Utopias and nothing there yet after 3 years of ownership. Do people know if the goo issue was fixed with the newer presentation (different cables) of the OG?

I purchased my Stellia in 2020 and my Utopia SE (i.e. 2020 version) in 2021. Ear pads on both have just begun to show the goo problem. Having said that, both sets of pads are also showing their age/wear and need replacing anyway.

 

[r343]

Got replacement pads in summer 22 and in 23 summer they started to leak slightly from bottom. My apartment was hellish hot from May to August because bad isolation and weak ac so i guess that advanced rate of goopyness.

I did Frankenstein like fix for goop pads and use them here and there with Clear MG.

- Pulled the leaking leather part all the way out,
- Rubbed leather and ring part thoughtfully with 70% isopropanol until i could see zero goop.
- Stuffed leather back inside and sealed with gorilla super glue

Pads have not showed signs of goop leaking again for months but there is always a risk.

 

[gerelmx1986]

Got replacement pads in summer 22 and in 23 summer they started to leak slightly from bottom. My apartment was hellish hot from May to August because bad isolation and weak ac so i guess that advanced rate of goopyness.

I did Frankenstein like fix for goop pads and use them here and there with Clear MG.

- Pulled the leaking leather part all the way out,
- Rubbed leather and ring part thoughtfully with 70% isopropanol until i could see zero goop.
- Stuffed leather back inside and sealed with gorilla super glue

Pads have not showed signs of goop leaking again for months but there is always a risk.

I decide to throughly check my parts that means removing them from the headphones and checking them and they are very good they don't have goo

 

[Drrizzt]

Arctic Cables are good too. I got them to make a 3 metre core cable with a Neutrik 6.35mm jack. Far more flexible than the OG and no difference in sound AFAICT

I got an xlr from Arachne audio and my OG Utopia sound quite different with it, it's warmish. I suspect that my Utopia sounds very much like the 2022 version with this cable.

(Very good quality and cheap).

 

[Barnstormer13]

Hopefully the pad goo is a hot weather problem and not something I have to worry about. We had a record high yesterday. I think it was 76 F

 

[kkrazik2008]

Hopefully the pad goo is a hot weather problem and not something I have to worry about. We had a record high yesterday. I think it was 76 F

god I wish that was our record high, hottest summer in 19 years that I can remember and it’s got two months to go. No goo with temps in the high 90’s

 

[Barnstormer13]

god I wish that was our record high, hottest summer in 19 years that I can remember and it’s got two months to go. No goo with temps in the high 90’s

Hike today in the mountains.. Felt like 55-60

 

[kkrazik2008]

Hike today in the mountains.. Felt like 55-60

Absolutely beautiful, thank you for sharing!

 

[tomwoo]

Hopefully the pad goo is a hot weather problem and not something I have to worry about. We had a record high yesterday. I think it was 76 F

I lived in socal which has mild and dry weather. But goo still happened.

 

[Barnstormer13]

I lived in socal which has mild and dry weather. But goo still happened.

I’ve visited SoCal. Are you sure it’s mild and dry? I seem to remember the weather being (a rather pleasant) 70-75 in January. What is it in the summer?