Dear S you have single-handedly sold me on the Utopia. Wow what an amazing headphone. I have saved and saved and just got the 2022's for my 75-year-old father who suffers from Meniere's disease and the Focal sound delivery seems to be perfect for him over the HD800-type dynamic it appears. Thank you again I am surprising him tomorrow. I really appreciate your nice long passionate videos
You were truly inspired on this day. Five stars. 6 years in the hobby and I’d say this and Headphone show Andrew’s episode about Clear vs Arya vs LCD X are my two fav reviewer videos of all-time. Bravo. You’re really good at this.
Really interesting to hear this perspective from you. As a Utopia owner I agree with everything you say about it and I would add that there is generally a trade off between soundstage width and dynamic slam. As soundstage increases the sound is necessarily pushed away from you decreasing the dynamic impact. Through that lens the Utopia's intimate (I would say ACCURATE) soundstage is a feature, not a bug.
Couldn't have said it any better. I own both the Utopia and the Susvara, and while the Susvara is the "better" headphone from a reviewer's hat, the Utopia bests it in the emotional experience. Totally agree about the soundstage. A great headphone will never reach the staging capabilities of speakers and imaging is way more important, where in this case, the Utopia is still king. The images it fleshes out is just otherworldly; as if the actual notes are right in front of you and are tactile/physically there. I think the Susvara bass reaches lower, but it doesn't have the punchiness, aggressive delivery and dynamics of the Focal, which is actually what most of us look for in bass to be honest. The Utopia is just an amazing, amazing headphone. Still my top pick after all these years.
What amp are you using with the Utopia? I'm looking for the emotional female vocals of my inexpensive Sennheiser 595 that is missing from the Utopia (using the same inexpensive soundcard DAC and Presonus Central Station headphone amp section).
@animelord2004 have you used both the utopia and the susvara with japanese music? If so, how do you compare them? As I listen to japanese music most of the time and I have read that the utopia have an issue where it can make female vocals somewhat nasally.
@@thephantom9080 I listen to Japanese anisong 90% of the time. On a poor chain, the Utopia’s “nasal honkiness” can surface, but on a proper chain, it’s not an issue. I prefer the Focal over the Susvara for anisong because of the dynamics and liveliness. It really immerses you into the music. While the Susvaras are better in technicalities, the Utopias have the better engagement factor and suits more modern music. The Susvara’s can sound too soft on some tracks, which I find is typical of HFM’s nanodiaphragm models, like the HE1000.
@@animelord2004thanks a lot for the info! I was really looking for advice from someone who has a similar taste to me and I want to ask a couple of questions if you don’t mind as I am narrowing down my search for the ultimate headphone for anisongs as that is what I listen to most of the time. I previously narrowed down my searh to the utopia, susvara, and lcd 5 and I am leaning more towards the utopia. - How does the lcd 5 compare to the utopia for anisong? - I currently have the iFi iDSD Diablo Dac&Amp, do you think it will cause nasal honkiness for the utopia or it will be good enough? As portable dac&s are preferable to me. - Lastly, do you have other headphone recommendations as high end game for anisong other than the utopia? Thanks a lot and sorry for my questions but I want some advice before making a big purchase like this one 😂❤️
After almost 6 years and the Utopia is still number one. In this hobby, the joy of music is often forgotten and many jump on the next hype. I'm curious if there will be a new version of the Utopia this year, otherwise I'll get the Utopia in autumn as a supplement to the Abyss PHI TC.
This. Exactly why I sold my summit planars and went back to ZMF. I highly recommend trying out the new Atrium to complement the Phi TC. Utopia may inch out on detail retrieval, but only just, and likely only a result of its treble peaks. The Atrium is just so musical and addicting.
@@arrakian the Atrium is using probably the most advanced biocell driver to date, and Zach does an amazing job tuning the acoustics. I'm enjoying my VC/Atrium combo more then any cans I've tried
The new Utopia rumor has no evidence, started by someone who "predicts" things all the time with no proof. AFAIK. I'd get the Utopia used, they're half the new price. I just ordered a pair!
Fantastic take. I'm going for either the Utopia '22 or Susvara, and after the audition, the new Utopia was just so much more engaging! It was tremendously fast & tactile, resolving and had a lush sound sig with taught, tight and seriously impactful bass. Yes, soundstage was smaller than the Susvara's, but it was incredibly precise in its imaging and relentlessly direct. Amp was Enleum AMP-23R.
Utopia is a gem, so transparent, so tweakable by the chain, so technically proficient while being and sounding like a dynamic driver. The slam this can produce is shocking, while still maintaining integrity and balance. True masterclass and a true totl set. Also value 2nd hand is pretty unbeatable. I also own Susvara and TC with good chains to drive them, was going to sell the Utopia, even got a buyer on headfi ... took the last listen on my tube amp and ... decided I have to keep it 🤫
Great video just got my utopia recently. Utopia is absolutely amazing I think I've found my endgame and it runs good on any amp from iphone dongle to tube to solid state and needs very little power. Also the tuning is perfect, only thing i do is is add a subbass shelf to its ruler flat bass
Been on the high-end merry-go-round, and I'm glad I jumped off with my two ZMF flagships (best timbre & tone I've heard). It's allowed me to connect more with my music and less on the gear itself, which is ultimately my goal. It's for sure cool to experience the technicalities of the summit cans you're talking about here.
So sorry for late viewing This is the go to video for all the beginners audiophile who are going to purchase or watching reviews of summit fi gears The insight you gave in the 1st half is gem. Thanks for sharing that very important perspectives that are completely ignored This is the best video created till date in audiophile world
Thank you for this video, it's such a pleasure listening to you. I recently realised that once I had stopped being obsessed with comparing headphones, trying make sense of what I'm hearing and probably convincing myself that what I'm hearing is "what I'm supposed to be hearing" (My gear - Topping D90 + A90, Focal Utopia, HEKse, HD800) I actually wasn't getting much enjoyment from my music anymore. And after all that was the reason why I have invested so much time and money into this hobby. Thankfully, I didn't just give up (or spend silly amounts of money on various pieces of equipment), I decided to take a step back and try something different, hoping that I would hear a significant improvement/difference, not just a change that is within the margin of error/auto-suggestion. I felt that my Utopia was really the headphone I had been looking for but I just had not made the right choices to allow it to shine. I bought myself a Denafrips Ares II R2R DAC and... Well, first conclusion - it's definitely different, but I'm not sure if I'd want to use it every day. Then every time I tried to go back to the D90, even only for certain genres, it was nearly impossible... It felt like going back from the music being present around me and feeling natural/corporeal/full to merely listening to a recording. I know that I sound like I'm repeating other reviewers' nomenclature, but the end result really is that the D90 sounds like a digitally processed source whereas the Ares II sounds more analog/life-like. For lack of a better comparison, it's like a super-bright TV with sharpness turned up near the max setting vs one that may not wow you at first but just feels "right" and the more you listen to it, the more subleties you discover. Another way of putting it - a very incisive presentation of sound vs slightly rounded off, yet more natural. But it's not just that, it's the 2D "in your face" presentation of sound (can be addictive but your brain knows it's not what you'd hear in real life) vs more "sophisticated", rich, with weight behind each sound. I was initially going back and forth between the two, feeling at home with the Ares II but somehow missing the addictive incisiveness of the D90 and what I perceived (or had taught myself to perceive) as more detail. And then I realised that, as controversial as it may sound, I was actually hearing MORE details with the Ares II. It was not obvious at first as the less incisive nature of sound tricked my brain into thinking that the sound was not as clear, but what is actually happening is that the extra space and depth between the sounds that the Ares II offers in comparison with the D90 makes individual sounds stand out more, each of them is given much more space. I would never say that objectively speaking Ares II offers more detail, when you listen hard the D90 probably has more of it - but in subjective terms, the Ares II presents the sounds in a way that makes it easier to hear certain passages because they are not crowded. And perhaps because my ears are not tired from dealing with the incisiveness of the D90. From what I've heard, the above characteristics apply to all well-designed R2R DACs, so I'm sure that your experience would have been similar to mine. My impressions are from the OS mode in Slow filter, it's simply the best for this device. I knew that the Utopia was special even on the previous system, but this new DAC makes the sound even more cohesive, I totally stop analysing my music and no longer think in terms of "lows, mids, highs", I simply listen to the art of music being presented around me. My HEKse gives a little bit of that extra "wow" factor - extra space, extra separation, especially for live recordings. But it's only the Utopia that allows me to perceive my music as a complete whole. Can I please ask you as someone who has had so much experience with various gear - what would be the best upgrade path for me to pursue this natural, deep, holographic type of sound presentation? At this point of my journey, I would not be interested in gaining a little more of X at the expense of Y - so I would only consider upgrading if a piece of gear was clearly better on all fronts. I am still using the A90 as my amp and despite the apparent differences in output and input impedances between the two devices they really seem to work fine. Thanks for uploading these great videos.
There's one thing I forgot to mention re my new DAC - while it's really perfect for the Utopia, it sucks the life out of my HEKse (admittedly, it makes it sound even bigger and deeper, but it's already grandiose enough). I think it's because of the planar driver's way of delivering sound which is softer/less incisive/less punchy than dynamic driver's, so it clearly benefits from what in turn makes the Utopia a bit too much for long sessions. It's clearly all about the synergy then. And in my book it goes to show how versatile the Utopia is, how it scales and allows all types of gear to shine through it. Update - I was being too harsh on the above synergy, I am starting to appreciate how the Ares II tames the HEKse's brightness, makes bass more round and "hefty" and changes the soundstage from "very big" to "huge". I am now only able to use the D90 for very short listening session as my ears have gotten used to the "more refined" sound...
@Michael S.: hi, I don’t have the choice of your headphones. You describe very interesting impressions with R2R DAC and HEKse and Focal Utopia. So far I use Focal Elear (with Dekoni pads) and a Questyle CMA 600i (DAC+Amp) and am looking for a suitable upgrade for the headphones. Hifiman HEKse/V2 could be a candidate. At the same time I got a very nice first impression of the R2R technology with Cayin RU6. But what I wanted to say: I haven’t heard Topping D90/A90 yet, probably they follow the source material very precisely. I had talked to a developer from the German company Nubert when I bought my loudspeakers. I asked him, what in God’s name did you put in the box when it’s so wildly dynamic? Answer: With their new amplifiers, they have invested a lot of effort to achieve just that, so that the amplified output signal gets as close as possible to the sine curve of the input signal. In other words, when the sine wave rises sharply, the developers have developed their technology in such a way that the output signal follows the input signal as precisely as possible. Only a few companies make this effort. At such an active box my pulse went up massively, which of course is great. I compare it to a concert where I’m standing at the front of the stage. That’s great, but after two hours, I’m done. I’ll have to get out of there or I’ll have a heart attack. But since I listen to music for a longer time, I decided to use Active Boxes, which are not so impulsive, but are also not too relaxed. The Questyle amplifier is not built to amplify the voltage (99. 9% of the amplifiers work like this), but it uses a ’current mode amplification', which makes the amplifier extremely fast in the signal and also clean. And it also makes him relaxed. When I listen to ballads, he’s very relaxed, when I put something on at a tempo, he’s very impulsive. I guess it comes through this questyle current mode technique. The Focal Elear does not exhaust the power of the Questye yet, since I have experienced much more power with an Audeze LCD-X. But like I said, I’m looking for myself. . For R2R DACs I found an interesting youtube channel: ’Soundnews'. Beside Denafrips he also tests other R2R DACs, also very interesting. But maybe Sajid has a tip on this exciting topic? :)
@@MistaLova-Lovareplace the A90 with a class A amp. I had this setup, it’s amazing to locate footsteps in games but in music, it’s horrible. Good luck.
@@cd-rom. Hi. Thanks, that was an old post. I have since acquired a class A solid state amp and a tube amplifier, with the latter being a clear step-up after upgrading the valves.
I power my utopia with Elear pads, using the tt2 as a Dac to the McIntosh mha100. You can add few more dBs of bass, but once you increase the Level on the mha100 to like 5, the utopia opens up. We are talking about a huge sound stage now, it becomes a beast. Another thing that I love about the utopia is its precision. It handles everything beautifully. It is still my favorite hps. Now for closed back hps, the Denon D9200 is hard to beat, imho. Good job!
I own both the Utopia and the Susvara. Initially, I thought the Susvara had the upper hand in terms of resolution, but now I believe what I was initially hearing as better resolution is in fact simply a more fleshed - out sound. I did a test last night between the two, both being driven by the Simaudio 430HA. The test music was Strange Cargo 3 by William Orbit. It was immediately clear that the way the Utopia conveyed depth and layering of sound in the mix was far superior to the Susvara. For me this is the true measure of resolution, ie how far and how clearly can you hear into a a given recording
Thanks a lot for your thoughts on high-end headphones. It helped me a lot to form an opinion on reviews out on YT. Before buying a headphone one should always figure out what one expects from audio gear. Then a certain device is „the best“ for someone, even if it isn‘t for someone else. Very important thought that you have chiseled out in your video. Thanks!
Enjoyed this video. Definitely prefer listening pleasure myself over technical performance but the TC are still my favorite for that. Hoping to demo Utopia and Susvara soon
This was a superb review of Head-Fi in general. Having owned all the TOTL cans including the Susvara, Abyss 1266 PHI TC, Utopia, Empyrean, Verite and a few more, your comments are spot on. I'm more into 2 channel listening and sold all these cans and kept only the HifiMan Ed. X V2 simply to enjoy the deep bass rumble for EDM music - it's such an under rated headphone. In that regard, they afford me that niche headphone experience as you alluded in your commentary. All other genre's, I have to default to my much higher end 2 channel listening. Now, that being said, I'm looing for the an all rounder and after your video, I'm thinking maybe the Utopia again but what are your thoughts on the Elite or D8000 Pro? Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. My headphone rack is the following to give you perspective: Ether-Regen > Roon Nucleus > Lumin U1 > Denafrips Gaia > PS Audio Direct Stream DAC > Denafrips Hestia > Denafrips Hyperion > Artic Cables Palladium. Set up is fully balanced using MIT interconnects. Keep up the Great Video's - IMHO some of the best on You Tube!
Thanks man. I personally gravitate towards the D8000 Pro if you can handle those not-so-spacious cups! It's a really nice headphone. But of course, the Utopia would be my strongest recommendation, especially if you have speakers, since you are covered on the SS/imaging realism front. :)
Im finding this late but Im watching Utopia videos in a fury because I've finally awoken to how phenomenal the Utopia are, after feeling mixed on them for 2 years and mostly leaving them on their stand. I believe the switch happened once i built out my endgame loudspeaker setup (SF Olympica Nova 2s). I always of course felt the Utopia were 'good' headphones, but questioned whether they were justifiable against something like DCA Ether C Flows or similar, given I had my sonus faber loudspeakers for a 'proper imagining and soundstage' experience. The very first time i put on the Utopias, expecting to prepare to sell them, and after having gotten used to my stereo system I was literally SHOCKED by what i was hearing. I cant be certain what may have happened to adjust the way i attend to what I'm hearing...but the simple EASE of providing detail is phenomenal. I agree about 'resolving headphones'...I wanted detail detail detail and maybe questioned whether the utopias deserved 'summit fi' status. It must just be...appreciating the listening experience of letting sound properly fill a space around me...and valuing the completeness of that. Utopias do that beautifully. Who needs 800s?! The Utopias are perhaps a similar experience for me to my sonus faber loudspeakers, in the realm of what headphones provide. The fluency of highs, just mild sweetness, mild warmth...but with dynamics...provides such natural musicality that can work for almost everything. Phenomenal for everything. Easy to drive. Wish they were a bit lighter. I feel like i was a bratty teenager, looking for audio 'edge'...but now I've come home.
Being an audiophile is a weird journey. We need to remind ourselves, the brain plays tricks on us. What sounds a certain way on monday may sound entirely different on tuesday. The mind is everything but constant. We can chase the dragon as long as we want, there's no way to catch it. And even if we think we caught it, the next day it may have gotten away once more. Over the years I figured the best way to handle my deluded sense of sound perception without spending thousands is to play fully into it and actively try to make the mind trick itself. There's some strategies I use. Most important one is to find a low-end headphone that you can still enjoy. For me that is the Sony XM4 (probably the most practical headphone ever made). Listen to new music on that headphone. Listening to some estats in the evening after a day of just using the XM4 is so much more satisfying than if I had used the Stax all day long. Contrast is king. Next is to learn how to EQ. Do the "EQ of the week". No matter what, every headphone sucks by design. There is always something to dislike. What I do is try to actively find something in particular that I don't enjoy, focus on it and play with EQ until it's fixed. For some reason, this tends to "catch the dragon" for me for some short amount of time. Then, after some EQ sessions, just turn it all off and boom, base FR all of a sudden sounds magical (until it doesn't). Again, contrast is king. Good open headphones react very well to EQ and you can basically make them sound however you want. The more I learn about EQ, the more I realize how fundamental the influence of FR on headphone performance actually is. IMO it is a mandatory skill to this hobby.
Much needed review. I'm new to this honor and am just getting the jargon. Which is just what it is. It's the best we've been sale to come up with to describe headphones and sound. No matter how good the terminology and adjectives are they have limits and can alternate a large group of people. Your video put a much needed human component to the honor and I think can empower people to think for their selves about what they like and not what a reviewer said or the latest gas. I'm new and have made all those mistake already and have 7 pairs of headphones with one supposedly high end. I listen to a handful of my lower end headphones and enjoy them for what they are. My hope is to buy something that will meet my broad definition of outstanding. In time. Thanks again for bringing things down to earth.
Thanks for your opinions, they are really valued. I am after an all-rounder and I value that highly. I had the AB's and totally agree with what you said, they sound unbelievable on a small number of tracks and genre's, they fall so short on others such as rap music... I might just have to give the Utopia's a go!
Honestly think older HD650 and the Utopia are the two best headphones. You need a big money chain to get the best out of the 6XX and to fix the Utopia, but it's worth it. They each have their strong suit, but are better than all the other TOTL IMO.
Thanks for this video Sajid, much appreciated. Engagement & enjoyment factors are very important & subjective too. Overall I’d agree saying the Utopia is a bit more versatile with music than the Susvara & 1266 Phi TC. But some Utopia’s could have driver clipping so audition before buying is what I’d recommend.
I still find the Utopia to be one of the most dynamic HP I've heard and owned.... just one example in a violin solo, i can feel the soloist swaying around the microphone not just by hearing it but feeling the pressure coming to left/right of my head..... the pressure also conveys the depth of the bow strokes so after awhile i need to take a break from all the information
I like my Focal Utopia a lot but my unit have failed driver on left side twice within 18 months. Lucky both times in RMA because it's in warranty. I will selling it when I get it back, I just don't want deal with it, being said that I had a fantastic time with it. Focal Utopia is a very special sound and build and finished headphones of all time IMO. I like your reviews and your opinion.
As someone who just entered audiophile territory with the Clear MG Pros, I’m very interested in hearing the Utopias. Worst part is that the only way forward from the Clears is up 🤣 Thanks for a well informed and most of all musical review.
I can relate to what you're saying but I think it's also cyclical. Our preferences and what we look for change over time and then sometimes goes back to things we liked in the past. That's also why some people leave the hobby and come back after a few years. That happened to me.. You're probably entering a phase where musicality and enjoyment is a higher priority than technicalities and that's awesome. As a reviewer I think you do need to focus on technicalities for most of the review and then add your personal take on it. Once your audience knows you enough they can then compare themselves to that preference and make a decision for themselves. I never tried the Utopia and it's on my watchlist to listen to one day. But what you're describing is one of the reasons I ordered and am waiting for a ZMF Atrium. ZMF seem to have a fan base that's about musicality and enjoyment so maybe try one of those if you haven't. Some days I want to listen to music and some days I want to listen to gear. We are fortunate we can do both with summit fi gear.
Hi, Your reviews are always informative and helpful. You recently conpared the Caldera and Susvara. And, had a similar take. If you compared the Caldera and Utopia, that would be great. Thanks
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this video. About a month ago I had my choices narrowed down to a Utopia vs. 1266. I went 1266, but may have gone the other way had I seen this first. Either way, loving the 1266's and I enjoy your content.
even cheapo akg headphones can sound like a super hiper high end grade headphone, onces you understand about how a real dac sounds, and how the amplification take over the ecuation.
@@musicxxa6678 Uff, no... If then the other way around. And it greatly depends on the headphones you compare. Take a 650 vs LCDX pre-2021 for example. The 650 destroys it in the mids.
@@mariodrv all 6 line up overrated af. they cant do bass and treble thats why its mids famous. what you get with 6 line up is romanticized processed shitty mids. all the planar i've heard sounds like the real thing. completely transparent. 650 may be faithful to the ''analog sound'' but planars generally faithful to the actual real sound. they disappear. you need to fix frequency response of audeze planars to get that. pre 2021 lcd x has HUGE dip in the mids and overall uneven mids.
Same, until I heard the ZMF Atrium. :D EQ helps a ton, but it still can't change other aspects inherit to the driver & tuning. I found that I just simply get into my music more with ZMF. The 800S is still an amazing can tho, especially EQ'd and on tubes
Yeah it’s amazing how well the HD800 can keep its technical abilities despite me EQ’ing the heck out of it to suit my ideal tonality. I can see how the other aspects of sound can go in favor of other headphones, depending on personal taste.
But on the original topic of Utopia, I think I will also like that headphone if I give it a week of listening time. This is based on my experience owning their closed back Radiance (I would love to have a Stellia but too expensive for closed back)
totally right about the soundstage, absolute width is overrated. Precise separation and imaging is much more important Still waiting for you to try a mysphere....
When I was first getting into this I heard reviews about the hd800 soundstage, I tried them and was disappointed about how small it was! A month or 2 later i bought the Utopia. Still own it and man it’s soundstage is amazing on the Feliks Euforia
Over time I’ve found it to be too fatiguing, the dynamics and treble get to me after an hour, or Nowa days after 10 minutes. Now I’m more into mids, I’ve got magnepan LRS and accuphase E 406 and the mids are so nice and natural. So I’ll be selling Utopia and susvara
I honestly agree with this. I’ve tried a decent amount of headphones. My favourites are Diana Tc and Utopia. With the Utopia, there’s no BSing around. You just put it on and it just does everything to a great level, and you don’t feel like you need anything else. Just a unique piece of engineering.
@@amplifyaudioreviews Since my comment grabbed your attention 😂, how would you compare the Hifiman Arya Stealth to Focal Utopia ? I’ve been thinking about trying the Aryas, but I don’t know if it’s worth it for someone who owns the Utopia.
@@SugaFree2387 Different enough sound for me. Way wider and airier but also thinner without being thin in absolute terms if you know what I mean. Arya also has that planar snappy transients which can make it sound more flowing and effortless. But all in all, Utopia is superior headphone.
My sentiments are very similar regarding the Utopias. I came from an HD650 over a decade ago and the Focal Utopias were my first Summit-Fi headphones 2 years ago. I recently got the Susvaras about a week ago and while I agree that the Susvaras wow me on lots of tracks across multiple genres, there’s a certain intimacy that I could only find on the Utopias. The punch and slam is incredible on the Utopias. I’m glad I can switch between the two now.
Very good point about the enjoyment factor and love the way you put that forward. Its very important not to get pulled into audiophile jargons tagged to gears. For example, after reading a lot of reviews about the Focal Clear and its metallic timbre I ended up looking for that fault when I was auditioning it. However after listening to it for a while, I dont even notice it. Almost as if it never existed. Now I simply listen to white noise for like 2 minutes on the head gear I am trying out or using. It help the brain to get adjusted to the sound signature that it has to offer.
It's there with certain gear choices/pairings and with certain music. I tried the 789/A90 stuff at the beginning of the craze and it certainly was there. But my current chain it's gone.
@@aceofspades6667 Ofcourse gear pairing matters a lot but the point is not to get biased based on those jargons. My gear is the same and if I switch from something like HD650 to Clear OG, I do feel the metallic nature. However it dissapears after a while for me and my best guess is that my brain gets used to it. So much so that metallic nature becomes an enjoyment factor.
Great video this. I always prefer an iem or headphone that can cover all genres. I listen to every genre from classical to electronic to metal. Needs to cover everything
It’s the same quality hd 600/650 posses. No switching playlist. Of course I don’t have any experience with totl headphones but 600/650 have the long time fatigue free listening pleasure
You know it sounds like the Utopia is your all rounder ‘fun listen.’ Which is cool. For me, my fun listen is the Final Audio D-8000 or D-8000 Pro. I’m dying to own a pair. Really loved auditioning them for hrs.
i loved the raals and heard them through their own amp/ and dac i think. and i tried out the 2022 focal utopias, and i honestly love them both. i tried the abyss ones you mentioned too. I think the utopias def felt visceral. i loved them all so much i just cant afford any of them haha. what headphones out of those 3 (raal, abyss, and focal etc) work best for everything? i felt the utopias kinda did deliver like you said. the raals had the thickest feeling bass detail. im a huge fan of detail and some great bass response i listen to jazz, indie, metal, rap, electronic, classical etc. and what does resolution mean? is it kinda like detail? i love imaging, detail and bass and sweet midrange and clean trebles (not sybillant) if you could help me out that would be great hahah (i have HD560s from sennheiser right now, and i tried others from the line, but I want something to work towards you know? )
You should definitely get the Beyer dt 48 A. You can find them for as low as $100 if you are lucky- i did and its the best headphone ive ever heard. I cant even imagine comparing them to other headphone and choosing the other in terms of fidelity, non coloured sound or tonality. They are like a window into what your chain really sounds like and shine the brightest with the totl gear and natural recordings, like for and example Macy Gray - Stripped, but they also are like a ultimate chameleon, so its fascinating to listen to rock and other coloured music. If you get them, remember that they will open up even more with a recable. They are ultimate intimate sound. Good luck!
Hello. Love your content and the time you take. I tend to do a lot of research before I buy. I saw you are selling your EVO 400. Were you not convinced it was worth the size requirements/constraints? Many say it is the best pre-amp for the money but of course, the HoloAudio Serene is apparently also great but so much smaller albeit solid and not tube. Would love your thoughts. Thanks
It's fantastic and probably better than many pre-amps in a far higher price range. Selling because it's way too heavy for my desk, lol. It's better suited to be used on a rack!
This! 🎶💜 Unfortunately, I had driver failure with Utopia, twice. 1st set off of my Mojo. 2nd off Woo WA8 Eclipse with upgraded tube (Bassier than Mojo but better). I have OG Empyrean with silver cable (perfected it’s tonality). So, I ran both with single drivers playing yo compared sound, off WA8. With iPhone’s EQ to ROCK or TREBLE BOOST (Takes bass & honky mids fown, & Empyreans gets SOOOO close to a wider Utopia (leather pads keeps sounds clean), but, I lust madly for Utopia. But the driver clipping keeps them at a safe volume, wish Incould turn them up to about 90 db, safely. With that said, as of last my night’s comparison, praying Focal doesn’t updated & improve Utopia soon, I prefer it as well. & I play classic rock, metal, rap, R&B, jazz, dance, & orchestral. Either of these 2 plays all spectacularly! But Utopia is so CLEAN! Saving for Utopia repair as of 2 months ago. I second this experience. Maybe Elite for even cleaner Empyrean experience. Hm? 🤔
Have you tried Luxman with the 1266 either the P750 hp amp or an L-595? Also to your point on measurements and FR graph. Resolve has done a few good vids and discusses differentiating between bass measurement on the Frequency response measurement and how it is not bass slam/impact. Focal is the definition of not have elevated bass on a FR but have great slam/impact.
Yes, Luxman pairs well with the 1266. The P750 as well as some of their stereo amps. The stereo amps give it a wider stage and more grunt. In general, I find that the sweetness of the Luxman midrange pairs well with the TC.
Susvara needs speaker amps to get bass impact and slam out of them. Loved this video. This is probably best comparison of summit tier headphones i've seen. Would love your take on latest zmf atrium.
Yeah agree about that. Thanks for the compliment. :) Feel free to check out my Susvara review where I have talked about my experiences with speaker amps and the Susvara.
I always buy second hand gear and I still need some time to burn it in... There is only one explanation that makes sense: burn in is not a physical but a psychological phenomenon. Our brain needs to learn how to clear out the mistakes of the device. Our brains evolved to make sound corrections, our lives depend on isolating the signal from the noise... Our eyes are doing the same thing: our mind makes color corrections all the time... Our eyes can see colors surprisingly well in less than perfect light environments... Why would it be any different for the sound?
Sajit, I am not sure if you will see this or not but worth a shot. I currently have the Clear Mg and am a huge fan of the dynamics and Focal energy. However, there are a few limitations that I have found less enjoyable (primarily in the high end) as my source and amplification have improved. From my research, upgrading to the Utopia would help me keep what I like and less of what I don't, as well as an overall improvement in sound. However, I am unable to try one out locally where I live. Was wondering if you had any suggestions when looking at Utopia's on the used market. I believe you have purchased them used and thought you may have some insight or suggestions to share. Regardless, I very much appreciate your content and overall approach to audio (gear and community). Always pleased when I see a new posting.
Hey man, I am happy to recommend a dealer. Where are you based? Feel free to email me: sh2367@caa.columbia.edu. Utopia does improve on the Clear's treble significantly. Smoother and kinder and more natural.
Thanks for the review I really appreciate your thoroughness!. I recently purchased the Utopia and love it! I am currently using the Chord Hugo TT2 as my amp/DAC but have been curious about the Ferrum Oor/Hypsos combo. How is the soundstage and detail with the Oor/Hypsos como?I have also been thinking about a tube amp as well but am thinking about the Oor/Hypsos combo first. Are you familiar with the TT2 and if so would it be a good DAC for the Oor/Hypsos? Thank you for your great reviews!
Yes, TT2 is a solid DAC. The OOR Hypsos will be a great addition to your chain and bring out the authoritative impact of the Utopia while enhancing clarity and detail, relative to the TT2 amp section. The TT2 is a better DAC than an amp, IMO.
Great review as always! Can you please give me some advice please? My favorite genre is heavy metal but also I like electronic music, pop, female vocals etc.. I have listened to a lot of hi-end headphones, but from all I've tried my absolute favorite for now is focal Stellia. Its have amazing presentation, speed, energy, slam and punch, texture, resolution, separation no treble peaks on high volume etc.. The only complain I have is after long period of listening I kinda want something more open and I am not talking about sound-stange.. This is why I have akg k812 as a compliment (they are my 2nd favorite headphones). So what do you think if the utopia is a good compliment for the Stellia? Or Utopia is just a better Stellia and there is no reason to have both of them?
I have a similar issue.. I own the 1266 Phi TC, OG Clear, LCD3F, LCDX, HP3, and a few others. I do find myself listening to the OG clears much of the time because they are great at low levels great for long term comfort and just sort of disappear. The are not the funnest or most technical set I own and the others have a bunch of special traits I prefer but something about the OG clears has be coming back. the 1266 are an event to listen to which is great but sometimes I just want to not pay attention to what I'm listening to.
And this is EXACTLY why I went for the Clear over stuff like the Arya and LCD-X. It may not have a unique aspect like the soundstage of an Arya or HD800, but once you get used to that with those headphones, what’s left? Amazing headphones for sure but something about the Clear as a total package was just more appealing; great performer, great tuning, fun and musical, gorgeous looks, good comfort, easy to drive, and it’s cheaper than the others now…it’s a great stopping point
@@briancaulfield7251 and that is why I have Arya and few days ago bought og clear 😉have to burn them in still, I just couldn’t resist any more under 1k with extra replacement pads.cheers guys
@@blejzerosamigos6115 let me know what you think! Really want to try an Arya as I feel like I’ve yet to see a single negative or critical review of them. They must be amazing but I don’t know if they are the best value when the Clear gets at least close to it for $600 less
The OG Utopia is still relevant today, and offers enough special sonic characteristics to keep up with the other big boy cans. The OG's are still my favorite headphone.
I find I reach for my VC 98% of the time these days ... Just allows me to enjoy the music without focusing on the gear. Just a maximum pleasure headphone
If you just recently got this Ferrum Orr and it is a warm sounding amp ofc it gonna fit Utopia! Any source of warmth and distortion will soften Cans like Utopia and HD800S enought to make them enjoyable. Im sure Susvara will sound better than Utopia with Super transparent Dac like Matrix x sabre pro 3 + Niimbus us5 pro. Most of them high end cans are equal in technicalities, but since most of them have terrible Frequency response and thats why they need eq or something to add distortions and soften the sound. There is a reason Why dacs like r2r especially ones with more distortion and noise is preferred since these flaws softed the sound and make it more distant. Funny thing is... With headphone listening with eq or with a speakers that reach low and are placed in a great room you wont ever gonna need Costly Snake oil. Not critising your gear just saying how it is...
Oh yes agree 1000%! Absolutely. For me Utopia's placement of instruments just feels right; so right I don't even question "how wide is the soundstage", it doesn't matter anymore. I think maximizing soundstage for the sake of soundstage is misguided and wasted effort.
Have you heard Susvara + hf1000? If not, it's like amping TOTL headphone with a portable amp (at least for Susvara). I won't make judgements if I cannot amp some headphone well -- it's called unfair.
Same experience, but on lower tier. Even after hearing Sundara and 600 side by side, 600s does have more impact, richness that I just cant get from others. I do wish it had some of the clearer sound like the hifimans. And no bass distortion is not the answer as I hear bass distortion earlier on sundara while 600s take a bit more abuse.
I have Utopia and it sounds very very good. I want to enhance the power of Utopia with a headphone amp. Difficult to find pairing suggestions/impression/ comments on that. What is your headphone amp to feed the utopia ?
You're selling the Susvara and keeping the Utopia's?! Woah. I have the Utopia's and was planning on getting the susvara's, but now I'm not sure. I love my Utopia's. Just got to the part where you said they are now your favorite headphones. Couldn't agree more!
@@Josh-os2px Resolve did say he liked the Susvara judging by technicalities (he's dead inside), but he likes the Focals if he was going by heart. Take that as you will. As an owner of both the Utopia and Susvara, my impressions line up with him. The Susvara is the more accomplished technical performer, but it doesn't quite reach the emotional highs of the Focal. The Focals are still my top pick.
noob question. preamps have a volume control, right? but so do headphone amps. so how do they work together? which volume control gets cancelled out, the preamp or the headphone amp?
your language is admirably precise, colorful, evocative
Thanks
Dear S you have single-handedly sold me on the Utopia. Wow what an amazing headphone. I have saved and saved and just got the 2022's for my 75-year-old father who suffers from Meniere's disease and the Focal sound delivery seems to be perfect for him over the HD800-type dynamic it appears. Thank you again I am surprising him tomorrow. I really appreciate your nice long passionate videos
So happy to hear!
You were truly inspired on this day. Five stars. 6 years in the hobby and I’d say this and Headphone show Andrew’s episode about Clear vs Arya vs LCD X are my two fav reviewer videos of all-time. Bravo. You’re really good at this.
Really interesting to hear this perspective from you. As a Utopia owner I agree with everything you say about it and I would add that there is generally a trade off between soundstage width and dynamic slam. As soundstage increases the sound is necessarily pushed away from you decreasing the dynamic impact. Through that lens the Utopia's intimate (I would say ACCURATE) soundstage is a feature, not a bug.
Couldn't have said it any better. I own both the Utopia and the Susvara, and while the Susvara is the "better" headphone from a reviewer's hat, the Utopia bests it in the emotional experience. Totally agree about the soundstage. A great headphone will never reach the staging capabilities of speakers and imaging is way more important, where in this case, the Utopia is still king. The images it fleshes out is just otherworldly; as if the actual notes are right in front of you and are tactile/physically there. I think the Susvara bass reaches lower, but it doesn't have the punchiness, aggressive delivery and dynamics of the Focal, which is actually what most of us look for in bass to be honest. The Utopia is just an amazing, amazing headphone. Still my top pick after all these years.
What amp are you using with the Utopia? I'm looking for the emotional female vocals of my inexpensive Sennheiser 595 that is missing from the Utopia (using the same inexpensive soundcard DAC and Presonus Central Station headphone amp section).
Please use vegan leather, no animal or egg shell.
@animelord2004 have you used both the utopia and the susvara with japanese music? If so, how do you compare them? As I listen to japanese music most of the time and I have read that the utopia have an issue where it can make female vocals somewhat nasally.
@@thephantom9080 I listen to Japanese anisong 90% of the time. On a poor chain, the Utopia’s “nasal honkiness” can surface, but on a proper chain, it’s not an issue. I prefer the Focal over the Susvara for anisong because of the dynamics and liveliness. It really immerses you into the music. While the Susvaras are better in technicalities, the Utopias have the better engagement factor and suits more modern music. The Susvara’s can sound too soft on some tracks, which I find is typical of HFM’s nanodiaphragm models, like the HE1000.
@@animelord2004thanks a lot for the info! I was really looking for advice from someone who has a similar taste to me and I want to ask a couple of questions if you don’t mind as I am narrowing down my search for the ultimate headphone for anisongs as that is what I listen to most of the time. I previously narrowed down my searh to the utopia, susvara, and lcd 5 and I am leaning more towards the utopia.
- How does the lcd 5 compare to the utopia for anisong?
- I currently have the iFi iDSD Diablo Dac&Amp, do you think it will cause nasal honkiness for the utopia or it will be good enough? As portable dac&s are preferable to me.
- Lastly, do you have other headphone recommendations as high end game for anisong other than the utopia?
Thanks a lot and sorry for my questions but I want some advice before making a big purchase like this one 😂❤️
After almost 6 years and the Utopia is still number one. In this hobby, the joy of music is often forgotten and many jump on the next hype. I'm curious if there will be a new version of the Utopia this year, otherwise I'll get the Utopia in autumn as a supplement to the Abyss PHI TC.
This. Exactly why I sold my summit planars and went back to ZMF. I highly recommend trying out the new Atrium to complement the Phi TC. Utopia may inch out on detail retrieval, but only just, and likely only a result of its treble peaks. The Atrium is just so musical and addicting.
@@asplmn how good does the ZMF driver sound? I’d always attributed the high price to the exotic woods.
@@arrakian the Atrium is using probably the most advanced biocell driver to date, and Zach does an amazing job tuning the acoustics. I'm enjoying my VC/Atrium combo more then any cans I've tried
@@asplmn have you tried the Denon ATH-D9200? Very nice; better than the lower models(7000/5000).
The new Utopia rumor has no evidence, started by someone who "predicts" things all the time with no proof. AFAIK. I'd get the Utopia used, they're half the new price. I just ordered a pair!
Fantastic take. I'm going for either the Utopia '22 or Susvara, and after the audition, the new Utopia was just so much more engaging! It was tremendously fast & tactile, resolving and had a lush sound sig with taught, tight and seriously impactful bass. Yes, soundstage was smaller than the Susvara's, but it was incredibly precise in its imaging and relentlessly direct. Amp was Enleum AMP-23R.
i personally prefer phonix though since its at same price
Great video and commentary on the subject.
Utopia is a gem, so transparent, so tweakable by the chain, so technically proficient while being and sounding like a dynamic driver. The slam this can produce is shocking, while still maintaining integrity and balance. True masterclass and a true totl set. Also value 2nd hand is pretty unbeatable.
I also own Susvara and TC with good chains to drive them, was going to sell the Utopia, even got a buyer on headfi ... took the last listen on my tube amp and ... decided I have to keep it 🤫
Please use vegan leather, no animal or egg shell.
Great video just got my utopia recently. Utopia is absolutely amazing I think I've found my endgame and it runs good on any amp from iphone dongle to tube to solid state and needs very little power. Also the tuning is perfect, only thing i do is is add a subbass shelf to its ruler flat bass
Been on the high-end merry-go-round, and I'm glad I jumped off with my two ZMF flagships (best timbre & tone I've heard). It's allowed me to connect more with my music and less on the gear itself, which is ultimately my goal. It's for sure cool to experience the technicalities of the summit cans you're talking about here.
So sorry for late viewing
This is the go to video for all the beginners audiophile who are going to purchase or watching reviews of summit fi gears
The insight you gave in the 1st half is gem.
Thanks for sharing that very important perspectives that are completely ignored
This is the best video created till date in audiophile world
You are by far and away my favorite reviewer. Don't ever change sir, you're awesome.
I appreciate it
Such a great video. I enjoyed this more than most videos I see around the hobby. And I watch them all!
Thanks!
Thank you for this video, it's such a pleasure listening to you. I recently realised that once I had stopped being obsessed with comparing headphones, trying make sense of what I'm hearing and probably convincing myself that what I'm hearing is "what I'm supposed to be hearing" (My gear - Topping D90 + A90, Focal Utopia, HEKse, HD800) I actually wasn't getting much enjoyment from my music anymore. And after all that was the reason why I have invested so much time and money into this hobby.
Thankfully, I didn't just give up (or spend silly amounts of money on various pieces of equipment), I decided to take a step back and try something different, hoping that I would hear a significant improvement/difference, not just a change that is within the margin of error/auto-suggestion. I felt that my Utopia was really the headphone I had been looking for but I just had not made the right choices to allow it to shine.
I bought myself a Denafrips Ares II R2R DAC and... Well, first conclusion - it's definitely different, but I'm not sure if I'd want to use it every day. Then every time I tried to go back to the D90, even only for certain genres, it was nearly impossible... It felt like going back from the music being present around me and feeling natural/corporeal/full to merely listening to a recording.
I know that I sound like I'm repeating other reviewers' nomenclature, but the end result really is that the D90 sounds like a digitally processed source whereas the Ares II sounds more analog/life-like. For lack of a better comparison, it's like a super-bright TV with sharpness turned up near the max setting vs one that may not wow you at first but just feels "right" and the more you listen to it, the more subleties you discover.
Another way of putting it - a very incisive presentation of sound vs slightly rounded off, yet more natural. But it's not just that, it's the 2D "in your face" presentation of sound (can be addictive but your brain knows it's not what you'd hear in real life) vs more "sophisticated", rich, with weight behind each sound.
I was initially going back and forth between the two, feeling at home with the Ares II but somehow missing the addictive incisiveness of the D90 and what I perceived (or had taught myself to perceive) as more detail. And then I realised that, as controversial as it may sound, I was actually hearing MORE details with the Ares II. It was not obvious at first as the less incisive nature of sound tricked my brain into thinking that the sound was not as clear, but what is actually happening is that the extra space and depth between the sounds that the Ares II offers in comparison with the D90 makes individual sounds stand out more, each of them is given much more space. I would never say that objectively speaking Ares II offers more detail, when you listen hard the D90 probably has more of it - but in subjective terms, the Ares II presents the sounds in a way that makes it easier to hear certain passages because they are not crowded. And perhaps because my ears are not tired from dealing with the incisiveness of the D90.
From what I've heard, the above characteristics apply to all well-designed R2R DACs, so I'm sure that your experience would have been similar to mine. My impressions are from the OS mode in Slow filter, it's simply the best for this device.
I knew that the Utopia was special even on the previous system, but this new DAC makes the sound even more cohesive, I totally stop analysing my music and no longer think in terms of "lows, mids, highs", I simply listen to the art of music being presented around me. My HEKse gives a little bit of that extra "wow" factor - extra space, extra separation, especially for live recordings. But it's only the Utopia that allows me to perceive my music as a complete whole.
Can I please ask you as someone who has had so much experience with various gear - what would be the best upgrade path for me to pursue this natural, deep, holographic type of sound presentation? At this point of my journey, I would not be interested in gaining a little more of X at the expense of Y - so I would only consider upgrading if a piece of gear was clearly better on all fronts.
I am still using the A90 as my amp and despite the apparent differences in output and input impedances between the two devices they really seem to work fine.
Thanks for uploading these great videos.
There's one thing I forgot to mention re my new DAC - while it's really perfect for the Utopia, it sucks the life out of my HEKse (admittedly, it makes it sound even bigger and deeper, but it's already grandiose enough). I think it's because of the planar driver's way of delivering sound which is softer/less incisive/less punchy than dynamic driver's, so it clearly benefits from what in turn makes the Utopia a bit too much for long sessions. It's clearly all about the synergy then. And in my book it goes to show how versatile the Utopia is, how it scales and allows all types of gear to shine through it.
Update - I was being too harsh on the above synergy, I am starting to appreciate how the Ares II tames the HEKse's brightness, makes bass more round and "hefty" and changes the soundstage from "very big" to "huge". I am now only able to use the D90 for very short listening session as my ears have gotten used to the "more refined" sound...
@@MistaLova-Lova thanks for this, you should write reviews
@Michael S.: hi, I don’t have the choice of your headphones. You describe very interesting impressions with R2R DAC and HEKse and Focal Utopia.
So far I use Focal Elear (with Dekoni pads) and a Questyle CMA 600i (DAC+Amp) and am looking for a suitable upgrade for the headphones.
Hifiman HEKse/V2 could be a candidate. At the same time I got a very nice first impression of the R2R technology with Cayin RU6.
But what I wanted to say: I haven’t heard Topping D90/A90 yet, probably they follow the source material very precisely. I had talked to a developer from the German company Nubert when I bought my loudspeakers. I asked him, what in God’s name did you put in the box when it’s so wildly dynamic? Answer: With their new amplifiers, they have invested a lot of effort to achieve just that, so that the amplified output signal gets as close as possible to the sine curve of the input signal. In other words, when the sine wave rises sharply, the developers have developed their technology in such a way that the output signal follows the input signal as precisely as possible. Only a few companies make this effort.
At such an active box my pulse went up massively, which of course is great. I compare it to a concert where I’m standing at the front of the stage. That’s great, but after two hours, I’m done. I’ll have to get out of there or I’ll have a heart attack. But since I listen to music for a longer time, I decided to use Active Boxes, which are not so impulsive, but are also not too relaxed.
The Questyle amplifier is not built to amplify the voltage (99. 9% of the amplifiers work like this), but it uses a ’current mode amplification', which makes the amplifier extremely fast in the signal and also clean. And it also makes him relaxed. When I listen to ballads, he’s very relaxed, when I put something on at a tempo, he’s very impulsive. I guess it comes through this questyle current mode technique. The Focal Elear does not exhaust the power of the Questye yet, since I have experienced much more power with an Audeze LCD-X.
But like I said, I’m looking for myself. .
For R2R DACs I found an interesting youtube channel: ’Soundnews'. Beside Denafrips he also tests other R2R DACs, also very interesting.
But maybe Sajid has a tip on this exciting topic? :)
@@MistaLova-Lovareplace the A90 with a class A amp. I had this setup, it’s amazing to locate footsteps in games but in music, it’s horrible. Good luck.
@@cd-rom. Hi. Thanks, that was an old post. I have since acquired a class A solid state amp and a tube amplifier, with the latter being a clear step-up after upgrading the valves.
I power my utopia with Elear pads, using the tt2 as a Dac to the McIntosh mha100. You can add few more dBs of bass, but once you increase the Level on the mha100 to like 5, the utopia opens up. We are talking about a huge sound stage now, it becomes a beast. Another thing that I love about the utopia is its precision. It handles everything beautifully. It is still my favorite hps. Now for closed back hps, the Denon D9200 is hard to beat, imho. Good job!
Congratulations on your video. One of the most important, valid , and honest reviews that I have seen. Period
Thank you for this insightful video I feel like I will be more informed on future purchases I make in this hobby I love so much
I own both the Utopia and the Susvara. Initially, I thought the Susvara had the upper hand in terms of resolution, but now I believe what I was initially hearing as better resolution is in fact simply a more fleshed - out sound.
I did a test last night between the two, both being driven by the Simaudio 430HA. The test music was Strange Cargo 3 by William Orbit. It was
immediately clear that the way the Utopia conveyed depth and layering of sound in the mix was far superior to the Susvara. For me this is the true measure of resolution, ie how far and how clearly can you hear into a a given recording
Thanks a lot for your thoughts on high-end headphones. It helped me a lot to form an opinion on reviews out on YT. Before buying a headphone one should always figure out what one expects from audio gear. Then a certain device is „the best“ for someone, even if it isn‘t for someone else. Very important thought that you have chiseled out in your video. Thanks!
Enjoyed this video. Definitely prefer listening pleasure myself over technical performance but the TC are still my favorite for that. Hoping to demo Utopia and Susvara soon
This was a superb review of Head-Fi in general. Having owned all the TOTL cans including the Susvara, Abyss 1266 PHI TC, Utopia, Empyrean, Verite and a few more, your comments are spot on. I'm more into 2 channel listening and sold all these cans and kept only the HifiMan Ed. X V2 simply to enjoy the deep bass rumble for EDM music - it's such an under rated headphone. In that regard, they afford me that niche headphone experience as you alluded in your commentary. All other genre's, I have to default to my much higher end 2 channel listening. Now, that being said, I'm looing for the an all rounder and after your video, I'm thinking maybe the Utopia again but what are your thoughts on the Elite or D8000 Pro? Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. My headphone rack is the following to give you perspective: Ether-Regen > Roon Nucleus > Lumin U1 > Denafrips Gaia > PS Audio Direct Stream DAC > Denafrips Hestia > Denafrips Hyperion > Artic Cables Palladium. Set up is fully balanced using MIT interconnects. Keep up the Great Video's - IMHO some of the best on You Tube!
Thanks man. I personally gravitate towards the D8000 Pro if you can handle those not-so-spacious cups! It's a really nice headphone. But of course, the Utopia would be my strongest recommendation, especially if you have speakers, since you are covered on the SS/imaging realism front. :)
Im finding this late but Im watching Utopia videos in a fury because I've finally awoken to how phenomenal the Utopia are, after feeling mixed on them for 2 years and mostly leaving them on their stand. I believe the switch happened once i built out my endgame loudspeaker setup (SF Olympica Nova 2s). I always of course felt the Utopia were 'good' headphones, but questioned whether they were justifiable against something like DCA Ether C Flows or similar, given I had my sonus faber loudspeakers for a 'proper imagining and soundstage' experience.
The very first time i put on the Utopias, expecting to prepare to sell them, and after having gotten used to my stereo system I was literally SHOCKED by what i was hearing. I cant be certain what may have happened to adjust the way i attend to what I'm hearing...but the simple EASE of providing detail is phenomenal. I agree about 'resolving headphones'...I wanted detail detail detail and maybe questioned whether the utopias deserved 'summit fi' status. It must just be...appreciating the listening experience of letting sound properly fill a space around me...and valuing the completeness of that. Utopias do that beautifully. Who needs 800s?!
The Utopias are perhaps a similar experience for me to my sonus faber loudspeakers, in the realm of what headphones provide. The fluency of highs, just mild sweetness, mild warmth...but with dynamics...provides such natural musicality that can work for almost everything.
Phenomenal for everything. Easy to drive. Wish they were a bit lighter. I feel like i was a bratty teenager, looking for audio 'edge'...but now I've come home.
nice review, this seems like a pretty well thought out review. I especially liked the celestee review over the stellias. Thanks!
This is terrific. Thank you and love your reasonings and approach to high end headphone listening.
Being an audiophile is a weird journey. We need to remind ourselves, the brain plays tricks on us. What sounds a certain way on monday may sound entirely different on tuesday. The mind is everything but constant. We can chase the dragon as long as we want, there's no way to catch it. And even if we think we caught it, the next day it may have gotten away once more. Over the years I figured the best way to handle my deluded sense of sound perception without spending thousands is to play fully into it and actively try to make the mind trick itself.
There's some strategies I use. Most important one is to find a low-end headphone that you can still enjoy. For me that is the Sony XM4 (probably the most practical headphone ever made). Listen to new music on that headphone. Listening to some estats in the evening after a day of just using the XM4 is so much more satisfying than if I had used the Stax all day long. Contrast is king.
Next is to learn how to EQ. Do the "EQ of the week". No matter what, every headphone sucks by design. There is always something to dislike. What I do is try to actively find something in particular that I don't enjoy, focus on it and play with EQ until it's fixed. For some reason, this tends to "catch the dragon" for me for some short amount of time. Then, after some EQ sessions, just turn it all off and boom, base FR all of a sudden sounds magical (until it doesn't). Again, contrast is king. Good open headphones react very well to EQ and you can basically make them sound however you want. The more I learn about EQ, the more I realize how fundamental the influence of FR on headphone performance actually is. IMO it is a mandatory skill to this hobby.
Well-said.
You are so right!
Much needed review. I'm new to this honor and am just getting the jargon. Which is just what it is. It's the best we've been sale to come up with to describe headphones and sound. No matter how good the terminology and adjectives are they have limits and can alternate a large group of people. Your video put a much needed human component to the honor and I think can empower people to think for their selves about what they like and not what a reviewer said or the latest gas. I'm new and have made all those mistake already and have 7 pairs of headphones with one supposedly high end. I listen to a handful of my lower end headphones and enjoy them for what they are. My hope is to buy something that will meet my broad definition of outstanding. In time. Thanks again for bringing things down to earth.
Thanks for your opinions, they are really valued. I am after an all-rounder and I value that highly. I had the AB's and totally agree with what you said, they sound unbelievable on a small number of tracks and genre's, they fall so short on others such as rap music... I might just have to give the Utopia's a go!
Honestly think older HD650 and the Utopia are the two best headphones. You need a big money chain to get the best out of the 6XX and to fix the Utopia, but it's worth it. They each have their strong suit, but are better than all the other TOTL IMO.
that's a really nice video, Sajid. Glad you have found as much enjoyment with the Utopia as I have. Solitaire P next... trust me!
I do want to try the P soon!
Thanks for this video Sajid, much appreciated.
Engagement & enjoyment factors are very important & subjective too.
Overall I’d agree saying the Utopia is a bit more versatile with music than the Susvara & 1266 Phi TC.
But some Utopia’s could have driver clipping so audition before buying is what I’d recommend.
I still find the Utopia to be one of the most dynamic HP I've heard and owned.... just one example in a violin solo, i can feel the soloist swaying around the microphone not just by hearing it but feeling the pressure coming to left/right of my head..... the pressure also conveys the depth of the bow strokes so after awhile i need to take a break from all the information
I agree. I like to compare headphones as I listen to individual songs, but the Utopia is great with absolutely anything I play.
Amazing how you are being so straight forward and giving other Headfiers such good tips ...
Thanks
I like my Focal Utopia a lot but my unit have failed driver on left side twice within 18 months. Lucky both times in RMA because it's in warranty. I will selling it when I get it back, I just don't want deal with it, being said that I had a fantastic time with it. Focal Utopia is a very special sound and build and finished headphones of all time IMO. I like your reviews and your opinion.
Thanks man and I agree. I have also had driver failure issues with the Utopia. It's such a damn pity.
As someone who just entered audiophile territory with the Clear MG Pros, I’m very interested in hearing the Utopias. Worst part is that the only way forward from the Clears is up 🤣
Thanks for a well informed and most of all musical review.
I can relate to what you're saying but I think it's also cyclical.
Our preferences and what we look for change over time and then sometimes goes back to things we liked in the past. That's also why some people leave the hobby and come back after a few years. That happened to me..
You're probably entering a phase where musicality and enjoyment is a higher priority than technicalities and that's awesome.
As a reviewer I think you do need to focus on technicalities for most of the review and then add your personal take on it. Once your audience knows you enough they can then compare themselves to that preference and make a decision for themselves.
I never tried the Utopia and it's on my watchlist to listen to one day. But what you're describing is one of the reasons I ordered and am waiting for a ZMF Atrium. ZMF seem to have a fan base that's about musicality and enjoyment so maybe try one of those if you haven't.
Some days I want to listen to music and some days I want to listen to gear. We are fortunate we can do both with summit fi gear.
Hi,
Your reviews are always informative and helpful.
You recently conpared the Caldera and Susvara. And, had a similar take.
If you compared the Caldera and Utopia, that would be great.
Thanks
Can second that Calderacvs Utopia vs Verite Open would be fun!
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this video. About a month ago I had my choices narrowed down to a Utopia vs. 1266. I went 1266, but may have gone the other way had I seen this first. Either way, loving the 1266's and I enjoy your content.
even cheapo akg headphones can sound like a super hiper high end grade headphone, onces you understand about how a real dac sounds, and how the amplification take over the ecuation.
This is great informative video, thanks much
Just bought og clear,could not resist under 1k new ,I’m burning it in .
There is nothing like the engagement and dynamics that dynamics provide.
It's a fight between contrast and texture. Dynamic drivers sound more contrasty, planars sound more textured and realistic in the mids.
@@musicxxa6678 Uff, no...
If then the other way around. And it greatly depends on the headphones you compare.
Take a 650 vs LCDX pre-2021 for example. The 650 destroys it in the mids.
@@mariodrv all 6 line up overrated af. they cant do bass and treble thats why its mids famous. what you get with 6 line up is romanticized processed shitty mids. all the planar i've heard sounds like the real thing. completely transparent. 650 may be faithful to the ''analog sound'' but planars generally faithful to the actual real sound. they disappear. you need to fix frequency response of audeze planars to get that. pre 2021 lcd x has HUGE dip in the mids and overall uneven mids.
And here I am perfectly happy with the EQ’d HD800, despite hearing all those flagships. As you say, it’s about enjoyment.
HD800S + tube amp + Lokius with a bass shelf and taming back the treble is the most enjoyable I have heard.
Same, until I heard the ZMF Atrium. :D EQ helps a ton, but it still can't change other aspects inherit to the driver & tuning. I found that I just simply get into my music more with ZMF. The 800S is still an amazing can tho, especially EQ'd and on tubes
Yeah it’s amazing how well the HD800 can keep its technical abilities despite me EQ’ing the heck out of it to suit my ideal tonality. I can see how the other aspects of sound can go in favor of other headphones, depending on personal taste.
But on the original topic of Utopia, I think I will also like that headphone if I give it a week of listening time. This is based on my experience owning their closed back Radiance (I would love to have a Stellia but too expensive for closed back)
@@benjamincraig7198 What kind of tube amp are you using, Benjamin?
Great video as always Sajit!
totally right about the soundstage, absolute width is overrated. Precise separation and imaging is much more important
Still waiting for you to try a mysphere....
When I was first getting into this I heard reviews about the hd800 soundstage, I tried them and was disappointed about how small it was! A month or 2 later i bought the Utopia. Still own it and man it’s soundstage is amazing on the Feliks Euforia
Over time I’ve found it to be too fatiguing, the dynamics and treble get to me after an hour, or Nowa days after 10 minutes. Now I’m more into mids, I’ve got magnepan LRS and accuphase E 406 and the mids are so nice and natural. So I’ll be selling Utopia and susvara
Your opinions are all over the place. This means, many totl headphones are superb within their own limits, which are to be discovered.
I honestly agree with this. I’ve tried a decent amount of headphones. My favourites are Diana Tc and Utopia.
With the Utopia, there’s no BSing around. You just put it on and it just does everything to a great level, and you don’t feel like you need anything else.
Just a unique piece of engineering.
So true
@@amplifyaudioreviews Since my comment grabbed your attention 😂, how would you compare the Hifiman Arya Stealth to Focal Utopia ?
I’ve been thinking about trying the Aryas, but I don’t know if it’s worth it for someone who owns the Utopia.
@@SugaFree2387 Different enough sound for me. Way wider and airier but also thinner without being thin in absolute terms if you know what I mean. Arya also has that planar snappy transients which can make it sound more flowing and effortless. But all in all, Utopia is superior headphone.
@@amplifyaudioreviews Thank you 🙏
Love Your channel…❤️🤘
My sentiments are very similar regarding the Utopias. I came from an HD650 over a decade ago and the Focal Utopias were my first Summit-Fi headphones 2 years ago. I recently got the Susvaras about a week ago and while I agree that the Susvaras wow me on lots of tracks across multiple genres, there’s a certain intimacy that I could only find on the Utopias. The punch and slam is incredible on the Utopias. I’m glad I can switch between the two now.
Very good point about the enjoyment factor and love the way you put that forward. Its very important not to get pulled into audiophile jargons tagged to gears. For example, after reading a lot of reviews about the Focal Clear and its metallic timbre I ended up looking for that fault when I was auditioning it. However after listening to it for a while, I dont even notice it. Almost as if it never existed. Now I simply listen to white noise for like 2 minutes on the head gear I am trying out or using. It help the brain to get adjusted to the sound signature that it has to offer.
It's there with certain gear choices/pairings and with certain music. I tried the 789/A90 stuff at the beginning of the craze and it certainly was there. But my current chain it's gone.
@@aceofspades6667 Ofcourse gear pairing matters a lot but the point is not to get biased based on those jargons. My gear is the same and if I switch from something like HD650 to Clear OG, I do feel the metallic nature. However it dissapears after a while for me and my best guess is that my brain gets used to it. So much so that metallic nature becomes an enjoyment factor.
Great video this. I always prefer an iem or headphone that can cover all genres. I listen to every genre from classical to electronic to metal. Needs to cover everything
More focal content!
It’s the same quality hd 600/650 posses. No switching playlist. Of course I don’t have any experience with totl headphones but 600/650 have the long time fatigue free listening pleasure
so in short I should sell my beloved Clear OG and get an Utopia? thanks! listenig to electronica mostley...
You know it sounds like the Utopia is your all rounder ‘fun listen.’ Which is cool. For me, my fun listen is the Final Audio D-8000 or D-8000 Pro. I’m dying to own a pair. Really loved auditioning them for hrs.
Amazing video. Subscribed.
sundara + ifi zen dac v2 (for the true bass) = endgame for a relatively fair price
Great video. What business(es) do you run?
i loved the raals and heard them through their own amp/ and dac i think. and i tried out the 2022 focal utopias, and i honestly love them both. i tried the abyss ones you mentioned too. I think the utopias def felt visceral. i loved them all so much i just cant afford any of them haha. what headphones out of those 3 (raal, abyss, and focal etc) work best for everything? i felt the utopias kinda did deliver like you said. the raals had the thickest feeling bass detail. im a huge fan of detail and some great bass response i listen to jazz, indie, metal, rap, electronic, classical etc. and what does resolution mean? is it kinda like detail? i love imaging, detail and bass and sweet midrange and clean trebles (not sybillant) if you could help me out that would be great hahah (i have HD560s from sennheiser right now, and i tried others from the line, but I want something to work towards you know? )
You should definitely get the Beyer dt 48 A. You can find them for as low as $100 if you are lucky- i did and its the best headphone ive ever heard. I cant even imagine comparing them to other headphone and choosing the other in terms of fidelity, non coloured sound or tonality. They are like a window into what your chain really sounds like and shine the brightest with the totl gear and natural recordings, like for and example Macy Gray - Stripped, but they also are like a ultimate chameleon, so its fascinating to listen to rock and other coloured music. If you get them, remember that they will open up even more with a recable. They are ultimate intimate sound. Good luck!
Okay
Hello. Love your content and the time you take. I tend to do a lot of research before I buy. I saw you are selling your EVO 400. Were you not convinced it was worth the size requirements/constraints? Many say it is the best pre-amp for the money but of course, the HoloAudio Serene is apparently also great but so much smaller albeit solid and not tube. Would love your thoughts. Thanks
It's fantastic and probably better than many pre-amps in a far higher price range. Selling because it's way too heavy for my desk, lol. It's better suited to be used on a rack!
This! 🎶💜
Unfortunately, I had driver failure with Utopia, twice.
1st set off of my Mojo. 2nd off Woo WA8 Eclipse with upgraded tube (Bassier than Mojo but better).
I have OG Empyrean with silver cable (perfected it’s tonality).
So, I ran both with single drivers playing yo compared sound, off WA8.
With iPhone’s EQ to ROCK or TREBLE BOOST (Takes bass & honky mids fown, & Empyreans gets SOOOO close to a wider Utopia (leather pads keeps sounds clean), but, I lust madly for Utopia. But the driver clipping keeps them at a safe volume, wish Incould turn them up to about 90 db, safely.
With that said, as of last my night’s comparison, praying Focal doesn’t updated & improve Utopia soon, I prefer it as well.
& I play classic rock, metal, rap, R&B, jazz, dance, & orchestral.
Either of these 2 plays all spectacularly!
But Utopia is so CLEAN!
Saving for Utopia repair as of 2 months ago.
I second this experience.
Maybe Elite for even cleaner Empyrean experience. Hm? 🤔
Have you tried Luxman with the 1266 either the P750 hp amp or an L-595? Also to your point on measurements and FR graph. Resolve has done a few good vids and discusses differentiating between bass measurement on the Frequency response measurement and how it is not bass slam/impact. Focal is the definition of not have elevated bass on a FR but have great slam/impact.
Yes, Luxman pairs well with the 1266. The P750 as well as some of their stereo amps. The stereo amps give it a wider stage and more grunt. In general, I find that the sweetness of the Luxman midrange pairs well with the TC.
Susvara needs speaker amps to get bass impact and slam out of them. Loved this video. This is probably best comparison of summit tier headphones i've seen. Would love your take on latest zmf atrium.
Yeah agree about that. Thanks for the compliment. :) Feel free to check out my Susvara review where I have talked about my experiences with speaker amps and the Susvara.
I always buy second hand gear and I still need some time to burn it in... There is only one explanation that makes sense: burn in is not a physical but a psychological phenomenon. Our brain needs to learn how to clear out the mistakes of the device.
Our brains evolved to make sound corrections, our lives depend on isolating the signal from the noise... Our eyes are doing the same thing: our mind makes color corrections all the time... Our eyes can see colors surprisingly well in less than perfect light environments... Why would it be any different for the sound?
Sajit, I am not sure if you will see this or not but worth a shot. I currently have the Clear Mg and am a huge fan of the dynamics and Focal energy. However, there are a few limitations that I have found less enjoyable (primarily in the high end) as my source and amplification have improved. From my research, upgrading to the Utopia would help me keep what I like and less of what I don't, as well as an overall improvement in sound. However, I am unable to try one out locally where I live. Was wondering if you had any suggestions when looking at Utopia's on the used market. I believe you have purchased them used and thought you may have some insight or suggestions to share. Regardless, I very much appreciate your content and overall approach to audio (gear and community). Always pleased when I see a new posting.
Hey man, I am happy to recommend a dealer. Where are you based? Feel free to email me: sh2367@caa.columbia.edu. Utopia does improve on the Clear's treble significantly. Smoother and kinder and more natural.
Thanks for the review I really appreciate your thoroughness!. I recently purchased the Utopia and love it! I am currently using the Chord Hugo TT2 as my amp/DAC but have been curious about the Ferrum Oor/Hypsos combo. How is the soundstage and detail with the Oor/Hypsos como?I have also been thinking about a tube amp as well but am thinking about the Oor/Hypsos combo first. Are you familiar with the TT2 and if so would it be a good DAC for the Oor/Hypsos? Thank you for your great reviews!
Yes, TT2 is a solid DAC. The OOR Hypsos will be a great addition to your chain and bring out the authoritative impact of the Utopia while enhancing clarity and detail, relative to the TT2 amp section. The TT2 is a better DAC than an amp, IMO.
@@amplifyaudioreviews Thanks very much! I appreciate your reply!
Utopia truly a audiophiles choice, best phone to correct my speaker system. Love it!
I’d love to hear your thoughts/review of the Denon ATH-D9200.
Great review as always!
Can you please give me some advice please?
My favorite genre is heavy metal but also I like electronic music, pop, female vocals etc..
I have listened to a lot of hi-end headphones, but from all I've tried my absolute favorite for now is focal Stellia. Its have amazing presentation, speed, energy, slam and punch, texture, resolution, separation no treble peaks on high volume etc..
The only complain I have is after long period of listening I kinda want something more open and I am not talking about sound-stange.. This is why I have akg k812 as a compliment (they are my 2nd favorite headphones).
So what do you think if the utopia is a good compliment for the Stellia? Or Utopia is just a better Stellia and there is no reason to have both of them?
Def try to audition the Utopia!
I have a similar issue.. I own the 1266 Phi TC, OG Clear, LCD3F, LCDX, HP3, and a few others. I do find myself listening to the OG clears much of the time because they are great at low levels great for long term comfort and just sort of disappear. The are not the funnest or most technical set I own and the others have a bunch of special traits I prefer but something about the OG clears has be coming back. the 1266 are an event to listen to which is great but sometimes I just want to not pay attention to what I'm listening to.
And this is EXACTLY why I went for the Clear over stuff like the Arya and LCD-X. It may not have a unique aspect like the soundstage of an Arya or HD800, but once you get used to that with those headphones, what’s left? Amazing headphones for sure but something about the Clear as a total package was just more appealing; great performer, great tuning, fun and musical, gorgeous looks, good comfort, easy to drive, and it’s cheaper than the others now…it’s a great stopping point
@@briancaulfield7251 and that is why I have Arya and few days ago bought og clear 😉have to burn them in still, I just couldn’t resist any more under 1k with extra replacement pads.cheers guys
@@blejzerosamigos6115 let me know what you think! Really want to try an Arya as I feel like I’ve yet to see a single negative or critical review of them. They must be amazing but I don’t know if they are the best value when the Clear gets at least close to it for $600 less
@@briancaulfield7251 check out dms latest review, 👍😉I really like my Arya (2nd gen)
@@blejzerosamigos6115 already did! it didn’t help, another glowing review of the Arya to tempt me!
The OG Utopia is still relevant today, and offers enough special sonic characteristics to keep up with the other big boy cans. The OG's are still my favorite headphone.
Have you compared them to ZMF VC?
I find I reach for my VC 98% of the time these days ... Just allows me to enjoy the music without focusing on the gear. Just a maximum pleasure headphone
Good for you. I am happy with my Focal Elex though😁
Does the discussion apply to Utopia 2022 as well?
Liked and subbed. Great video.
If you just recently got this Ferrum Orr and it is a warm sounding amp ofc it gonna fit Utopia!
Any source of warmth and distortion will soften Cans like Utopia and HD800S enought to make them enjoyable.
Im sure Susvara will sound better than Utopia with Super transparent Dac like Matrix x sabre pro 3 + Niimbus us5 pro.
Most of them high end cans are equal in technicalities, but since most of them have terrible Frequency response and thats why they need eq or something to add distortions and soften the sound.
There is a reason Why dacs like r2r especially ones with more distortion and noise is preferred since these flaws softed the sound and make it more distant.
Funny thing is... With headphone listening with eq or with a speakers that reach low and are placed in a great room you wont ever gonna need Costly Snake oil.
Not critising your gear just saying how it is...
I am Sorry if I miss that what DAC do you use with Hypsos + Orr
Holo May L2 among others
Thanks…❤️✌️
Oh yes agree 1000%! Absolutely.
For me Utopia's placement of instruments just feels right; so right I don't even question "how wide is the soundstage", it doesn't matter anymore.
I think maximizing soundstage for the sake of soundstage is misguided and wasted effort.
Great review and i totally agree about Utopias. Please review T+A Solitaire P. thanks
I have the Focal Utopia 2022… which one is the best DAP for it? (between the price range of 1000-2000USD)
How do you compare it to the he1000se?
Have you tried ak acro ca 1000 ? I've heard it can drive susvaras better than fiio m17, sounding more like a desktop amp dac setup.
Thanks for another video. Can you make a video completely based on your audio journey in detail?
Sure, will try!
Have you heard Susvara + hf1000? If not, it's like amping TOTL headphone with a portable amp (at least for Susvara). I won't make judgements if I cannot amp some headphone well -- it's called unfair.
Same experience, but on lower tier. Even after hearing Sundara and 600 side by side, 600s does have more impact, richness that I just cant get from others. I do wish it had some of the clearer sound like the hifimans. And no bass distortion is not the answer as I hear bass distortion earlier on sundara while 600s take a bit more abuse.
The new Focal Utopia 2022. Will you review them? 😊
What would be an upgrade from the HD650 ? like similar sounding but better overall ?
Maybe look at the zmf auteur, from my experience of having owned them
you are always changing your mind due to your favourite headphones. this is not fair!
😂 Well this is a journey
How about the audeze 5. You didn’t like them anymore?Love your approach great job ,we just don’t know what we don’t know.
The fit!
I have Utopia and it sounds very very good. I want to enhance the power of Utopia with a headphone amp. Difficult to find pairing suggestions/impression/ comments on that. What is your headphone amp to feed the utopia ?
Were those cans designed for Frankenstein? You know, the square top.
Lol
Those are Reasons why I always go back and lesson to hd600 ;)
I am too having different playlist for my headphones (Clear OG and MG and Denon d7200). Leaning towards an Utopia soon :-)
You're selling the Susvara and keeping the Utopia's?! Woah. I have the Utopia's and was planning on getting the susvara's, but now I'm not sure. I love my Utopia's.
Just got to the part where you said they are now your favorite headphones. Couldn't agree more!
Resolve likes Susvara n Lcd-5 better than Utopia
@@Josh-os2px Well, he's dead inside.
@@Josh-os2px Resolve did say he liked the Susvara judging by technicalities (he's dead inside), but he likes the Focals if he was going by heart. Take that as you will. As an owner of both the Utopia and Susvara, my impressions line up with him. The Susvara is the more accomplished technical performer, but it doesn't quite reach the emotional highs of the Focal. The Focals are still my top pick.
I tried Clear MG and thought guitar sounded very off... is Utopia better?
Yup
noob question. preamps have a volume control, right? but so do headphone amps. so how do they work together? which volume control gets cancelled out, the preamp or the headphone amp?
They both contribute to the sonic performance, distortion, etc, unless you find a way to cancel one, by bypassing the amp's volume pot.
22:36 imma check them out !
Are you running the Utopia in balanced or single ended on the Oor?