[Topspin70]

No disrespect to the Utopia but the mention of a narrow soundstage seems common. Is this only felt by people who used to the HD800/HD800S soundstage?

 

[Dobrescu George]

No disrespect to the Utopia but the mention of a narrow soundstage seems common. Is this only felt by people who used to the HD800/HD800S soundstage?

Maybe they simply have a more intimate when it comes to their soundstage. Everything will have a small soundstage to HD800S users, but not everything will have a narrow soundstage, if this makes sense.

 

[ubs28]

No disrespect to the Utopia but the mention of a narrow soundstage seems common. Is this only felt by people who used to the HD800/HD800S soundstage?

TOTL headphones like the HE-1000, Z1R and HD 800 / HD 800 S sound wider.

But Focal was targetting their TOTL loudspeakers rather than headphones like the HE-1000 and the HD 800.

 

[Whazzzup]

I'm no audiophile, in that I'm no seasoned golden ear multi can listener, like a good sommelier, but as I listen to more brands I'm happy to report, it's prfererance. There is no best, winner, golden unicorn. However if your lucky you find something that makes you happy and enjoy putting on your head for long periods, across genres. For me I'm looking for smoother intimate yet accurate stage now. I'm not desperate but calculated in this regard. Susvara has ticked those boxes, I need to listen to lcd4 or it's new flagship that will come out, ( they always do) hd800S has this end of the accurate wide stage covered. Utopia as I read it may offer quicker, more accurate, smaller stage, but I don't need something that takes hd800S space.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I'm no audiophile, in that I'm no seasoned golden ear multi can listener, like a good sommelier, but as I listen to more brands I'm happy to report, it's prfererance. There is no best, winner, golden unicorn. However if your lucky you find something that makes you happy and enjoy putting on your head for long periods, across genres. For me I'm looking for smoother intimate yet accurate stage now. I'm not desperate but calculated in this regard. Susvara has ticked those boxes, I need to listen to lcd4 or it's new flagship that will come out, ( they always do) hd800S has this end of the accurate wide stage covered. Utopia as I read it may offer quicker, more accurate, smaller stage, but I don't need something that takes hd800S space.

I heard LCD-4, loved its sound when it is proper amped - pretty costy and heavy though - Susvara might be a better match from this perspective

All of those have a different signature from HD800S .

 

[Whazzzup]

I heard LCD-4, loved its sound when it is proper amped - pretty costy and heavy though - Susvara might be a better match from this perspective

All of those have a different signature from HD800S .

True as i found susvara very comfy and light, even tho it weighs 450gram. The sig as well is an in your head smooth vocal & mid forward, did i mention smooth. you could listen to that for hours....Hope to get on the canada tour and get a better listen with my equipment before i shell out that kind of cash...

 

[MacedonianHero]

No disrespect to the Utopia but the mention of a narrow soundstage seems common. Is this only felt by people who used to the HD800/HD800S soundstage?

Narrow in comparison to the HD800/S, but then again so is everything. I would rate the Utopia's sound stage (especially with the Dana Cables Lanzuli Reference cable) slightly ahead of the beyer T1.2 / HD650 in terms of expansiveness. In terms of preciseness within that sound stage, the Utopias are right there with my SR-009s (maybe slightly behind).

 

[Arniesb]

So your opinion that hd650 have similar soundstage to T1??? This a very good joke if thats what you mean

 

[Rob80b]

..........
In terms of preciseness within that sound stage, the Utopias are right there with my SR-009s (maybe slightly behind).

Have not had the honor of hearing the Utopia but the AKG K812 I currently have on loan are giving my balanced 800S IMHO a run for their money for similar reasons.."preciseness within that sound stage". Simon Posford's genius with Shpongle's "Museum of Consciousness" is clearly unraveled with canning layering and depth as was the album "La Llorona" by the late Lhasa de Sela.

 

[Kamb1ng]

The only way I can describe the difference in soundstage between HD800 and Utopia is:

Utopia: I can hear and make out with such clarity every damn thing that is played on the stage in front of me. It's very obvious where on the stage sound is coming from. However, the sound is really localized to this stage, and if a sound were to come from my right, left and or back, I have a much harder time localizing it.

HD 800: I am able to resolve and localize where sound is coming from, whether its in front, left, right, behind or above me.

Games aren't fixed recordings so, at least in my experience, that where the Utopia's lack. I've been traveling for work but will post my impressions come Tuesday how the HD800S does. Any break in time I should be aware of? I know the Utopia's hit their prime around 150 hrs in my experience. Believe it or not, the sound stage was smaller before the 150 hr mark lol.

 

[Jmask5]

Listened to this today. I gotta say its pretty damn good. This is after I had just listened to the HE-1 and thought headphones were ruined for me forever. I also listened to lcd3 and 4 and i dont get what the big deal is. I guess im not a fan of the Audeze sound.

 

[Jimmy24]

Thinking of purchasing an HD 800s. Has anyone heard it with the Mainline by Bottlehead? I like their products having built a Crack/Speedball for my HD 650's. I just want to know if it will bring the most out of the headphones.

 

[MattTCG]

Thinking of purchasing an HD 800s. Has anyone heard it with the Mainline by Bottlehead? I like their products having built a Crack/Speedball for my HD 650's. I just want to know if it will bring the most out of the headphones.

Crack with the 650 was a killer combo for me. Mainline with the 800/s was somewhat of a letdown. It was good, but no real magic like crack/650.

 

[Jimmy24]

Crack with the 650 was a killer combo for me. Mainline with the 800/s was somewhat of a letdown. It was good, but no real magic like crack/650.

Thanks. I figured it wasn't one of the go to amps for the HD 800s's since I haven't really heard it being talked about. I'll have to keep looking. Unfortunately it seems like I'll have to spend a huge amount to get a good amp for these phones.

 

[DavidA]

Thanks. I figured it wasn't one of the go to amps for the HD 800s's since I haven't really heard it being talked about. I'll have to keep looking. Unfortunately it seems like I'll have to spend a huge amount to get a good amp for these phones.

One amp that I liked with the HD800S but not many other headphones was the Jot, its a bit bright for the HD800 and HE560 but for the HD800S it was quite good, used with a Teac UD-301 DAC balanced