[audionewbi]

I guess the natural question is, can it best the STAX SR009? Than again SR009 requires a high end AMP and it is no way as portable as Utopia. 

 

[Stillhart]

   
...and for the rest of you that have heard them as well:
 
1) Difference between these two models besides the price?
2) How does the Elear compare in sound and comfort to HD800S and/or Ether?
3) For the Utopia, besides comparison to the only other 4k flagship I know of (Audeze), how would it compare to HD800S and HK1000?
4) Not sure I could ever get myself to the point of spending 4k on headphones... but I always assumed the best path beyond HD800S would be electrostatic headphones, especially with Mr. Speakers coming out with something that will probably price in between the SR007 and SR009... Do you feel the Utopia is a solid alternative to going the electrostat route? This seems fairly critical to me as a second dedicated amp is also involved which then adds much more cost to a home headphone rig overall.
 
Thanks for any and all feedback, always very interesting when the market sees new entries with serious cred and targeting the flagship ranks.

 
A lot of this is answered in the reviews over at Audio Head, you should check them out.  But I'll address it here as well:
 
1 - Main differences are the resolution, as Jude pointed out, and the tuning.  Utopia is reference/flat tuning and the Elear is more fun/warm with boosted bass and mids and a dip in the upper mids/lower treble for easy listening.  Elear is also slightly lighter, has different pad material and different build materials (while still feeling extremely well built).
 
2 - Elear's sound is more comparable to something like the LCD-2 but with more treble air and extension (and thus soundstage).  HD800 fans might find it to be a bit too bassy/warm.  Compared to the open Ether 1.1, it's actually similar in the midbass and mids, but the Elear is more extended in the sub-bass and the Ether doesn't have the treble dip so it feels brighter.  Comfort-wise, I think they're three of the most comfortable headphones out there.
 
3 - I didn't compare the Utopia to the 800S, just the 800, which I prefer between the two.  I'll have to do the comparison this weekend at the Source event.  From memory, I'd say it's more linear than the 800S and more full across the range, and particularly in the mids.  I think the Utopia makes the HE-1000 feel thin and boring.  The bass on the HEK is still top notch and it has a different presentation from the Utopia, being planar.  Which you prefer in the bass will be a matter of preference.  But the Utopia bests it in every other category, especially build quality.
 
4 - Again, I didn't have a chance to compare it directly to the SR-009 or SR-007 mk2 but I've heard both extensively.  I feel confident in saying that it's better than either to my ears.  The SR-009 has insane detail up top, but it can feel exaggerated and bright on some rigs, and of course the bass is lacking.  The new Ether E is something special and I don't feel confident making a judgement call on the two without hearing them back to back.  Also the Ether E is still a prototype and, not only wouldn it not be fair to Dan to make a call right now, you can't actually buy one any time soon while you can buy the Utopia right now from @TSAVJason.
 

  I guess the natural question is, can it best the STAX SR009? Than again SR009 requires a high end AMP and it is no way as portable as Utopia. 

 
See my comment above.  To my ears, it's an easy choice, but I am admittedly not a huge fan of the 009.
 

---

 
As always, everything above is one man's opinion.  YMMV, IMHO, we all hear differently, etc.  

 

[mtoc]

My question: is this Utopia has significantly lower distortion than hd800?

 

[Netforce]

Real interesting, would love to hear it

Oh yeah the HD 800s is listed twice and is a planar in the op.

 

[ejong7]

The cups of the Elear looked so slick if I didn't watch the video I would have thought it was the flagship lol.

 

[Stillhart]

  The cups of the Elear looked so slick if I didn't watch the video I would have thought it was the flagship lol.

 
Yeah, Brian and I were split on which we thought looked better.  I think it speaks well of Focal when both are arguably the best looking.
 
One of the coolest things about the looks that might not come across in the video is how you can look right through the cups around the driver.  It adds a lot to the design aesthetic and it's really obvious when you've got them in hand.

 

[emptymt]

   
A lot of this is answered in the reviews over at Audio Head, you should check them out.  But I'll address it here as well:
 
1 - Main differences are the resolution, as Jude pointed out, and the tuning.  Utopia is reference/flat tuning and the Elear is more fun/warm with boosted bass and mids and a dip in the upper mids/lower treble for easy listening.  Elear is also slightly lighter, has different pad material and different build materials (while still feeling extremely well built).
 
2 - Elear's sound is more comparable to something like the LCD-2 but with more treble air and extension (and thus soundstage).  HD800 fans might find it to be a bit too bassy/warm.  Compared to the open Ether 1.1, it's actually similar in the midbass and mids, but the Elear is more extended in the sub-bass and the Ether doesn't have the treble dip so it feels brighter.  Comfort-wise, I think they're three of the most comfortable headphones out there.
 
3 - I didn't compare the Utopia to the 800S, just the 800, which I prefer between the two.  I'll have to do the comparison this weekend at the Source event.  From memory, I'd say it's more linear than the 800S and more full across the range, and particularly in the mids.  I think the Utopia makes the HE-1000 feel thin and boring.  The bass on the HEK is still top notch and it has a different presentation from the Utopia, being planar.  Which you prefer in the bass will be a matter of preference.  But the Utopia bests it in every other category, especially build quality.
 
4 - Again, I didn't have a chance to compare it directly to the SR-009 or SR-007 mk2 but I've heard both extensively.  I feel confident in saying that it's better than either to my ears.  The SR-009 has insane detail up top, but it can feel exaggerated and bright on some rigs, and of course the bass is lacking.  The new Ether E is something special and I don't feel confident making a judgement call on the two without hearing them back to back.  Also the Ether E is still a prototype and, not only wouldn it not be fair to Dan to make a call right now, you can't actually buy one any time soon while you can buy the Utopia right now from @TSAVJason.
 
 
See my comment above.  To my ears, it's an easy choice, but I am admittedly not a huge fan of the 009.
 

---

 
As always, everything above is one man's opinion.  YMMV, IMHO, we all hear differently, etc.  

looks like the Elear is on the same league as the ETHER and can work as a side grade, but with cheaper price?
 
hmm, I'm interested to hear more impression about the Elear if that is the case

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Woo Audio WA5-LE + Focal Utopia Headphones. Learn more at: http://wooaudio.com/headphones/focal/utopia.html
 

 

[Dillan]

So excited for this. Can't imagine there will be any signups for some touring of these headphones?

 
I would love to have a listen and write some impressions. Part of me just wants to pull the trigger on the Utopia and get them. Certainly some of the nicest LOOKING headphones I have ever seen.

 

[mscott58]

Would love to see a closed version, but after watching Jude's (long but interesting) interview with the Focal guy I'm guessing they won't make one, at least not to start, given their first design principal was to make it sound like a high-end 2-channel speaker and therefore it the HP head to be fully open. 

 

[24grant24]

Manufactured hype train. I'll believe it when somebody trustworthy gets their hands on these.

 

[Dillan]

My favorite sound signature is warm and lush with a mid and bass forward sound with tame treble. Maybe I should go for the Elear actually, because it sounds like it would fit my taste perfectly. I would also be saving quite a bit of money as well!

 

[deafdoorknob]

http://audio-head.com/focal-elear-headphone-review/

http://audio-head.com/focal-utopia-headphone-review/

 

[Stillhart]

Manufactured hype train. I'll believe it when somebody trustworthy gets their hands on these.

 
We all hear differently and waiting for a consensus to form is never a bad idea in this hobby.  There is a press event on Friday and an open event on Saturday.  In a few days you'll have a lot more opinions.  I'm not sure you'll find any of them trustworthy either, though, if you don't trust professional reviewers and people like Warren who have heard every headphone out there.

 

[warrenpchi]

  My favorite sound signature is warm and lush with a mid and bass forward sound with tame treble. Maybe I should go for the Elear actually, because it sounds like it would fit my taste perfectly. I would also be saving quite a bit of money as well!

 
@Dillan, in that case, I would specifically recommend that you consider the Elear over the Utopia... and would do so even if they were the same price.