Hi Matthewhypolite,
I want to thank you for this great and so well presented comparison! I read it several times since you posted initially.
I think your thread may be the good place for me to add some impressions of the following headphones which I had the opportunity to compare during 3 hours and a half:
Utopia, Clear, Susvara, HE1000 V2, D8000, LCD-4, LCD-MX4, as well as of the LCDi4.
(I have also my own Utopia since the Fall 2016 at home).
I have included the LCDi4, because these are among the rare in-ears, along with Final LAB II, which give the impression of listening to TOTL headphones.
I compared them in a store, using my own tracks and also my own DAC-amp, the RME ADI-2 PRO (set in NOS mode), which I had taken with me.
I tested most both at the low power mode (= + 7 dBu) and at the high power mode (= + 22 dBu).
I listened at higher volume than at home, as there was still some noise from time to time in the store.
The following were very demanding, power-hungry, missing a lot of "liveliness" at the low power mode, and clearly required the high-power mode :
- Susvara
- LCD-4
- D8000.
The following were working fine at both low and high power modes:
- Utopia
- Clear
- HE1000 V2.
(I forgot to test the LCDi4 at the high power mode, but at low power mode it required for my listening level -20 d, = much more than for the Focal at this level (which required only between -40 and -50dB for the same loudness)).
The following was great (much better than my LCD-X and XC) at low power mode but had strange issues at high power mode, e.g. the cymbals would become recessed:
- LCD-MX4.
(this may explain why I have seen LCD fans have such diverging views on the MX4, some loving it, some hating it and preferring their LCD-X, etc.; I will post about this in the MX4 thread).
I used the following tracks (I wish I had used many more, but didn't have enough time):
- Manowar, studio album = Warriors of the World, track = Call to War ("true" heavy metal)
- Amon Amarth, studio EP = Under the Influence, track = Burning Anvil of Steel (melodic death metal)
- Tallis Scholar, studio album = Renaissance Giants, track [Tallis'] = Spem in Alium (polyphony)
- Eluveitie, studio album = Everything remains as it never was, tracks = Otherworld, Everything remains (Celtic folk metal)
- Summoning, studio album= Oath Bound, track = Bauglir (Tolkien epic atmospheric black metal)
- Majesty, studio album = Hellforces, track = Hellforces ("true" epic power metal).
Except the MX4 when at high power mode, all these headphones played great and are great choices.
3h 1/2 is not enough for extensive comparisons, but some things were apparent.
Here my short impressions on this RME setup:
(it is possible that my RME, even in high power mode (2,9 W per channel), may not have been able to power the Susvara sufficiently well).
Re. bass
#1 D8000
I found one be far more impressive than all the others (and actually the most different from all the others)
was the D8000. Not only does it extend all the way down, but it feels like a great subwoofer, especially when the bass is explosive
or goes on rumbling. And this while the bass is not elevated but the FR is flat, unlike in V or U shaped headphones.
Re. level of details
#1 is clearly the Utopia, #2 the Clear or maybe the Susvara,
On the other end, D8000 or the MX4 seemed to be the less detailed.
Re. speed
#1 Utopia, #2 Clear or Susvara
Re. SNR (cleanest background)
#1 clearly Utopia, #2 Clear
Re. drum attacks
#1 Utopia, #2 Susvara or Clear
Re. confort
#1 clearly Susvara and HE1000 V2,
On the other hand, the LCD-4 was clearly the least confortable for me.
Re. soundstage (globally, I didn't have time to analyse the differences between width, depth and elevation)
#1 clearly Susvara and HE1000 V2
Re. imaging (separating and 3D pinpointing the sound sources) (globally,I didn't have time to analyse the differences between width, depth and elevation)
#1 Utopia, #2 Clear
On the other hand, the D8000 seemed to be the most diffuse.
My overall impressions are:
- I still like the Utopia the most, and the sound of the Focal TOTL headphones in general the most. I will purchase the Clear and add it to my Utopia and my Elear
- LCDi4 was so impressive for an in-ear, and so practical to hold it in place in my ears, just a pity it is so difficult to drive
- LCD-MX4 may not combine well with all gear and one may better take care to test it with his own gear and t his own listening volume before purchasing it
- I am interested in adding an Hifiman to my collection...
- I wish I could have a tested an Abyss AB-1266...
Enjoy your music and your headphones,