- The Focal Utopia Main 112 and 212 studio monitors arrive
- The UM 112 is a three-way monitor; The UM 212 is a 3.5 way design
- This is a premium audio brand, and the Utopia Main’s price reflects that.
French audio specialist Focal needs no introduction from me (but see the phenomenal Diva Utopia or Aria Evo a little different. It’s something the company proudly calls Utopia Main, and it’s a new line of studio monitors aimed specifically at engineers, musicians, producers, and other audio professionals – provided they have the fairly deep pockets…
Focal tells me that every component of the two models (one is a three-way pair; the other a 3.5-way option) has been carefully designed for these models only, and when Focal points you towards new technology such that an “M-shaped membrane” on the all-new 5-inch midrange unit, plus a “W-diaphragm beryllium tweeter”, it’s worth noting – this company has produced some of the highest performing audio equipment we’ve ever seen. have never heard. (Have I ever told you about the Focal Celestee or the Focal Bathys? I guess I have now.)
The company also tells me that many elements of its Utopia line have been in development since 2017 and that Utopia Main marks “the most significant milestone” for Focal’s pro division since its inception.
In search of utopia, in Main
Should we delve a little deeper into Focal’s technical wizardry? I won’t try to simplify the operation of the Utopia Main press release, which states: “The force subjected to a membrane is determined by the equation F=B*l*i, where B is the magnetic field at l ‘inside the voice coil, the length of the coil and the current’. But I can tell you that for the first time ever, Focal’s Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) technology has been integrated into the high frequency driver. According to Focal, this halved the total harmonic distortion – that is, those unwanted intonations in an audio signal – at 3 kHz, a high treble frequency.
Additionally, the diameter of the voice coil has been increased to 25mm, for better heat dissipation. Then there are the patented three-way UM 112 and 3.5-way UM 212 amplifiers. These use a combination of less visible 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 claims that by controlling the current in the amplifier stage (instead of voltage), engineers were able to directly control the force subjected to the diaphragm and virtually eliminate all unwanted and harmful audio items additional.
I’ll tell you one thing: I’ve heard the big Diva Utopia stand-up speakers, and while they’re too high-end 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 commandingly and insightfully in a smaller, studio-friendly package, they’d get my vote for benchmark recording.
The price? Sure, but be prepared: the Focal UM 112 is priced at $30,000 / £22,000 (or around AU$43,000), while the Focal UM 212 will set you back $50,000 / £38,000 (or more almost AU$75,000). Two for the wish-list, then…
