[Crossoverless]

Has anyone listen to these new headphones yet?

 Did Focal make the first headphones that sound like really good Speakers?

http://cnet.com/news/could-this-be-the-worlds-best-headphone/

Here's more info on these new headphones....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVUG6ewo_J4

[weatherman1]

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/enter-next-generation-focal-elear-headphone#fKjcDVxoy4CLCSsV.97  Another review of the Focal earspeakers.  He has a Utopia for review.....hasn't published yet.  My opinion is that NO headphone will ever sound like a room.  I love the detail of headphones but for full acoustic impact you need really good speakers and the reflections of the room to give real space, depth, and ambiance to eliminate that inside the brain sensation.

[FullRangeMan]

Has anyone listen to these new headphones yet?

 Did Focal make the first headphones that sound like really good Speakers?

http://cnet.com/news/could-this-be-the-worlds-best-headphone/

Here's more info on these new headphones....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVUG6ewo_J4

With no listening I would doubt it why the hp driver is too small, stm a midrange late me too product.
This HeadFi guy talk so fast its hard to follow.

[kingdeezie]

These are not widely available yet. I have a pair on preorder, which I should have in the next couple of weeks; hopefully. There has been some false starts on the launch to this point.

No, they won't sound like speakers. They'll sound like really good headphones (hopefully).

I'm looking forward to them.

[dB Cooper]

By that standard, the Bose 901 should be best of all.

It's not??!?!?   

[Crossoverless]

Focal says these new Utopia headphones rivals the massive Focal Grande Utopia speakers in sound quality!

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2016/06/17/focal-reaches-for-utopia-with-a-new-line-of-high-end-of-headphones/

[Rocket]

Hi,

Wow thanks for providing this information to the headphone community.  However, I'd rather put down my hard earned cash on something like this for a cheaper price.

http://www.salksound.com/model.php?model=Song3

It's pretty hard to justify the price of admission for these headphones.

Cheers Rod

[FullRangeMan]

Hi,

Wow thanks for providing this information to the headphone community.  However, I'd rather put down my hard earned cash on something like this for a cheaper price.

http://www.salksound.com/model.php?model=Song3

It's pretty hard to justify the price of admission for these headphones.

Cheers Rod

This is what I always say, the average price of hp nowadays is so high that encourages manufacturers with no tradition in the area to make your product just to profit from the high price of this niche market.

There are several speakers with decent sound that cost less than these fancy hp.
These products are so expensive that gives me shame.

[kingdeezie]

This is what I always say, the average price of hp nowadays is so high that encourages manufacturers with no tradition in the area to make your product just to profit from the high price of this niche market.

There are several speakers with decent sound that cost less than these fancy hp.
These products are so expensive that gives me shame.

First off, the entirety of audiophilia is a "niche market." Exotic headphones, or speakers, doesn't make a difference. We here, are all in the super minority of the general population.

Secondly, the headphone industry is a 2 billion dollar a year market. Of course, a significant portion of these yearly sales are for a multitude of relatively (to us audiophiles) low cost headphones (20-200 dollars).

However, any one of these consumers, can turn into a serious buyer in any given year. The reason these higher priced headphones are becoming more common, is because there is a rapidly growing market for them. There is a lot of potential for growth. We should all be happy about this, as it will hopefully continue to infuse this hobby with new interested parties.

Thirdly, headphones are transducers. Focal has decades of experience making them. Just because Focal has never done a flagship headphone before, doesn't mean they don't know how to design and manufacture excellent drivers. Why would it be bad that companies known to produce good to excellent transducers, get involved in expanding into headphones? This will create more variety, and a collection of quality at various price points. Doesn't sound like a bad thing to me.

Fourthly, I am pretty confident in saying, with the rare exception, that there isn't many people standing around with 4K in their pocket deciding between spending it on speakers or headphones. Generally, if you are looking at Focal Utopias, you have a dedicated headphone setup; either as a second system, or because you don't have a dedicated room to place a speaker system.

You can't judge the price of a headphone as "shameful" in comparison to a speaker. You aren't buying them to fulfill the same job.

It's like saying a Porsche is a waste of money, because you can buy a small used plane for the same money. True, both vehicles are for transportation, with the plane clearly able to traverse larger distances faster, but they are used in two different scenarios.

At 4K, what these headphones should provide, is a world class example of what a headphone presentation can be; a benchmark or reference.

A 4K pair of speakers will not provide a reference speaker presentation.
 

[Crossoverless]

Hi,

Wow thanks for providing this information to the headphone community.  However, I'd rather put down my hard earned cash on something like this for a cheaper price.

http://www.salksound.com/model.php?model=Song3

It's pretty hard to justify the price of admission for these headphones.

Cheers Rod

The Focal Grande Utopia speakers are one of best ever made and if these Focal Utopia headphones do rival these Grande Utopia speakers, it will be the...Bargain of the Century!

This will be great news for the working poor that is looking for a reference sound at a working man price! But the ones that paid a lot money to get that reference sound will not like this news though!!

You can pair this Utopia headphone with the all new $1,500 Wells Audio Milo headphone amp and not look back!

http://www.wellsaudio.com/milo/

[Crossoverless]

Here's a better picture of these Wells Audio Milo headphone amps here, and Wells Audio is coming out with a improved version of their Reference headphone amp too!

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/canjam-socal-2016-report-part-4/?page=5

[Crossoverless]

I did not know that BMC made a headphone amp...this would be the headphone amp to pair up with these Utopia headphones! I heard the BMC CS2 Integrated amp and I thought it sounded really good for the money..it sounded like it cost a lot more!...

https://www.moon-audio.com/bmc-pure-dac.html

[Russell Dawkins]

The Focal Grande Utopia speakers are one of best ever made and if these Focal Utopia headphones do rival these Grande Utopia speakers, it will be the...Bargain of the Century!

This will be great news for the working poor that is looking for a reference sound at a working man price! But the ones that paid a lot money to get that reference sound will not like this news though!!

You can pair this Utopia headphone with the all new $1,500 Wells Audio Milo headphone amp and not look back!

http://www.wellsaudio.com/milo/

Crossoverless! Take a deep breath and step away from your credit card!
Focal has you square in their sights and I would say that, like it or not, you are their lawful prey.

[Crossoverless]

Wow! These BMC headphone amps are d@mn good!

http://www.dagogo.com/b-m-c-puredac-review

http://www.dagogo.com/b-m-c-puredac-review/2

http://www.dagogo.com/b-m-c-puredac-review/3

http://www.dagogo.com/b-m-c-puredac-review/4

[Crossoverless]

Here's some feedback on these UTOPIA Headphones....

http://theverge.com/2016/7/25/12270918/focal-utopia-premium-headphones-elear-review

[FullRangeMan]

Definitely a rave review/recommendation for the $4000 version.  But as much as Vlad raved about the greater detail - even compared to the HD800s, it's still just an impression albeit a good one.  The comments about the tambourine are encouraging.  If he could replicate that level of appreciation across several instruments across the frequency and tonal spectrum, that would be very helpful.

Many mid range hp are detailed this is the easy job, the hard task is made a hp w/great harmonics and huge soundstage.
In this case price sky rocket.

[Crossoverless]

I seen where Focal was using a Cavalli Liquid Gold amp with their Utopia headphone in one of the canjam meets. This must be the magic amp to get the best sound out of these Utopia headphones.....to get them to sound more like the $$$200,000 Focal Grande Utopia Speakers!

[FullRangeMan]

Perusing some Cavalli amp web photos see the parts are:
Transformers are C core amorphous, part circuit are hard wiring, no op-amps, main circuit is differential.
Not dual mono, input stage have 1 transformers and output stage have a bigger C transformer.
Price no more 6.5K as Jules mention at the video, ''only'' $4000 ouch.

[Crossoverless]

Perusing some Cavalli amp web photos see the parts are:
Transformers are C core amorphous, part circuit are hard wiring, no op-amps, main circuit is differential.
Not dual mono, input stage have 1 transformers and output stage have a bigger C transformer.
Price no more 6.5K as Jules mention at the video, ''only'' $4000 ouch.

I know, I've seen those pictures but people who have the money to buy any amp at any price.. buys this amp for their high priced headphones!

Jules wants one very badly after hearing it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tu1mqqi-rw

[kingdeezie]

I know, I've seen those pictures but people who have the money to buy any amp at any price.. buys this amp for their high priced headphones!

Jules wants one very badly after hearing it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tu1mqqi-rw

I'm keeping my eyes open for the Cavalli Liquid Tungsten information, whenever that moves from prototype to an actual product.

I've heard great things about the Liquid Gold, but reviews and word of mouth on these products doesn't do much for the consumers who didn't get in when the getting was good. As of right now, I don't think there is a single product for sale on the Cavalli website.