In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Focal. Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Scala Utopia Evo is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo and Focal Scala Utopia Evo first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Inverted Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" W sandwich Woofer
- 44-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:39.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 16-15/16" x 10-3/16" x 16-13/16" ( 431.0 x 258.0 x 427.0mm )
Focal Scala Utopia Evo Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" Inverted Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 10.5" W sandwich Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 27-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-500watts
- Weight:85.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 49-1/8" x 26-3/8" x 15-1/2" ( 1247.0 x 670.0 x 393.0mm )
Diablo Utopia Colour Evo and Scala Utopia Evo are members of Focal's Utopia III Evo series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Focal Utopia III Evo Series
History
What size room are the Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo and Focal Scala Utopia Evo speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo |
Focal Scala Utopia Evo |
| Near-field |
Good |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo and Focal Scala Utopia Evo compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Diablo Utopia Colour Evo is a 2-way design whereas the Scala Utopia Evo is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo |
Focal Scala Utopia Evo |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 10.5-inch
|
Diablo Utopia Colour Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" W sandwich Woofer . On the other hand, the Scala Utopia Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 10.5" W sandwich Woofer .
Frequency Response
Diablo Utopia Colour Evo has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas Scala Utopia Evo has a frequency range of 27-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Scala Utopia Evo can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Diablo Utopia Colour Evo's min frequency of 44Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Diablo Utopia Colour Evo and Scala Utopia Evo have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Diablo Utopia Colour Evo sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Scala Utopia Evo's is at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal Scala Utopia Evo a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Diablo Utopia Colour Evo can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Diablo Utopia Colour Evo has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 300 watts less than the Scala Utopia Evo.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Diablo Utopia Colour Evo features Binding post type posts and Scala Utopia Evo has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Diablo Utopia Colour Evo's and Focal Scala Utopia Evo's external dimensions. Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo has external dimensions of 431.0 x 258.0 x 427.0mm ( 16-15/16 x 10-3/16 x 16-13/16inch) whereas Focal Scala Utopia Evo has external dimensions of 1247.0 x 670.0 x 393.0mm ( 49-1/8 x 26-3/8 x 15-1/2inch) .
Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo is 412mm narrower and 816mm shorter than Focal Scala Utopia Evo but it is also 34mm deeper.
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 Diablo Utopia Colour Evo is approximately 1101.7cm2 / 170.8inch2 and base area of the Focal Scala Utopia Evo is approximately 2633.1cm2 / 408.1inch2. The Diablo Utopia Colour Evo requires 58% less surface area than the Scala Utopia Evo which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.