I've covered quite a few different headphones here on TechPowerUp with the general transducer type being dynamic drivers for the $500 or under market, planar magnetic headphones for $450-4500, and then there are the electrostatic headphones which go all the way up to $18,000 just for the headphones. Needless to say then that I was clearly missing context on what the best dynamic driver headphones are like. I have yet to cover the best from the likes of Sennheiser, let alone more boutique brands such as ZMF and Spirit Torino. Amidst all these, one name stood out and that was Focal. The French-based audio company is one of the few brands on the market that have been around long enough to gain a good reputation, and it turned out valid today given this review of its brand new flagship headphones is a positive one.

The new Focal Utopia, which you will also see referred to as Utopia 2022, is a decent update to the original and addresses quite a few things both inside and out. There isn't enough of a difference to where owners of the original set need to purchase this necessarily, and yet if you find a good deal on the incremental difference then there are several quality of life improvements to where I would tell you to seriously consider it. The cables are easier to work with, the ear cups have more room on the inside, the voice coil change made for a set that doesn't drop out on bass or distort as the original did under challenging circumstances—based on a small sample set and different testing conditions—and everything from the carry case to the cables to the headphones have been given a makeover which works favorably in my books.

The various strengths and weaknesses of the Focal Utopia from 2016 mostly carry over too, at least when we are talking purely about sound. The new Utopia is warmer and has a mellower treble that may just be what you are looking for, yet I personally prefer the tonality of the original set. This still ends up having the best overall bass response of any headphones I've tried in terms of quality and quantity alike, although once again EQ will help with sub-bass and treble tonality. It also looks and feels like a flagship set of headphones, which is sadly not true across the board. First impressions are immediately telling you this is an expensive set and this does matter to potential customers who can afford the Utopia. Indeed, look at all the marketing photos Focal has put out where a suave gentleman in a well-tailored suit is using these headphones in an expensive, well-decorated living room. It's not hard to see the target customer Focal has in mind for these headphones.

As a materials scientist and engineer I also appreciated Focal putting out an actual white paper on the original Utopia, which I put to good use over the course of this review and learned a lot from. Despite the luxury price tag and the marketing efforts done, the Focal Utopia is ultimately a highly engineered piece of technology placed into a form factor that makes it possible for you to have compact speaker drivers developed from scratch for this very product. Then there's the pure Beryllium diaphragm which further compounds the bill of materials and handling costs, and this is even before the extensive checks and good build quality here, in addition to the long user warranty that's also transferable in some regions. I've also seen some people try to justify the price tag of the Utopia by claiming that this holds up with inflation based on the $4000 price tag on the original Utopia from over six years ago. That is a tough pill to swallow when your salary doesn't keep up with inflation and others have managed to keep prices the same, if not lower, for their subsequent releases. No matter where you stand on the price debate here, everyone should agree that $5000 is a very high amount to pay for headphones and you need to be absolutely sure this is the set for you, and for many years to come. The new Focal Utopia has enough going to appeal to several folks who can afford it based on the thriving owner community forums online, and hopefully this review will help you determine whether you are joining them, or simply here to admire the work put in even if it's well beyond your budget.