DAN CLARK AUDIO VOCE vs FOCAL UTOPIA Comparison Review

This review pits Dan Clark Audio’s (previously MrSpeakers) Voce electrostatic headphones against Focal’s Utopia dynamic driver headphones. I love both of these headphones.

For two reasons, I decided to compare the Utopia with and without the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads. For one, I love how they sound like Utopia, and secondly, it makes the tone seem more like the slightly warmer 2022 presentation. The first generation of pads are used by the Voce.

The Utopia is a standard dynamic headphone design that is compatible with standard headphone amplifiers and outputs. The Voce requires a transformer box or an electrostat driver/amp/energizer specifically for this purpose. You can use it with any 580V PRO bias STAX amplifier.

SETUP: 

• Focus Utopia, a DCA Voce equipped with a KGSSHV Carbon electrostat amplifier, Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads, and a Sparkos Gemini hybrid tube amplifier
• Both come from the same place: the RME ADI-2 DAC FS.

SPECIFICATIONS FOCAL UTOPIA 

• Over-the-ear headphones
• ‘M’ shaped dome driver made of 40 mm of pure Beryllium
• Resistor: 80 ohms
• Product Specifications: 104 dB SPL / 1mW @ 1kHz
• Total harmonic distortion (THD) is less than 0.2 percent at 1 kHz at 100 dB SPL.
• Input frequency range: 5 Hz to 50 kHz
• Measurement: 490 grams
• A 2-pin LEMO connector for use with headphones
• Two sets of cables are included: one 4-foot OFC 24 AWG cable with a TRS jack connector and one 10-foot OFC 24 AWG cable with a 4-pin XLR connector. Additionally, there is a 1/8-inch (3.5mm) jack converter. woman – 1/4 inch (6.35 millimeter) male
• Case dimensions: 250 x 240 x 120 mm

SPECIFICATIONS DAN CLARK AUDIO VOCE

• Over-the-ear headphones with a curved design
• Electrostatic driver with a 2m capacitor and an 88mm driver size A 135 pF cable
• Dimensions for shipment: 18x14x19 inches; 370 grams; Napa lamb leather ear pads
• Product Weight: 8 pounds
• How often A flat response up to 6 Hz

BUILD AND COMFORT

Besides the sound, I will not describe anything else in great depth. But they’re both solidly constructed. Although I find both to be quite comfy, I find that the Voce is even more so than the Utopia. Plus, it’s not heavy. In my opinion, the Voce and the Ether 2 are two of the best headphones ever made.

COMPARISONS

Terminal 7 by Tomasz Stanko Quintet

The percussion in this track is quite captivating, and Voce does an excellent job of capturing it. The highs are crystal clear, and the instrumental separation is tight. The instruments are surrounded by a great deal of air. The presentation’s ease is outstanding. The bass, the piano, and the trumpet. It is effortless.

While Utopia is excellent in this setting, it lacks the Voce’s smoothness and ease. One of the Utopia’s true strengths is its excellent separation and pinpoint imaging, so I must admit that I am a little taken aback. But in this case, the Voce triumphs.

Fading Sorrow by Marcin Wasilewski Trio

Compared to the Utopia, the Voce brings out the saxophone’s warmer and more forward tone. With deft dexterity and pinpoint accuracy, the percussion floats through the air. The bass is top-notch as well. In my opinion, the Utopia presentation is comparable, if not quite as natural.

Arco by Marcin Wasilewski Trio

This song complements the Utopia beautifully. Accurately depicted are the minute details. Yet, when accompanied by vocals, this song takes on an even more natural and carefree quality, making it a very stunning piece.

Bored by Deftones 

On the Utopia, this song sounds decent. Texture abounds, and the layering is superb. Warmth and full-bodied bass are achieved with the Dekoni pads.

Aside from being noticeably clearer with even better separation and layering, the Voce sounds almost similar.

Fly Forward by J.Higdon / Hilary Hahn 

While the Utopia is capable of producing excellent orchestral sounds, the Voce is capable of producing even more magnificent results. It has a roomy, detailed sound with a smooth, polished treble and plenty of detail overall.

Angel by Massive Attack

On Utopia, this is just fantastic. The presentation is highly cohesive, the bass is powerful, and there is an abundance of information. On the Voce, it sounds fantastic as well. With a slightly different voice, it becomes even more polished and superior.

Almost Like the Blues by Leonard Cohen

A rich, full-bodied bass is presented by the Utopia. Cohen’s voice is rich and full-bodied, with a lot of direct presence.

A somewhat distinct tone characterizes the Voce. The bass may use some work; it’s almost too boomy. While the vocals are intricate, they sounded slightly more natural when performed with the Utopia.

As Before by Olga Konkova

The Focal Utopia is a stunning location. The Voce brings out its beauty even more.

FOCAL UTOPIA WITH STOCK PADS

The Utopia is becoming noticeably brighter and less bass-heavy after installing these, however I won’t go into a detailed comparison with the stock pads just yet. While some people lean toward using the included pads, I myself do not.

WRAPPING IT UP

Sound Signature

The Voce has a lot of low-end punch. Compared to the default pads, the Utopia sounds much better with the Dekoni ones, which have a decent amount of bass quantity.

Both headphones have a prominent midrange, but their frequency responses are different, so you’ll need to mentally adjust when you switch between them. On both, you can hear a decent bit of treble. The frequency response is excellent on both headphones.

Treble 

Among dynamic headphones, the Utopia may have the purest treble you’ve ever heard. But it’s no match for the electrostat Voce, which is utterly smooth and easy. The treble presence is strong in both, and neither is too light nor too dark.

Mids

Although their tuning is slightly different, they have a comparable midrange. In my opinion, they are similar but not identical. The Utopia and the Voce are my favorites on different occasions.

Bass 

With outstanding detail, punch, texture, and presence, the bass of the Voce is quite remarkable. While the Utopia’s bass is lacking when using the supplied pads, it sounds nearly as good as the Voce when using the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads that I’ve used for this comparison.

Soundstage, Imaging and Dynamics

I have often remarked how amazed I am by the Utopia’s pinpoint imaging, and both of them have excellent sound stages and imaging. But the Voce has even better instrument separation, a darker backdrop, and even more pinpoint accuracy. And the stage is even more expansive.

They are equally adept at dynamics. I still can’t claim that the Voce is less dynamic, despite the fact that this is supposedly where electrostats fall short. Particularly impressive is the microdynamics, which convey even the tiniest of features with remarkable clarity.

Timbre

The fact that they sound slightly different from one track to the next and have slightly varying frequency responses makes this task quite challenging. The treble, on the other hand, sounds more fluid and natural when using the Voce. Which one I like more depends on the song, but both have excellent midrange. When using the Utopia’s default pads, I find that the Voce’s bass is more satisfying. You get more uniformity with the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin cushions.

AMPLIFICATION

Voce requires a robust electrostatic amplifier. The STAX SRM-007t2 amplifier I own was inadequate. But it sounds great with the KGSSHV Carbon.

Even if the Utopia isn’t as picky, it will still sound great with the right amplifier. While competing options do a better job, the Sparkos Labs Gemini is excellent. Utopia amplifiers are the subject of a different post of mine. Adding that said, I can’t say that any of the other amplifiers I’ve tried would significantly improve the Utopia’s performance enough to warrant include them in this comparison.

CONCLUSION 

They are both extremely detailed, high-end headphones. Both sound quite natural and have a well-balanced frequency response. When compared to the Utopia, I actually think the Voce with the KGSSHV Carbon performs better in most cases.

Although the Voce has somewhat more bass, both have superbly controlled bass. Midrange sounds pretty much the same to me. Even in the high treble range, the Voce sounds clear and natural. While the Utopia’s soundstage is reasonably broad and features excellent imaging, the Voce’s soundstage is more expansive and equally impressive.

Of all, the fact that it is compatible with standard headphone amplifiers is the main selling point of the Focal Utopia. A dedicated electrostat amplifier isn’t enough for the Voce; it requires an exceptionally powerful one.

Among the most potent electrostat amplifiers available, I utilized the KGSSHV Carbon. The Utopia is far more adaptable and comes close to matching the performance of the Voce, even though I preferred the Voce in this comparison.