"We may have to save up to afford a headphone in the $1K range, and we know that a $5K headphone does not offer 5X the sound."
Well said. Gorgeous headphones though.
Part of me always cringes at prices approaching Utopia's. My personal sweet-spot in hi-fi is just going that one or two steps beyond cheapest lowest-common denominator (garbage) sound reproduction because it can offer a surprisingly sublime experience. I come close to harboring hostility toward the crazy high-end ultra-expensive stuff and the snobish culture that grows around it. I prefer to extol the virtues of the sleeper mid-fi piece that blows away expectations.
But hey, money-spent is relative. I remember friends thinking I'm crazy for that time I spent over $300 for a pair of headphones. I still have those headphones and they're now among the cheapest in my collection.
If someone is prepared to perceive value from such a high-end item, and its easily affordable to them, more power to 'em. They should at least be aware that Utopia's cost isn't for nothing. I sincerely believe the new Utopia offers today's rendition of what's among the finest available at any price. The only thing preventing me from giving it the highest "Gotta Have It!" rating is the highly specialized target audience for such a piece.
