The driver is the same but the coil is different and includes copper in the design. This can affect the sound as well as making it more durable and less prone to failure.
Yes failure... I have a Focal Utopia 2021 and the left hand driver just stop working out of nowere and getting focal to repair(out of warranty0 is a bloody nightmare. Not a happy customer specially as this is my third focal headphone.
Tbh man, I think it's still worth a demo. I realy liked the og utopia (on the right chain at least) but the new utopia is a big step up in involvement and enjoyment for me. I agree technicalities are basicaly identical though. New vs old will 100% be a preference or maybe synergy pick imo
Just got the OG 2020 but wondering if I should get the 2022 instead; the treble is indeed a bit much; since you love yours have you tried any OF C cables to tame it and which amp dacs do you like with it? Thanks!
@@cassiecat7038 the stock cable is ofc. Imo.if the trebble is a bit too much but you like the rest, try eqing it down slightly. If that works 2022 are worth a shout
This is a blatant cash grab by Focal. This thing is 7k here in Australia and I can get the original for half that now. Shame on them for charging an extra 1500 bucks on top of the list price for these minor and rather insignificant changes..
The og utopia is the single most source dependant can I've ever heard and that treble spice is the main thing that makes so so so many source chains just not work with it. Imo the new utopia is a lot less source picky and I suspect that tamped trebble is exactly why
@@TheRevoR Yeah the Chord stuff sounds a little too analytical for me. I had the TT2 and M Scaler a few months and sold them. That is what I heard the Utopia on and only a few minutes in I was like this is the headphone everyone is praising so much? It was a pretty big let down on the chord set-up
@@TheRevoR I can completely agree with this for Focal a other Focal headphone that isthe Focal Radiance and listening on the Chord TT2 (using hq player) the Radiance sounds like Chrono says like a HD600 in terms of soundstage and everything sounds blended together. Put it on my other chain Holo Spring 3 KTE + Ferrum Oor and I get much more technical presentation. Soundstage is slightly better, seperation is much better. It is just a much more enjoyable experience overal.
Yeah, this is about what I heard at CanJam. It really didn’t change my feelings towards it just like you said, with its lean-leaning bass and shouty, almost aggressive upper mids. Guess the Focal sound just isn’t for me!
Thanks for sharing. I had the old Utopia, as well as the MG, and prefer (with identical FR, so Harman target), the MG. An a / b comparison between MG and Utopia 2022 will be interesting, with the same FR mind you.
Heard the 2022 and coming from someone who's owned the OG for 4 years, its way better. I never really got into the OG because its forward hot presentation, so I kept reaching for my HD650's more often and eventually sold the Utopia OG by the end of last year. The 2022 is better in tonality, better bass and has better spatial presentation. Not to mention reliability has improved by design and IMO better aesthetically/build quality. I will say the price bump is painful, but the price is the price.
The price is the price? What? This is such a weak, apathetically compliant statement. Why are you encouraging Focal and headphone manufacturers by giving them this idea that we'll accept whatever price is shoved down our throats just because "the price is the price"? The headphone will stand on its merits, and the people will vote with their wallets. "The price" is NEVER the price.
Everything they’ve done has nothing to do with making the phones flatter. They needed ‘more’ sub bass below 100hz to make them more neutral, not less. The needed a boost above 1k to increase the nasely frequencies more but yes a reduction of shimmering frequencies. I’ll stick with my originals and use them with ‘sound ID’ plugin to get the most out of them
Good info, quick and to the point. But please let us know your chain. OG Utopia seems to be really chain sensitive and I'm sure the 2022 model is as well. This will help when people are trying to compare. Thanks!
It's the most chain sensitive headphone I've ever owned. The new utopia seems far far far less picky based on several hour demo across half a dozen or so amps yesterday (with old utopia side by side)
It literally wasn't to the point, he only stated the most relevant part only after 85% in the video timeline Which is that this can is warmer after 1k and Nearly nothing else is changed People's inferences from a single source really suck wow
@@haberdasherrykr8886 I was being polite and I wanted to mention the need to let us know what chain this was used on. Its important to many who want to ensure proper pairing.
The 2022 does everything the same as the OG, but without the characteristic sparkle of the OG, which I like, and feel is what made the Utopia the Utopia. I desperately tried to love the 2022, because objectively it’s more neutral, but despite its basically similar technical capabilities the 2022 just wasn’t able to grab me like the OG does.
I ended up feeling the durect opposite. Tbh I still wouldn't call the neu utopia neutral but instead more warm/rich (tbh old utopia is closer to neutral outside of the trebble unevenss imo), but the new one just had his great grunt and frank to it that realy dragged me into vocals in a way the old one just didn't. Overall I think new vs old will be a at out preference (or maybe synergy) pick
@@eskamobob8662 I tried it on the Naim Uniti Atom HE and the Chord Mojo 2. To my ears the OG has a pretty much perfect synergy with the former, and when I turn op the yellow frequency band up 1 dB on the Chord Mojo 2 it’s as good as it can get on that somewhat more modest setup (with sometimes an added dB on the red frequency band depending on the recording), with both leaning a little bit bright to produce the sparkle I like. By the way, you can make the OG sound quite close to the 2022 by simply turning the green frequency band down 1 dB (and in reverse the 2022 comes quite close to the OG when turning that same frequency band *up* 1 dB.)
@@eskamobob8662 I found the 2022 lacking the striking imaging qualities of the OG. It wasn’t exactly *muffled*, it just lacked the same prominence the OG has.
@@Godbluffer that's interesting. Tbh I found image seperation a bit more pronounced on the 2022. I think that's just due to the slightly larger stage and slightly less agro detail forward presentation. The image clarity on stuff with some good sizzle like snares and cymbals was clearer on the og due to that same forwardness though
You know, for dynamics, I think someone would need to have "screw you money" to purchase something like this over, say, a pair of electrostatic cans. I, myself, have a pair of HD800S that I purchased before Sennheiser moved their manufacturing process over to Ireland. I cannot personally see the logic or reason for spending more on a pair of dynamics with, objectively speaking, an inferior soundstage. Then there's the alternative; at that price bracket, you can get so much more out of speakers. KEF R3 Metas, a Burson Timekeeper 3ir, and an SVS PB-2000 Pro, or these focals... Headphones will never be a substitute for speakers, ever. Sound is so much more than hearing; it's a visceral experience, something you feel.
After seeing reviews of the Bravura all in one system these flagships from other companies are not so impressive anymore, especially considering the source chain some of them will require. I might spend less time watching reviews as well, and spend more time finding new music...
With the og, yes. And to a much worse degree with an added degree of brittleness. Imo this timberal issue is the primary point of synergy issues that make utopia so damned source picky. The new utopia have this issue to a very very significantly lesser extent (but it's not gone) and end up being less source picky as well
I don’t hear metallic shimmer on Naim Uniti Atom HE whatsoever, and the imaging and layering is much improved on the MG. It kinda makes the og not listenable in comparison.
Sort of. The Clear exaggerated the "sss" and "shh" sounds to me, whereas the OG Utopia is more "thh" and in general it feels like whatever frequencies the driver rings at are higher up. So it has a coloration, but a different coloration. It is more refined overall and definitely more technical, but I would say that if you had fatigue issues with the Clear, on the Utopia they'll still be there. You'll just have more resolution and a bigger stage, with a somewhat colder tonality through the mids. No clue about the 2022 version though.
@@disco4535 the focal quality concerns are way way way overhyped. Don't forget reddit and headfi show massive selection bias with the vast vast majority of people never having issues. Tbh I don't think its actualy any real worry having owned 8 or so used focals in the past myself
@@eskamobob8662 I really, really wish they were. And I couldn't care less about Reddit or Headfi. I will never buy Focal headphones again and I've had 4. Still have my Celestee but the rest are sold or trashed. Far too many great companies out there to deal with them.
@@vancybergoth 2016 was 6 years ago. Focal updated the pricing with the utopia 2020 almost 2 years ago now (and gave some more accessories for it) to the same pricing as the 2022 now has
You are talking about looks and not showing what you are talking about. I want to see them next to each other and do a 360 while you are describing. Bummer.
From the difference I’ve heard between Celestee and Elegia, Clear MG and the og, I guess the new Utopia would have a huge improvement in imaging and layering, and a dead neutral timbre. The new drivers’ main upgrades are the same, it’s the new voice coil material. Initially I found Celestee very close to Elegia but since I bought Uniti Atom HE, the new model really opens up and makes old model unlistenable in comparison.
Timbre still isn't fantastic (though it's no linger bad) but yah. Laying, stage, and image consistency (snares/other hyper energetic stuff are less sharp than OG but everything else is more) are all pretty greatly improved over OG imo. I didn't realy expect the change to be that big off of how I remeber the OG, bit swapping back and forth it wad fairly substantial. That said, those changes also happened for the OG if you EQed slightly
Before you dive in and lay a lot of cash out for a Focal product. here is some advice. My focal clear headphones cost me $2200au.the Focal headphone ARCHE dac/amp R/retail price over $4000au.total $6200 then Focal reduce the Dac to $1700. now you can buy the Dac & Clear headphones for $1999AU. original
@@maciejburchardt7927 if you are bringing up asr after my comment you are already missing the point. I don't listen to a distortion measurement or a fr chart. I listen to enjoy music. Expanse and stealth are both quite good and compete at a very high level from a technical perspective. They don't make my foot tap though, so they aren't for me. Same reason I use a tube amp instead of a 789.
This headphone and pretty much any Focal sucks. Too bright, fake sounding timbre, and tiny soundstage. Can't forget about the driver clipping at loud volumes/low frequencies either. Build quality with the snapping headbands and Focal warranty/customer support leaves a lot to be desired as well. Clear OG which isn't great by any means either can be head for a fraction of the price which at least makes it somewhat more desirable than the Utopia. The only Focals worth having are the closed back simply because most closed back headphones aren't that great anyway so Focal is at least able to compete there.
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The driver is the same but the coil is different and includes copper in the design. This can affect the sound as well as making it more durable and less prone to failure.
The drivers are not exactly the same say the last product chef of Focal !
Yes failure... I have a Focal Utopia 2021 and the left hand driver just stop working out of nowere and getting focal to repair(out of warranty0 is a bloody nightmare. Not a happy customer specially as this is my third focal headphone.
A happy 2020 Focal Utopia owner here. THank you for an honest, straight forward review which helped alleviate an expensive temptation.
Tbh man, I think it's still worth a demo. I realy liked the og utopia (on the right chain at least) but the new utopia is a big step up in involvement and enjoyment for me. I agree technicalities are basicaly identical though. New vs old will 100% be a preference or maybe synergy pick imo
Just got the OG 2020 but wondering if I should get the 2022 instead; the treble is indeed a bit much; since you love yours have you tried any OF C cables to tame it and which amp dacs do you like with it? Thanks!
@@cassiecat7038 the stock cable is ofc. Imo.if the trebble is a bit too much but you like the rest, try eqing it down slightly. If that works 2022 are worth a shout
@@eskamobob8662 Oh is that right? the stock cable is already ofc? I saw another reviewer say to get one. I’ll try eq; it’s a hard decision to make
This is a blatant cash grab by Focal. This thing is 7k here in Australia and I can get the original for half that now. Shame on them for charging an extra 1500 bucks on top of the list price for these minor and rather insignificant changes..
I found the OG Utopia a little hot in the Treble. Maybe it's amp dependent. Going warmer sounds like a smart move
The og utopia is the single most source dependant can I've ever heard and that treble spice is the main thing that makes so so so many source chains just not work with it. Imo the new utopia is a lot less source picky and I suspect that tamped trebble is exactly why
Totally, sounds very different depending on chain. Never liked it on Chord Dave and Chord TT2, but love it with Ferrum OOR, YMMV.
@@TheRevoR Yeah the Chord stuff sounds a little too analytical for me. I had the TT2 and M Scaler a few months and sold them. That is what I heard the Utopia on and only a few minutes in I was like this is the headphone everyone is praising so much? It was a pretty big let down on the chord set-up
@@TheRevoR I can completely agree with this for Focal a other Focal headphone that isthe Focal Radiance and listening on the Chord TT2 (using hq player) the Radiance sounds like Chrono says like a HD600 in terms of soundstage and everything sounds blended together.
Put it on my other chain Holo Spring 3 KTE + Ferrum Oor and I get much more technical presentation. Soundstage is slightly better, seperation is much better. It is just a much more enjoyable experience overal.
Still no replaceable headband. Very smart.
Great review, well done. Wished you'd tell us what you used to test the FOCAL's.
Yeah, this is about what I heard at CanJam. It really didn’t change my feelings towards it just like you said, with its lean-leaning bass and shouty, almost aggressive upper mids. Guess the Focal sound just isn’t for me!
Well said, same for me.
Clear Mg sounds different. I prefer it to the Utopia OG.
Thanks for sharing.
I had the old Utopia, as well as the MG, and prefer (with identical FR, so Harman target), the MG.
An a / b comparison between MG and Utopia 2022 will be interesting, with the same FR mind you.
Heard the 2022 and coming from someone who's owned the OG for 4 years, its way better. I never really got into the OG because its forward hot presentation, so I kept reaching for my HD650's more often and eventually sold the Utopia OG by the end of last year. The 2022 is better in tonality, better bass and has better spatial presentation. Not to mention reliability has improved by design and IMO better aesthetically/build quality. I will say the price bump is painful, but the price is the price.
The price is the price? What? This is such a weak, apathetically compliant statement. Why are you encouraging Focal and headphone manufacturers by giving them this idea that we'll accept whatever price is shoved down our throats just because "the price is the price"? The headphone will stand on its merits, and the people will vote with their wallets. "The price" is NEVER the price.
5k? No thanks I'll wait. I do like focal.
Yah. I haven't reached out to a dealer, but once these hit 2.5-3k used ima 100% jump on a set
Everything they’ve done has nothing to do with making the phones flatter. They needed ‘more’ sub bass below 100hz to make them more neutral, not less. The needed a boost above 1k to increase the nasely frequencies more but yes a reduction of shimmering frequencies. I’ll stick with my originals and use them with ‘sound ID’ plugin to get the most out of them
It would be nice to see some b roll of the actual full headphone while talking about the new aesthetic
Good info, quick and to the point. But please let us know your chain. OG Utopia seems to be really chain sensitive and I'm sure the 2022 model is as well. This will help when people are trying to compare. Thanks!
It's the most chain sensitive headphone I've ever owned. The new utopia seems far far far less picky based on several hour demo across half a dozen or so amps yesterday (with old utopia side by side)
Or you eq the OG ;)
It literally wasn't to the point, he only stated the most relevant part only after 85% in the video timeline
Which is that this can is warmer after 1k and Nearly nothing else is changed
People's inferences from a single source really suck wow
@@haberdasherrykr8886 I was being polite and I wanted to mention the need to let us know what chain this was used on. Its important to many who want to ensure proper pairing.
The 2022 does everything the same as the OG, but without the characteristic sparkle of the OG, which I like, and feel is what made the Utopia the Utopia. I desperately tried to love the 2022, because objectively it’s more neutral, but despite its basically similar technical capabilities the 2022 just wasn’t able to grab me like the OG does.
I felt the same going from the Sennheiser IE800 to the IE800S iem. The sparkle was removed in favor of a more neutral tone. Don't touch my sparkle!
I ended up feeling the durect opposite. Tbh I still wouldn't call the neu utopia neutral but instead more warm/rich (tbh old utopia is closer to neutral outside of the trebble unevenss imo), but the new one just had his great grunt and frank to it that realy dragged me into vocals in a way the old one just didn't. Overall I think new vs old will be a at out preference (or maybe synergy) pick
@@eskamobob8662 I tried it on the Naim Uniti Atom HE and the Chord Mojo 2. To my ears the OG has a pretty much perfect synergy with the former, and when I turn op the yellow frequency band up 1 dB on the Chord Mojo 2 it’s as good as it can get on that somewhat more modest setup (with sometimes an added dB on the red frequency band depending on the recording), with both leaning a little bit bright to produce the sparkle I like. By the way, you can make the OG sound quite close to the 2022 by simply turning the green frequency band down 1 dB (and in reverse the 2022 comes quite close to the OG when turning that same frequency band *up* 1 dB.)
@@eskamobob8662 I found the 2022 lacking the striking imaging qualities of the OG. It wasn’t exactly *muffled*, it just lacked the same prominence the OG has.
@@Godbluffer that's interesting. Tbh I found image seperation a bit more pronounced on the 2022. I think that's just due to the slightly larger stage and slightly less agro detail forward presentation. The image clarity on stuff with some good sizzle like snares and cymbals was clearer on the og due to that same forwardness though
You know, for dynamics, I think someone would need to have "screw you money" to purchase something like this over, say, a pair of electrostatic cans. I, myself, have a pair of HD800S that I purchased before Sennheiser moved their manufacturing process over to Ireland. I cannot personally see the logic or reason for spending more on a pair of dynamics with, objectively speaking, an inferior soundstage. Then there's the alternative; at that price bracket, you can get so much more out of speakers. KEF R3 Metas, a Burson Timekeeper 3ir, and an SVS PB-2000 Pro, or these focals... Headphones will never be a substitute for speakers, ever. Sound is so much more than hearing; it's a visceral experience, something you feel.
After seeing reviews of the Bravura all in one system these flagships from other companies are not so impressive anymore, especially considering the source chain some of them will require. I might spend less time watching reviews as well, and spend more time finding new music...
So it's a little warm beyond 1k
I want to hear Andrew's opinion
We all do. He will get around to it I'm sure.
This guy is pretty accurate & legit too, I trust him after checking his opinions in the past.
@@Flavius7 I agree. But given Andrew has listened to most TOTL headphones he can give more comparisons
@@bluemonstrosity259 I agree with Chrono on this one. I mentioned essentially the same thing on the forum recently as well.
Maybe beard length does matter ?
Does it clip like og Utopia?
clip clip :D thats the biggest flaw of that 40mm drivers
Do people report that metallic shimmer with the Utopia that they do for the Clear , or the Clear MG?
With the og, yes. And to a much worse degree with an added degree of brittleness. Imo this timberal issue is the primary point of synergy issues that make utopia so damned source picky. The new utopia have this issue to a very very significantly lesser extent (but it's not gone) and end up being less source picky as well
I don’t hear metallic shimmer on Naim Uniti Atom HE whatsoever, and the imaging and layering is much improved on the MG. It kinda makes the og not listenable in comparison.
Sort of. The Clear exaggerated the "sss" and "shh" sounds to me, whereas the OG Utopia is more "thh" and in general it feels like whatever frequencies the driver rings at are higher up. So it has a coloration, but a different coloration. It is more refined overall and definitely more technical, but I would say that if you had fatigue issues with the Clear, on the Utopia they'll still be there. You'll just have more resolution and a bigger stage, with a somewhat colder tonality through the mids. No clue about the 2022 version though.
Thank you for the responses
Can't wait to buy one 3 months from now $1000 off on head-fi.
probably 2000
Yah..... focals have realy bad value retention even amongst totl cans....
Pretty brave to not only buy a Focal product, but buy a used Focal? You got guts kid.
@@disco4535 the focal quality concerns are way way way overhyped. Don't forget reddit and headfi show massive selection bias with the vast vast majority of people never having issues. Tbh I don't think its actualy any real worry having owned 8 or so used focals in the past myself
@@eskamobob8662 I really, really wish they were. And I couldn't care less about Reddit or Headfi. I will never buy Focal headphones again and I've had 4. Still have my Celestee but the rest are sold or trashed. Far too many great companies out there to deal with them.
Have they fixed the QC issues?
Doubt it
A little less treble and a new facelift results in a price increase of 1000€.
It's the same price as the 2020.....
@@eskamobob8662 The Utopia (2016) cost €4000 in Austria / Germany and the 2022 Utopia €5000.
@@vancybergoth 2016 was 6 years ago. Focal updated the pricing with the utopia 2020 almost 2 years ago now (and gave some more accessories for it) to the same pricing as the 2022 now has
@@eskamobob8662 In Europe there was never a price update, it was always €4000.
So they finally fix the tuning and they make you pay for the fix
You are talking about looks and not showing what you are talking about. I want to see them next to each other and do a 360 while you are describing. Bummer.
Someone be a good person amd buy me. Pair. I will pay it forward
From the difference I’ve heard between Celestee and Elegia, Clear MG and the og, I guess the new Utopia would have a huge improvement in imaging and layering, and a dead neutral timbre. The new drivers’ main upgrades are the same, it’s the new voice coil material.
Initially I found Celestee very close to Elegia but since I bought Uniti Atom HE, the new model really opens up and makes old model unlistenable in comparison.
Timbre still isn't fantastic (though it's no linger bad) but yah. Laying, stage, and image consistency (snares/other hyper energetic stuff are less sharp than OG but everything else is more) are all pretty greatly improved over OG imo. I didn't realy expect the change to be that big off of how I remeber the OG, bit swapping back and forth it wad fairly substantial. That said, those changes also happened for the OG if you EQed slightly
:)
Before you dive in and lay a lot of cash out for a Focal product. here is some advice. My focal clear headphones cost me $2200au.the Focal headphone ARCHE dac/amp
R/retail price over $4000au.total $6200 then Focal reduce the Dac to $1700. now you can buy the Dac & Clear headphones for $1999AU.
original
Newtopia
Dystopia?
nah i don't like it as a guys that making music this is not best tbh
What an utterly laughable price increase.
I find it hard to listen to him. Odd pronunciation, rushes his statements and strange emphasis on words. Bring back Andrew please.
Literally first.
I’ll settle with second
@@Nathan-tg4gu i'll settle with 4th
looks like the WOKE version....
Hey man, please talk slower! You speak faster then a teenager on a sugar buzz!
I can recommend 0,75x, maybe 0,50x., if you find normal to fast😜..
@@delitesonor no yawning
@@user-hb1ve6mc6f 🤣
Maybe I'm too used to engineers chalked full of coffee and Adderall but this video didn't catch me as fast speaking even in the slightest
@@eskamobob8662 how would you like to sell ice to Eskimo, Bobby?
Why to even bother when DCA Stealth & Expanse exist and they’re even 1k cheaper.
Different people like different things.
Because neither stealth or expanse make me enjoy my music
I didn't even know people bring "whataboutism" into this hobby 🤣
@@eskamobob8662 Ok I understand that knowledge and science in audio is no use to you but could you disclose what cans are better sounding to you?
@@maciejburchardt7927 if you are bringing up asr after my comment you are already missing the point. I don't listen to a distortion measurement or a fr chart. I listen to enjoy music. Expanse and stealth are both quite good and compete at a very high level from a technical perspective. They don't make my foot tap though, so they aren't for me. Same reason I use a tube amp instead of a 789.
This headphone and pretty much any Focal sucks. Too bright, fake sounding timbre, and tiny soundstage. Can't forget about the driver clipping at loud volumes/low frequencies either. Build quality with the snapping headbands and Focal warranty/customer support leaves a lot to be desired as well.
Clear OG which isn't great by any means either can be head for a fraction of the price which at least makes it somewhat more desirable than the Utopia. The only Focals worth having are the closed back simply because most closed back headphones aren't that great anyway so Focal is at least able to compete there.
You've got no idea.
Wow this guy on speed. He needs to do something else
It's called anxiety.
First hahaha