Recent content by bcaulf17
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
Do agree with what you're saying. Though, I have seen a lot of people pass on the Utopia and other highly priced headphones from manufacturers like Focal and Hifiman that have a questionable or dodgy track record of their products breaking down in favor of a cheaper HD600 solely based on the...- bcaulf17
- Post #20,789
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
I think the problem people have is that a headphone of this price should be built, and expected to last forever. At least a lot longer than 7 years. People still have their Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic headphones from 20 years ago still working just fine.- bcaulf17
- Post #20,787
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
As much as I love Focal's headphones and the Utopia, they're not exactly known for taking care of their customers. Doubt they'll do this, which sucks. Worth a shot I suppose but I wouldn't be hopeful. Too bad. So many great things going for their products but questionable longevity and...- bcaulf17
- Post #20,770
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
I like this way of putting it. Bad recordings still sound noticeably bad on the Utopia, but the Utopia itself doesn't sound bad while they're played; they have a nice way of curbing the harshness of said recordings, but won't mask some of the nastier details like compression, distortion, etc.- bcaulf17
- Post #20,547
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia 2022 Review, Measurements
Feel like Focal doesn't get much recognition for how lifelike they manage to make drums sound on their headphones. At least with the Clear and Utopia. Cymbals could sound a tad bit dry at times on the Clear, but drums sounded perfect. Well, close to perfect I guess, because the Utopia is even a...- bcaulf17
- Post #1,971
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia 2020 - Left earcup plastic housing creaking?
Yeah, it doesn't seem like it's very common at all (others I've asked state they don't have the issue). But I've had other plastic products behave like this so it could just be plastic being plastic. I assumed that since I got the headphone second hand and it's out of warranty they wouldn't be...- bcaulf17
- Post #7
- Forum: Introductions, Help and Recommendations
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Focal Utopia 2020 - Left earcup plastic housing creaking?
Yeah probably a good call. Doesn't seem to be anything problematic like I said. Sometimes I do have to put my hand there when taking the headphone off of my head and I can hear the creaking but other than that it should be fine.- bcaulf17
- Post #5
- Forum: Introductions, Help and Recommendations
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
Agreed. It's just very natural. It doesn't go any further or sound any closer than I want it to. It's the imaging that really sells it for me. Everything is placed perfectly along the soundscape and sounds like things go around your head rather than a flat left-right plane. I always felt that...- bcaulf17
- Post #20,424
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia 2020 - Left earcup plastic housing creaking?
I'm not pressing down on the driver or anywhere near it. I'm pressing on the black ear cup along the side, which I'm pretty sure is plastic not metal (maybe the 2022 version uses metal instead, and I know that the grille is a metal frame, but on the 2020 it's black glossy plastic). If you take a...- bcaulf17
- Post #3
- Forum: Introductions, Help and Recommendations
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Focal Utopia 2020 - Left earcup plastic housing creaking?
Hey everyone. I got a Utopia from the Classifieds on here at the end of last year and I absolutely adore them but ever since I got them I noticed something a little odd happening. I know it’s common for the headband to make creaking noises, but what’s really strange is that the plastic of the...- bcaulf17
- Thread
- Replies: 7
- Forum: Introductions, Help and Recommendations
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
Huh that’s interesting. I haven’t heard either but I assumed the Susvara would be faster than the Utopia.- bcaulf17
- Post #20,350
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
Thanks. I’ve figured it out, they are Torx- bcaulf17
- Post #20,328
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
Dumb question; does anyone know what kind of screwdriver I would need to get for the screws that are in the Utopia, near where the ear pad teeth are? They look like small hexagon screws but I can’t really tell. I want to try to tighten the screws to see if that fixes my ear cup creaking issue.- bcaulf17
- Post #20,325
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
Consider the U12t? That’s what I have and, while I’ve never heard the M9, I’ve read they’re both similar in tuning, with the U12t maybe not being as thick in the midbass, and more resolving. I use the U12t on the go and the Utopia at home, it’s a great duo. I wouldn’t say the U12t sounds much...- bcaulf17
- Post #20,317
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum
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Focal Utopia General Discussion
Yeah, it’s coming from that spot, and all around the earcup (so I could be pressing from the opposite side and getting that same sound there). Kind of feels like if you press on the back of a tv remote where the batteries are. Didn’t think to just remove the pad and take a look, maybe I’ll give...- bcaulf17
- Post #20,298
- Forum: High-end Audio Forum