In this review, we will be comparing Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo and Subsonic, two Passive Subwoofer speakers from Focal and Wilson Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo and Wilson Audio Subsonic first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo and Wilson Audio Subsonic have a totally different setup: the Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo features 1 x 13-inch drivers whereas the Subsonic features 3 x 12-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo has a frequency range of 22-500 Hz whereas Subsonic has a frequency range of 10-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the Subsonic can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo's min frequency of 22Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo features Binding post type posts and Subsonic has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type
The Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported designs. On the other hand the Wilson Audio Subsonic have Bass Reflex type enclosure. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo's and Wilson Audio Subsonic's external dimensions. Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo has external dimensions of 634.0 x 483.0 x 622.0mm (24-15/16 x 19 x 24-1/2inch) whereas Wilson Audio Subsonic has external dimensions of 1653.0 x 459.0 x 691.0mm (65-1/16 x 18-1/16 x 27-3/16inch).
Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo is 1019mm shorter and 69mm less deeper than Wilson Audio Subsonic but it is also 24mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. Wilson Audio Subsonic is 69mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wilson Audio Subsonic is 1019mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo is approximately 3004.3cm2 / 465.7inch2 and base area of the Wilson Audio Subsonic is approximately 3171.7cm2 / 491.6inch2. The Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo requires 5% less surface area than the Subsonic which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo weighs 72.00kg / 158.4lbs and the Wilson Audio Subsonic weighs 229.00kg / 503.8lbs. This makes the Subsonic 218% heavier than the Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo.
Here is a comparison of how Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo and Subsonic's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo
 Woofer Size |
13 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
500 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
634mm
vs
1653mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
3004cm2
vs
3171cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
20999USD
vs
47250USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
Near-identical footprints. Wilson Audio Subsonic stands 69mm further into the room. Wilson Audio Subsonic is 1019mm taller.
| General |
Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo |
Wilson Audio Subsonic |
| Brand |
Focal |
Wilson Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Passive Subwoofer |
Passive Subwoofer |
| Sensitivity |
n/a |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
22-500 Hz |
10-150 Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
13" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
W sandwich |
Paper pulp |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
634.0mm (25") |
1653.0mm (65.1") |
| Width |
483.0mm (19") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Depth |
622.0mm (24.5") |
691.0mm (27.2") |
| Weight |
72.00kg (158.4lbs) |
229.00kg (503.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | Wilson Audio Subsonic goes deeper - 10Hz against 22Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Driver area | B | Wilson Audio Subsonic moves more air: 3 x 12" against 13" is 2.56x the cone area, not the 1.6x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Wilson Audio Subsonic is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo is about 64% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Price | A | Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo costs less - $20,999 against $47,250, about 56% less. |
A Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo B Wilson Audio Subsonic
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Wilson Audio Subsonic measures better, Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo costs about 56% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Wilson Audio Subsonic will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo is usually the easier one to make sound right. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $20,999 each, two Focal Sub Utopia EM Colour Evo cost about $41,998 against $47,250 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.