Focal Scala Utopia EVO - Natural Walnut - Black Lacquer - Deep Walnut - White Lacquer - Taupe Lacquer

Description

3-Way Acoustic Architecture and Focus Time Alignment

The Focal Scala Utopia EVO is a reference 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker. Its cabinet is built around the Focus Time principle, a curved physical alignment that ensures the acoustic centers of the three drivers are equidistant from the listening position. This physical time-alignment eliminates phase smear and guarantees the entire frequency spectrum reaches the ear simultaneously. The Gamma Structure reinforces the cabinet with high-density MDF panels up to 6 cm thick, optimized through vibration mapping to keep the background completely silent.

IAL2 Pure Beryllium Tweeter

High frequencies are handled by a 27 mm pure beryllium inverted dome tweeter, a signature material chosen for its extreme rigidity and very low mass. The inverted dome shape optimizes the mechanical coupling between the voice coil and the dome. The IAL2 (Infinite Acoustic Loading) chamber behind the tweeter absorbs rearward waves, pushing the resonant frequency down to 528 Hz. This allows the crossover point to be set at 2,400 Hz, leaving the critical midrange entirely to the dedicated midrange driver.

Power Flower Midrange: TMD Suspension and NIC Motor

The 16.5 cm midrange uses Focal's composite sandwich cone technology, but its defining characteristic is the TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) suspension. Two tubular rings are molded into the surround, oscillating in opposition to the resonance frequency to stabilize cone dynamics and drastically reduce distortion between 1 kHz and 3 kHz. The driver is powered by a Power Flower magnet with NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) technology, which uses a Faraday ring to stabilize the magnetic field regardless of voice coil position — for linear vocal dynamics.

Deep and Articulate Low Frequencies

Bass is reproduced by a dedicated 27 cm composite woofer, venting through an extra-wide streamlined port designed to eliminate compression noise even at excursion limits. The cone consists of two sheets of woven glass fiber over a structural foam core, laser-cut for greater precision. This translates to extended low-frequency response down to 27 Hz (±3 dB) and 24 Hz (–6 dB), delivering fast, articulate bass without overhang, while the 92 dB sensitivity keeps the loudspeaker efficient to drive.

WBT Bi-Amplification and OPC+ Adjustments

The key new feature of the EVO version is the new terminal board with four exclusive WBT connectors (the reference brand in high-fidelity connectors) that allows bi-amplification or bi-wiring, electrically separating the bass section from the midrange and treble. The internal wiring is upgraded: 4 mm² for the tweeter and midrange section, 8 mm² for the bass. The OPC+ filter includes a jumper system on the rear panel, allowing the bass and treble output levels to be adjusted by ±1 dB to compensate for room acoustics or to match the paired amplifier's output profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) suspension do?

The TMD suspension addresses physical cone deformation during wide excursions. It uses two tubular rings molded into the surround that act as a harmonic damper, oscillating in opposition to the natural resonance frequency. This stabilizes the driver and drastically reduces distortion in the critical 1 kHz to 3 kHz midrange band — the range where human voices and string instruments sit.

How do the OPC+ rear panel adjustments work?

The OPC+ system includes a set of jumpers on the rear terminal plate. These jumpers allow independent adjustment of the bass and treble output levels by ±1 dB. This fine-tuning capability helps compensate for overly damped or highly reflective room acoustics, or to balance the sonic signature of the paired amplifier.

What amplification is recommended?

Although the loudspeaker has a high sensitivity of 92 dB, its 8 Ω nominal impedance can drop to 3.2 Ω in the lower frequencies. Focal recommends an amplifier rated between 50 W and 500 W per channel, with substantial current delivery capabilities to properly control the 27 cm woofer. A high-current solid-state amplifier or a robust tube design will yield excellent results.

What's in the Box

Focal Scala Utopia EVO Floorstanding Loudspeakers (pair)

Magnetically attached fabric grilles

Decoupling spikes and spike receptacles

Jumper cables for single-wire operation

Microfiber cleaning cloth

Owner's manual