[TheAttorney]

  ... and the close second is the Utopia driven directly by the DAVE (DHC Prion 4 cables).

 
Hi lojay, how much a difference did the (very expensive) DHC Prion cable make to your rankings?
And did you try any other after market cables before settling on this one?

 

[lojay]

Hi lojay, how much a difference did the (very expensive) DHC Prion cable make to your rankings?
And did you try any other after market cables before settling on this one?

I haven't actually done any AB comparisons, but I must say that I had trouble with the Utopia's treble (a bit coarse and tipped up in terms of tonal balance) before moving on to the Prion. It might be the effect of burn in - I cannot be sure - but when I used the same cable with Abyss adapters the Abyss had a noticeable reduction of its tipped up treble though, ultimately, I found it's treble too unrealistic for my own liking.

As to other aspects, I think the Prion turned realism up a notch and the sounds appear in more correct locations than before, and imaging is less diffuse.

 

[jlbrach]

How loud do you listen?  I have the LCD4's directly into the DAVE and the gain is at -25 and it is PLENTY loud.  If things were clipping...  You must have been above 0 as anything below that it, it doesn't (I haven't pushed it above).  At 0 it is, to me, silly, hurtfully loud.
 
 
i own both the utopia and the LCD-4....i love both and the LCD-4 sounds spectacular with the Dave but not at -25,no way unless you have supersonic hearing...I tend to listen at relatively low levels and i tend to listen to my LCD-4 on my Dave at anywhere from -17--5

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  How loud do you listen?  I have the LCD4's directly into the DAVE and the gain is at -25 and it is PLENTY loud.  If things were clipping...  You must have been above 0 as anything below that it, it doesn't (I haven't pushed it above).  At 0 it is, to me, silly, hurtfully loud.
 
 
i own both the utopia and the LCD-4....i love both and the LCD-4 sounds spectacular with the Dave but not at -25,no way unless you have supersonic hearing...I tend to listen at relatively low levels and i tend to listen to my LCD-4 on my Dave at anywhere from -17--5

 
I'm not sure what to tell you, but that's how I listen to it.  The Utopia's are -50 to -40.  
 
I have long suspected that I tend to listen on the quiet side.

 

[jlbrach]

you must have supersonic hearing...i listen lower than most others...you literally listen at whisper level lol.....

 

[darkless]

you must have supersonic hearing...i listen lower than most others...you literally listen at whisper level lol.....

Hmm... Maybe you haven't fully turned up the volume on your player? In that case you would need a higher volume setting on your DAVE.

 

[x RELIC x]

It's almost useless to determine how loud one listens to music with a particular headphone at a particular volume setting unless the tracks are specified and from what album/year. Mastering levels are all over the place so some music at -50 can be just as loud as some music at -25. Also, the source feeding the gear may have some volume attenuation.

The only reliable method is to measure the volume dB is with a SPL meter. I do think that an average of -50 to -40 on the DAVE to the Utopia would be quiet, but hey, we all prefer to listen differently.

 

[jlbrach]

t's almost useless to determine how loud one listens to music with a particular headphone at a particular volume setting unless the tracks are specified and from what album/year. Mastering levels are all over the place so some music at -50 can be just as loud as some music at -25. Also, the source feeding the gear may have some volume attenuation.

The only reliable method is to measure the volume dB is with a SPL meter. I do think that an average of -50 to -40 on the DAVE to the Utopia would be quiet, but hey, we all prefer to listen differently.
 
This is true except in this case i have a selection of music that varies in terms of its volume needs and my listening through the Dave on my LCD-4 has ranged from -20 for the absolute loudest recrded albums to about -3 for the absolute lowest volume albums.....
In the case of the Utopias i listen in the range of about -35--20.For one to listen at a volume of -50 seems very unlikely unless something is wrong or the comparison between the 2 has some variable that is different.In fact Macedonianhero who himself is a professional reviewer recommends using an external amp with the LCD-4 and Dave and worries about needing to push the volume to levels that clip in order to achieve proper volume from the Dave/LCD-4 combo....something isnt right 

 

[Music Alchemist]

I'm really curious about this volume issue as well.
 
@bigfatpaulie: Do you think you could get an SPL meter and share the levels you listen with various types of music? (Try testing everything from classical to metal.)
 
I think it would be very helpful if more reviewers did this, as it's quite uncommon, but would provide much better context.

 

[bigfatpaulie]

I'm curious too, actually.
 
Heck - if I have 'supersonic' hearing I'd like to know.  After all, it's not everyday you meet someone that can hear faster than the speed of sound...  
 
I don't own a SPL meter so I used an app called "Decibel 10th" on my iPhone 6 because...  Well, it's free.  I know you are suppose to use a piece of foam to cover the ear piece but I don't have one...  So I am just putting the bottom of the iPhone inside one ear cup.
 
I have the DAVE at -45, crossfeed 0, HF on and phase positive.  I'm using ROON playing Tidal music with Chord's ASIO driver connected directly to DAVE via USB on a Windows7 machine.  In this case I used the stock Utopia cable (I am trying to make this as duplicatable as possible).
 
I played each song and recorded the MAX value and what the subjective 'average' is.  Basically, what I see db reading I saw for the majority of the song.  For reference, the phone sitting on my desk with nothing on, the ambient noise level fluctuates between 46-48db.  I'm guessing that that is just a characteristic of the app/phone because I don't see why it would be always swinging 2db in a room with little to no ambient noise.
 
Moanin' and Groanin, Buddy Guy - hovered between 55 and 68.  Peaked at 79.
 
Get Lucky, Daft Punk - hovered between 54 and 71.  Peaked at 81.
 
Annabelle, Macy Gray - hovered between 50 and 65.  Peaked at 79. 
 
Ravel's Bolero Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra - hovered between 60 and 74.  Peaked at 80. (for the last minute)
 
 
So if most are averaging around 70-85 and peaking higher, I do listen quieter than most.  I will also so that I for any of these songs, aside Bolero, I would set the volume lower than -45, closer to -48.  I find loud music uncomfortable.  I suppose I am more sensitive to loud sounds than others.
 
I tried to pick a mish mash of song types without going overboard.  

 

[Sorrodje]

@bigfatpaulie : Did you Sell your LCD4 and Abyss or did you cancelled ? 

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  @bigfatpaulie : Did you Sell your LCD4 and Abyss or did you cancelled ? 

 
They are off to loving homes.
 
I miss the Abyss to be honest and replacing them isn't 100% out of the question for me one day.  I was happy to see the 4's go, however.

 

[Sorrodje]

OK. 
 
I should have my own Utopia very soon now. it"s the most intriguing headphone I 've seen for a lot of time. I read impressions from people I trust here or there and those impressions are quite different. Very surprising  

 

[ubs28]

  OK. 
 
I should have my own Utopia very soon now. it"s the most intriguing headphone I 've seen for a lot time. I read impressions from people I trust here or there and those impressions are quite different. Very surprising  

Congrats. 

 

[a1uc]

I own the Abyss Utopia HD800S and to be honest I'd miss any of them .

-35 - 30 on the Dave/Utopia am I losing my hearing