When it comes to high-quality sound, the name Focal carries particular weight. The Utopia series has long been legendary, a benchmark that many strive to achieve. The new Scala Utopia III Evo model is not just an update, but the culmination of the company's many years of research and technological achievements.
We tested these speakers to understand what “the final stage of evolution” really means. Do they justify their high status and price? This is a case where every detail, from the unique “inverted” tweeter domes to the massive but elegant body, works toward a single goal: maximum clarity and natural sound.
In this review, we will share our impressions from live listening. How do these speakers handle different music, from chamber jazz compositions to large-scale symphonic works? This is a story about how engineering artistry turns into genuine emotion.
More color
First of all, it is interesting to understand the changes and sound of the Focal Scala Utopia III Evo, because almost the entire Utopia line has undergone a similar update process. The new Scala is already available, and the other models, up to the top-of-the-line Grande Utopia (presented in their updated form at the recent Munich exhibition), will go on sale in the fall. Thus, this is not a single change to one specific model, but an evolution of the entire line.
The only thing that surprised me a little was that the Diablo bookshelf speakers remained in the previous Utopia III series without the Evo prefix. It would be fine if the Viva center channel and the “utopian” subwoofer remained there, but the bookshelf speakers… Were they really assigned the role of expensive rear speakers? I doubt it, because these are very decent speakers. Maybe it's a question of competition with the younger Sopra, which are just as good? I don't have a definite answer. Let's examine the quality class of changes using the example of the Scala Utopia III Evo, which are now the youngest in the entire line. Although, of course, this is very relative — they are junior, yes, but large three-way floorstanding speakers weighing 85 kg are only loosely associated with the concept of “junior.”
General view of the Focal Scala Utopia III Evo against the backdrop of its “relatives” from other lines
At first glance, the external changes are not very noticeable, but that is only at first glance. Their belonging to the Focal Utopia line is also unmistakable. However, if the company had radically redesigned the acoustics and the entire line, it would have raised the following questions: what happened, a change in ideology, or is this a hint that everything was “complicated” before? But this is difficult to imagine.
The external design of the speakers is flawless. You can argue about the design from the point of view of personal tastes and preferences, but if you abstract from them, the speakers are simply pleasant to look at, both as a whole and under a magnifying glass in detail — not a single rough spot, not a single questionable moment. The proprietary, complex, and expensive-to-manufacture enclosure, which is up to 6 centimeters thick in places, is perfectly finished and assembled. The coating, the fit of the parts and joints, and the quality of the individual parts are all excellent.
Beryllium tweeter diaphragm
The range of standard finishes has changed slightly. In addition to the familiar and expected white and black lacquer, there are now options such as Metallic Blue (truly metallic blue), Ash Grey (I would call it metallic grey), and British Racing Green (a deep green colour well known to fans of classic British sports cars). In addition, you can order almost any color from the color palette, as the conditions for Russia will be similar — the same 10 percent surcharge on the price of the basic options. I have seen demo samples of the finishes: excellent quality, deep colors, and beautiful lacquer.
More terminals
The design has remained fundamentally the same — the midrange and tweeter are each located in their own enclosed space, in separate enclosures connected at an angle (to equalize time delays and create the desired directional pattern), while the low-frequency section uses a large-diameter phase inverter port directed downwards into the base of the speaker.
By default, the fragile tweeter is covered with a rigid, non-removable aluminum grille.
Changes noticeable from the outside include a new complex-profile TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) suspension used in the design of the 16.5 cm (this is the normal size for a “middle”) midrange driver, which first appeared and was tested on the Sopra line. This suspension minimizes the possibility of unwanted resonance effects, which in turn can contribute to a more accurate and clear sound.
Sopra has added an aluminum protective grille for the 27 mm concave beryllium tweeter. The 27 cm woofer appears to be unchanged.
Furthermore, a visual inspection reveals that the speaker has been equipped with a completely new connection panel, enabling bi-amping or bi-wiring. There are now not one, but two pairs of excellent WBT speaker terminals, which are closed with native jumpers in the basic version.
The ideology and implementation of the adjustment jumpers, which allow you to adjust the bass and treble response, remain the same — three values for each adjustment and the original massive spring-loaded jumpers. The adjustments are not extreme — only plus or minus 1 dB in both cases. Against this backdrop, the crossover parameters have changed slightly. Very slightly, but with equipment of this class, there should be no room for detail.
But in fact, the grille can be removed if the conditions of use allow it.
The diffusers are manufactured using a well-known, proven three-layer design consisting of a foam base and two layers of fiberglass, known as W-diffusers. Inside, the Power Flowers have also remained — these are modular structures consisting of several round magnets arranged in a circle, like petals. And the midrange driver has been enhanced with NIC (Neutral Inductance Circuit) technology, which uses a Faraday ring added to the speaker magnet design. This is used to stabilize the speaker's characteristics at any position of the coil in the gap. The result is less distortion and a clearer, more intelligible sound.
The Focal Scala Utopia III Evo is not just a speaker, but the result of many years of work on sound, in which every element has been perfected. They don't shout about technology, but simply play naturally, clearly, and with such depth that it's as if the musicians are playing in your room. This is a rare case where engineering and musicality merge into one — the sound is so alive that you stop thinking about the technology and just listen to the music. Scala Evo is not an upgrade, but the final point in the evolution of the legendary model.
Lighter than a feather
Finishing up on the speakers, I wanted to say a little more about the tweeter, including its membrane. I have seen the concave beryllium dome in various versions many times before; after all, it is a long-standing proprietary technology and a source of great pride for Focal. Here, I had the opportunity to hold the dome itself, which had never been assembled into a complete tweeter. Logically, a beryllium dome should be very hard but fragile. Of course, I didn't try to break it, but its weight is impressive. If you simply let it go from your hand, it will not fall, but will glide and tumble in the air like a leaf or a seed — there is enough air resistance for a slow flight.
Focal Scala Utopia III Evo midrange driver
And here is another important experiment that I was unable to perform with the Sopra speakers earlier. The non-removable protective grille on the tweeter can actually be removed. And although there are no recommendations to do so anywhere, if you unscrew two screws and remove the protection, you will find a perfectly smooth surface and even the inscriptions “Beryllium” and “Hand made in France.” Indirectly, all this seems to suggest that if you can ensure the tweeters are properly protected in your listening room, the grilles can be removed. By the way, I'll jump ahead and say that the result is audible, not catastrophically so, but there is a difference, and without the grille, the sound is slightly clearer and more transparent.
Another nuance is the internal wiring. I don't know what kind of cable it's made of, but I came across information that the wires are also of French origin. Well, in terms of the characteristics of the wiring itself, it is significant that a cross-section of 4 square millimeters is used for the tweeter and midrange, and all eight for the woofer.
Once again, after considering all the changes, I came to the conclusion that the engineers who designed the updated model did their job carefully and thoughtfully. The company and its developers are definitely not standing still, improving exactly what needs to be improved. This is not a cosmetic change for the sake of a new index on the case, but a subtle and professional refinement. These are my general first impressions from getting acquainted with the product. Next, I need to listen to it — after all, it sometimes happens that everything looks great and logical on the outside, but the sound raises questions. But I will not praise the sound in advance or try to predict it.
Sound: large-scale, confident, bright
The first thing I played was Susan Wang's “Close To You.” It's immediately apparent that the speakers feel right at home in a large room, creating a realistic soundstage with good depth and very precise contours and imaging.
By the way, when testing modern Focal models, especially from the higher-end lines, I noticed that the scale and volume often turn out better than expected, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Another common feature is the attitude to placement, which I decided to experiment with right away while listening to the first disc. Parallel placement is possible, and rotation is not prohibited at all — everything can be adjusted to the specific conditions of the room and personal preferences. I chose a placement with a moderate rotation towards the listener and a fairly distant listening point.
Focal Scala Utopia III Evo bass driver
On this disc, the sound was not sharp, transparent, with an open, detailed midrange and a large amount of very accurate and detailed high frequencies. The bass is somewhat softened, but not loose, without a lack of control. Of course, this recording is not the best way to fully evaluate the bass capabilities of the speakers and the system. However, the openness and agility do not lead to a feeling of overpainting or intrusiveness, and given the specifics of the album's recording, one might expect intrusiveness and even sweetness, but this is not the case.
By the way, with McIntosh amplification, the speakers sound really good: it feels like they don't lose their own character, and the specific sound of the Macs doesn't become the basis of the system's character. Rather, it turns out to be a very delicate combination.
Overall, the sound is slightly bright, emotionally rich, and textured. At the same time, there is no looseness in the style, no excessive emotionality that could interfere with perception and cause fatigue. There is also absolutely no synthetic or stifling quality, as well as other extreme manifestations such as excessive pedantry, harshness, or severity. Overall, everything is very well balanced: the sound has character, and it is interesting, recognizable, and memorable, but there are no noticeable imbalances or distortions.
Each speaker in the design essentially has its own separate enclosure.
The next disc is Rene Aubry's Memories du Futur. Here, in keeping with the recording, there is deep bass, which fully matches what is stated in the specifications, and volume with air, so that overall everything comes together in a realistic and interesting musical picture. There is a certain amount of warmth and brightness, but it does not spoil the overall picture at all, rather complementing it exquisitely.
The soundstage is precise, but the images and planes are rendered without holographic sharpness; rather, they are corporeal and natural. The vocal parts sound excellent both on their own and as part of the whole recording. With a clearly expressed emotional intensity, the balance between it and analyticality is well maintained — high detail and good dynamics undoubtedly benefit the sound.
Acoustic foundation
Another recording is Sidney Bechet et Claude Luter. For some time now, I have been trying to include something very old in my tests, but something that has been reissued in a more or less decent quality (when it comes to digital media). Such recordings are very good for assessing certain capabilities of the system and the acoustics in particular.
In some cases, the same old mono recording will sound dull, lifeless, and simplified, with a point-like stage, while in others, all the age-related problems and flaws will be audible, but it will not be them that you hear, but the music as a whole. Of course, high detail and timbral clarity and detail will play a significant role here. The absence of distortions and a smooth, unaccented tonal balance will also be beneficial. And, of course, the ability to fully build a specific monophonic “stage.”
The phase inverter port on the Focal Scala Utopia III Evo is directed towards the base.
In practice, this worked very well. Of course, large floorstanding speakers in a large room will generally have an advantage, but in addition to scale, quality is also important… The quality is excellent: the detail is high, and even old, “dusty” sound is more lively and transparent. There is richness, but no dullness. You can listen, you can analyze the recording — it's up to the listener. Well, a little light and warmth emphasize the emotionality of a live recording. The monoscene is built correctly, there are no complaints about it. The volume and size of the sound here definitely benefit the recording.
Sound: honest, emotional, well put together
Next, I put on the compilation album Jazz in Paris Remixed, which consists of unusually reworked jazz standards. The rhythm and emotions are conveyed at an excellent level. The sound is voluminous, structured, flowing correctly in accordance with the recording, or, conversely, sharp and punchy bass, with a high-quality lower midrange. Yes, and everything else in the range is in perfect order.
What pleased me was the stitching of all three bands. I did not hear any differences in character, lagging or delay, or different tonal coloring — everything is perceived by ear as a single whole, without breaks. Of course, the beryllium tweeters produce a lot of high frequencies, but the highs don't feel sharp or accentuated, they are simply accurate, transparent, and detailed, without any harshness. And this character blends perfectly with the midrange, which in turn flows into the bass component. It's practically seamless to the ear.
The speakers can be mounted on spikes, but there are also wheels like these. This is convenient, at least for adjusting the placement, as the speakers are quite heavy.
Using this disc as an example, I noticed that despite its good analytical capabilities, the entire system in this implementation still leans more towards emotional delivery. It's interesting to listen to, and the music is captivating.
The dynamics were probably sufficient for Anorexia Nervosa's album Drudenhaus, but even if the sound was a little bright and slightly softened, it wasn't the most successful choice here. Formally, everything reads well, and I have no particular complaints about the detail, which is surprising, but practically anyone who occasionally plays heavy metal on a high-end system (and I know quite a few such people) would prefer a darker, denser sound that is more suitable for this kind of music. More darkness, fear, and blood and gore… However, everything is more or less clear here — the acoustics cope with the formal criteria, but heavy genres require a different environment, a different system. But if the task were simply to play moderately heavy rock music, then this task could already be considered solved.
Two pairs of terminals and jumpers that adjust the high and low frequency parameters
Then I listened to Grieg's “Lyric Pieces.” Incidentally, this is also a very old recording, with its own specific characteristics. These characteristics are audible, but they do not interfere with listening to the music at all. Yes, the piano sounds a little “thin,” without the proper depth, but that's a question for the recording, and the rest of the system pulls out all the stops, and as a result, you can just listen to the music without paying any attention to the artifacts. However, in reality, the sound turned out to be livelier and more multifaceted than I expected. There is air, and the volume and proportions are accurate and well-balanced.
And the last disc is a performance of William Walton's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra. Overall, it's very good, although the recording is complex. Sometimes it is noticeable that the reverberations begin to fade a little faster than one would like, but this is definitely not a question of acoustics; it's just that a higher-level system would be more appropriate here. Even if you like this particular combination (and there are good reasons to like it), it would be more logical to choose both the amplifier and the source from the higher-end lines. Also, at times, the solo instruments are emphasized a little more, but the overall picture is conveyed accurately; the dynamics and detail are on par; the tonal balance was slightly bright and remained so, without any noticeable distortions even in complex passages. The pieces on this disc are very different in terms of emotional mood, and in each case, everything is perceived accurately, honestly, and in all its fullness.
Conclusions
In terms of appearance and workmanship, I can't find fault with a single screw. Very solid acoustics with excellent musical capabilities. Moreover, it's not exotic or esoteric, without any pretentiousness or strange quirks. What's more, it's the result of the work of a major manufacturer that independently produces both the cabinets and the speakers at its French production facilities, assembling everything with the appropriate level of quality control.
The protective grilles on the speakers are separate.
It is also very pleasing that Focal is evolving, with developers refining models with precision, while maintaining the style and character of the sound. As for this, the third in the history of Scala Utopia, there are, of course, no traces of the shortcomings of the first version (they disappeared in the previous reincarnation), and the sound has become even more accurate and clearer. Perhaps, I cannot imagine what else could be improved here and where these speakers could evolve further.
Obviously, the owner of the Focal Scala Utopia III Evo (unless, of course, they buy it for its beautiful appearance and simply because they can afford it) faces a difficult task — selecting the components for the system. Every nuance will come into play, everything will be audible. Therefore, it is worth paying maximum attention to the initial selection of components and subsequent fine-tuning. But if you approach it this way, you can build the sound you want, down to the smallest detail. During testing, I didn't hear any genre bias from the speakers, only the characteristics of how the system performed as a whole (I would have liked the system to be a little more mature). In general, the Focal Scala Utopia III Evo can be used to build a system for the most complex recordings and genres. And this is only the “junior” model of all the “Utopias”… However, moving up the model range will be justified in many ways if you have a suitable room and want to scale the sound with the proper quality.
The Only One
Brian De Palma's early work is candid, fierce, and wildly entertaining. William Finley and Paul Williams are perfectly cast here, and the plot about a composer who has been slandered by a producer (a scoundrel who has also managed to sell his soul) and who tries to help a young singer named Phoenix avoid going down a terrible path is deeply moving. If you haven't seen this film, you haven't really gotten to know the director's work.
7. Ghost in the Shell / Kokaku kidotai (1995)
The name “Evo” in this case is not just marketing. It is truly an evolutionary finale for the legendary series, its quintessence. If you strive for absolute sound and are willing to invest in it, the Scala Utopia III Evo is one of those peaks from which you no longer need to search for a way up.
