This is a comparison between two of the best headphones ever made. It is not a review. I will compare them only to each other, it is merely an a/b comparison. Take it for what it is.
The STAX SR-009 was launched in 2011 and took over the spot as STAX’s flagship from the SR-007 mk2, which in turn was preceded by the SR-007mk1. The first SR-007 was called the Omega 2 because it succeeded the by now legendary STAX SR-Ω (Omega), which was launched in 1994 and by many regarded as STAX’s best headphone ever.
The SR-009 was replaced by the SR-009S in 2018, which looks almost identical but is identifiable by the golden colour of the driver. STAX has also launched a brand new flagship a step up from the SR-009S; the SR-X9000, launched in 2023. The X9000 is, in anything but the seemingly random name, an effort to bring back the magic of the original Omega, it’s STAX’s remake of the original “SR-Ω”.
The Focal Utopia was French speaker-manufacturer Focal’s entry into the high-end headphone realm. Launched in 2016, it soon got attention and was claimed to be among the world’s finest headphones. Subsequently, they introduced the Elear later that year and followed up with the original Clear in 2017, solidifying their position in high-end audio.
In 2022, Focal introduced a new version of the Utopia. The changes were minor enough for Focal to not change the name but it has become known as the Focal Utopia 2022. In this review, we used the original Utopia.
TECHNICALITIES
The Focal Utopia is a circum-aural open-back headphone. It uses a dynamic driver in the form of a 40mm ‘M’ shape dome made of pure Beryllium. It has an impedance 80 of Ohms and a sensitivity of 104dB. It weighs 490 grams without cable.
The SR-009 is a “Push-Pull Open Back Circular Electrostatic Headphone” and uses a multilayer fixed electrode (MLER) design. The diaphragm is made of a special ultra-thin plastic. It weighs roughly 450 grams without cable and 580 grams with cable. It needs a dedicated amplifier made for 580V “PRO-bias” electrostatic headphones.
FOCAL UTOPIA SPECIFICATIONS
- Type Circum-aural open-back headphones
- Impedance 80 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 104dB SPL / 1mW @ 1kHz
- THD: <0,2% @ 1kHz / 100dB SPL
- Frequency response: 5Hz – 50kHz
- Loudspeaker: 40mm pure Beryllium ‘M’ shape dome
- Fenestrated sheepskin pads with partly mesh on the inside
- Weight: 490g
- Cable connection to headphones: 2-pin LEMO
- Cables: 1 x 4ft OFC 24 AWG cable with 1/8″ (3.5mm) TRS Jack connector, 1 x 10ft OFC 24 AWG cable with 4-pin XLR connector, 1 x Jack adapter, 1/8″ (3.5mm) female – 1/4″ (6.35mm) male
STAX SR-009 SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: Push-Pull Open Back Circular Electrostatic Headphone.
- Frequency Response: 5 – 42,000Hz.
- Electrostatic Capacitance: 110pF (including cable)
- Impedance: 145k Ω (including cable, at 10kHz)
- Sound Pressure Sensitivity: 101dB / 100V r.m.s. 1 kHz.
- Maximum Sound Pressure: 118dB / 400Hz.
- Weight: 450 grams without cable and 580 grams with cable
- Cable is non-detachable (extenders available)
- 580V “PRO-bias” electrostatic headphones.
COMPARISON
In this comparison, the Focal Utopia is powered by the EAR HP4 tube amplifier, the STAX SR-009 is powered by KGSSHV Carbon. I use the RME ADI-2 DAC FS as a source.
Teardrop by Massive Attack
The bass is very tactile and fast with the Utopia. Excellent instrument separation and clarity. Very snappy percussion.
Moving over to the SR-009, the most important difference is the bass – or lack thereof. There is no contest in terms of bass quality and quantity, it’s a clear win for the Utopia. The SR-009 has a wider soundstage, but not more precise. The highs feel more effortless with the SR-009. Except for the bass, the two headphones have a similar tuning.
Inertia Creeps by Massive Attack
The SR-009 presents a very organic sound with lots of layers. There’s this extreme sense of ease and flow. The sound is so light on its feet, that nothing feels forced or edgy.
The Utopia is again similarly tuned. There’s not the same ease, it feels more technical and less organic. Both have lots of detail. I prefer the mids and highs of the SR-009 but the bass of the Utopia is just better. It’s mostly about quality. There’s a bit more bass in terms of quantity, but just enough to make the track sound complete. Neither of these cans are bass cannons.
10:15 On a Saturday Night by The Cure
Very spacious and detailed presentation from the SR-009. It sounds very organic. It sounds very effortless, the micro-dynamics and fine micro detail (plankton) are excellent.
The bass is quite present and I have no complaints. That’s until I listen to the Utopia, though. There’s no doubt that it has more punch and body. It’s not night and day, but significant.
Bent Into Shape by Todd Sickafoose
The standing bass goes deep, and even the Utopia rolls off compared to the best planars like HE6/1000v2/SE. I don’t really feel the SR-009 performs any worse with the bass here, surprisingly. The Utopia has better instrument separation, but the SR-009 has that organic feeling you only get with good electrostats.
Be With Me Poly by Youandewan
The SR-009 presents this electronic music piece in an excellent manner. The Utopia sounds a bit sharper and thinner. The track is mixed a bit bright, so it’s not really the Utopia’s fault.
Can’t You See by Susan Wong
Beautiful song, the SR-009 does it no injustice. The vocals are smooth and tender, the general presentation gives a sense of ease and flow, lots of plankton with no hard edges.
The Utopia has a different presentation. There’s more blackness between the instruments, and the edges of the details are a bit sharper. The individual sounds have more sense of articulation.
Winter 1, Vivaldi 4 Seasons by the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
The tuning of these two headphones is very similar. They are bright-ish sounding and it suits this track well. The difference lies in the presentation. The Utopia is like a scalpel, sharp, with fine cuts, dissecting the music to bring out all the details. The SR-009 on the other hand is like water, the details are ripples on the surface.
Contradiction by Apparat
A very dynamic electronic-based track, delivered with finesse and great dynamics by the Utopia. The SR-009 is not far behind, though. It’s a bit smoother and somewhat less dynamic.
Daddy Lessons by Beyonce
The sense of separation and cleanliness by the Utopia is really something special. The bass is decently full and very controlled. The vocals are crisp, they’re sharper on the Utopia than on the SR-009. The soundstage is not as pinpointed with the SR-009 as with the Utopia, the bass isn’t as tight and punchy.
Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5. by Hilary Hahn
The SR-009 gives a delicious presentation, but it is very ethereal and a little lacking in tonal weight and instrumental body. The Utopia sounds less bright and has more body to the instruments, the strings have more texture.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sounds signature
The Utopia and SR-009 are similarly tuned: They have a polite bass quantity and are somewhat bright. The Utopia has more bass presence and the SR-009 has a bit more energy in the upper mids.
Treble
Both have enough treble to satisfy the treble heads out there. However, I do not find any of them to be piercing or overly bright in a bad way. I have had a problem with fatigue with e.g. Sennheiser HD800 and Beyerdynamic T1. Neither the Utopia nor the SR-009 are inducing that kind of listener fatigue in my case, at least.
Even though they have a similar treble presence, the presentation of the treble is different. The Utopia is sharper, rawer and feels ultra-precise. It’s clean and sharp. The SR-009 is more ethereal and liquid. I find the SR-009 more organic and true to nature, but the Utopia is fascinating and great in its own way. There’s not by any means a night and day difference, though. Both have a great treble presentation.
Midrange
The mids are also quite similar. They have a somewhat different frequency response, but are not really very dissimilar. The SR-009 has a more elevated upper midrange, making it sound brighter on some tracks. Again they are equally detailed, but the SR-009 is more liquid, the Utopia is more about texture.
Bass
The frequency response is close, but the Utopia is more even. Both roll off a bit in the lowest regions. Often, the bass is quite similar. But with certain tracks, the Utopia is far superior. It has more presence, better punch, texture and detail. However, it’s not like the SR-009 doesn’t have great bass, it’s just not as good as that of the Utopia.
Soundstage
The SR-009 is wider and taller, the Utopia is smaller but more pinpointed and has more black space between the instruments. The Utopia is also better at layering.
Timbre
I think they both have a great timbre. The SR-009 has the best treble, the mids are equal and the bass is the realm of the Utopia. They’re both kind of bright-leaning, not for bassheads, although the Utopia knows how to kick when asked for.
Dynamics
The Utopia is generally more dynamic sounding. That does not mean that the SR-009 doesn’t sound dynamic. It does; I find the SR-009 to have good macrodynamics and great microdynamics.
CONCLUSION
These are two superb-sounding headphones. Arguably, they are two of the greatest ever made. Both have an immense level of detail. They have a similar bright-leaning sound signature and come with different strengths and very few weaknesses.
You can check out the Focal Utopia on Amazon here
STAX International website here
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