[ubs28]

I've been living together for a while with my HD800S. My experience of listening to Focal Utopia was pretty much the same. Beautiful design, exceptional build quality, resolution, details: all top notch. However, as I got spoiled by the HD800S' outstanding 3D performance, regardless of the music choice, I was always disappointed by the Utopia's cramped soundstage. Claustrophobic was the very first adjective that popped up to my mind too.

I seriously doubt that a lot of people would change the HD800S to Focal Utopia after spending some time with the Sennheisers — and I'm not even factoring in the price difference.

Try it on the Chord Dave. The Focal Utopia has very good soundstage capabilities and it is even more accurate than the HD 800 / HD 800 S.

 

[Topspin70]

Try it on the Chord Dave. The Focal Utopia has very good soundstage capabilities and it is even more accurate than the HD 800 / HD 800 S.

That's a lot of $ to find out that the Utopia is better than the HD800S.

 

[Whazzzup]

lol so that's what it is..... susvara test next weekend, granted won't be listening through my humble system, but somehow I doubt it matters. The cans will shine or not at four times hd800S costs I'm expecting rainbows and unicorns .....

 

[daltonlanny]

Utopia + Chord Dave = way too expensive for me to ever find out about the soundstaging capabilities

 

[NPWS]

Utopia + Chord Dave = way too expensive for me to ever find out about the soundstaging capabilities

+1 lol

 

[Whazzzup]

what a 22000$ can dollar entrance fee is to high? plus 13% tax to boot

 

[ubs28]

Utopia + Chord Dave = way too expensive for me to ever find out about the soundstaging capabilities

Just saying that the problem could be elsewhere.

The Chord Mojo has no soundstage for example. I can get even get the HD 650 having a bigger soundstage than the HD 800 based on the setup I use

 

[YesThisIs]

You have to keep in mind that even in the HD800S there is potential to crow when paired with better amplifier/dac setup with good synergy. You have to keep in mind also that Sennheiser greated the HD800 to have as much soundstage as possible. To my knowledge Sennheiser spend a lot of R&D time to angle the headphones properly to greate that soundstage.

But i would guess that even with "decent" amp/dac running HD800S balanced vs Utopia & Chord dave. Even then the soundstage will be lacking and dissapointing.

The Utopias just simply is lacking in soundstage a lot from the ground up. There is no "voodoo" tricks that any amp can do to fix this. They can help little bit. But nothing too significant in my experience. Even if you trow 14 000$ into your system.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[endgame]

Just saying that the problem could be elsewhere.

The Chord Mojo has no soundstage for example. I can get even get the HD 650 having a bigger soundstage than the HD 800 based on the setup I use

Sorry, have to disagree. I own the 800S and 650 and there's no comparison in soundstage between them. The 800S blows the 650 away in all departments, and especially soundstage. So if your amp can make the 650 sound wider than the 800S, then what do you think the 800S soundstage would sound like with it?

That's like saying the Oppo PM3 properly amped has a bigger soundstage than my 800 plugged straight into my iPhone...apples and oranges. The Utopia's sound good, but their soundstage is subpar for a $4000 open back.

 

[ubs28]

The Utopia isn't lacking in soundstage. Try panning sound -90 degree and you'll hear sounds coming from -90 degrees so it covers the same soundstage width.

The HD 800 / HD 800 S simply does some kind of effect which is not accurate as instruments do not sound seperated like that in a live performance. The instruments should be more integrated like the Utopia presents it.

 

[Topspin70]

Integrated to some people. Congested to others. Think it pretty much boils down to personal taste.

For my set up, the HD800S reproduces well recorded classical music just like it does in a real performance. Instruments are audibly distinct but not separated in any unrealistic way.

 

[ubs28]

If it sounds congested, the problem is somewhere else. It doesn't sound anything like that on my setup.

 

[Dobrescu George]

If it sounds congested, the problem is somewhere else. It doesn't sound anything like that on my setup.

Just different expectations, different tastes and different ideals in music.

I really like how HD800S sounds like and their soundstage is awesome to me, plus I really love their comfort.

If I were to get a pair of Utopia and they would have say, less soundstage than LCD-4, which is small than HD800S, but still okay, then I would go with HD800S instead but simply because I like my music that way.

I also echo the opinions above, for a true classical music experience, HD800S's soundstage is one of the best one can get, it really turns classical music into a much more lively thing.

 

[daltonlanny]

Yep, I prefer the soundstage, comfort, and most of all...the price of the Sennheiser HD800 sdr/Sennheiser HD800 S to the Utopia.
No bias toward the Sennheiser brand at all.
I truly wanted to love the Utopia, based on all the extremely positive reviews, and expectations, given their price and all, and I was more than willing to sell all my other cans, but it just didn't happen for me.
I gave them more than a fair shot, and with lots of sources, dacs, and amps, but in the end, preferred the Sennheisers and modded HE-6.
Again, to my ears the Utopia sounded confined, and claustrophobic alot like a closed back can, and too "tense", and "up front", for better words.
There was also, to my ears, this very slight metallic coloration that was audible, from time to time, that I could not just dismiss.
Maybe I got one from a bad batch, or one that had driver variations?
To me, they simply aren't worth their enormous asking price, even used.
Maybe if I was wealthy, and could afford a Dave, or such, then maybe I would feel differently and then sell off my other cans. Lol
Different strokes for different folks...

 

[GearMe]

Yep, I prefer the soundstage, comfort, and most of all...the price of the Sennheiser HD800 sdr/Sennheiser HD800 S to the Utopia.
No bias toward the Sennheiser brand at all.
I truly wanted to love the Utopia, based on all the extremely positive reviews, and expectations, given their price and all, and I was more than willing to sell all my other cans, but it just didn't happen for me.
I gave them more than a fair shot, and with lots of sources, dacs, and amps, but in the end, preferred the Sennheisers and modded HE-6.
Again, to my ears the Utopia sounded confined, and claustrophobic alot like a closed back can, and too "tense", and "up front", for better words.
There was also, to my ears, this very slight metallic coloration that was audible, from time to time, that I could not just dismiss.
Maybe I got one from a bad batch, or one that had driver variations?
To me, they simply aren't worth their enormous asking price, even used.
Maybe if I was wealthy, and could afford a Dave, or such, then maybe I would feel differently and then sell off my other cans. Lol
Different strokes for different folks...

Seems like you should be hoping for one of these...after all, the 'one that had driver variations' was the one declared 'world's best headphone'