This used to be my world. Spent quite a lot on headphone rigs. At some point I had more than 10 headphones including dynamic, planar, and electrostatic. And also had 6 headphone amps and 5 DAPs. Sold everything and only kept the Focal Clears OG, still have it. I’m slowly getting back. If portability is what you need, you can invest in a quality DAP. Will sound way better than your phone.
Are you a rich person? I could never justify spending so much on headphones. Not trying to be judgmental at all, just genuinely curious, people can do whatever they want with their money of course. It does make me sad that I will never experience a $5,500 headphone lol. I just have FiiO-FT1 and though I love them it really makes me wonder how trash they actually sound compared to the very expensive stuff.
Jay, interesting venture into the headphone arena. I’ve owned and still own many audiophile headphones including Audeze LCD-X, ZMF Atrium, Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC, HIFIMAN HE 1000se, Meze Emperion, Sennheiser HD800 with various amplifiers. I love them all for their different attributes and wouldn’t part with any of them. Although your journey appears to be just beginning, I hope you continue to explore this very personal satisfying world of audio.
I went in to that rabbit hole. Came out 27.000$ poorer. Sold all and the 2 endgame headphones that i left home were meze empyrean and hifiman arya stealth. Oh and as closedback an bt the edifier stax.
Hi Jay! On behalf of all those of us who follow your channel and are WAY into head-fi, we welcome you to this niche of the world of audio! You can use your existing StromTank, Taiko Extreme server, cables and high-end DAC of choice - and then all you have to buy are the amplifiers and headphones. We would love to see your take on some of the really high-end head-fi gear, all of which looks like it would be pretty easy for you to afford.; I've never seen anything in head-fi amps go for more than $100,000 (the Viva Belva), and even the revered Sennheiser HE-1 system (well, if you can find one) is about $76,000. Enjoyed the video 😁
I would certainly be interested in another look at headphones as you have done here. I have very noise sensitive neighbours who I don't wish to disturb.
Jay, get a hold of the Raal 1995 Immanis headphones. If you think Focal Utopia is already detailed enough, Immanis is on another level. In your lab it’s possible it can compete with your speakers at least on the resolution level using your DAC, Boulder 3010 and Gryphon Apex Monos. Immanis can be run on speaker amps with its provided interface
Please bring in some high end headphones. Same process of chain building applies - people do use stuff like lampizator horizon for headphones too. You’d just need some actual headphones amplifiers, likes of Feliks Envy, Woo WA24, ampsandsound Red October, riviera aic10, or similar
As a headphone enthusiast. Headphones are a whole rabbit trail. But thats my first love in audio. I've demoed extensively the Focal Utopia. Phenomenonal Headphones. Only thing is after you are spoiled with the wider sound stage of some other headphones. It just isn't quite my one and only headphone.
I have the Dan Clark Aeon 2 for about $900 and the RME ADI-2 DAC for $1400. When the RME is in high power mode, it’s amazing. I run Bluesound as a digital source from Spotify. It’s a nice setup for $3k. Huge improvement over AirPod 2 pros. Tons of bass.
Love your videos, and very excited that you explore the world of headphones. I would recommend the brand Hifiman and especially their higher end stuff. Personally I think they are one of the best high end headphone brands. Especially the Hifiman he1000se which is on part with focal utopia, but for around 2k us dollars.
I have a pair of Focal Bathys, I’m actually listening to this video with them right now lol.. Great headphones for the price! One of the better bluetooth headphones I’ve ever used.. As far as the Utopia’s- from what I gathered, at that price point and for what they are, there are better options out there
Jay, get yourself a pair of Hifiman Susvara headphones and a Feliks Audio Envy valve amplifier. I think that this will be the headphone equivalent of your HiFi system. You will be in heaven.
Hey Jay. I became a casual fan of your channel some time ago. But I became a big fan after you teamed up with Mike Powell of OCD HiFi Guy two years ago. Have you done a biography video or FAQ? I always wanted to know how much of your gear is on loan vs purchased. If it's purchased, what business are you in that enables you to afford so much ultra high end gear, including some six figure stuff? How do you sell it? Some of it is hundreds of pounds. Most channels won't even do consistent floorstander reviews, just bookshelf speakers. This is due to cost, size, room requirements, weight and hassle. Forgive me if you have addressed these questions before. I missed that video(s). Thank you for being the ONLY channel to bring ultra high end HiFi hands on coverage on TH-cam! Much success.
Abyss 1266 phi tc are my favorites. Hiriman, audeze, and others make some great ones as well. I own the focal utopias as well, great, but not the best.
What you didn't mention (or, perhaps, notice) is that the Atom HE that you were using is rather a special streamer/dac/headphone amp. IMHO it outperforms its price point. You have to go to something like the dCS Lina setup to substantially outclass it.
I just recently home auditioned the OG Focal Utopia headphones and every single thing was great other than the treble balance. The Utopias in this video are the 2022 release with with better voice coil for the driver and headphone shell. This results in more refined bass, treble, a hint more sound stage and less acoustic issues. Would love to audition the 2022 Model! Utopia OG so far, is the most refined mid range tonality i've heard for my preferences and i've heard over 30 headphones by now. Current System: Source - PC (galvanically isolated) before going into DAC (PC running HQ Player Upsampling) Power Conditioner - AQ Niagara 5000 DAC - Cen.Grand DS DAC 1000 Deluxe Amp - Burson Soloist Voyager Deluxe Package Loom of Synergistic Research, Shunyata Research AudioQuest, Shakti cabling or tweaks.
@@ReverendDr.Thomas hi no problem, its an intona 5kv usb 2.0 galvanic isolator which connects to the pc via usb and then has a usb output into the dac. Using 2 audioquest diamond usb cables in this scenario
@@ElysianQA, thanks for the information! I'll look into it. Incidentally, I've not heard of the Diamond cable. It must be a new addition to the Audioquest range?
Building a headphone system is different than a speaker system in that as headphones and headphone amps are typically cheaper than speakers and speaker amps, but sources aren't, so you really need to invest upstream much more than with speakers where the system should be more balanced, for example: I like to spend roughly 2x the cost of the headphone on the amp and 2x the price of the amp on the source. You also typically want to partner dynamic headphones with tubes and planar magnetics with solid state, however, these are just guidelines and not hard and fast rules.
Keep up the good work Jay. I love your video. If you are ever in the Netherlands feel free to have a coffee, beer, wine at my place and you can listen to my humble system (Aurender, Reed, Ocatave, Ansuz and Raidho)
Testing headphones at a noisy HiFi conference is far from ideal. In such an environment, it’s nearly impossible to get a true impression of any pair of headphones. For an accurate assessment, especially with open-back headphones, a quiet room is essential to appreciate the nuances and soundstage they’re designed to offer. The one exception might be noise-canceling headphones, as the background hum lets you evaluate their isolation capabilities firsthand. However, for wired headphones without noise-canceling features, the ambient noise makes a genuine listening experience frustratingly out of reach. Ultimately, you’ll have a much better experience with a decent DAC/headphone amp combo and a good pair of $400 headphones in a quiet space than testing even the most impressive headphones in a setting like that.
The worst part of Focal Headphones are the earpads. Even after years Focal can't get the Quality to a standard which is on par with the rest of the headphone. My brand new Focal Celestee earpads begin to leak glue after only 12 month. The earpads cost 200€ and the Quality is a complete joke. I now have Dekoni Stellia pads. The Dekoni Pads have a tiny bit more bass but are also a tiny bit more open because you have more air between the headphone and your ear. I like the Dekoni pads and combined with the Oratory EQ makes them extremely good for gaming.
I am quite surprised that you are reviewing an "open back" design without already knowing the disadvantages against a "sealed" design in such an environment. In general, an "OB" is great for home use, in a quieter environment. Listening to these headphones via an Astell & Kern, Fiio or even one of tge better Sony portable daps would do wonders. And not via a mobile phone.
I own the Celestees and I'm glad to see you liked them. I actually prefer them over the Clear MGs even if those are more open sounding and have better soundstage. Very good video that shows you have good ears with these "on the spot" impressions. Please do more head-fi as it's how I (and many more) do our serious listening. Thanks
. I So.... Whats the resistance on these things??? Seriously ! I dont care for the line to each fone. I use EKG. 90 ohms n 600 ohm. Witch ones sound better? 600.
He is an ... (not very clever man). I just realised that. Not many people on youtube who can afford to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on hi-end equipment. He's got the means. That's where it ends. He has absolutely no idea why something sounds good or bad. But he definately knows what he likes
No they are not worth the price. Headphones are great but a 5k room system is going to bring much more enjoyment. If you have 5k to spend on headphones you have enough dough to have a large enough room in your house to fit a conventional hi-fi system. Headphones are a ridiculous pursuit to spend over $500 on.
@@mpp9964 yes and i don’t have to think because i own a 40k headphone setup (with abyss ab1266) and speaker systems are disappointing for that price. Of course higher end ones are nice, but that’s unbelievable money
Please subscribe and like this video - thanks !🙏
You can't really judge an open headphone in such a noisy environment
Yep agreed
This salesman actually knew what he was talking about.
This used to be my world. Spent quite a lot on headphone rigs. At some point I had more than 10 headphones including dynamic, planar, and electrostatic. And also had 6 headphone amps and 5 DAPs. Sold everything and only kept the Focal Clears OG, still have it. I’m slowly getting back. If portability is what you need, you can invest in a quality DAP. Will sound way better than your phone.
Are you a rich person? I could never justify spending so much on headphones. Not trying to be judgmental at all, just genuinely curious, people can do whatever they want with their money of course.
It does make me sad that I will never experience a $5,500 headphone lol. I just have FiiO-FT1 and though I love them it really makes me wonder how trash they actually sound compared to the very expensive stuff.
Do you spend money on other things like vacation? This is my vacation.
Jay, interesting venture into the headphone arena. I’ve owned and still own many audiophile headphones including Audeze LCD-X, ZMF Atrium, Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC, HIFIMAN HE 1000se, Meze Emperion, Sennheiser HD800 with various amplifiers. I love them all for their different attributes and wouldn’t part with any of them. Although your journey appears to be just beginning, I hope you continue to explore this very personal satisfying world of audio.
I went in to that rabbit hole. Came out 27.000$ poorer. Sold all and the 2 endgame headphones that i left home were meze empyrean and hifiman arya stealth. Oh and as closedback an bt the edifier stax.
Hi Jay! On behalf of all those of us who follow your channel and are WAY into head-fi, we welcome you to this niche of the world of audio! You can use your existing StromTank, Taiko Extreme server, cables and high-end DAC of choice - and then all you have to buy are the amplifiers and headphones. We would love to see your take on some of the really high-end head-fi gear, all of which looks like it would be pretty easy for you to afford.; I've never seen anything in head-fi amps go for more than $100,000 (the Viva Belva), and even the revered Sennheiser HE-1 system (well, if you can find one) is about $76,000. Enjoyed the video 😁
Well, I paid around 2k for the 2020 edition. Very worth it at that price.
Love it, Jay! Thanks for your review
I would certainly be interested in another look at headphones as you have done here. I have very noise sensitive neighbours who I don't wish to disturb.
Get yourself a Bluetooth headphone amp n run it thru the phone. What I do
Nice to see you checking out headphones, Jay. Good on you, man. Headphones are my first love in all of HIFI. ☺️
Jay, get a hold of the Raal 1995 Immanis headphones. If you think Focal Utopia is already detailed enough, Immanis is on another level. In your lab it’s possible it can compete with your speakers at least on the resolution level using your DAC, Boulder 3010 and Gryphon Apex Monos. Immanis can be run on speaker amps with its provided interface
Please bring in some high end headphones. Same process of chain building applies - people do use stuff like lampizator horizon for headphones too. You’d just need some actual headphones amplifiers, likes of Feliks Envy, Woo WA24, ampsandsound Red October, riviera aic10, or similar
I audtioned them on a 70k euro setup. The depth of staging was staggering.
Spot on Thanks for that Jay
No worries
As a headphone enthusiast. Headphones are a whole rabbit trail. But thats my first love in audio.
I've demoed extensively the Focal Utopia. Phenomenonal Headphones. Only thing is after you are spoiled with the wider sound stage of some other headphones. It just isn't quite my one and only headphone.
I have the Dan Clark Aeon 2 for about $900 and the RME ADI-2 DAC for $1400. When the RME is in high power mode, it’s amazing. I run Bluesound as a digital source from Spotify. It’s a nice setup for $3k. Huge improvement over AirPod 2 pros. Tons of bass.
Love your videos, and very excited that you explore the world of headphones.
I would recommend the brand Hifiman and especially their higher end stuff. Personally I think they are one of the best high end headphone brands. Especially the Hifiman he1000se which is on part with focal utopia, but for around 2k us dollars.
Great suggestion!
I have a pair of Focal Bathys, I’m actually listening to this video with them right now lol.. Great headphones for the price! One of the better bluetooth headphones I’ve ever used.. As far as the Utopia’s- from what I gathered, at that price point and for what they are, there are better options out there
Like the HiFiMan Susvara, which can be found for around USD$3,500 new or refurbished (normally 6k).
@ Hifiman was one of the companies I was thinking of
Glad you like them!
Jay, get yourself a pair of Hifiman Susvara headphones and a Feliks Audio Envy valve amplifier. I think that this will be the headphone equivalent of your HiFi system. You will be in heaven.
Susvara Unveiled or Abyss AB1266. Or of course, money-no-object Hifiman Shangri-La or Sennheiser HE-1
Hey Jay. I became a casual fan of your channel some time ago. But I became a big fan after you teamed up with Mike Powell of OCD HiFi Guy two years ago.
Have you done a biography video or FAQ? I always wanted to know how much of your gear is on loan vs purchased. If it's purchased, what business are you in that enables you to afford so much ultra high end gear, including some six figure stuff? How do you sell it? Some of it is hundreds of pounds. Most channels won't even do consistent floorstander reviews, just bookshelf speakers. This is due to cost, size, room requirements, weight and hassle.
Forgive me if you have addressed these questions before. I missed that video(s). Thank you for being the ONLY channel to bring ultra high end HiFi hands on coverage on TH-cam! Much success.
Abyss 1266 phi tc are my favorites. Hiriman, audeze, and others make some great ones as well. I own the focal utopias as well, great, but not the best.
It's like Jay is describing the first taste of some very fine spirits
What you didn't mention (or, perhaps, notice) is that the Atom HE that you were using is rather a special streamer/dac/headphone amp. IMHO it outperforms its price point. You have to go to something like the dCS Lina setup to substantially outclass it.
I just recently home auditioned the OG Focal Utopia headphones and every single thing was great other than the treble balance. The Utopias in this video are the 2022 release with with better voice coil for the driver and headphone shell. This results in more refined bass, treble, a hint more sound stage and less acoustic issues. Would love to audition the 2022 Model!
Utopia OG so far, is the most refined mid range tonality i've heard for my preferences and i've heard over 30 headphones by now.
Current System:
Source - PC (galvanically isolated) before going into DAC (PC running HQ Player Upsampling)
Power Conditioner - AQ Niagara 5000
DAC - Cen.Grand DS DAC 1000 Deluxe
Amp - Burson Soloist Voyager Deluxe Package
Loom of Synergistic Research, Shunyata Research AudioQuest, Shakti cabling or tweaks.
Please explain how you isolated your computer.
Thanks for sharing
@@ReverendDr.Thomas hi no problem, its an intona 5kv usb 2.0 galvanic isolator which connects to the pc via usb and then has a usb output into the dac.
Using 2 audioquest diamond usb cables in this scenario
@@jaysaudiolab no worries!!!
@@ElysianQA, thanks for the information!
I'll look into it.
Incidentally, I've not heard of the Diamond cable. It must be a new addition to the Audioquest range?
Building a headphone system is different than a speaker system in that as headphones and headphone amps are typically cheaper than speakers and speaker amps, but sources aren't, so you really need to invest upstream much more than with speakers where the system should be more balanced, for example: I like to spend roughly 2x the cost of the headphone on the amp and 2x the price of the amp on the source. You also typically want to partner dynamic headphones with tubes and planar magnetics with solid state, however, these are just guidelines and not hard and fast rules.
So how close did that experience get you to your own system?
Not close
Fantastic presentation………….👍🤚
Thank you! Cheers!
Master & dynamic wired
for home use
Grado 325 for outdoor
Sony 7506 for commuting
I pretty good for now , there’s always room for one more.
👌👍this was very informative test. I was curious how these models compared to each other.
Glad you liked it!
Try the Utopia with Zähl HM1 headphone amp perhaps with Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC or Lampizator DAC. Heavenly! Beats the triple stack dCS Lina combo.
Keep up the good work Jay. I love your video. If you are ever in the Netherlands feel free to have a coffee, beer, wine at my place and you can listen to my humble system (Aurender, Reed, Ocatave, Ansuz and Raidho)
Sounds great!
If you don’t have “the room”…a headphone rig may fit into your home.
Damn Jay you are jacked
Jay, please do more headphones and earphone reviews in ultra high-end audio. Also, headphones World focal $5k is it equate to $100k hifi world?
Testing headphones at a noisy HiFi conference is far from ideal. In such an environment, it’s nearly impossible to get a true impression of any pair of headphones. For an accurate assessment, especially with open-back headphones, a quiet room is essential to appreciate the nuances and soundstage they’re designed to offer. The one exception might be noise-canceling headphones, as the background hum lets you evaluate their isolation capabilities firsthand. However, for wired headphones without noise-canceling features, the ambient noise makes a genuine listening experience frustratingly out of reach.
Ultimately, you’ll have a much better experience with a decent DAC/headphone amp combo and a good pair of $400 headphones in a quiet space than testing even the most impressive headphones in a setting like that.
High-end Sony MDR-Z1R are probably the best for it's price range, they have 70mm drivers.
... try AUDEZE at the same price / category :)) thanks
The worst part of Focal Headphones are the earpads. Even after years Focal can't get the Quality to a standard which is on par with the rest of the headphone. My brand new Focal Celestee earpads begin to leak glue after only 12 month.
The earpads cost 200€ and the Quality is a complete joke. I now have Dekoni Stellia pads. The Dekoni Pads have a tiny bit more bass but are also a tiny bit more open because you have more air between the headphone and your ear. I like the Dekoni pads and combined with the Oratory EQ makes them extremely good for gaming.
Interesting, never knew focal had serious headphones, way to rich for me though. If money is no issue, I'll take top notch stax headphones.
Bella/Magnifico.🙏✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️👑
5500. There were 5000
They are 5k. My mistake
I am quite surprised that you are reviewing an "open back" design without already knowing the disadvantages against a "sealed" design in such an environment. In general, an "OB" is great for home use, in a quieter environment. Listening to these headphones via an Astell & Kern, Fiio or even one of tge better Sony portable daps would do wonders. And not via a mobile phone.
I’m not a headphone expert - clearly
If you ever get the chance. Listen to the Sennheiser Orpheus. Truly mind-blowing!
I own the Celestees and I'm glad to see you liked them. I actually prefer them over the Clear MGs even if those are more open sounding and have better soundstage. Very good video that shows you have good ears with these "on the spot" impressions. Please do more head-fi as it's how I (and many more) do our serious listening. Thanks
I cannot wear Focal headphones, as my bald, pointy head requires a suspension strap. :(
lol
Thanks! BUT not convinced! its a amazing Headphone but 5000 USD is too much FOR THIS nowadays .
I am just too scared of this beryllium stuff.. superstition/paranoia, i know..
. I So.... Whats the resistance on these things??? Seriously !
I dont care for the line to each fone. I use EKG. 90 ohms n 600 ohm. Witch ones sound better? 600.
Jay, those apple headphones belong in the garbage... lol.
He is an ... (not very clever man). I just realised that. Not many people on youtube who can afford to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on hi-end equipment. He's got the means. That's where it ends. He has absolutely no idea why something sounds good or bad. But he definately knows what he likes
You’re an …. That’s where it ends
You must be far away out on a boat. A good distant from our hobby and respect to music.
No they are not worth the price. Headphones are great but a 5k room system is going to bring much more enjoyment. If you have 5k to spend on headphones you have enough dough to have a large enough room in your house to fit a conventional hi-fi system.
Headphones are a ridiculous pursuit to spend over $500 on.
Disagree but ok
Eh what? It’s rather the opposite - it’s hard to create an equally advanced speaker system in a room for the price of a high end headphone setup
@@kajetan9550 you think the best headphones can create a sense of space like a 2 ch system? It’s a fool’s errand.
@@mpp9964 yes and i don’t have to think because i own a 40k headphone setup (with abyss ab1266) and speaker systems are disappointing for that price. Of course higher end ones are nice, but that’s unbelievable money
@@kajetan9550wow a 40k headphone setup. All the best with that