[ddark65]

I'm also looking at getting the Utopia's here in the next couple days , I am also a owner of the Aybss and couldn't be happier

[Crossoverless]

Hate is the wrong word. Unhappy is better. It's not an issue of not having the money, it's one of whether one wants to spend such an amount on headphones.

In Focal's defense, the Utopia's do have the magical BE driver, on a surround no less, high end magnets, and carbon fiber arms - now that is costly. So yes, they are offering a lot, just wish it was more like 2 grand instead of 4. 2 grand seems to me to be a top number one should have to pay for top flight headphones. From the consumers point of view.

So let's hear what the early adopters have to say about how they sound.

Rocket Ronny

Focal could have put their Utopia headphones on the market for 2k and still made money off of it.. but why would they do that when other high end headphones cost 3k..4k and 5 k!.. They know that the ones that have the money will buy them...that's why!!

[DaveC113]

Focal could have put their Utopia headphones on the market for 2k and still made money off of it.. but why would they do that when other high end headphones cost 3k..4k and 5 k!.. They know that the ones that have the money will buy them...that's why!!

Again, you're totally wrong.

And your last response was ridiculous, so I'll just stop trying to correct your delusions and bow out.

[Crossoverless]

Again, you're totally wrong.

And your last response was ridiculous, so I'll just stop trying to correct your delusions and bow out.

It's OK !...the working poor mostly get their gear off the used market these days anyway.. where we can get it for a lot less money! I'll just wait until I can get a used Utopia headphone for 2k or less!

  You have a nice day

[DaveC113]

It's OK !...the working poor mostly get their gear off the used market these days anyway.. where we can get it for a lot less money! I'll just wait until I can get a used Utopia headphone for 2k or less!

  You have a nice day

You too, and FWIW I'm working two jobs trying to make ZenWave Audio work, I'm in debt from starting it and believe the poor and middle class have gotten the shaft by our gov't/corporations...

However, this changes nothing about what I said previously. Don't blame an industry for making products people want to buy...

[mr_bill]

I'm also looking at getting the Utopia's here in the next couple days , I am also a owner of the Aybss and couldn't be happier

Please let us know what you think about the Utopias when you get them!
Would love to own a pair.

[dB Cooper]

It's OK !...the working poor mostly get their gear off the used market these days anyway.. where we can get it for a lot less money! I'll just wait until I can get a used Utopia headphone for 2k or less!

  You have a nice day

Good plan. The notoriously fickle audio gurus will proclaim something else "God's gift" before long, and all you have to do is be in the right place at the right time.

[FullRangeMan]

Focal could have put their Utopia headphones on the market for 2k and still made money off of it.. but why would they do that when other high end headphones cost 3k..4k and 5 k!.. They know that the ones that have the money will buy them...that's why!!

Correct, people want pay less price for hp, even rich people want páy less money for top hp.
I cant afford a $2K or 4K hp, but a rich person certainly would prefer to pay $2.
A carbon belt not better than a metal one, just lighter.

[Crossoverless]

Good plan. The notoriously fickle audio gurus will proclaim something else "God's gift" before long, and all you have to do is be in the right place at the right time.

Yes..the Rich have to have a new toy to play with.. every few months so I should find a used Utopia headphone in few months or so...

[FullRangeMan]

Have to disagree with you FRM.  First, you have stated they can be reverse engineered.  In other words...a copy can be made after someone else spent the time and effort to figure out how to make them in the first place.  Second, design is both an art and a craft.  It costs money in part because not everyone can do it.  We pay not just for their time, but for what they know.  Third, the equipment to make some of the parts, like vapor deposited metal domes is very expensive and that cost must be recouped.  Last, statement items cost more because they are not for mass market and won't sell as many.  If people will pay the price, it is not obscene...just higher than some will pay for that last small bit of performance.

Hibuck...

OK, your post is according your lifestyle and your financial level, hence your nickname is Hibuckhobby.

Well on the other side there people like me, Iam used pay 20-30 USD for hi quality military 6C33 and GM70 tubes, I positively avoid mega money tubes like 211/845 be sino or american.

On the Beryllium vapor deposited it is a cheap industrial process, who tell its expensive are the manufacturers from these drivers. Its a similar case as gold plated rca connectors, there is nothing, zero gold in these connectors, just a cheap nickel and brass alloy, but sellers make believe its real gold plated to...

You are seen this situation from the gullible consumer or dealer stand point, this is very expensive to the pocket what poor people cant allow do it.
I know it nice and confortable phone the dealer and say I will your shop today buy this top equip charge my card full value.

[hibuckhobby]

Somehow the point is being missed.  I doubt you have a clue what production costs actually were/are or
what it takes to bring a high end product to market.  Greed? That would be the people who want the
best for half price, not those who price things on what the market will bear and trying to actually make
Money at the same time.  You read reviews, want mfg. support and then buy online through grey
market sellers who may or may not be selling clones made in a third world country.

To assume your purchase decisions are superior to others who have been somehow duped by big companies
like Focal is pure arrogance.  You are welcome to your opinions, but have given no reasons other than vitriol
to support them.  At least some of the members of the trade have spoken from the point of experience.

Case in point...you know nothing of my income or lifestyle and your speculation could not be more off base.
My screen name is a statement of reality...this is an expensive hobby.  If you want to believe cheaper products
are better...that's your perogative.  Just don't assume you have the corner on reality.
Hibuck...

[Crossoverless]

The more I read that review on these Utopia headphones here....the more I think, maybe Focal put.. too small of a beryllium driver in these Utopia headphones.

Maybe we will find out as we get more feedback here later on.

I might end up waiting for the next high end headphones from Focal.. with larger beryllium drivers in them...

[Rocket_Ronny]

I am quite sure they have the right sized driver. They are quite an intense company and would have gone over everything. What makes you say that? 

Rocket Ronny

[FullRangeMan]

I made a experiment w/cheap 5'' fr drivers as hp and the soundstage size has huge, after it I think soundstage size is determined by drivers size.

[kingdeezie]

My Utopia headphones came in today!

Build quality is pretty excellent.  Initially when I took them out of their case, I was a little disappointed, because of their apparent lack of heft. However, after wearing them for the last 30 minutes, they feel great, weightless.

I'd agree with Innerfidelity on the aesthetics. They are super sleek looking, and ooze luxury. Definetely look the part.

I am new to headphones as I stated before. I had to move most of my main stereo rig into a common room in the house, so I've switched to headphones for personal listening and game playing.

The only other headphone I have is the Hifiman HE1000. Initially, I wasn't thrilled with them. They have grown on me massively over the last month I have had them.

However, they do not provide a neutral presentation. They are somewhat colored and veiled. They do throw a massive headstage though, with sounds coming behind, above, and all around me, from what appears to be several feet away. Often times, late at night, I turn around thinking someone is moving around in the house when a sound seems to be emanating from behind me and far away.

In this first hour of listening, the Utopia's headstage is not nearly as wide.

However, they are a significantly more neutral presentation, and their transparency is striking.

I'm going to let them cook overnight, and enjoy them this weekend while the HE1000s take a break. I definitely want to also try a pair of Abyss headphones. In my short time with headphones, even at the higher end range, it seems that different headphones at similar performance levels might not be outright better, just different flavors of sound.

The ability to have options depending on one's mood is unique (for most people) to phones.

[FullRangeMan]

In this first hour of listening, the Utopia's headstage is not nearly as wide.

The soundstage enlarge too little w/breakin, this is it only.

[FullRangeMan]

If the soundstage isn't right, then there's a coloration somewhere.  I wish I had one here so I could fix and report it.

How you would fix it?

[steve in jersey]

If the soundstage isn't right, then there's a coloration somewhere.  I wish I had one here so I could fix and report it.

I find it pretty funny that people insist that the HD800 isn't creating SoundStage imaging that really doesn't represent what exists on the actual recording.

Granted, for most recorded music SS enhancement is an improvement over whats actually recorded (as in most musical genres these effects don't play a big part of how the music is supposed to sound). It's really dependent on how "Dynamic" the music is naturally. Music that is already widely dynamic ,doesn't benefit from added enhancement, I think you lose some of the natural contrasts .

I think you walk a "fine line" when you talk about a headphone having "colorations" due to your expectations over how SoundStage sounds. Way too many variables here, &  the main one is how the headphone designers "voiced" their headphone for "wi---de" SS regardless of recorded sound.

It's the Potayto , Potahto thing once again ! 

[dB Cooper]

The classic example of what Steve is talking about soundstage-wise is the Bose 901 speaker with its 9-foot-wide solo violins. (Consumer Reports had the temerity to point this out and was treated to an expensive lawsuit by Bose as a result.)

[FullRangeMan]

Simple, once you get experience at it.  Find the critical emphasis or recess and EQ it out so it's either gone or much less prominent.  Works like magic!  But, you'll need a parametric equalizer.

I was expecting you could change the cup stuffing or pads/cable.