Focal rejuvenates the doyenne of its high-end floorstanding speakers and presents a new-generation connected speaker system, the fruit of five years of R&D. The “Diva Utopia” reflects all the expertise of the Saint-Etienne-based loudspeaker manufacturer and its long-standing partner Naïm Audio, a specialist in electronics. LUXUS PLUS was at the launch party… on the sixth floor of the Hôtel de Pourtalès, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
A sonic UFO… that’s how you might describe the Diva Utopia, the latest creation from Focal, a specialist in luxury loudspeakers, member of the Comité Colbert since this year, and preferred partner of the biggest recording studios.
And listening to the new loudspeaker system leaves you wondering. With a demonstration performed on 43 kbits (CD quality), the Diva Utopia loudspeaker can easily reach 96 kbits and even go beyond, all without altering the final rendering.
But where the prowess commands respect is in the minimalism of the innovation perfected by the Focal and Naïm Audio teams – with a combined century of audio expertise behind them – which makes it possible to offer an amplified system that is both ready to use and wireless.
Revamped and corrected
The Diva Utopia is a modernized version of the 1995 loudspeaker that gave rise to the Diva Utopia BE in 2002. One of the icons of Focal’s catalog, the model was beginning to look dated, due to its size and finish, not to mention the amplitude of its wired connectivity, which alone was capable of dissuading many a listener.
The latest model is the brand’s first wireless, active and connected loudspeaker, combining high-fidelity sound, elegant design and cutting-edge technology.
“Generally speaking, to feel the bass, you have to turn up the volume. But even at very low volume, the Diva Utopia has a very distinct way of catching the treble. And that’s what ACTIVE technology, the components and the secret of master Steve Sells, provides “ says Focal CEO Cédrick Boutonet.
In charge of electro-acoustic systems development at Focal for over 13 years, Raoul Bauer sums up the product as “unprecedented performance in an almost reasonable volume.”
The name Diva refers to the power of opera singers and their crystalline sound. As for Utopia, it refers to Focal’s own label of acoustic excellence, which is very difficult to obtain.
The new model also revisits the design of the Diva Utopia BE, reducing its height to fit contemporary interiors. Its felt covering contrasts with the rustic wood trim of its predecessor. While the speaker’s cheeks are an attractive anthracite gray, its entirely custom-made panels can be easily disassembled for maintenance and even customized. Other combinations of materials and textures are expected in the near future.
Diva Utopia stands out for its ease of installation and use. No cables between the two speakers and no external amplification solutions are required. The pair of speakers can be controlled via the Focal & Naim app, its remote control or voice assistants (Google Assistant, Siri).
“When we started working on the Diva Utopia project 5 years ago, many of our customers had given up on high acoustic performance in favor of systems that were certainly less powerful but much easier to use,” said Focal’s CEO. He added : “In order to avoid cutting ourselves off from part of the market, and to catch up with all those customers who had left, we had to simplify. Simplify without giving up high performance. It’s a hell of a thing to do without cables in our business. Our teams rose to this challenge with panache, appetite and a fierce determination to succeed. But above all, we redefined all the Hifi specifications without giving up our heritage and know-how.”
Finally, as a connected loudspeaker, the system is compatible with music streaming platforms (Spotify Connect, TIDAL, Qobuz, QQ Music…) as well as the main wireless protocols (Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, UPnP).
A companion for demanding audiophiles
With a rich history in the manufacture of luxury audio systems, Focal has always claimed to be the champion of high-fidelity sound, a claim that has won over many recording studios.
Its founder, Jacques Mahui, was also an unconditional Pink Floyd fan, hence the presence of an extract from Robert Water’s Lockdown Sessions in the demonstration.
With the Diva Utopia, not only does Focal not depart from the rule, but it also takes the precision of its sound productions even further.
It offers better-than-CD-quality reproduction, equivalent to Hi-Res Link (96 kHz/24-bit). The system suffersno signal loss or compression: sound is exceptional and detailed.
The brand stands for artistic creation with the full spectrum of sound nuances. All works can belistened to in the final version intended by the composer (emphasis on a particular orchestral instrument, location of musicians in the room, effects deliberately sought by the creators, etc.).
Precision such that the demonstration LUXUS PLUS took part in included the sound of a bubble!
A feat made possible by the latest technological developments, and in particular the unrivalled mastery of beryllium. More expensive and lighter than gold, the material is even more rigid than titanium. Focal is “the only company in the world to shape it ”, says the CEO. We find it on the tweeters that adorn the top of the Diva Utopia.
The choice of material is explained by the 20,000 vibrations per second the loudspeaker has to withstand. As the acoustic engineer points out, ” the tweeter has to be rigid enough not to deform, and light enough to allow the sound to move quickly. At Focal we don’t make tuning forks or bells: when the vibration stops, the sound has to stop too.”
Originally geared towards jazz and blues, Focal is now offering a product that can also be used to listen to electronic, hip-hop and pop music, as the demonstration session proved. In short, it’s ideal for travelling from Camille Saint-Saëns to Worakls via Pink Floyd, all for 39,999 euros… all the same.
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Read also > Focal and the Eiffel Tower, new members of the Comité Colbert
Featured Photo: © Focal
