In this review, we will be comparing Maestro Utopia Evo and Stella Utopia EM Evo, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Maestro Utopia Evo and Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Maestro Utopia Evo | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Inverted Dome | 1.1" Inverted Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 2 x 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 10.5" W sandwich | 13" W sandwich |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-40k Hz | 22-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-600 watts | 50-1000 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 116.00kg / 255.2lbs | 170.00kg / 374lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 57-7/8" x 30-5/16" x 17-15/16"
1470.0 x 770.0 x 455.0mm | 61-5/16" x 21-3/4" x 32-11/16"
1558.0 x 553.0 x 830.0mm |
|---|
Maestro Utopia Evo and Stella Utopia EM 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 Maestro Utopia Evo and Focal Stella Utopia EM 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 Maestro Utopia Evo |
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Good |
(* 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Maestro Utopia Evo and Stella Utopia EM Evo are 3-way speakers.
Focal Maestro Utopia EvoFocal Stella Utopia EM Evo
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Maestro Utopia Evo |
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
2 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10.5-inch
|
1 x 13-inch
|
Maestro Utopia Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 10.5" W sandwich Woofer. On the other hand, the Stella Utopia EM Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 13" W sandwich Woofer.
Frequency Response
Maestro Utopia Evo has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz whereas Stella Utopia EM Evo has a frequency range of 22-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the Stella Utopia EM Evo can go slightly deeper then the Maestro Utopia Evo's min frequency of 25Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Maestro Utopia Evo and Stella Utopia EM Evo have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Maestro Utopia Evo sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the Stella Utopia EM Evo's is at 94 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Maestro Utopia Evo, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Stella Utopia EM Evo can handle a max power of 1000 watts RMS, whereas Maestro Utopia Evo has a max power handling value of 600 watts RMS, 400 watts less than the Stella Utopia EM Evo.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Maestro Utopia Evo and Stella Utopia EM Evo features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
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 Maestro Utopia Evo's and Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo's external dimensions. Focal Maestro Utopia Evo has external dimensions of 1470.0 x 770.0 x 455.0mm (57-7/8 x 30-5/16 x 17-15/16inch) whereas Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo has external dimensions of 1558.0 x 553.0 x 830.0mm (61-5/16 x 21-3/4 x 32-11/16inch).
Focal Maestro Utopia Evo is 88mm shorter and 375mm less deeper than Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo but it is also 217mm 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.
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo needs about 31% more floor or shelf area. Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is 375mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is 88mm 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 Maestro Utopia Evo is approximately 3503.5cm2 / 543.0inch2 and base area of the Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is approximately 4589.9cm2 / 711.4inch2. The Maestro Utopia Evo requires 24% less surface area than the Stella Utopia EM Evo which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Focal Maestro Utopia Evo weighs 116.00kg / 255.2lbs and the Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo weighs 170.00kg / 374lbs. This makes the Stella Utopia EM Evo 47% heavier than the Maestro Utopia Evo.
Here is a comparison of how Maestro Utopia Evo and Stella Utopia EM Evo's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
1470mm
vs
1558mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
3503cm2
vs
4589cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
79998USD
vs
149998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
1000 watts
vs
600 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
93 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
13 inches
vs
10.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Focal Maestro Utopia Evo |
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-600 watts |
50-1000 watts |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-40k Hz |
22-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10.5" |
13" |
| Woofer Composition |
W sandwich |
W sandwich |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Inverted Dome |
Inverted Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1470.0mm (57.9") |
1558.0mm (61.3") |
| Width |
770.0mm (30.3") |
553.0mm (21.8") |
| Depth |
455.0mm (17.9") |
830.0mm (32.7") |
| Weight |
116.00kg (255.2lbs) |
170.00kg (374lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Focal's Utopia III Evo series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo digs deeper - 22Hz against 25Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (93dB vs 94dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo takes more power (1000W vs 600W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Focal Maestro Utopia Evo is easier to place; Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Focal Maestro Utopia Evo: bi-amping; Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Focal Maestro Utopia Evo is cheaper - $79,998 against $149,998, about 47% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Maestro Utopia Evo B Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo
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 speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo measures better, Focal Maestro Utopia Evo costs about about 88% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $70,000 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.