I am curious as well with those 2 amps, so @orrman we’d both appreciate any feedback. The ECP/Nitsch was/is designed (mostly?) with the Focal in mind, it will be interesting to hear what people think when the Nitsch version releases.
I think for now I will hold off on the Nitsch, I’ll want to hear user feedback first, plus my audio budget is wrecked. My other concern with the Nitsch is that it’s mostly for dynamic driver headphones? I know Zach at ZMF likes it for his stuff (the ECP), but it may not have enough current for planars…
Linear Tube Audio amps (both MZ3 and Z10E), and Riviera AIC-10 are my latest pairings owned and used with it and preferred over Bliss. I think Utopia fairs better with tubes amps (or hybrid like the AIC) over solid state although I look forward to try mine on the Zahl HM1 when that ships.
EDIT - though I owned the 22 version for a short while I’m referring to the OG in this post which I still own and love.
EDIT 2 - I usually go for more linear sounding tube amps so not overly warm and gooey. Some I owned and liked (not only with Utopia) - Woo WA22, WA33, WA23, LTA MZ3, LTA Z40+, LTA Z10E, Riviera AIC-10,
LOVE this amp every time I listen to it w/ my Utopia. The only 2A3 tube amp I’ve heard that I would put up there w/ the Stellaris (for my own personal tastes, of course).
I was lucky enough to borrow both the OG and 2022 Utopias and I thought both benefited from the linear sound of the UL+, especially the 2022, which doesn’t need any extra warmth in the amp IMO.
Hi guys. Waiting for a pair of OG Utopias that should arrive this week, hopefully.
I’ve owned a few Focal headphones : Elear, Elex, Clear OG & MG. Liked all but had kinda a love-hate relationship with the OG Clear. It was my favourite amongst these, but always felt like the tonal balance wasn’t right for me and ended up selling them. Finally, after owning 6 pairs of OG Clears (not a joke) I tweaked my EQ and have been enjoying them for a few months.
After owning quite a few TOTL planars and Dynamics I realised that even if they are not perfect, the Clears gives me what I was missing with top planars: dynamics and contrast.
Don’t get me wrong, still love planars, but each technology has advantages and no planar gave me the dynamics of the Clears (Final D8K gets really close).
Long story short, I decided to trade one of my headphones for the Utopia 2020. Looking forward to see if thet are worthy of replacing my beloved Clear Pro OG. My intention is to compare both, first without EQ and once I make the right EQ for the Utopia, I’ll make the final comparisons.
It’s quite funny that after quite a long journey and having tried/owned over 100 hps, I might end with a stereotypical setup Utopia+ HD800s.
Will share some impressions once I get the Utopias.
I’m curious to hear how you find Utopia vs Elex, Clear, etc. I think a lot of us have taken a similar path. Here’s hoping you find your true love in Utopia as I did.
Wow. 6 OG Clears. That reminds me of a friend who owned the Etymotic ER2XR like 8 different times. There’s gotta be a word for this… like some kind of audio Stockholm syndrome.
Fingers crossed but I think you’ll love the Utopias. It adds even more physicality to the sound and cleans up some of the tonality quibbles I had with the Clear. The Elex is still my favorite tuning out of the Focal’s but the Utopia would be my second.
I spent like 4 hours with the Utopias today. After a few years in this hobby and having tried a plethora of good headphones, I don’t get impressed easily, but the Utopia managed to do it.
It’s an amazing headphone with the best dynamics and transients that I’ve heard in any headphone. Stock tuning is great, althought like all headphones, it benefits from some EQ.
Soundstage isn’t the widest, but the great imaging and depth makes up for it.
About the comparison, we all value stuff in a different way, but in my opinion the Utopia is a few steps over the Clear in terms of technicalities. Even my EQd can’t match the Utopia performance.
Sadly I won’t be able to keep them for different reasons, but I can say that it’s easily on my top 3 and with some time, it would probably become the 1st.
Haha I know it’s crazy. Only happened to me with the Clears. Thankfully the love-hate relationship is over and there’s only love left.
The Utopias are insane and are an upgrade from the Clears in my opinion, althought a 2nd hand Clear is probably one of the best values in this hobby right now.
100% with you. I’ve tried to find a headphone I like more than my (OG) Utopias for years, and I haven’t yet even been seriously tempted - not even by the Newtopias. There’s something about them that strikes the perfect balance for me.
I’ve given up looking for anything that I would consider an “upgrade” to the OG Utopia. Instead I’m seeking a complementary alternative - something that does sub-bass extension definitively better and everything else nearly as well. Leaning towards Caldera at the moment, though I busted my audio budget for this year a long time ago, so it will have to wait.
I think a ZMF Atrium Closed might be a good complement to the Utopia because it’s different enough that it’s not competing. I suspect if you got a Caldera that you’d end up using one of the headphones (probably the Utopia if that’s the one you truly love) almost all the time because they’re both great allrounders. Whereas the Atrium Closed, even though the Utopia is technically better at everything except sub-bass, will give you a more fun/musical, alternative.
On the other hand, don’t listen to me because I didn’t follow my own advice. I had a Caldera (owned), Atrium Closed, Utopia OG and 2022 (all borrowed) on my desk a couple of weeks ago and liked all of them so much that I ended up buying both the Atrium Closed and Utopia 2022.
Nailed it. I’m in a similar boat that I’d love a complement, and so far, the only one I’m really keen on is the Atrium (Open). There are some recordings that could use a more fun, less precise tuning, and the Atrium would be perfect for that - not to mention, it’s a work of art
The thing is, I don’t want “more fun, less precise”, I just want better/deeper/resolvi-er sub-bass. But I still want all the precision and resolution that Utopia brings. That’s why I’m leaning toward a planar. But Atrium is not totally off the table, I would just need to spend some time with one to get a sense for what it does (I’ve only heard it for a few minutes at Can Jam)
But point taken on what you want - and I’d love that too. The “problem” (to my ears, anyway) is that there is no headphone (that I have heard) that gives you that while maintaining the rest of Utopia’s magic. While I have yet to hear a dynamic headphone match the deep bass quantity/quality of a good planar, no planar matches the punchiness and timbre of the Utopia (or other good dynamics) from the upper bass on up. If you just want detail retrieval and extension, for example, the Abyss planars are spectacular - but to me, they don’t sound as “right”.
Agreed, but like any epic quest it’s going to take some effort to find one.
I suspect 1266 TC may be what I’m looking for, but I’m reluctant to deal with its quirks. Diana TC may be a contender. And Caldera is still very much in the running.
