[PeteSTRADAMUS]

I still don't understand your comment? That said, all three headphones are brilliantly constructed. Many other manufacturers can learn from them. But dang, these Empyrean are something to behold in person!

Carbon fiber is only the frame that holds the cups of the Utopia in place. The actual cups are plastic. It has plastic everywhere. And they aren't solid to the touch. It's just the way it is. I still loved the sound.

 

[fuhransahis]

Just joined the club!

 

[project86]

I think Empyrean is brilliantly built and supremely comfortable, but I do have to acknowledge the Sony Z1R as being excellent as well. Probably the two best I've experienced overall.

 

[Rowethren]

Guess it is lucky they are the 2 headphones I have left myself with then . Although the Z1R don't get much use these days compared to my speakers and Empyrean... Still great for closed headphone, I just don't feel the need for closed that often as I am lucky with my home environment.

 

[up late]

Carbon fiber is only the frame that holds the cups of the Utopia in place. The actual cups are plastic. It has plastic everywhere. And they aren't solid to the touch. It's just the way it is. I still loved the sound.

it doesn't have "plastic everywhere". the ear cups are made from both plastic and metal, and feel quite solid to my touch. they're also weighty in the hand, which is most likely due to the driver assemblies. back on topic...

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

it doesn't have "plastic everywhere". the ear cups are made from both plastic and metal, and feel quite solid to my touch. they're also weighty in the hand, which is most likely due to the driver assemblies. back on topic...

You just refuse to quit. it has metal in the outside grill. The rest is plastic besides the Beryllium. I owned them. I know what I'm talking about. The design is pure garbage and people started selling them off. It's a high percentage of driver failure. That's why they gave out the 5-year warranty. The freaking letters fall off the cups haha.

 

[ken6217]

Guys, move this to the effin Utopia forum. Enough already.

 

[up late]

You just refuse to quit. it has metal in the outside grill. The rest is plastic besides the Beryllium. I owned them. I know what I'm talking about. The design is pure garbage and people started selling them off. It's a high percentage of driver failure. That's why they gave out the 5-year warranty. The freaking letters fall off the cups haha.

i'm just tempering your exaggerations with the facts of the matter. both the mesh and vent are made from metal by the way. seeing as you've resorted to dissing the utopia outright, i'm more than happy to "quit" at this point of our exchange.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

i'm just tempering your exaggerations with the facts of the matter. both the mesh and vent are made from metal by the way. seeing as you've resorted to dissing the utopia outright, i'm more than happy to "quit" at this point of our exchange.

Lol, the mesh and the grill. That's what I was referring too. Empyrean > Utopia in everything besides punch. Design, quality, craftsmanship. It's not even close. That's why they started selling the Utopia for like $2100 brand new. Hopefully, the new one more than a design product like the Stellia has become.

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

Listen, @PeteSTRADAMUS has owned the Utopia TWICE! They used to be his favorite headphones. His opinion is valid. Let it go.

 

[up late]

Listen, @PeteSTRADAMUS has owned the Utopia TWICE! They used to be his favorite headphones. His opinion is valid. Let it go.

lol! yes he did and he used to gush over them in the utopia thread, but not anymore. thanks for bringing that up.

 

[tradyblix]

His opinion is just that, his opinion. I own the Utopia now and I don't agree with it.

So while I respect that he feels that way about it, we don't all have to assume that it's correct and the Utopia has a bad build quality.

Personally I don't associate the "creaking" from the Utopia to be a quality detractor. It's just how it is. It's like complaning about the plastic color on the HD600 "countertop" edition or it's aggressive clamp.

In fact, build quality seems to be highly subjective thing. It's rarely EVER been a factor in actual headphones I have.

Empy is the only headphone that I've paid retail for - I try to not pay retail for heapdhones if I can help it. The Utopia cost me less new than the Empy did.

I am much more concerned with things like Driver failure reports and averages.

Btw, owning both and comparing them - if you are a Utopia owner - the bar is already set high and while the Empyrean does some things better, it also does some things worse.

Is the empyrean a little more refined by not using plastic - I would say that's fairly inarguable, but I don't find it to detract from the Utopia.

All plastic isn't the same either. It's not like the Utopia uses low quality plastic.

I have had no issues with any letters falling off in 1.5 years either. YMMV.

To sum up - no need to diss the Utopia because you had to sell it to get the Empy or because you prefer it now.

 

[LCMusicLover]

His opinion is just that, his opinion. I own the Utopia now and I don't agree with it.

So while I respect that he feels that way about it, we don't all have to assume that it's correct and the Utopia has a bad build quality.

Personally I don't associate the "creaking" from the Utopia to be a quality detractor. It's just how it is. It's like complaning about the plastic color on the HD600 "countertop" edition or it's aggressive clamp.

In fact, build quality seems to be highly subjective thing. It's rarely EVER been a factor in actual headphones I have.

Empy is the only headphone that I've paid retail for - I try to not pay retail for heapdhones if I can help it. The Utopia cost me less new than

I am much more concerned with things like Driver failure reports and averages.

Btw, owning both and comparing them - if you are a Utopia owner - the bar is already set high and while the Empyrean does some things better, it also does some things worse.

Is the empyrean a little more refined by not using plastic - I would say that's fairly inarguable, but I don't find it to detract from the Utopia.

All plastic isn't the same either. It's not like the Utopia uses low quality plastic.

I have had no issues with any letters falling off in 1.5 years either. YMMV.

To sum up - no need to diss the Utopia because you had to sell it to get the Empy or because you prefer it now.

Yeppers to all that!

Let me just add that Utopia and Empy sound pretty far apart in a number of ways -- tonality and headstage being at the top of the list for me. Not sure whether detail belongs near the top as the perceived difference there might really come down to tonality. It's be interesting to EQ them both to meet at a 'standard' target and compare.

Just my 2 cents worth (probably over-priced).

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

His opinion is just that, his opinion. I own the Utopia now and I don't agree with it.

So while I respect that he feels that way about it, we don't all have to assume that it's correct and the Utopia has a bad build quality.

Personally I don't associate the "creaking" from the Utopia to be a quality detractor. It's just how it is. It's like complaning about the plastic color on the HD600 "countertop" edition or it's aggressive clamp.

In fact, build quality seems to be highly subjective thing. It's rarely EVER been a factor in actual headphones I have.

Empy is the only headphone that I've paid retail for - I try to not pay retail for heapdhones if I can help it. The Utopia cost me less new than

I am much more concerned with things like Driver failure reports and averages.

Btw, owning both and comparing them - if you are a Utopia owner - the bar is already set high and while the Empyrean does some things better, it also does some things worse.

Is the empyrean a little more refined by not using plastic - I would say that's fairly inarguable, but I don't find it to detract from the Utopia.

All plastic isn't the same either. It's not like the Utopia uses low quality plastic.

I have had no issues with any letters falling off in 1.5 years either. YMMV.

To sum up - no need to diss the Utopia because you had to sell it to get the Empy or because you prefer it now.

I didn't sell anything to buy anything else. I don't own either of them currently. I'm calling it how I see it from the outside. I no longer stand by Focal and it's products. I have my reasons for it. It's too risky knowing that any moment the driver can fail. I know anything can break but not at the percentage that the Utopia broke already. And, the headphone feels cheap to me. I don't care what any of you people say trying to defend that headphone/brand.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

@PeteSTRADAMUS I guess we should all strive to be professional and respectful. Calling something "pure garbage" is not respectful or mature. There are ways to state one's opinion without going so low; it just results in hurt feelings and endless arguments.