Focal may not be the first company that you think of when it comes to headphones. However, the French manufacturer should be one of the first you listen to when it comes time to shop. The company just launched a trio of new products, known as the Utopia, the Elear, and the Listen.
Why three different models? The company is targeting three specific types of listeners -- as well as three different budgets.
The top-of-the-line model is the Utopia. Just that name screams "luxury," but this headphone product also has quite a pedigree. The open-back model follows in the footsteps of Focal's Grand Utopia EM Reference Hi-Fi speakers ($220,000 per pair) and Utopia Ultima Reference automotive speakers ($25,000 per pair). It features a high-end Beryllium driver in each ear cup with a completely open front and open back design. When used with the right headphone amp/DAC, Focal promises killer sound and a frequency response from 5Hz to 50kHz.
Our editor Chris Boylan listened to the Utopia model at a press event in New York City last month and found that they had a "nice open sound with excellent harmonic balance, and solid bass output." Their open-backed design allows them to present a wide and realistic soundstage, but it does mean that those around you will hear what you're playing too (so they're not ideal for a subway commute).
Other features include a carbon fiber yoke material and True Lambskin leather from New Zealand. Each set comes with a hard carrying case, a 13.1-foot OFC cable, a Neutrik 0.25-inch stereo plug, and two shielded Lemo connectors with a self-locking bayonet system.
The Elear has some of the same perks, but at a more affordable price. This open-back model has the same driver shape as the Utopia, but with an aluminum-magnesium blend. Other features include a frequency response of 5Hz to 23kHz, microfiber fabric cushions, and an aluminum yoke with the same in-band mechanism as the Utopia. Look for the Elear to ship with a hard carrying case, a 13.1-foot OFC cable, a 0.25-inch stereo jack, and two 0.14-inch jacks with the same self-locking system.
The last model in the new Focal lineup is the most affordable. Designed with the mobile user in mind, Listen over-the-ear headphones have the same hand-built design as the models mentioned above. However, this closed-back option has special venting designed for portable use. Other perks include large chrome-plated ear cups to help with noise isolation, a 40mm driver made of a titanium-coated Mylar sheet, and exclusive diaphragm technology for cranking out quality sound. This Listen comes with a soft carrying case and a 1.4-meter OFC cable with a built-in remote, omnidirectional microphone, and airplane adapter. It even has a thermosensitive memory foam and soft-touch headband.
"For the past two years, we've offered some of the best sounding over-ear headphones with our Spirit line," said Ben Jensen, president of Focal North America. "With Utopia, we challenged our engineers and designers to create a reference headphone that equals the sonic excellence found in our other premium lines in Hi-Fi, automotive, and professional monitoring and are incredibly proud of what we were able to achieve for our most discerning audiophile customers."
The Listen is available now, priced at $249. The other two models will be available in limited quantities (at first), starting on June 29. The Utopia has an MSRP of $3,999, with the Elear listed at $999.
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