Focal Utopia

Focal brought the Utopia headphones to Crutchfield for a listening event — they sounded spacious, effortless, and incrediby nuanced. 

High-performance headphones live up to their lofty name

Focal dipped their toes in the headphone pool a few years back and earned rave reviews. Now these world-renowned speaker experts have decided it's time to dive headfirst into the deep end. The Focal Utopia open-back headphones employ the same spare-no-expense approach to design, engineering, and execution that made Utopia such a prestigious name in the worlds of home and car speakers.

Our special listening session here at Crutchfield

Focal stopped by Crutchfield HQ with a sample of the Focal Utopias (and their sibling, the Elear headphones). We were wowed by the strikingly realistic sound. I can't throw enough superlatives at them.

These headphones were clear and detailed in ways I've never heard. Home A/V editor Jim Richardson pointed out that “Limelight” by Rush — a song we've all heard countless times — has so much more going on in the low-end than we ever realized. You could pick out each instrument like the band was playing right in front of you. 

Fine materials and state-of-the art design

"Knowing Focal, there's beryllium under the hood," said our longtime home speaker buyer Tim, while discussing these headphones. He was right. Focal uses beryllium in their Utopia loudspeakers, and includes the precious material here to help emulate the sound of those high-end drivers. Beryllium is much lighter and stiffer than titanium or aluminum, so it can move more smoothly and efficiently.

For the 40mm drivers in the Utopia headphones, Focal formed beryllium foil domes into a unique "M" shape. This patent-pending design allows the drivers to perform with rigid agility. You get incredible sound that spreads across a wide frequency range, even beyond human hearing — all without any built-in crossover. The drivers are suspended in large, open-air chambers to cut down on resonance and create an extremely tight and lifelike stage for your music.   

Focal's specially designed driver uses materials like pure beryllium, for accurate sound with speaker-like dynamics.

Sturdy, comfortable fit adds to the experience

Focal's Utopia speakers are prized as much for their one-of-a-kind looks as their stunning sound. I'd say these headphones follow suit. The carbon-fiber headband yoke blends smoothly and symmetrically with the strong open-back earcups and mesh grilles. Both the 'cups and headband slide on seamlessly. They're also both padded with 0.8-inch thick memory foam and lined with beautiful, breathable Pittards leather — the same classic material found in quality handbags and fashion accessories. (Dare I say these headphones fit like a glove?)

This solid build dampens vibrations for better sound. It also helps ensure that you'll enjoy the Focal Utopia for years to come. They arrive magnet-sealed in a padded solid storage case that befits a pair of luxury headphones. Inside you'll also find an extra-long oxygen-free copper cable with a Neutrik® stereo 1/4" jack on one end and two shielded, lock-in-place headphone connectors on the other end.