Focal Utopia headphones...with Beryllium driver

[MLA]

8 minutes ago, TMoney said:

I don't think my subjective impressions of gear have ever matched his.

Second that. Out of curiosity after Bob's Big Sound amp reviews, I built the M3 a while ago. Regardless of tweaking (bias and supply voltage levels, opamp choice), I can't describe it as neutral; to me it's a warm sounding amp.

If the M3 was neutral to me, I can see how the dip which was a killer for Tyll would be noticable but ok to live with. However, I spent an hour with the LCD-4s last week, and in short; I'd buy something on Tyll's recommendation but not Bobs. Two great reviewers, but I hear it more like Tyll.

[JimL]

26 minutes ago, mypasswordis said:

......... but at what frequencies? There's no such thing as a perfectly matched two channel setup, and one that is perfectly matched 1dB apart at every frequency is also very unlikely. Clearly something poorly matched slipped through the cracks at Focal QC. He should have nixed the review when he found the poor driver matching. Would you be happy if someone did a review of the SR-X Plus in which he definitively stated his opinions, when the build in question or tubes were faulty? 

Yeah, his labeling of frequency ranges is non-standard.  But, as long as he specifies what he is referring to, which he does, you can translate his findings into your own terms.

 

Yes, it's true that it is quite unlikely that two transducers are exactly 1 dB apart at all frequencies but otherwise have exactly the same frequency response.  But as your argument concedes, by omission, in fact variations in transducers by 1 dB are not that uncommon, as any glance at the speaker measurements in HiFiNews or Stereophile will show, and are generally considered within specification.  For example, IIRC, the Sennheiser HD650 is supposed to have hand selected transducers that match within 1 dB - granted, a much less expensive phone, but when it came out it was considered top of the line.  But it illustrates the fact that mechanical transducers will, in fact, vary, and so there is ALWAYS a matching issue.  So I'm not at all sure that a 1 dB mismatch isn't within specification, and would not be considered poorly matched. I haven't been able to find any specification from Focal as to closely matched the Utopia is supposed to be.  But, on the other side, the presumption has to be that any headphone that has been put on sale is within specification.  Now, if Focal sees Bob's review and says, hey, this headphone is defective and shouldn't have been sold in the first place, that's another matter.  But, if Focal has a QC issue, that should be reported, shouldn't it?

Edited February 21, 2017 by JimL

[purk]

Deckard is Matrix HPA-3 w/ DAC correct?  I have the HPA-3B and it is a pretty nice sounding balanced amp for cheap.

Edited February 21, 2017 by purk

[Pars]

I would question his reference material as well. To me, reference material is something like a symphony orchestra in a hall that you have been in and know. For his material, was he at the recording sessions and knows what it sounds like?

His reference system also seems to be over processed. Must be a lot of a/d/a going on there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hopstretch]

And we're back to individual preferences again. 

Swapping back and forth between the Utopias/GS-X MkII and 007/BHSE running off the same source, I liked the Staxen better. Quelle surprise.

[EdipisReks1]

41 minutes ago, Hopstretch said:

And we're back to individual preferences again. 

Swapping back and forth between the Utopias/GS-X MkII and 007/BHSE running off the same source, I liked the Staxen better. Quelle surprise.

It's probably just the suspicious amplification you are using.

[Dreadhead]

Both of those transducers are so close to ideal performance wise I'm guessing with a bit of EQ(using IRF) they can sounds like each other quite happily.

Man I want to hear the Utopias. Maybe someone will bring a pair to Capital Audio Fest and I'll actually make the trip there.

[JimL]

1 hour ago, Pars said:

I would question his reference material as well. To me, reference material is something like a symphony orchestra in a hall that you have been in and know. For his material, was he at the recording sessions and knows what it sounds like?

His reference system also seems to be over processed. Must be a lot of a/d/a going on there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I believe he uses material that he has mastered, so he should have a pretty good idea of what it sounds like.  He IS a mastering engineer, after all.

[Bjorn]

1 hour ago, Hopstretch said:

And we're back to individual preferences again. 

Swapping back and forth between the Utopias/GS-X MkII and 007/BHSE running off the same source, I liked the Staxen better. Quelle surprise.

Is the BHSE still considered the top Omega driver or has the general consensus shifted towards the more recent KGSSHVs? Feels to me like the Blue hawaii is yesterday's news. Back when the 009 was introduced everyone was talking about it.  

Maybe it's just different shades of purple. Haven't listened to either one so I can only speculate. 

[johnwmclean]

Yeah the BHSE is redundant, I gutted mine to farm worms.

[aardvark baguette]

did i read correctly somewhere that there is no backwave?  how the hell?

[dsavitsk]

24 minutes ago, johnwmclean said:

Yeah the BHSE is redundant, I gutted mine to farm worms.

 

[aardvark baguette]

did you pass that?

[EdipisReks1]

When did Gene become a worm farmer?

[aardvark baguette]

next purchase is between the focals or these. 

cant decide.

[Hopstretch]

[EdipisReks1]

18 minutes ago, Hopstretch said:

 

[RudeWolf]

I'd only splurge for an ATC amp if it's a built in for active speakers. They're not bad, but not a good value. If you can, put less money in amplification and more in the speakers themselves.

[Wmcmanus]

Don't know the details, but they'll sound good if he likes them.

[Dusty Chalk]

1 hour ago, Hopstretch said:

Well, he said, 'next', so unless he orders them at the exact same time, he's referring to whichever he's ordering first.

[EdipisReks1]

18 minutes ago, Dusty Chalk said:

Well, he said, 'next', so unless he orders them at the exact same time, he's referring to whichever he's ordering first.

You're always a pedant, never a bride. 

[Dusty Chalk]

You're always a pedant, never a bride. 

'S'truth, have been since a child.

Sent from my mind using id, ego, or superego...

[wink]

The world's best audio equipment will not cure nor compensate for tin ears......

[jp11801]

6 hours ago, wink said:

The world's best audio equipment will not cure nor compensate for tin ears......

 

20 hours ago, Sherwood said:

Go set yourself on fire in Tunisia.

 

Tyler is a very wise man why have you not heeded his sage advice...

[aardvark baguette]

16 hours ago, aardvark baguette said:

next purchase is between the focals or these. 

cant decide.

Actually, now i cant get my p.o.s. laptop to show the login screen. It thinks there is an external monitor attached.

Im really not in the mood to buy a computer right now. Fucking HP.  Tonight should be fun.

Edited February 22, 2017 by aardvark baguette