Did a bunch of Utopia OG cable listening today and got a good idea of what the Nordost Heimdall 2 and Dana Cable Reference bring to the table.
First off, both cables are head and shoulders above stock. I stand by that if you are looking to buy a focal, you should consider a good cable into your purchasing budget.
Nordost Heimdall 2:
To start this off I am going to quote M0N as its a great start…
Regarding tonality, timbre, smoothness and liquidity I couldn’t agree more. This is the best i heard vocals and stringed instruments on the Utopia, as in the most natural or “correct” as stock Utopia is a bit off timbre and likewise. I also agree on the micro, micro dynamics and detail popped more here than on the dana and i was picking things out more easily. Connecting it with the tonality and timbre, there were background vocals on tracks that i thought were just non-sense chants but here i could clearly make out the distinct words. Another key point is that the heimdall goes thicker, richer, and sweeter. I would say it is a definite t h i c k & s o l i d take on the Utopia. Quantity wise it provides more bass and visceral touch than the dana and stock, and that thickness continues through the spectrum. The mids are rich with a dab of added romance. The treble is sweetened while keeping its extension but in exchange it looses a bit of air. Stage is bigger than stock but a little smaller than the dana, mostly width wise, but i believe there is more separation in that given space. I also feel it is less ethereal holographic and more of a solid feel, still very 3D. Oddly while being smoother overall, texture is nice and crispy and well pronounced. Like comparing a kettle cooked potato chip to a regular old lays. Overall a richer, thicker, more weighted take on the Utopia sound. I wonder if this is closer to what the 2022 revision provides.
"Dana Cable Reference:*
The Dana is a bit different but on thing it and the Heim have in common is they add some meat to the Utopia. The Dana does it a bit different in that it better keeps the lighter feel of the stock Utopia but adds just a touch of width. This warms things up just a little and nulls any high end spikes, but keeps the fr balance in tact. I think this does a good job at retaining the natural holographic and ethereal feel in place but just adding a touch more weight. As if the heim is smoke from a nice cigar, and the dana is steam from your tea. The stage is bigger by a little and wraps around more, though i dont hear the more distinct seperation or spaces between pieces. Its not mush, maybe just a little more unison. Bass quantity is definetly better than stock and has more kick and visceral feel, but not as much as the heim. Though the heim wins out on quantity, the dana has more nuanced bass. Mids the heim is just better, once again the dana is better than stock and has more substance but i feel the timbre is colder than i expect and i cant make out those background vocals. Treble is very nice, open and airy, once again keeping the weightlessness of the stock cans but the air takes away any pain/focus points. I was hoping the dana added a bit more micro detail but it is more even. Overall the Dana adds some substance without adding much weight.
Also note the Dana is a hefty boy, its decently flexible but it is heavy. It will pull down on you and a few times i needed to bend over to pick something up and it wants to take your headphones off. I have to rest any slack on a chair between me and the amp or it will keep tugging, and it is a little frustrating. The heimdall you barely notice is there.
too bassy for some acoustic music (acoustic guitars, other stringed instruments) for me
any genres driven by bass are at least decent sounding