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  1. #1
    Audioshark
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    My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481

    "We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."

    Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.

    https://suncoastaudio.com/
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  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Mike.......Colorfully written review. When do yours arrive? .
    Dan

    STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital coax,
    Sonos Connect, Stillpoints Ultra SS & Ultra Mini, PurePower 2000, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario

    LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205 Signal Sleuth, Sonos Connect, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable,
    Sony DAT 60ES, Nakamichi BX-300, Micro Seiki DD40 w/m505A tonearm, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Stillpoints Ultra Mini, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113

    VINTAGE - McIntosh 4300V, McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, JBL 4312A

  3. #3
    Audioshark
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Quote Originally Posted by Double-D View Post
    Mike.......Colorfully written review. When do yours arrive? .
    Hopefully this week.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481

    "We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."

    Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.

    https://suncoastaudio.com/
    Phone: 941-932-0282
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/

  4. #4
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike View Post
    Hopefully this week.
    Mike.......I'll be watching for your review. I haven't read a bad word about the Utopia headphone. What will you drive them with?
    Dan

    STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital coax,
    Sonos Connect, Stillpoints Ultra SS & Ultra Mini, PurePower 2000, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario

    LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205 Signal Sleuth, Sonos Connect, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable,
    Sony DAT 60ES, Nakamichi BX-300, Micro Seiki DD40 w/m505A tonearm, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Stillpoints Ultra Mini, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113

    VINTAGE - McIntosh 4300V, McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, JBL 4312A

  5. #5
    Audioshark
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Quote Originally Posted by Double-D View Post
    Mike.......I'll be watching for your review. I haven't read a bad word about the Utopia headphone. What will you drive them with?
    I have a couple of choices: Oppo headphone amp (good) or Chord DAVE (best).


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481

    "We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."

    Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.

    https://suncoastaudio.com/
    Phone: 941-932-0282
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/

  6. #6
    Senior Member
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Do you have a T+A DAC 8 DSD Mike? It would be interesting to hear how good it sounds with headphones.

  7. #7
    Audioshark
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Quote Originally Posted by matt_zak View Post
    Do you have a T+A DAC 8 DSD Mike? It would be interesting to hear how good it sounds with headphones.
    No. The DAC8 must have all material up sampled to DSD512 to sound good. Not sure I have anything with that much horse power!

    My understanding from the headphone folks is that the Chord DAVE headphone amp/DAC combo is excellent.
    My Systems: http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...481#post158481

    "We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."

    Dealer for: Aqua Hi-Fi, Aurender, AudioQuest Cables & Power Products, Berkeley Audio, Block Audio (distributor), Boulder Amplifiers, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), Bryston, Clarisys Audio Loudspeakers (distributor), Classe’ Audio, Degritter Record Cleaning Machines, Esoteric, Finite Elemente, FirstWatt, Focal Loudspeakers and Headphones, GigaFoil, Harbeth Loudspeakers, Hegel, HiFi Man, Innuos, ISO Acoustics, Keces Power Supplies, Kharma Loudspeakers and Electronics, Kuzma Turntables, Lumin, Luxman, Magico Loudspeakers, MBL Speakers & Electronics, MSB Technologies, MySonicLabs Phono Cartridges, Nordost Cables, Ortofon, Pass Labs, Quadraspire, Rega Turntables and Electronics, Shunyata Research, STAX, Stein Music Products, Stillpoints, Soulution, VAC, Vicoustics, Viva Audio, VPI Industries, WireWorld Cables.

    https://suncoastaudio.com/
    Phone: 941-932-0282
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suncoast-Au...1105178279194/

  8. #8
    Senior Member
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Since I recently sold my hi-Fi rig and am absolutely jones-ing to scratch my itch without a proper space to have a big rig, I am considering the Focal Utopia headphones. Being a McIntosh guy, I am thinking about the MHA150 headphone amp. Earlier this month, I bought Pryma headphones and Audioquest DragonRed with iPhone lightning to USB dongle. Using Tidal via iPhone 6S, the sound is nice, better than earbuds obviously, but I want more. The MHA150 would also be able to handle my Aurender X100L server, fit under or beside my bed or on nightstand, and looks like a million dollars.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Jumping into an old thread here....

    The T+A headphone amp is decent.... but I would say not as good as it is a DAC, which is amazing. I do upsample everything to 512/48. I actually run the SE output from the T+A DAC 8 DSD to my new little headphone amp, the Dennis Had Dragon Inspire. Gorgeous little amp... the guy who sold it to me, at only a few months old, sold it because he just got a Dave. Since I could not afford a Dave, and already had the amazing T+A DAC... scored a great deal on this little amp. Oh, btw, just got a pair of the Focal Clear headphones from Mike. Work absolutely amazing with the Dennis Had amp (also work very well with the T+A DAC headphone amp, but not as good as the little red wonder from Dennis Had).
    McIntosh C49, MC152, MR85, R778 | T+A DAC 8 DSD | KEF LS50 Meta w/S2, KC62 (x2) | Rega RP8, Ania Pro, NEO PSU | Technics SL-1500C | Audio Technica VM750ML | Hexmat Eclipse, Yellow Bird, Molekula, Molekula Mini | Pro-Ject VC-E | Falcon NW PC Server (Roon Core & HQPlayer) | Microsoft Surface Pro 6 (Roon Controller) | Abyss Diana Phi | Schiit Jotunheim 2 | Astell&Kern SE200 | Oppo BDP105

    “One of the great challenges in life is knowing enough to think you're right but not enough to know you're wrong”
    "You can't use reason to convince anyone out of an argument that they didn't use reason to get into"
    ― Neil deGrasse Tyson

  10. #10

    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Which ones would you prefer: Utopia or Stellia?
    I tried both and the Stellia are much lighter and more comfortable to listen to for a longer period of time.
    On the other hand, I found the Utopia as having a slightly better clarity.

  11. #11
    Senior Member
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    Arizona
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    Re: Focal Utopia Headphone Review

    Yup, the Dave is good. especially with upsampling.

    I let mine go when I downsized to a Naim Nova. Too many expensive cables involved with the Chord stack.

    The Nova headphone amp sounds good especially when fed with the Lumin X1 you sold me
    Bud<br>

    AAVIK: S-280 Streamer, D-280 DAC, I-280 Integrated Amplifier]
    NAIM: Atom HE Headphone Amp, Superlumina Speaker Cables, Power Cables
    HARBETH: 30.2 40th Anniversary Speakers
    FOCAL:: Utopia Headphones
    ANSUZ: C2 Power Cable, A2 Power Distributor, D2 Ethernet Cables, D2 PowerSwitch, D2 Interconnect
    NORDOST: Heimdall 2 Ethernet and Power Cables
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Focal Utopia Headphone Review

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