Back in February at the NYC CanJam I spent some time listening to the new dCS Lina DAC/Master Clock/Headphone amp system with the Meze Empyrean Elite and the Focal Utopia 2022. While both headphones being driven by the Lina were jaw droppingly (is that even a word?) good, I did prefer the Utopias over the Empyreans. I credit this preference to the fact that the Empyreans have planar magnetic drivers, as do the Abyss Dianas, while the Utopias have dynamic drivers. Dynamic drivers just seem to be my preferred type of driver, aside from electrostatic, which I also find very good sounding. Nonetheless I fully understand why many others prefer planar magnetic drivers.
Basically I agree with @Coltrane that, if at all possible, you should try your best to listen to some state of the art planar magnetic headphones since you may find them more to your liking. But don’t worry state of the art planar magnetic headphones are just as expensive as the Utopias.
I recently acquired a pair of Westone Mach 80 IEMs for a fantastic price. These lovely sounding IEMs came with a wide assortment of foam and silicone tips in many different sizes. I spent a good deal of time trying all the different sizes and materials until I was able to find one that gave me the best fit, seal and sound. Time that was very spent. Now that the warm weather is here in New Jersey I use the Mach 80s, driven by the FiiO M11Plus DAP, when I go my lengthy walks. No discomfort or sweaty ears, only great sound.
With IEMs or earbuds finding the proper tips is really important and makes all the difference in getting both comfort and great sound. Tips come in many different lengths, widths and materials so don’t give up on them until you have tried them all (or at least as many as you can find).
I own both Focal Utopia for home use and the Bathys I use when travelling. In my opinion the Utopia’s offer such a large improvement in sound they are worth it. The Bathys are as good as you are going to get in wireless headphones at the moment but the Utopia’s are on a different level.
My first over ear’s were Focal Stellia, I wanted closed back headphones for use in an office and I was astonished by the detail retrieval of the Stellia’s. A couple of years later I got the Bathys mainly for when I am travelling on business, the inbuilt DAC and Focal sound were the drivers for that purchase. Replaced my Sony XM5 with the Bathys and they are really good. I had never owned a pair of open backed headphones as the sound leakage was unsuitable for an office but since the Covid era I have become increasingly allowed to work from home so purchased a pair of 2022 Utopia’s when on a trip to Australia. I pair them with a Chord Hugo 2 in my home office and a Mojo 2 when lying on the couch. I was expecting an improvement over the Bathys but was not expecting too much of an improvement over the Stellia’s. However I have been amazed by the soundstage and level of detail I hear in good recordings. Absolutely wonderful headphones which have led to hours of enjoyment re-discovering my music library. I highly recommend them. Not cheap, but in my opinion worth every penny.
Apologies for that. Remember everyone’s hearing is different and this is my perception paired with my equipment. Try and audition with your own equipment to see if they work for you…….
I think that’s the problem Mike - I do just love my HD800’s. They’re always the pair that I ‘go back to’, and when I do they bring such a smile to my face
I think maybe I’ve just heard something ‘new’ with the Utopia’s? They sounded lovely, but if I did buy them, I really would have to move-on the HD800’s. TBH it’s not really about the cost - I just don’t like too many pairs of headphones in the house. I’ve managed to get it down to five pairs from ten, and I don’t want to increase the ‘head count’ any further now!
Ritey! I’ve gone back, to listen more to my Senny 800/820’s, which I’ve really enjoyed over the last few years.
After that, I think I’ve ‘scratched the itch’ with respect to the Focal Utopia’s. Yes. They were/are lovely. But I just can’t justify spending another £4k on a new pair of headphones, especially when I love my current setup.
So, goodbye Utopia’s. You were like a brief affair - amazing, but only for a brief ‘fling’
Mine are C7 by Cochlear - they are very expensive ($30K) - however, cost includes surgical implant of device wired to my cochlear. (All paid by government). Music streams to C7 via Bluetooth then transmitted to implanted connection. Works pretty good!
government). Music streams to C7 via Bluetooth 
then transmitted to implanted connection. Works pretty good! 