[Argyris]

I laugh when people say end game. Every-time I have said that I end up upgrading again. But that is part of the fun.

That's assuming the point of the hobby for everybody is to chase after the next new gear. Some of us just want something we can live with that doesn't sound like there's a train wreck happening that we have to try to listen to our music through. The HD 600 is the first headphone I've found that I can 100% say satisfies that requirement. Until a confirmed successor appears, essentially an HD 600 with sub bass extension, I'm perfectly happy to call my current HD 600 end game. Choosing anything else would currently involve sacrificing what makes the HD 600 so special (coherence, tonal balance, complete lack of fatigue), and I'm confident that any gains I might make in one dimension (e.g. bass extension) would be outweighed by the loss of that HD 600 secret sauce.

Instead, I'm currently concentrating on finding a closed headphone that doesn't make me want to rip it off my head and chuck it across the room and wish I had the HD 600 instead, for all those times when I need the isolation or else don't want to annoy others around me. The HD 569 I just bought shows some potential, though like all closed headphones it has its notable flaws.

 

[BobG55]

I laugh when people say end game. Every-time I have said that I end up upgrading again. But that is part of the fun.

I posted the exact same thing a few months ago on another thread. Then I found a pair of Focal Utopia for sale on Canuck Audio Mart at a price that was too good to resist. So now the only guarantee that I'll give pertaining to this hobby is that I will always have a pair of HD600 in my collection.

 

[Midgetguy]

I posted the exact same thing a few months ago on another thread. Then I found a pair of Focal Utopia for sale on Canuck Audio Mart at a price that was too good to resist. So now the only guarantee that I'll give pertaining to this hobby is that I will always have a pair of HD600 in my collection.

Sounds about right

 

[Pahani]

I posted the exact same thing a few months ago on another thread. Then I found a pair of Focal Utopia for sale on Canuck Audio Mart at a price that was too good to resist. So now the only guarantee that I'll give pertaining to this hobby is that I will always have a pair of HD600 in my collection.

Yessir!! Even though my Stax surpass my HD600 to my ears, HD600 and HD6XX are on the "never sell" list

 

[SpeakerBox]

I posted the exact same thing a few months ago on another thread. Then I found a pair of Focal Utopia for sale on Canuck Audio Mart at a price that was too good to resist. So now the only guarantee that I'll give pertaining to this hobby is that I will always have a pair of HD600 in my collection.

Yes, that would be about where I come down on this issue. Funny with the HD-600 for me that sometimes they seem to sound off the charts good and other times mediocre. And that with the same amplification. Could be source material - need to investigate more.

 

[yangian]

Yes, that would be about where I come down on this issue. Funny with the HD-600 for me that sometimes they seem to sound off the charts good and other times mediocre. And that with the same amplification. Could be source material - need to investigate more.

That's because of the sound quality of your music files.

 

[SpeakerBox]

That's because of the sound quality of your music files.

No, I listen mostly to vinyl. A few CDs here and there. Not much a fan of digital.

 

[yangian]

No, I listen mostly to vinyl. A few CDs here and there. Not much a fan of digital.

I meant the recording of the files. No matter what kind of your million $ DAC is, it cannot convert a bad recorded music file to a melody.

 

[SpeakerBox]

No DAC involved. Just vinyl.

 

[yangian]

No DAC involved. Just vinyl.

Yes, I just meant your vinyl have different recording quality.

 

[DavidA]

Yes, that would be about where I come down on this issue. Funny with the HD-600 for me that sometimes they seem to sound off the charts good and other times mediocre. And that with the same amplification. Could be source material - need to investigate more.

It could be the time of day that is affecting your impression, early in the morning your hearing might be fresh and later in the evening you are a little fatigued which I have noticed affects my hearing a little.

 

[SHAMuuu]

I posted the exact same thing a few months ago on another thread. Then I found a pair of Focal Utopia for sale on Canuck Audio Mart at a price that was too good to resist. So now the only guarantee that I'll give pertaining to this hobby is that I will always have a pair of HD600 in my collection.

Are you saying that the hd600 is listenable even after Utopia? B/C another magical headphone with magical midrange caused owners of it not to be able to listen to hd600 after. I'm still in mid-fi land, so i'm not bashing mid-fi hifi. Lets say the Utopia was stated on several occasions to be better technically than the magical headphone. So i'm just trying to get a grip of what you're saying. And no, i'm not being cheeky. If the hd600 is as good as you say, then i will also have to add it. I'm more in the Beyer camp/ Basshead camp, but starting to favor non-fatiguing , warm, neutral'ish cans. My endgame wish would be Susvara (realistic choice).

 

[BobG55]

Are you saying that the hd600 is listenable even after Utopia? B/C another magical headphone with magical midrange caused owners of it not to be able to listen to hd600 after. I'm still in mid-fi land, so i'm not bashing mid-fi hifi. Lets say the Utopia was stated on several occasions to be better technically than the magical headphone. So i'm just trying to get a grip of what you're saying. And no, i'm not being cheeky. If the hd600 is as good as you say, then i will also have to add it. I'm more in the Beyer camp/ Basshead camp, but starting to favor non-fatiguing , warm, neutral'ish cans. My endgame wish would be Susvara (realistic choice).

There is no subliminal or hidden or ''needing to read between the lines" message or other meaning than I will always have a pair of HD600 in my collection. But yes, the HD600 are IMHO still amongst the best headphones on the market regardless of price. When it comes to the "mid-range" sound and liquidity, the HD600 is better than many high end headphones. Two sources that I base my opinion on : 1-) my own ears, &, 2-) www.innerfidelity.com/content/sonoma-acoustics-model-one-electrostatic-headphone-and-amplifier-system, article by Tyll Hertsens, page 3, Sound quality, 3rd paragraph.

 

[Midgetguy]

Are you saying that the hd600 is listenable even after Utopia? B/C another magical headphone with magical midrange caused owners of it not to be able to listen to hd600 after. I'm still in mid-fi land, so i'm not bashing mid-fi hifi. Lets say the Utopia was stated on several occasions to be better technically than the magical headphone. So i'm just trying to get a grip of what you're saying. And no, i'm not being cheeky. If the hd600 is as good as you say, then i will also have to add it. I'm more in the Beyer camp/ Basshead camp, but starting to favor non-fatiguing , warm, neutral'ish cans. My endgame wish would be Susvara (realistic choice).

I like my HD600 more than the Utopia so take that as you will. Compared them side by side at a meet (which was a pretty quiet local meet, not to mention the two headphones were put head to head in the same environmental settings). I wasn't thrilled with the sound signature of the Utopia. Of the two recently notable Focal headphones, gimme the Elear over the Utopia. And would I get an Elear instead of an HD600? Personally, no, still costs too much for what it does better compared to the HD600. I like quality, but I have to consider in balance with value and when you consider it, the HD600 is better value than basically any big-name flagship headphone out there IMO. Haven't heard the Susvara yet, but I've had a chance to listen to other high-priced items (well, high-priced for me, $1500+ ain't a thing to scoff at) and my conclusion is that while the sound quality is incredible, I wouldn't personally buy them. Have a listen? Sure. But the way I think about it: at MSRP, a Susvara and a Utopia, so just 2 headphones, is equivalent to the price of a pretty good used car or a significant down payment on a brand new car and I could use a car waaaay more than a couple of headphones.

 

[SHAMuuu]

There is no subliminal or hidden or ''needing to read between the lines" message or other meaning than I will always have a pair of HD600 in my collection. But yes, the HD600 are IMHO still amongst the best headphones on the market regardless of price. When it comes to the "mid-range" sound and liquidity, the HD600 is better than many high end headphones. Two sources that I base my opinion on : 1-) my own ears, &, 2-) www.innerfidelity.com/content/sonoma-acoustics-model-one-electrostatic-headphone-and-amplifier-system, article by Tyll Hertsens, page 3, Sound quality, 3rd paragraph.

Excellent point and thx for pointing it out in Tyll's notes.

I like my HD600 more than the Utopia so take that as you will. Compared them side by side at a meet (which was a pretty quiet local meet, not to mention the two headphones were put head to head in the same environmental settings). I wasn't thrilled with the sound signature of the Utopia. Of the two recently notable Focal headphones, gimme the Elear over the Utopia. And would I get an Elear instead of an HD600? Personally, no, still costs too much for what it does better compared to the HD600. I like quality, but I have to consider in balance with value and when you consider it, the HD600 is better value than basically any big-name flagship headphone out there IMO. Haven't heard the Susvara yet, but I've had a chance to listen to other high-priced items (well, high-priced for me, $1500+ ain't a thing to scoff at) and my conclusion is that while the sound quality is incredible, I wouldn't personally buy them. Have a listen? Sure. But the way I think about it: at MSRP, a Susvara and a Utopia, so just 2 headphones, is equivalent to the price of a pretty good used car or a significant down payment on a brand new car and I could use a car waaaay more than a couple of headphones.

Definitely something to think about considering the massive price difference. And yes Susvara/ Utopia combo could buy some "dream cars" maybe in rough form. Thx for your input.