Focal’s Utopia headphones live up to their $3,999 price
And the $999 Elear aren’t too bad either
Headphones Review | Rogue Pony
Focal’s Utopia & Elear Headphones
Designed and manufactured in France and equipped with exclusive technology resulting from more than 35 years of expertise. Open back circum-aural headphones dedicated to low noise environments. Mechanical design offering a full compatibility to any size and shaped head.
What amount would you pay for better than average sound? Before you answer that question, consider that the world in all $11 billion (R 147 billion ) is spent every year on headphones, $1 billion of which is spent on premium ($100+) in the US. So it seems the world has a great designer for awesome sound and it’s only get bigger with our world getting nosier.
Focal is a French loudspeaker manufacturer that knows a thing or too about the developing trends in personal audio, and is this summer of 2016 has introducing two blockbuster pairs of headphones: the $999 Elear and the amazing $3,999 Utopia. The company’s betting on people finding themselves dissatisfied with the Beats by Dre class of supposedly premium headphones and looking up in price range to discover what truly premium headphones are about. Having tested both of its new models, I would say that Focal’s aspirations are amply justified, and your money would be well spent with either of its new pairs of headphones.
In the beginning i didn’t think that this would have been my conclusion.
These two models are Focal’s first venture into the high-end headphone market.
So naturally you would expect these “newbies” to have a few problems in these first headphone models. Focal’s have pull a rabbit out of the hat and have created two set of flawless headphones. The star of the show, the lofty Utopia, is basically a Sennheiser HD 800 S with a more satisfying low end and, somehow, even more detail and resolution. It’s more than twice Sennheiser’s asking price of $1,700, but it’s also built out of legitimately exclusive materials like carbon fiber, beryllium and a bit of space aged craziness.
The lesser Focal Elear compete against the likes of the $699 Audeze EL-8, but again assert their value through sheer performance and awesomeness.
One of the most mind blowing personal touch of these set’s is that someone actually wore and listened to your head phones. Both set have been test to make sure of that you would be getting the best
One of the only negative comments i can have about these headphones is the weight of the set. But Focal has done an amazing job of distribute their weight across the listener’s head, avoiding pain points or discomfort over long listening sessions.
The Utopia, benefiting from a carbon fiber yoke and more luxurious lambskin leather ear pads, gives more room around the ear and feels the more comfortable of the two. The microfiber-covered Elear pads use the same memory foam, but they can’t match the feathery softness of the more expensive pair’s perforated leather. Both of these models , are exceptionally comfortable, putting to shame many of their designed-by-numbers rivals.
Sound balance on both Focal pairs is basically beyond reproach. Bass is full, rich, and precise: it’s a winner on both quantity and quality. Mids are as present as they need to be, never overwhelming or being overwhelmed, and the treble is crystalline in its definition. The major differences between these two pairs come down to their resolution, imaging, and sound stage.
I could go on forever on how life changing the sound quality is. I only have one question really for the designers of the angelic sound machines, is why does the cheaper set The Elear have a amazing feature of having a standard 3.5mm connection at each cup and the Utopia not. Maybe its just me but having to deal with the 6.35mm jack that it comes with sucks.
To concluded these headphones are the most amazing sound machines that i have ever been able to test. They do come at a price that is way out of the budget of most but they are well worth ever penny.
Focal’s Utopia & Elear Headphones
Designed and manufactured in France and equipped with exclusive technology resulting from more than 35 years of expertise. Open back circum-aural headphones dedicated to low noise environments. Mechanical design offering a full compatibility to any size and shaped head.