In this review, we will be comparing Scala Utopia Evo and Grande Utopia EM Evo, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Focal
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Scala Utopia Evo and Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Scala Utopia Evo Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" Inverted Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 10.5" W sandwich Woofer
- 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 )
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo Key Specs
- 4-way Design
- 1.1" Inverted Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 16" W sandwich Woofer
- 6.5" Midrange
- 18-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 94 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-1500watts
- Weight:265.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 79-3/16" x 25-3/4" x 34-5/8" ( 2012.0 x 654.0 x 880.0mm )
Scala Utopia Evo and Grande 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 Scala Utopia Evo and Focal Grande 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 Scala Utopia Evo |
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Scala Utopia Evo and Focal Grande Utopia EM 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 Scala Utopia Evo is a 3-way design whereas the Grande Utopia EM Evo is a 4-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 Scala Utopia Evo |
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
4-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
2 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10.5-inch
|
1 x 16-inch
|
Scala Utopia Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 10.5" W sandwich Woofer . On the other hand, the Grande Utopia EM Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 16" W sandwich Woofer .
Frequency Response
Scala Utopia Evo has a frequency range of 27-40k Hz whereas Grande Utopia EM Evo has a frequency range of 18-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the Grande Utopia EM Evo can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Scala Utopia Evo's min frequency of 27Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo
Impedance and Sensitivity
Scala Utopia Evo and Grande Utopia EM Evo have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Scala Utopia Evo sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Grande Utopia EM Evo's is at 94 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Scala 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. 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.
Scala Utopia Evo can handle a max power of 1500 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Scala Utopia Evo has a max power handling value of 500 watts RMS , 1000 watts less than the Grande Utopia EM 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
Scala Utopia Evo features Binding post type posts and Grande Utopia EM 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 Scala Utopia Evo's and Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo's external dimensions. 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) whereas Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo has external dimensions of 2012.0 x 654.0 x 880.0mm ( 79-3/16 x 25-3/4 x 34-5/8inch) .
Focal Scala Utopia Evo is 765mm shorter and 487mm less deeper than Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo but it is also 16mm wider.
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 Scala Utopia Evo is approximately 2633.1cm2 / 408.1inch2 and base area of the Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo is approximately 5755.2cm2 / 892.1inch2. The Scala Utopia Evo requires 54% less surface area than the Grande Utopia EM Evo which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.