Vendor: Focal

Focal Scala Utopia Evo

French craftsmanship and acoustic innovation in loudspeakers

$26,499.00; $26,499.00
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Focal Scala Utopia Evo

Dreamedia+

Exceptional Acoustic Prowess

When it comes to crafting the extraordinary experience of a home theater, the sound is just as pivotal as the visual. The Focal Scala Utopia Evo isn't just a speaker; it's a testament to acoustic engineering and a homage to the art of sound. Every note, every whisper, and every beat are presented with such clarity that it's more than listening—it's living the performance.

Unrivaled Sound Architecture

The Scala Utopia Evo builds upon the revered legacy of the Utopia III series. It preserves the iconic sound architecture while significantly reducing harmonic distortion in the mid-range register. This refinement means vocals and instruments are reproduced with a pristine naturalness, often lost in lesser audio systems.

Preserved Utopia III Sound Architecture: For sound that's faithful to the original recording.
Reduced Harmonic Distortion: Ensuring the mid-range frequencies are crystal clear.

Cutting-Edge Innovations

Focal's commitment to innovation shines through with the Scala Utopia Evo's advanced technologies:

NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit): This technology stabilizes the magnetic field, resulting in a pure and defined sound.
TMD (Tuned Mass Damping) Suspension: It controls vibration to provide a smoother sound without any unwanted resonance.

These innovations work in tandem to deliver an audio experience that is as precise as it is powerful.

Bi-Amplification: The Power of Precision

The Scala Utopia Evo offers the capability for bi-amplification, allowing for separate amplification of the bass and mid-range/treble registers. This feature provides the flexibility to tailor the power and character of the sound to your exact preferences.

Separate Amplification: Customize your listening experience by targeting specific frequency ranges.

Exquisite Components and Craftsmanship

Focal doesn't compromise on quality, and the Scala Utopia Evo is a showcase of this philosophy:

High-Quality Components: Each component is selected after rigorous real-condition testing.
Internal Wiring Crafted in France: With an increased wire gauge, the internal wiring contributes to the improved clarity and naturalness of sound.
Acoustic Wadding: The thickened lining ensures tighter and more controlled bass response.

The speaker is also handcrafted in France, ensuring that each unit is not just a piece of technology but a work of art.

Luxurious Design and Aesthetic Appeal

The Scala Utopia Evo is as much a visual statement as it is an auditory one. Available in a range of colors and wood finishes, each speaker is coated with a high gloss varnish, adding an elegant touch to its already striking appearance.

Colors: Choose from Ash Grey, Black Lacquer, or Carrara White to match your decor.
Wood Finishes: Opt for Noyer Naturel or Noyer Foncé for a touch of warmth and sophistication.
High Gloss Varnish: An elegant finish that exudes luxury.

Advanced Driver Technology

The heart of the Scala Utopia Evo's performance lies in its driver configuration:

Woofers: Two 8.25" 'W' composite sandwich cone woofers deliver dynamic and impactful bass.
Midrange Driver: One 6.5" 'W' composite sandwich cone midrange driver ensures a warm and expressive midrange.
Tweeter: The 1.25" pure Beryllium inverted dome tweeter offers unparalleled clarity in the high frequencies.

Superior Cabinet Construction

The cabinet's Gamma Structure technology, with precision-cut MDF panels and internal braces, is aligned with vibration cartography to reduce unwanted resonance and enhance sound purity.

Gamma Structure Technology: For a solid and resonance-free cabinet.
Vibration Cartography: Ensures that each speaker is acoustically optimized.

Focus Time Technology

Focus Time technology aligns the phase of the drivers, resulting in a cohesive soundstage where each instrument and voice is placed precisely within the auditory space.

Optimized Driver Phase Alignment: Experience a soundstage that is expansive yet precisely focused.

Performance and Control

The Scala Utopia Evo is not just about delivering sound; it's about controlling it. With NIC and TMD technologies, the speaker offers unrivaled performance and control over the audio output.

Improved Performance: Hear every detail with technologies designed to enhance the listening experience.
Control: Manage and fine-tune the sound to your liking.

Specifications at a Glance

To help you understand the Scala Utopia Evo's capabilities, here's a quick overview:

Sensitivity: 93dB
Impedance: 8 ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power: 40W - 600W
Crossover Frequencies: 220Hz and 2.2kHz
Dimensions: 49.2" x 14.6" x 23.6"
Weight: 202.8 lbs each

Pros: The Highlights

The Scala Utopia Evo brings a host of benefits to the discerning audiophile:

Handmade in France: Ensuring unmatched quality and craftsmanship.
Three-Way Design: For a full spectrum of sound frequencies.
High-Performance Drivers: Delivering a sound that's true to life.
Innovative Technologies: NIC and TMD for an enhanced audio experience.
Optimized Driver Phase Alignment: For a precise and immersive soundstage.
Impressive Bass Reproduction: With punch, weight, and impact.
Wide Frequency Response and High Sensitivity: Capturing the full range of sound.
Bi-Amping/Biwiring Capability: For customized audio performance.
Adjustable Output: With OPC+ filtering for tailored listening.

The Dreamedia Advantage

At Dreamedia, we understand that a home theater system is more than just technology—it's an experience. That's why we're here to design your system with the Focal Scala Utopia Evo as its cornerstone. Our experts will ensure that every nuance and detail of sound is tailored to your space, providing an immersive audio experience that transcends the ordinary. Let the Scala Utopia Evo elevate your home theater, and let Dreamedia bring that vision to life.

Evo stands for evolution... Since 2008, when Utopia III was launched, Focal’s technological heritage has grown enormously. Therefore it was essential to integrate the most recent innovations into this exceptional collection.

The sound architecture of Utopia III has been preserved, with the constant intention of reducing harmonic distortion in the fragile mid-range register, which is so very crucial for revealing the artist’s emotions. The two loudspeakers are equipped with Focal’s latest innovations, the NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) and the TMD (Tuned Mass Damping) suspension.

The three-way floor standing loudspeaker Scala Utopia Evo now offers bi‑amplification, just like Grande Utopia EM and Stella. Discerning music lovers will be able to fine-tune the type of sound, depending on the timbre and the power they’re looking to achieve. The best components from their generation have also found their way into the Utopia III Evo line: cables made in France, denser acoustic materials inside the subwoofer, double terminal boards and separate crossovers. New finishes with distinctive colour-ways offer many options for today’s contemporary spaces.

Utopia III Evo is an iconic line. The loudspeakers integrate a whole range of innovations and essential detailing, making them completely unique. Utopia is still way ahead of any other range.

EXCLUSIVE MEDIUM REGISTER

It was natural for us to capitalise on the research carried out in 2008, which resulted new and exclusive innovations, particularly in the mid-range register.

TMD suspension: this technology provides a linear frequency response curve between 1 and 4kHz, while significantly reducing distortion in this range. The mid-range register benefits from remarkable neutrality.

Neutral Inductance Circuit: stabilising the magnetic field was a challenge to overcome, in order to avoid harmonic distortion and intermodulation. The research carried out enabled Focal’s engineers to come up with an extremely stable magnetic circuit.

BI-AMPLIFICATION

Scala Utopia Evo now offers bi amplification. Bi-amping is now possible by separating the bass and mid-range/treble registers, just like the line’s two top-of-the-range loudspeakers.

The most discerning music lovers will be able to fine-tune their sound by personalising the registers depending on the sound architecture they want. For this reason, the loudspeakers are equipped with a double terminal board.

COMPONENTS TESTED IN REAL CONDITIONS

Our engineers selected the very best components on the market, choosing them from among the finest brands around after testing them in real conditions.

All the internal wiring within the units is crafted in France. While looking at the wiring aspects of these new loudspeakers, we decided to increase the wire gauge of the cabling by 20%. The results can be heard immediately: the sound is even clearer and even more natural.

Finally, for the bass register, the acoustic wadding lining we included inside the enclosure has been thickened for even tighter bass with more control and increased precision.

Our Review

Introduction

The Focal Scala Utopia Evo is an exceptional speaker system that combines high-quality craftsmanship, innovative technology, and impressive performance. Handmade in France with meticulous attention to detail, this three-way loudspeaker offers a range of features designed to enhance the listening experience. In this review, we will delve into the design, technology, performance, and user experience of the Focal Scala Utopia Evo to determine if it lives up to its reputation as a top-tier speaker system.

Design and Build Quality

One of the first things that stands out about the Focal Scala Utopia Evo is its exquisite build quality and craftsmanship. Handmade entirely in France, this speaker system showcases the expertise and dedication of the Focal-JMlab team. The cabinet construction features Gamma Structure technology, which utilizes precision-cut MDF panels, internal braces, and vibration cartography to minimize resonances and ensure optimal performance.

In addition to its technical prowess, the Focal Scala Utopia Evo boasts a luxurious aesthetic that enhances any living space. The attention to detail is evident in the stylish design, making it a statement piece for audiophiles who appreciate both form and function.

Technology and Performance

The Focal Scala Utopia Evo utilizes a three-way loudspeaker design and a carefully chosen driver configuration to deliver exceptional audio performance. The system features a 1.1" pure beryllium inverted-dome tweeter, a 6 1/2" W-cone Power Flower midrange driver, and a 10 5/8" W-cone woofer. This driver lineup ensures a balanced and accurate reproduction of the entire audio spectrum.

To further enhance performance, the Focal Scala Utopia Evo incorporates innovative technologies. The Focus Time technology optimizes phase alignment between the drivers, resulting in improved imaging and soundstaging. The Neutral Inductance Circuit (NIC) technology and Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) technology work together to minimize distortion and enhance control, allowing for a cleaner and more detailed sound reproduction.

With an impedance of 8 ohms nominal and a sensitivity of 92dB/2.83V/m, the Focal Scala Utopia Evo is efficient and can be easily driven by a wide range of amplifiers. The frequency response of 27Hz to 40kHz (+/-3dB) ensures that no detail is missed, providing a truly immersive listening experience.

Sound Quality and Performance

When it comes to sound quality, the Focal Scala Utopia Evo truly shines. The combination of high-performance drivers, advanced technologies, and careful craftsmanship results in an audio experience that is captivating and engaging.

One of the standout qualities of the Focal Scala Utopia Evo is its imaging and soundstaging capabilities. The speakers create a wide and deep soundstage, allowing the listener to pinpoint the location of instruments and vocals with accuracy. The cohesiveness of the sound is also remarkable, providing a seamless and immersive experience.

The bass reproduction of the Focal Scala Utopia Evo is impressive, delivering punch, weight, and impact. The 10 5/8" W-cone woofer excels in reproducing lower frequencies, providing a solid foundation to the overall sound. However, in comparison to some competitors, the bass resolution of the Focal Scala Utopia Evo is slightly less resolved. While it offers excellent bass reproduction, some audiophiles may prefer a bit more detail and nuance in this frequency range.

It is worth mentioning that the Focal Scala Utopia Evo exhibits a slight bass rolloff at the deepest frequencies. This might be a consideration for those who demand the utmost clarity and extension in the low end. However, for the majority of music genres and home theater applications, this slight rolloff is unlikely to be a significant drawback.

In terms of high-frequency response, the Focal Scala Utopia Evo impresses with its ability to reproduce the subtle nuances and details in the music. The 1.1" pure beryllium inverted-dome tweeter offers excellent clarity and articulation, contributing to a well-balanced and detailed sound signature.

User Experience and Accessibility

While the Focal Scala Utopia Evo delivers exceptional performance, its high price point of $53,598 per pair may be a barrier for many buyers. This speaker system is positioned as a luxury product, catering to audiophiles and enthusiasts who are willing to invest in top-tier audio equipment.

In terms of accessibility, the Focal Scala Utopia Evo may not be suitable for all buyers due to its premium price tag. However, for those who prioritize sound quality and are willing to make a significant investment, this speaker system offers a level of performance and craftsmanship that is truly exceptional.

Conclusion

The Focal Scala Utopia Evo is an impressive speaker system that combines high-quality craftsmanship, innovative technology, and exceptional performance. Handmade in France with meticulous attention to detail, this speaker system offers a luxurious aesthetic that complements its sonic capabilities.

The three-way loudspeaker design, advanced technologies, and carefully chosen drivers contribute to a captivating listening experience. The imaging, soundstaging, and cohesiveness of sound are exceptional, while the bass reproduction provides punch, weight, and impact. The high-frequency response is detailed and precise, although the bass resolution may be slightly less resolved compared to some competitors.

While the Focal Scala Utopia Evo delivers outstanding performance, its high price point may make it inaccessible for many buyers. However, for those who prioritize sound quality and are willing to invest in a top-tier speaker system, the Focal Scala Utopia Evo offers an unparalleled audio experience.

Alternative options to consider within a similar price range include speakers from brands such as Magico, Wilson Audio, and Bowers & Wilkins. It is recommended to audition multiple options and consider personal preferences before making a final decision.

Specifications

General Specifications

Type: Three-way floor standing loudspeaker
Bi-Amplification: Yes

Design

Finish Options: Ash Grey, Black Lacquer, Carrara White, Noyer Naturel, Noyer Foncé
High Gloss Varnish: Yes for wood finishes
Unique Handmade Pieces: Yes for Noyer wood

Technical Details

Sound Architecture: Retains Utopia III architecture, reduces harmonic distortion in mid-range
NIC: Neutral Inductance Circuit to stabilize magnetic field and reduce distortion
TMD Suspension: Tuned Mass Damping to provide linear frequency response and reduce distortion
Biomimetic Suspension: Reduces unwanted air pressure and coloration in midrange