[Old School]

I had a pair of 800s that I sold, loved the soundstage, to much treble and to analytical.
I just got a focal utopia as a present. I love the resolution but I miss soundstage and holographic image of 800s. Literally listened for one session, packed it back in the box, going to the sale section
can you guys recommend the pair that will have characteristics of both ?
Thanks

 

[Monsterzero]

Theres always a give and take with headphones. I have some headphones with wider staging,and then others with better sub bass,and then others with better mids,etc...

Whats the rest of your system consist of and what genres do you like?

 

[CT007]

Did you try EQ..? Haha. Utopia as a gift? Holy crap, man o_o

 

[Hifiearspeakers]

I had a pair of 800s that I sold, loved the soundstage, to much treble and to analytical.
I just got a focal utopia as a present. I love the resolution but I miss soundstage and holographic image of 800s. Literally listened for one session, packed it back in the box, going to the sale section
can you guys recommend the pair that will have characteristics of both ?
Thanks

Susvara or Raal SR1A

 

[Old School]

Yes, it was a gift by my in laws , to cheer me up, because of the job loss during these dire times. They know I’m such a nut with music , so they tried their best. I have been in a music game a long time , but never found pair of headphones that would be the end game for me.
i do not have anything special in regards to headphones. I have rme dac going in to wa 6,
I listen mostly to jazz, big band, classical, sometimes classic rock.
i recently got rid of my 800s and mostly listen to campfire andromeda
I had Stax 300 before, sennhiser 650 , can not recall what else now .
so, just want something with nice resolution and good wide soundstage. I want to hear breathing with vocals, strings being plucked .
i want the sound to bring smile to my face, but utopia just not doing it for me

 

[CT007]

i want the sound to bring smile to my face, but utopia just not doing it for me

Damn My L300 have fun bass, but are not so amazing, heh.

Maybe what you need is... Stax SR-009 or MrSpeakers VOCE.

 

[CTR640]

Yes, it was a gift by my in laws , to cheer me up, because of the job loss during these dire times. They know I’m such a nut with music , so they tried their best. I have been in a music game a long time , but never found pair of headphones that would be the end game for me.
i do not have anything special in regards to headphones. I have rme dac going in to wa 6,
I listen mostly to jazz, big band, classical, sometimes classic rock.
i recently got rid of my 800s and mostly listen to campfire andromeda
I had Stax 300 before, sennhiser 650 , can not recall what else now .
so, just want something with nice resolution and good wide soundstage. I want to hear breathing with vocals, strings being plucked .
i want the sound to bring smile to my face, but utopia just not doing it for me

You have no idea how lucky you are to get the Utopia as a gift! But I do understand a great headphone is much more important regardless the price.

 

[thecrow]

He1000se

good soundstage and very precise in imaging - not quite as good as utopia but very good

demo if you can as always

 

[Old School]

Yes, I heard good things about He1000se, unfortunately it’s out of question to audition it now days. As I said before I appreciate the gift, unfortunately its just not to my liking. I tried Stella before and did not really like it as well.
its a shame, but for the money I would like to enjoy it and not just keep it to brag that it’s an expensive item.

 

[Whitigir]

I am still trying to find one LOL!!! But hd800s driven correctly and modified would also be supremely good

 

[Old School]

Yeah, I’m thinking on getting it back and just selling utopia

 

[Monsterzero]

You might look into one of the ZMF Verite models. ZMF offers both an open and closed version. I own both.
The closed is the best headphone Ive ever heard,open or closed.
The open has a wide,spacious sound,with lots air and staging both in width and depth.

The closed doesnt have as wide of a stage as the open,but it is the "most open" sounding closed back ive ever heard. The impact,speed and dynamics are breathtaking. not to mention those world famous ZMF mids and customer service.

I bounced both the Stellia and the Empyrean off of the ZMFs,and bought both. The Stellia and Empy went away.

 

[thecrow]

Yes, I heard good things about He1000se, unfortunately it’s out of question to audition it now days. As I said before I appreciate the gift, unfortunately its just not to my liking. I tried Stella before and did not really like it as well.
its a shame, but for the money I would like to enjoy it and not just keep it to brag that it’s an expensive item.

if you buy direct from hifiman they allow you to return it. I think within 30 days. I dis that once and there was no problem at all returning it

the hd800 goes well with tubes if you want to go tube hunting.
i have the woo wa2 that goes very well. Silky and smooth sound. A touch laid back beleive it or not.
stock tubes are ok but better tubes are better. Give yourself a budget of about $600-$1200 for tubes if you want to go that way.

i have never regretted going down that path (with what i have ended up) but I can’t really be bothered doing it again

 

[Staxaphone]

Yes, I heard good things about He1000se, unfortunately it’s out of question to audition it now days. As I said before I appreciate the gift, unfortunately its just not to my liking. I tried Stella before and did not really like it as well.
its a shame, but for the money I would like to enjoy it and not just keep it to brag that it’s an expensive item.

I have had the HEKse for about 5 months now and am currently listening to them. I also have had the Utopia for many months along with my old favorite Stax 009 and more recent Dan Clark VOCE. I love all of them and that is the point of my reply to you. Each of these phones has its own characteristic flavor (like most things in life) and flavor is itself subjective. Just as a reference, my amp for the dynamic phones is a Pass HPA-1 and for the electrostats a BHSE. Stock cables in all cases. I agree with you that the Utopia has a more "between the ears" presentation than the wider-staged HEKse, but with certain recordings it is the better sounding headphone. Its not necessarily genre specific, but recording specific. The Utopia drive the sound into your ears more than the planar HEKse while the elctrostats "present" the sound to your ears in their own special way. With some recordings I can actually feel the bass reverberation with the Utopia to some extent. This does not happen with any of the other three.

Just as a generalized bit of personal information, in general, I have found the following order of preference with headphone versus genre in my system (look at this as a flattened normal distribution curve since there is considerable genre/favorite variation from this generalization):

Hard Rock - HEKse Utopia VOCE 009

Pop - HEKse 009 VOCE Utopia

Jazz - 009 Utopia VOCE HEKse

Electronic - Utopia 009 HEKse VOCE

Folk - 009 VOCE HEKse Utopia

Classical - 009 HEKse VOCE Utopia

Rap - all sound horrible

With regard to specific characteristics I would rate my phones with my amps as follows:

Tone/musicality (whatever that may mean since it so subjective) - 009 VOCE Utopia HEKse

Low Frequency Reponse - HEKse Utopia VOCE 009

Midrange - 009 VOCE HEKse Utopia

Top End - 009 HEKse VOCE Utopia

PRAT - Utopia HEKse 009 VOCE

Soundstage - 009 HEKse VOCE Utopia

Extended Listening Comfort - HEKse VOCE Utopia 009

Value/Performance (IMO) - 009 HEKse VOCE Utopia

So that's my take on these headphones. I plan on keeping them all. I listen a lot these days and cycle thru all these phones regularly and enjoy each. But if I had to choose between the HEKse and the Utopia I would choose the HEKse. If I could have only one headphone it would definitely be the 009. Soundstage, speed, airyness, tone and beauty is (overall) unmatched to my ears. Only other HP I may add to my collection this year is the Meze Empyrean. Have read good things about them but written words hold little value when listening with your own ears is necessary. But I hope you have found these written words of my personal headphone experience of interest.

 

[CT007]

Extended Listening Comfort - HEKse VOCE Utopia 009

This is a rating of the sound? Or physical comfort..? Or both? Is the 009 treble a little sparkly? : o