I barley even bother to read that thread anymore between the pads & detachable cables, and if I do I breeze right through it.It could be worse…..different threads about the same headphone pads…..
New Focal Utopia for 2022: impressions
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pataburd
Headphoneus Supremus
The higher the thread count, the better the quality.
jonathan c
Headphoneus Supremus
Only for bedsheets….trolls thrive on post / thread count…
pataburd
Headphoneus Supremus
Would be interested in hearing from someone who has actually a/b-ed the Clear OG versus Clear MG AND a/b-ed the Utopia versus NUtopia. Is/are the "new" Focal tuning direction/s analogous between these models? That is the assumption I am making based on the extant (U vs. NU) reviews I have read, and based upon my own head-to-head comparisons between the Clear OG and MG. But I could be incorrect and therefore hasty in my U vs. NU conclusion(s).
RustyGates
100+ Head-Fier
They could've just called it Focal Utopia Evo, like their speaker product line.
pataburd
Headphoneus Supremus
From the looks and (reported) sound of things, Utopia Devo might be a more fitting name . . .
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bobmysterious
100+ Head-Fier
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pataburd
Headphoneus Supremus
They all need to be fitted with the NUtopia (and/or the equally disappointing Clear MG).
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ra990
Headphoneus Supremus
Got the right one this time! Definitely prefer the less flashy looks of the new one. The old one was a finger print magnet and the overly glossy look was a bit dated.
On to the listening...
Very first impression vs the OG - these are definitely less zingy and sparkly up top, sounding more controlled in the treble and are sounding a bit more natural right from the start. I just had the OG a few days ago, so remember the holy crap moment of that treble when I listened to it vs 2022. If that was too much treble energy for anyone, then the 2022 should help for sure.
Upon more listening...
These sound exceptionally neutral right out of the box. No region is exaggerated over another. Almost kind of boring at first because of the neutrality compared to the OG, which started punching you in the face right out of the box. Boring in a good way for a reference quality headphone of this tier. These show me how colored the Elites actually are.
Stage is at least as impressive as the OG, with a perfect spherical surrounding and a center image that is closer my eyes, rather than the middle of my head.
So far, nothing stands out as irritating or missing. Right out of the box, that's good news to me. Going to let them break in and give my brain some time to acclimate.
On to the listening...
Very first impression vs the OG - these are definitely less zingy and sparkly up top, sounding more controlled in the treble and are sounding a bit more natural right from the start. I just had the OG a few days ago, so remember the holy crap moment of that treble when I listened to it vs 2022. If that was too much treble energy for anyone, then the 2022 should help for sure.
Upon more listening...
These sound exceptionally neutral right out of the box. No region is exaggerated over another. Almost kind of boring at first because of the neutrality compared to the OG, which started punching you in the face right out of the box. Boring in a good way for a reference quality headphone of this tier. These show me how colored the Elites actually are.
Stage is at least as impressive as the OG, with a perfect spherical surrounding and a center image that is closer my eyes, rather than the middle of my head.
So far, nothing stands out as irritating or missing. Right out of the box, that's good news to me. Going to let them break in and give my brain some time to acclimate.
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mt-hifidelity
500+ Head-Fier
What are your thoughts on the Utopia 2022 vs the DCA Expanse? I tried both today and liked them but didn't have enough time to make a conclusion about which I'd prefer to own. My initial take is that the Expanse performed well only with a desktop-level amp whereas the Utopia also performed nicely out of a high-powered DAP. That gives the Utopia an edge because I wouldn't be tethered to my home system. Both had great bass but my sense is that the Expanse has slightly more texture, closer to the Abyss TC.. The Expanse also did seem to have a bit of an edge in sense of space but the Utopia's imaging competed pretty well.Got the right one this time! Definitely prefer the less flashy looks of the new one. The old one was a finger print magnet and the overly glossy look was a bit dated.
On to the listening...
Very first impression vs the OG - these are definitely less zingy and sparkly up top, sounding more controlled in the treble and are sounding a bit more natural right from the start. I just had the OG a few days ago, so remember the holy crap moment of that treble when I listened to it vs 2022. If that was too much treble energy for anyone, then the 2022 should help for sure.
Upon more listening...
These sound exceptionally neutral right out of the box. No region is exaggerated over another. Almost kind of boring at first because of the neutrality compared to the OG, which started punching you in the face right out of the box. Boring in a good way for a reference quality headphone of this tier. These show me how colored the Elites actually are.
Stage is at least as impressive as the OG, with a perfect spherical surrounding and a center image that is closer my eyes, rather than the middle of my head.
So far, nothing stands out as irritating or missing. Right out of the box, that's good news to me. Going to let them break in and give my brain some time to acclimate.
Without having actually heard either of them, it is pretty commonly understood that totl planars have the resolution edge but don't offer the same dynamic engagement that dynamic drivers do - Focal being the most engaging of all dynamic drivers, and Utopia being the most dynamically engaging of Focal's offerings. I feel pretty confident the difference between these two is going to adhere to that broader generality.
ra990
Headphoneus Supremus
My first go around with the Expanse was not too favorable because I am a huge fan of the Stealth and just don't hear enough of the same spatial qualities. I'm having a friend evaluate them at the moment (and break them in more for me). Once I get them back, I'll compare with a fresh set of ears on them. So far, I am liking the Utopia 2022 much more. It's got more of the air and open stage that the Expanse lacked for me, while being neutral in tonality. The Expanse is definitely not neutral and not aiming to be, so they're pretty different right off the bat. Of course, the Utopia's power requirements make it much easier to live with as well. The Stealth and Expanse both don't have anywhere the dynamic punch of the Focal's, that's for sure.
number1sixerfan
Headphoneus Supremus
Got the right one this time! Definitely prefer the less flashy looks of the new one. The old one was a finger print magnet and the overly glossy look was a bit dated.
On to the listening...
Very first impression vs the OG - these are definitely less zingy and sparkly up top, sounding more controlled in the treble and are sounding a bit more natural right from the start. I just had the OG a few days ago, so remember the holy crap moment of that treble when I listened to it vs 2022. If that was too much treble energy for anyone, then the 2022 should help for sure.
Upon more listening...
These sound exceptionally neutral right out of the box. No region is exaggerated over another. Almost kind of boring at first because of the neutrality compared to the OG, which started punching you in the face right out of the box. Boring in a good way for a reference quality headphone of this tier. These show me how colored the Elites actually are.
Stage is at least as impressive as the OG, with a perfect spherical surrounding and a center image that is closer my eyes, rather than the middle of my head.
So far, nothing stands out as irritating or missing. Right out of the box, that's good news to me. Going to let them break in and give my brain some time to acclimate.
Really interesting to hear that these may have fixed the occasional shrillness in the highs. Really the only thing to improve imo. (The intimate staging is a part of its signature that I quite liked).
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Now i am sure you know what i was meaning with details/airness in comparison with Expanse
NOMAX
PS.and also much faster in the low end
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up late
Headphoneus Supremus
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more of a side-grade than an upgrade according to this reviewer:
https://headphones.com/community/re...l-2022-utopia-how-does-it-compare-to-original
https://headphones.com/community/re...l-2022-utopia-how-does-it-compare-to-original
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