FOCAL UTOPIA ‘PHONES

Focal has released its new Utopia and Elear headphones. According to Focal, the Utopia headphones, which retail in Australia for $5,500, are the first in the world to have full-range drivers in fully open-backed enclosures, using a technology that is awaiting the grant of a patent. ‘ These new headphones, which are made entirely in Focal’s wholly-owned facility in SaintEtienne, in the South-west of France, are the first headphones from any loudspeaker manufacturer that fully reflect and use the technologies and expertise developed for the company’s most expensive loudspeakers,’ said Chris Murphy, of N.A. Distributors, which distributes Focal in Australia and New Zealand.

The Focal Elear ($1,675) is essentially the same as the Utopia, but whereas the Focal’s drivers have an ‘M’-shaped dome made from beryllium, the Elear’s drivers are made from an alloy of aluminium and magnesium alloy. In both cases, the drivers are driven by unique monolayer voice coils that do not have formers. ‘ The result is a voice coil measuring 25mm in diameter by 4.4mm in height that is actually lighter than voice coils measuring 15mm×1.5mm used in other high-end headphones on the market,’ said Murphy. ‘ The goal is to have excellent mechanical coupling to the dome considering its diameter, and to ensure the voice coil is always controlled by the magnet’s magnetic field regardless of diaphragm excursion.’ For more information, contact N.A. Distributors on (02) 8005 0670 or visit the website at www.nadist.com.au