In this review, we will be comparing Stella Utopia EM 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 Stella Utopia EM Evo and Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" Inverted Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 13" W sandwich Woofer
- 22-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 94 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-1000watts
- Weight:170.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 61-5/16" x 21-3/4" x 32-11/16" ( 1558.0 x 553.0 x 830.0mm )
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 )
Stella Utopia EM 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 Stella Utopia EM 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 Stella Utopia EM Evo |
Focal Grande 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Stella Utopia EM 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 Stella Utopia EM 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 Stella Utopia EM Evo |
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
4-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
2 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 13-inch
|
1 x 16-inch
|
Stella Utopia EM Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 13" 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
Stella Utopia EM Evo has a frequency range of 22-40k 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 slightly deeper then the Stella Utopia EM 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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo
Impedance and Sensitivity
Stella Utopia EM Evo and Grande Utopia EM Evo have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 94 dB.
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.
Stella Utopia EM Evo can handle a max power of 1500 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Stella Utopia EM Evo has a max power handling value of 1000 watts RMS , 500 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
Stella Utopia EM 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 Stella Utopia EM Evo's and Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo's external dimensions. 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) 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 Grande Utopia EM Evo is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 101mm wider, 454mm taller and 50mm deeper than Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo.
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 Stella Utopia EM Evo is approximately 4589.9cm2 / 711.4inch2 and base area of the Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo is approximately 5755.2cm2 / 892.1inch2. The Stella Utopia EM Evo requires 20% less surface area than the Grande 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 Stella Utopia EM Evo weighs 170.00kg / 374lbs and the Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo weighs 265.00kg / 583lbs. This makes the Grande Utopia EM Evo 56% heavier than the Stella Utopia EM Evo.
Here is a comparison of how Stella Utopia EM Evo and Grande 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
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo
 Height |
1558mm
vs
2012mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
4589cm2
vs
5755cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
1500 watts
vs
1000 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
16 inches
vs
13 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Focal Stella Utopia EM Evo |
Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo |
| Brand |
Focal |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-1000 watts |
50-1500 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
22-40k Hz |
18-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
13" |
16" |
| 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 |
1558.0mm (61.3") |
2012.0mm (79.2") |
| Width |
553.0mm (21.8") |
654.0mm (25.7") |
| Depth |
830.0mm (32.7") |
880.0mm (34.6") |
| Weight |
170.00kg (374lbs) |
265.00kg (583lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|