- Focal Utopia Main 112 and 212 studio monitors land
- UM 112 is a three-way monitor; UM 212 is a 3.5-way design
- This is a high-end audio brand and the Utopia Main price reflects that
French audio specialist Focal needs no introduction from me (but check out the phenomenal Diva Utopia or Aria Evo It’s something the company proudly calls Utopia Main, and it’s a new range of studio monitors aimed specifically at engineers, musicians, producers and other audio professionals – as long as they have deep pockets…
Focal tells me that each component of the two models (one, a three-way pair; the other, a 3.5-way option) has been carefully designed just for these models, and when Focal points you toward new technology like a ” M shape “Membrane” on the new 5-inch midrange unit, plus a “W Membrane Beryllium Tweeter”, it’s worth taking note: this company has produced some of the best sounding audio equipment ever. we have never heard. (Any Have I ever told you about Focal Celestee or Focal Bathys? I guess now).
The company also tells me that many items within its Utopia range have been in development since 2017 and that Utopia Main marks “the most significant milestone” for Focal’s professional division since its inception.
Searching for utopia, in general
Shall we delve a little deeper into Focal’s technical magic? I will not try to simplify the operation of the Utopia Main press release, which says: “The force subjected to a membrane is determined by the equation F=B*l*i, where B is the magnetic field inside the voice coil, l the length of the coil and I the current”. But I can tell you that, for the first time, Focal’s Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) technology has been integrated into the high-frequency driver. According to Focal, this halved total harmonic distortion, also known as those annoying unwanted intonations in an audio signal, at 3 kHz, a high treble frequency.
Additionally, the diameter of the voice coil was increased to 25mm, for better heat dissipation. Then there are the proprietary UM 112 three-way and UM 212 3.5-way amplifiers. These use a combination of less-seen Class H amplification (which typically modulates the supply voltage to the output devices so that it is never higher than necessary to support the signal) with current-mode amplification. Focal says that by controlling the current in the amplification stage (rather than the voltage), engineers have been able to directly control the force subjected to the membrane and virtually eliminate any unwanted or unpleasant audio artifacts.
I’ll tell you what: I listened to the full-size Diva Utopia floorstanders, and while they’re a little too fancy for our dedicated buying guide, they’re still some of the best stereo speakers money can buy. If the Utopia Main range can perform so impressively and insightfully in a smaller, studio-friendly package, they would get my vote as a reference recording.
Prices? Of course, but be prepared: the Focal UM 112 is priced at $30,000/£22,000 (around AU$43,000), while the Focal UM 212 will set you back $50,000/£38,000 (or closer to AU$75,000). Two for the wish list, then…
