[grizzlybeast]

Can I ask a question... A consensus of the publics opinion of me if I may?
 
 
Am I known to like bass?
 
Please do answer for good reason

 

[Stillhart]

  Can I ask a question... A consensus of the publics opinion of me if I may?
 
 
Am I known to like bass?
 
Please do answer for good reason

 
You're the biggest basshead of all the regulars I know on here.  Or you were... sounds like you're toning it back a bit these days...?

 

[Hansotek]

Can I ask a question... A consensus of the publics opinion of me if I may?


Am I known to like bass?

Please do answer for good reason

Is this a rhetorical question?

 

[grizzlybeast]

 

  Can I ask a question... A consensus of the publics opinion of me if I may?
 
 
Am I known to like bass?
 
Please do answer for good reason

 
You're the biggest basshead of all the regulars I know on here.  Or you were... sounds like you're toning it back a bit these days...?

 
 

 

Can I ask a question... A consensus of the publics opinion of me if I may?


Am I known to like bass?

Please do answer for good reason

Is this a rhetorical question?

yes and good enough. I will except that title....
 
BASSHEAD
 
Now I just want to say that the Utopia is a breakthrough headphone. 
 
FINALLY truly neutral bass, wonderful tone, and a Genre master. I am not going to say that I can play all of my bass heavy songs but I can play a whole lot more with the Utopia than others like the 800 and HEK.
 
This is possibly the best tuned headphone over 1k I have heard... period. 
 
I think it is a lot better than the Elear as well. 
 
I would like some more bass presence but what is awesome is that it is very responsive to the level of bass that is in the recording. 

 

[chowmein83]

So.. I wrote the Elear off after listening to it briefly through Cavalli prototype amp.. but after Tyll's review, I'm second doubting myself, got to listen to these again using another amp maybe.  My last listening session treble was so rolled off it dismissed it right away. 

Yep, same exact thoughts here. I wasn't as impressed as Tyll with the Elears, and he definitely knows what sounds good and what doesn't. Keep in mind that he prefers a warmer sound though (definitely warmer than my preferences).

 

[Hansotek]

yes and good enough. I will except that title....

BASSHEAD

Now I just want to say that the Utopia is a breakthrough headphone. 

FINALLY truly neutral bass, wonderful tone, and a Genre master. I am not going to say that I can play all of my bass heavy songs but I can play a whole lot more with the Utopia than others like the 800 and HEK.

This is possibly the best tuned headphone over 1k I have heard... period. 

I think it is a lot better than the Elear as well. 

I would like some more bass presence but what is awesome is that it is very responsive to the level of bass that is in the recording. 

You going to RMAF, Grizz? You should try a DanaCable Lazuli with it. From one basshead to another, I can tell you that cable was a game changer on my HD800. Every other cable I've tried is an incremental <5% upgrade - this thing is better than most amp and DAC swaps I've made. Anyway, that's just a note, if you happen to run across them at a show, because that cable takes bass presence, resolution, rumble, impact - literally everything up not just one, but two or three levels. Definitely give it a demo with your Utopia, if the opportunity arises. I feel like it might give you what you are looking for, but ultimately, it will be up to you to decide.

 

[Khragon]

Yep, same exact thoughts here. I wasn't as impressed as Tyll with the Elears, and he definitely knows what sounds good and what doesn't. Keep in mind that he prefers a warmer sound though (definitely warmer than my preferences).

Yeah, but he gave Ether C high marks and I found Ether C to be very thin, sold it after 2 weeks burn in provided basically no improvement.  I respect his opinion and calibrated myself with him, so I basically looking for relative comparisons instead of absolute now.

 

[grizzlybeast]

 

yes and good enough. I will except that title....

BASSHEAD

Now I just want to say that the Utopia is a breakthrough headphone. 

FINALLY truly neutral bass, wonderful tone, and a Genre master. I am not going to say that I can play all of my bass heavy songs but I can play a whole lot more with the Utopia than others like the 800 and HEK.

This is possibly the best tuned headphone over 1k I have heard... period. 

I think it is a lot better than the Elear as well. 

I would like some more bass presence but what is awesome is that it is very responsive to the level of bass that is in the recording. 

You going to RMAF, Grizz? You should try a DanaCable Lazuli with it. From one basshead to another, I can tell you that cable was a game changer on my HD800. Every other cable I've tried is an incremental <5% upgrade - this thing is better than most amp and DAC swaps I've made. Anyway, that's just a note, if you happen to run across them at a show, because that cable takes bass presence, resolution, rumble, impact - literally everything up not just one, but two or three levels. Definitely give it a demo with your Utopia, if the opportunity arises. I feel like it might give you what you are looking for, but ultimately, it will be up to you to decide.

Nah I wish. I have no 800 now. I honestly though would, despite my love for bass, take the 800 over the Elear and the Utopia over the 800. I feel the 800 doing so well all of these years still wont change in the presence of the utopia. 
 
That cable you recommended is very expensive  $800USD> I would have to hear it to believe it. Since I cant afford the Utopia I may hunt down a demo of it.

 

[Jawed]

yes and good enough. I will except that title....

BASSHEAD

Now I just want to say that the Utopia is a breakthrough headphone. 

FINALLY truly neutral bass, wonderful tone, and a Genre master. I am not going to say that I can play all of my bass heavy songs but I can play a whole lot more with the Utopia than others like the 800 and HEK.

This is possibly the best tuned headphone over 1k I have heard... period. 

I think it is a lot better than the Elear as well. 

I would like some more bass presence but what is awesome is that it is very responsive to the level of bass that is in the recording. 

I wonder if that responsiveness to bass is a direct result of the "dynamics"?

 

[musicman59]

I'm one of the people who'd Elearize the tonal balance of the Utopia if I could. For me what the Utopia does better is resolution--it is no doubt the more resolving of the two. However, the Elear's tonal balance is more to my tastes, which have shifted a bit toward a fuller sound (than what I'd deem neutral) over the past couple of years.

Even still, to my ears--shy of a direct comparison with its sibling--the Elear is still among the most resolving electrodynamics out there, in my opinion. Textures, timbre...wonderful from the Elear.

I totally agree with you Jude. After listening to both at your office my personal opinion is that the Utopia is technically better and with more luxury finish (I love the carbon graphite yoke, leather pads and shinny cups) but the Elear has some kind of more romantic sound difficult to explain but very seductive to a point that I placed an order for one the day after I listened to them. I personally liked them a lot with Dana cable that I normally use with my MHP1000 (same connectors).

 

[grizzlybeast]

yes and good enough. I will except that title....

BASSHEAD

Now I just want to say that the Utopia is a breakthrough headphone. 

FINALLY truly neutral bass, wonderful tone, and a Genre master. I am not going to say that I can play all of my bass heavy songs but I can play a whole lot more with the Utopia than others like the 800 and HEK.

This is possibly the best tuned headphone over 1k I have heard... period. 

I think it is a lot better than the Elear as well. 

I would like some more bass presence but what is awesome is that it is very responsive to the level of bass that is in the recording. 

I wonder if that responsiveness to bass is a direct result of the "dynamics"?

I really think so. Also when I played some reggae songs it had good sustain and presence. But the midrange.... Goosebumps

 

[raypin]

You going to RMAF, Grizz? You should try a DanaCable Lazuli with it. From one basshead to another, I can tell you that cable was a game changer on my HD800. Every other cable I've tried is an incremental <5% upgrade - this thing is better than most amp and DAC swaps I've made. Anyway, that's just a note, if you happen to run across them at a show, because that cable takes bass presence, resolution, rumble, impact - literally everything up not just one, but two or three levels. Definitely give it a demo with your Utopia, if the opportunity arises. I feel like it might give you what you are looking for, but ultimately, it will be up to you to decide.

OT: mmm.....I've looked at Dana Cable website a couple of weeks back. No option for the Utopia and the standard lenght is 3 meters. That's just too long for me. Not sure if they do custom lenght and do they have modular system (like Nordost's Heimdall 2)?

 

[tonykaz]

1,400 Comments about a product that ( essentially ) doesn't exist, yet!    Does anyone have a production version? 
 
There seems an abundance of hope based on a few "reviewer's" opinions, perhaps even "strong" opinions, Tyll already has them both on his Wall of Fame!
 
I'm impressed with the "enthusiasm" of this headphone community!,  all pumped up and excited about some future product offering, you don't see this kind of excitement in 2-Channel  Big Box stuff.   Art Dudley's photos of Audio Research Corp. in Minnesota vs. Head-fi's photos of Schiit show, rather conclusively, that headphone folks are at the Center of the music-reproduction hobby. 
 
Annnnnnd, it seems, nowhere in any of this last year's postings of all of Head-fi do we find any reference to any preference for Vinyl, vinyl is virtually dead in headphone! ( which is a good thing, in my opinion ) 
 
The lower priced Focal headphone will hit 115db with Mojo's measly 38Milliwatts, I hope the Utopia is equally efficient.  No need for Lyr 2 power ( or Asgard 2 power ) !  
 
My congratulations to Focal, looks like a Home-run product roll-out!
 
Tony in Michigan

 

[Hansotek]

OT: mmm.....I've looked at Dana Cable website a couple of weeks back. No option for the Utopia and the standard lenght is 3 meters. That's just too long for me. Not sure if they do custom lenght and do they have modular system (like Nordost's Heimdall 2)?

Yeah, they'll do pretty much any length or connector type you want. It's all made to order. Everything I've purchased from them has been a custom thing that is "not on the menu". I've had two transactions with them so far and the customer service was five-stars all the way.

I think very highly of the Nordost Heimdall you mentioned as well. It was an A/B test with a tiny 3" Heimdall 3.5mm interconnect that really shocked me into really paying attention to cables in the first place. I'd love to get an extended demo of one of their headphone cables at some point.

 

[jamato8]

  1,400 Comments about a product that ( essentially ) doesn't exist, yet!    Does anyone have a production version? 
 
There seems an abundance of hope based on a few "reviewer's" opinions, perhaps even "strong" opinions, Tyll already has them both on his Wall of Fame!
 
I'm impressed with the "enthusiasm" of this headphone community!,  all pumped up and excited about some future product offering, you don't see this kind of excitement in 2-Channel  Big Box stuff.   Art Dudley's photos of Audio Research Corp. in Minnesota vs. Head-fi's photos of Schiit show, rather conclusively, that headphone folks are at the Center of the music-reproduction hobby. 
 
Annnnnnd, it seems, nowhere in any of this last year's postings of all of Head-fi do we find any reference to any preference for Vinyl, vinyl is virtually dead in headphone! ( which is a good thing, in my opinion ) 
 
The lower priced Focal headphone will hit 115db with Mojo's measly 38Milliwatts, I hope the Utopia is equally efficient.  No need for Lyr 2 power ( or Asgard 2 power ) !  
 
My congratulations to Focal, looks like a Home-run product roll-out!
 
Tony in Michigan

I have read a number of times, regarding vinyl, its use and see no reason it would be a good thing if "dead". I don't use vinyl, not enough room, but have heard some recently and it still is at the top on the good system. 
 
From what I have read the Utopia and Elear are for sale from The Source AV.