Focal Utopia (2022) Headphones

[hurakura]

snake oil

 

[Lu(ky]

How about $70,000 worth of headphones and equipment

 

[VSG]

snake oil

Please explain what you mean.

How about $70,000 worth of headphones and equipment

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Is this your personal collection?

 

[zlobby]

How about $70,000 worth of headphones and equipment

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Meh!

 

[bug]

This isn't the first set in mind for classical/orchestral music lovers, but that's what I meant when I said that people in this budget typically have specific interests in mind. The Utopia is a good all-rounder that is exceptional for bass and mids.

I got that, but it's a little shocking to see a $5k pair of cans that do not run circles around a ~$200 pair in every aspect. I would expect maybe a $1k pair to best these in some aspects, for a particular genre. But not something that cheap*.

*cheap is relative, ime a $200 pair is everything >90% of the users would ever need.

 

[VSG]

I got that, but it's a little shocking to see a $5k pair of cans that do not round circles around a ~$200 pair in every aspect. I would expect maybe a $1k pair t best these in some aspects, for a particular genre. But not something that cheap*.

*cheap is relative, ime a $200 pair is everything >90% of the users would ever need.

Yeah that's why I don't like to use the word "cheap" since it has a negative connotation. Inexpensive is better. As for your point, I meant in terms of how the Utopia can be bested for classical music by other flagships and a few less-expensive sets too (HIFIMAN Arya, for example), but not that it's actually bad. Far from it!

 

[bug]

Yeah that's why I don't like to use the word "cheap" since it has a negative connotation. Inexpensive is better.

Considering most people use $20 (or free) headphones, even $200 is actually "expensive" for many. Semantics aside, I believe we're in agreement.

As for your point, I meant in terms of how the Utopia can be bested for classical music by other flagships and a few less-expensive sets too (HIFIMAN Arya, for example), but not that it's actually bad. Far from it!

And since the mandatory car analogy seems to be missing so far: when you buy a Rolls Royce, you can expect a Ferrari will do 0-60 faster, but you don't expect a Corolla to handle (some) turns better

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

$5k only gets you a 5 year warranty? At that price it should be lifetime, no questions asked replacement. How many of these do they actually sell I wonder?

A fair amount 5k isn't that high of an ask for a "flagship" set. Worth mentioning also that they sell sets in the 1-3k range as well. Also if you go for the obvious sennheiser solution their flagship is 50k, and if you look at their most common flagship set that's like 1800 and they sell a 2400 buck amp for it.

All brands have various halo products that are the best of the best and exist purely because "fuck you it's awesome, because we are awesome, see what we can build" and they do sell. That's all there is too it. Get all your top people blitzed and see what they come up with then haul it out to an audio show and see if people are interested, most often they are!

Also of note focal is not a headphone company. They are a speaker company that sells speakers that you aren't going to get for under six figures a pair at the upper end. You can laugh at that all you want but speakers in the six figure range is kind of where high end speakers start the five figure range is sort of the mid range. The catch is that in this range you're getting what you pay for. It's not some cheap crap. It's high end materials that are a pain in the ass to build, they pay their workers to craft them, they test them, they will match a pair for response for you and they will stand by them. They often ship you with their frequence curves in ideal situations along with the signatures of the people who built them. You don't just get "tech support" in the higher range you get the damn person who built what you bought. None of this is cheap. But again, you are getting what you pay for.

The five year warranty is also something most people don't grasp. They still cover them after, just not totally for free. As long as you don't break the drivers they will fix them or sell you parts for them. If you bust a driver yeah that's going to cost but if you don't they will ship you parts and instructions or you can send them in and they will fix it. It's not like the band snaps and they ask you for 5k again. People selling products in this range aren't out to screw their customers.

Honestly just try them. It's free. Any real retailer is going to have test sets that they will loan you and then refund you when you return it! They want you to audition different units! If you're faffing about for where it's cheapest on an Amazon sale where who knows who the retailer is you're doing this all wrong. Find a good retailer and tell them you want to try a few things. You'll pay upfront and get them for a month and then everything you return gets refunded they aren't trying to screw you either.

 

[hurakura]

How about $70,000 worth of headphones and equipment

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What, no vinyl? Tidal?

 

[Lu(ky]

What, no vinyl? Tidal?

Old setup but got out of vinyl for now

 

[VSG]

What, no vinyl? Tidal?

I'm still waiting for you to explain how this was snake oil btw.

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

I'm still waiting for you to explain how this was snake oil btw.

He can't afford it.

 

[VSG]

He can't afford it.

That's absolutely fine, I can't afford it either. But yeah I know what you mean, easier to dismiss something than even try to understand it.

 

[bug]

That's absolutely fine, I can't afford it either. But yeah I know what you mean, easier to dismiss something than even try to understand it.

Jeez, were you born yesterday? If people only commented on things they understand, the internet would be a wasteland.