Over-Ear
Final DX10000 CL
75Great
$9,000
Full review dataFinal DX10000 CL vs Focal Utopia 2022: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the Focal Utopia 2022 comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 81. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: Focal Utopia 2022 - Outstanding overall at around $4999.
Over-Ear
Focal Utopia 2022
81Outstanding
$5,000
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Focal Utopia 2022 leads on 4 of 4 measures.
- Final DX10000 CL
- Focal Utopia 2022
HearWiki score
75
81
Sound
9.3
9.7
Value
2.5
5.8
Price (USD)
$9,000
$5,000
Generation & platform
The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?
Same generation
The Final DX10000 CL is 4 years newer, but it is the same generation of hardware: nothing in the radio, the codecs or the noise cancelling separates them. Nothing separates them on convenience features either, so the choice comes down to tuning and price. For 4 years between them, that is a thin return - treat this as a restyle rather than a new platform.
- DX10000 CL20264 yr newer
- Utopia 20222022
Specifications
DX10000 CLUtopia 2022
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Over-Ear
- Price (USD)
- $9,000
- $5,000
- HearWiki score
- 75
- 81
- Released
- 2026
- 2022
- Availability
- Sold new
- Still sold new
- Driver
- 40 mm dynamic
- 40 mm dynamic
- Driver type
- dynamic
- dynamic
- Driver size
- 40 mm
- 40 mm
- Drivers per side
- 1
- 1
- Frequency response
- -
- 5 Hz - 23 kHz
- Impedance
- 20 Ω
- 80 Ω
- Sensitivity
- 92 dB/mW
- 104 dB/mW
- Active noise cancelling
- No
- No
- ANC type
- none
- -
- Transparency mode
- No
- -
- Companion app
- No
- -
- Custom EQ
- No
- -
- Wear detection
- No
- -
- Weight
- 543 g
- 490 g
- Foldable
- No
- -
- Detachable cable
- Yes
- Yes
- USB-C
- No
- -
- Connector
- 4.4 mm balanced
- -
- Balanced connection
- -
- Yes
What reviewers said
Final DX10000 CL
The Final DX10000 CL is a flagship closed-back headphone that leverages a 40mm True Diamond dynamic driver, produced via Chemical Vapor Deposition, to deliver exceptional clarity and controlled resonance. Its rigid aluminium-magnesium housing and specially engineered earpads aim to minimize internal reflections, creating a spacious and detailed soundstage for a sealed design. Priced as a top-tier audiophile product, this wired, balanced-connection model emphasizes pure acoustic engineering over convenience features. Its high resolution and emotionally engaging character make it a standout for those seeking a premium listening experience.
- Pro:Exceptional resolution and detail retrieval
- Pro:Spacious soundstage for a closed-back design
- Pro:Rigid, premium build with aluminium-magnesium housing
- Con:Very high price point limits accessibility
- Con:No active noise cancellation or app support
- Con:Heavy at 543g, potentially less comfortable for long sessions
Focal Utopia 2022
The Focal Utopia (2022) is a premium open-back flagship headphone that refines the original's celebrated sound with enhanced clarity, tonal realism, and a luxurious build. It delivers exceptional detail and articulate bass through its 40mm dynamic drivers, making it a top-tier choice for audiophiles despite its high price and open-back nature. The design is an evolutionary upgrade rather than a radical departure, retaining the core 80-ohm impedance and 104dB sensitivity.
- Pro:Exceptional detail and transparency
- Pro:Articulate, well-defined bass
- Pro:Premium, luxurious build quality
- Con:Very expensive at roughly $5,000
- Con:Open-back design leaks sound and offers no isolation
- Con:Included unbalanced cable is relatively short
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
Compare something else
Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.