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Focal Utopia Measurements

Discussion in 'Headphone Measurements' started by purr1n, Aug 25, 2016.

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  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Focal Utopia Measurements

    Subjective Impressions Here: http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...iew-err-well-some-subjective-impressions.2669
    Test Tone Measurements Here: http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...al-utopia-measurements.2670/page-2#post-74865
    Foam Coupler CSD Here: http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...al-utopia-measurements.2670/page-2#post-74883

    Focal Utopia Frequency Response (0db line = 100 dbSPL)
    Utopia FR.png
    The sharp 8kHz dip appears to be an artifact from the pads

    Focal Utopia Distortion (at above SPLs)
    Utopia L HD.jpg
    Utopia R HD.jpg

    Focal Utopia CSDs
    Utopia L.jpg
    Utopia R.jpg
    8kHz and up sound very smooth and refined. Much moreso than CSDs would suggest.
     
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2016
    purr1n, Aug 25, 2016
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  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Utopia vs Elear
    Utopia = PURPLE
    Elear = YELLOW
    Utopia vs Elear.png

    Utopia vs HD650 (modded)
    Utopia = PURPLE
    HD650 = YELLOW
    Utopia vs HD650.png

    Utopia vs HE1000
    Utopia = PURPLE
    HE1000 = YELLOW
    Utopia vs HEK.png

    Utopia vs Ether Open
    Utopia = PURPLE
    Ether = YELLOW
    Utopia vs Ether Open.png

    Utopia vs HD800 (stock)
    Utopia = PURPLE
    HD800 = YELLOW
    Utopia vs HD800.png
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2016
    purr1n, Aug 25, 2016
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  3. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Treble sounds smoother than that no?
     
    OJneg, Aug 25, 2016
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  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Yes. 8kHz and up sound very smooth and refined. Much moreso than CSDs would suggest.
     
    purr1n, Aug 25, 2016
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  5. sorrodje

    sorrodje Carla Bruni's other lover - Friend

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    Looks very good except that small 1khz bump. No shout to notice with voices like most Stax ?
     
    sorrodje, Aug 25, 2016
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  6. daytripper

    daytripper Friend

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    Is the comparison with the HD650 a modded version?
     
    daytripper, Aug 25, 2016
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  7. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Doesn't sound like Stax but I do think it might have been "enhancing" vocal presentation for better or worse.
     
    OJneg, Aug 25, 2016
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  8. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Interesting to note dominant D3 in the bass rather than the usual D2. HD800 has similar character. Utopia bass is similar sonically I would say, in that it does not have that fatness when pushed hard.
     
    OJneg, Aug 25, 2016
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  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    That's a good thing IMO. Elear bass has a similar D3, but overall higher D2 that ends up meeting D3 at 40Hz and below. I didn't want to say much because I wanted to hear what the NY guys had to say without influencing them; but they obviously noticed the Elear mid-bass to low bass was overwhelming. It's a combination of much more D2 - not just the slightly elevated bass from 200Hz below. Slightly moar bass + slightly moar D2 seems to make a big difference.

    The Utopia bass is very good quality. Not HEK or SR009 clean, but harder hitting with more solidity.

    The thing that makes me sad is that these are $4000. Focal could do massive cleansing market disruption thing if these were priced at $2000. It would be like the the Flood and Noah's Ark.
     
    purr1n, Aug 25, 2016
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  10. dsavitsk

    dsavitsk Friend

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    Any chance you can post a Fourier analysis of the distortion at certain tones?
     
    dsavitsk, Aug 25, 2016
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  11. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    Can you do -50 dB on csd-s ?
     
    Priidik, Aug 25, 2016
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  12. MrButchi

    MrButchi Gear Master Europe

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    Thanks for the work Marv.
    I'm amazed that distortion can have such an impact at such low levels.
    Need to pick up some human acoustic science material - do you guys have good sources to recommend ?
    Like why D2 and D3 have different impacts, so on and so forth?
     
    MrButchi, Aug 26, 2016
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  13. Serious

    Serious Inquisitive Frequency Response Plot

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    1kHz bump looks like it would drive me nuts, but otherwise FR looks pretty good. Fumbling with my weird V1 and V2 coupler targets I would like to see it flat to about 500Hz and then a downward slope to maybe 3kHz ending up 6-8db lower? In a way similar to the Ether probably. Surprised to see that the midrange distortion hasn't lowered compared to the Elear, but distortion profile looks nicer. Bass distortion also doesn't look all that much better and could maybe even be explained by the slight level difference, but then again the pads are different so that might not be fair.

    @Marvey You knew I would ask ... Can we get foam coupler measurements? Bet the 4k spot won't change as much as on the Elear because of the pads. 6kHz spot will likely also remain, but the rest will probably be smoother higher up. Overall CSDs look consistent with Tyll's results.

    I also think that the coupler results should have different targets depending on the type of the headphone. For example I found the TH-X00 way less forward between 1 and 2kHz than Elear despite similar coupler measurements. I think that's just the different wavefronts interacting with the ear in a different way.

    Can you try to make an EQ notch filter? 90Ohm in series with 5.5uF and 3mH in parallel? Maybe higher resistance depending on the inductor resistance.
     
    Serious, Aug 26, 2016
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  14. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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    So the null is real?
     
    Psalmanazar, Aug 26, 2016
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  15. Serious

    Serious Inquisitive Frequency Response Plot

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    Serious, Aug 26, 2016
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  16. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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    Missed the tiny text!
     
    Psalmanazar, Aug 26, 2016
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  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Also check CSDs to confirm. Most of the time, a sharp curvy V dip is a cancellation related to wavelength of the internal dimensions of the pads. CSDs in this case show that this dip goes away after the first slices, on the order of 3/10 milliseconds. If the dip continues in the CSD, then it is most likely real.

    Here's a different view:
    Utopia L.jpg
    Utopia R.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2016
    purr1n, Aug 26, 2016
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  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Will do. Maybe 40Hz, 500Hz, 1k. Maybe a few two-tones for IMD. Later tonight. Parents and craziness in the house, so need to wait until wee hours.

    OK.
     
    purr1n, Aug 26, 2016
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  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    CSD -50db Floor
    Utopia L.jpg

    CSD -50db Floor Overhead View
    Utopia L.jpg

    For comparison

    HD800 CSD -50 Floor
    HD800 stock L.jpg
    HD800 stock L.jpg

     
    purr1n, Aug 26, 2016
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  20. sorrodje

    sorrodje Carla Bruni's other lover - Friend

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    The more i read, the more I think HD800X and Utopia are close contenders and preference for one or another is a matter of tastes. Am I alone ?

    btw, thks to sbaf, I should be able to make my own opinion soon. :)
     
    sorrodje, Aug 26, 2016
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