Please share how the Atlas Zeno cable compares to the stock cable.
Cheers!
Please share how the Atlas Zeno cable compares to the stock cable.
Cheers!
To be honest, I didn’t compare it directly as it was bought from new, when I got the headphones. This was for 2 reasons:-
What I would say is that the sound is extremely impressive, particularly at low volumes. I would recommend the combination, though I’m aware Focal have brought out some new closed-backs (probably explains the good discount on the Elegias).
The Utopia does everything a little bit better.
Punchier and deeper in the bass, without overwhelming you, the mids are highly transparent, so is the top end, but it doesn’t tear out our brain like some Sennheisers sometimes do, trying to simulate room, where there is none.
All in all it is a big difference between the two, ist it worth the asking price?
Absolutely!
Is the Utopia four times better than the Elear?
Absolutely not!
I like to listen to both, Elear is more for rock and electronic music, there it makes a lot of fun and the Utopia i like to listen to jazz, classical music, singer/songwriter stuff.
Do you need both?
I don’t think so.
Is it fun, to have them?
YES!!
Yes, they have arrived.Still running them in but as other forum members have said they are a great match for the Uniti Atom.
They are good with all genres of music and there is no fatigue when listening for long periods. I would say they are on the warm side of neutral but they are not fully run in yet so that may change. They just let you enjoy the music and don’t highlight poor recorded tracks. Which is useful if like me you listen to a lot of internet radio as low bit rate stations are still enjoyable.
They are comfortable and I like the 3m cable and don’t think I will feel the need to upgrade. Hope you find my initial findings useful. Sorry for not posting sooner been busy with work…
Glad to hear it
One thing my Naim amps have taught me (both the XS2 and the SN2) is the value of an excellent headphone stage in an amp. If I move between the headphone socket on my CDP, Node 2i and the SN2, there is a clear difference in definition, warmth and quality.
I am very grateful Naim clearly put so much effort into their headphone sockets on their amps and, combined with my Focal Elears, it’s a great listening experience. A pity my Olive set up does not have a headphone socket but that’s solvable
I completely understand why some people spend many £1000’s on headphones and on quality headphone amps. If it was your main listening methods, there is a certain truth in it being the best way to experience listening.
It’s what I’ve done. I just wasn’t getting to listen via speakers and so I traded in my 252/SC/300 towards the rig I have now.
It’s very different through headphones, but I do get to enjoy my music at the sort of volume I like without disturbing the family or neighbours.
Another retro user here, Sennheiser HD565 Ovations bought for me by my wife many years ago. Resurrected with new headband pad, earcups and foam pads for pennies, sound the best they ever have driven from the SN3 headphone output. Compared them with Momentum 3’s and the old Ovations sound much more realistic and open to me at least.
What is the lead that you are using with your Elears? It is not the supplied big heavy one…
Yeah it has the heavy 3 metre Focal cable with it. I also had a shorter high quality cable made by AF Audio for me too. The one in the picture is the Heavy Focal one - remember in the picture you see the thinner tails to each ear piece.
Nice set up.
How do the Abyss compare to the Empyreans?
Which Abyss model are they?
That’s a lovely set up
The Abyss Diana Phi are very detailed compared to the Empyreans. Not as warm. I enjoy them both for different reasons and for the different sounds they convey.
Wow, I already find the Empyreans detailed. I’m not sure I’d want even more.
Lol… I was thinking the same. Love the detail of the empyrean… everything about them. Even their ability to make you jump thinking a noise came from someone behind you in the room.
Nice to see an RME there, you feeding the Violectirc balanced from it or line? How much of a difference is the amp compared to the RME’s headstage. I have the RME and wonder if I added an amp it would take it a stage further.
The violectric is a substantial step up and really benefits harder to drive headphones. It offer a bit of warmth, opens things up and provides a bit more punch. That said the RME headphone amp is quite good. I have it connect via balance xlrs.
Nice, a V280… I’ve been wondering about upgrading to this from my V200. V281 is too tall for my Fraim (I’m loathe to move the 252 from the top level or get taller pillars) so the 280 would be perfect in this regard…and I imagine soundwise too.
I have a pair of these too. Seriously under rated. Plus most comfortable pair I’ve owned for this typically HP hater.