Product Video
Features
Warranty length | 2 Years |
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Brand | Focal JM Labs |
Product Award | What HiFi Award 5 Stars, HiFi World 5 Globes |
Tech Specs
Design
- Type: Circum-aural open back
- Wear: Over Ear Headphones
- 40mm pure Beryllium “M” dome
Performance
- Impedance 80 Ohms
- Sensitivity 104dB SPL / 1mW @ 1kHz
- THD <0,2% @ 1kHz / 100dB SPL
- Frequency response 5Hz - 50kHz
Connectors
- 1 x 6.35mm stereo Jack
- 2 x 9.5mm Lemo
General
- Carry case: 326x260x164mm
- Cable length: 13.1ft (4m)
- Weight 1.08lb (490g)
Product Description
Focal Utopia headphones are reference hi-fi headphones and uniquely feature Focal's Beryllium driver technology. They are the result of 35 years of innovation, development and manufacturing of high-end speaker drivers and loudspeakers and effectively distill Focal's Utopia speaker performance into a headphone.
Why Utopia Headphones?
Equipped with exclusive technology, the Utopia Headphones offer striking realism, neutrality, dynamics and an ultra wide frequency response, for sound with unrivalled purity. Focal’s Utopia headphones are unique and are the world’s first audiophile headphones to be equipped with totally open-backed full-range speaker drivers with pure Beryllium M shaped domes.
Made in France
Designed and manufactured in France, this very high-end audiophile open-back circum-aural headphone for low-noise environments is equipped with exclusive technology resulting from more than 35 years of expertise.
It has a pure, elegant and sophisticated design due to the carbon fibre yoke and true lambskin leather headband and ear cushions. You will forget the headphones are even there, and the reproduction of the audio signal is of unrivalled clarity.
Purity of Sound
One of the reasons why headphones sound different to speakers is due to the shape of the soundwave. Whether it’s an inverted or positive dome, a listening distance of an inch requires that the shape of the dome is completely redesigned to achieve a plane wave in ultra-nearfield listening. That's why Focal designed a cone with a new ‘M’-shaped dome.
Utopia is equipped with totally open-backed full-range speaker driver utilising the famous pure Beryllium dome in order to offer an unrivalled mass rigidity damping ratio. The engineers at Focal have pushed back the limits of acoustic innovation and succeeded in providing a listening experience worthy of the best Focal loudspeakers. The result is a transducer with a frequency response ranging from 5Hz to more than 50kHz without any crossover or passive filtering.
Acoustic Transparency
The cable supplied with Utopia was specifically selected for its capability to respect the original audio signal, such as its very low impedance (< 90 mΩ/metre). It is totally symmetrical in order to offer extremely low crosstalk (< 70 picofarads). The shielding protects it from electromagnetic interference and allows for a longer cable (4m/13 ft.). Finally, the 9.5mm Lemo connector and the 6.35mm Neutrik stereo jack enable easy customisation.
Monolayer Voice Coil
As part of the project, Focal has design the very first voice coil without former that also features a monolayer coating to make it even lighter. The result is a voice coil measuring 25mm in diameter by 4.4mm in height which is actually lighter than voice coils measuring 15mm x 1.5mm used in other highend headphones on the market. The goal is to have excellent mechanical coupling to the dome considering its diameter, and to ensure the voice coil is always controlled by the magnet’s magnetic field regardless of the excursion
Surround Sound
The surround is clearly a key component of the moving part. When it comes to the physical demands expected of Utopia and Elear headphones, the surround needs to offer an optimised compliance and have high Xmax, to ensure they are as lightweight as possible. Once again, Focal has proved its expertise with another world premiere: the thinnest suspension ever created, with a thickness of 80 microns! This challenge required months of work to conciliate very low mass, maximum excursion and the linearity of the moving assembly, all while ensuring perfectly balanced sound regardless of the volume.
Remarkable Comfort
Particular attention has been paid to the design of Utopia, in terms of use, comfort and overall aesthetics. These audiophile headphones feature elegant, high-quality materials, and comfort has been greatly enhanced thanks to the yoke design, memory foam ear-pieces and mechanical "constant bend" design of the headband for an even distribution of weight. For extra security and protection, Focal Utopia comes in a stylish carry case so you don’t have to worry when taking them on trips.
Press Reviews
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'Utopias are refined and wonderfully smooth performers that still have enough in the way of bite to satisfy. There's a lovely sense of weight and authority and the ability to deliver huge dynamic sweeps with composure. It’s a spacious presentation, each instrumental strand has space to stretch out and express itself.' (What Hi-Fi Magazine April 2017)
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'Tonally, things are nicely balanced, with no part of the frequency range getting undue emphasis. Wonderfully extended lows brim with agility and punch, but also blend in seamlessly with the organic midrange.' (What Hi-Fi Magazine April 2017)
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'The Focals reveal the build-up in musical tension superbly, thanks to their startling insight and sonic stability. These headphones are revealing but don’t go out of their way to highlight the harshness… a nicely judged balance that means the Utopias work well across a wide range of recordings. We’re left a little breathless with the energy on show, as well as the detail resolution.' (What Hi-Fi Magazine April 2017)
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'Focals reveal elements of a recording that we’ve never heard before. Sometimes these give us a new view of the music being played, other times they simply embellish what we already know. Either way, it’s clear that these headphones are mighty talented.' (What Hi-Fi Magazine April 2017)
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'Unarguably one of the finest headphones on the planet. Superlative resolution and transparency, excellent dynamics, plenty of finesse, impressive comfort… Focal has aimed for the moon when it comes to performance, directing its flagship offering straight at the very best the headphone establishment can manage. It has succeeded.' (What Hi-Fi Magazine April 2017)
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'These headphones are the best transducers I've heard - speakers or headphones. Reference-class all the way, they should come with another kind of warning; once heard, you'll be satisfied with little else...' (Hi-Fi World magazine)
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'Outstanding...amongst the best...jaw-droppingly accurate sound, stunningly-built, comfortable...the best headphones every produced?' (Hi-Fi World magazine)
Customer Reviews
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Ryan Dickie
16 May 2018
Words cannot express how absolutely magical these headphones are! Pick one of your favourite tracks and listen to it on a pair of Focal Utopias paired with a great amp and you will be amazed how many little details in the recording you notice that you hadn't before. The resolution is second to none.
Two common criticisms I have read about is bass is a little light but to my ears its bang on. If you do feel that the bass is a little light though using the Elear pads on the Utopias adds a couple of DB to the bass.
The second is the cable is ridiculously long but you are not going to be walking around when listening to these headphones so I never found that an issue either. The best third party cable I've hear is the Black Dragon from Moon Audio for those who are interested.