French speaker maker Focal was a very active participant in the recent Audio Advice Live 25 consumer audio show, which took place in Raleigh, North Carolina, from August 1-3. Along with demonstrating a stunning 7.4.4-channel Dolby Atmos home theater system, the company took advantage of the show to make the US debut of its new Focal Diva Mezza Utopia speakers.
Similar to the best wireless speakers, the Diva Mezza Utopia uses a wireless connection to stream music from services like Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify. But the Focal’s similarities to most other wireless speakers end right there.
The biggest difference is price. While Focal calls the Diva Mezza Utopia a “lifestyle” speaker, at $69,000 (around £51,000 / AU$106,000) for the pair, it is priced stratospherically higher than your typical lifestyle speaker from Sonos, Apple, or Bose.
Another big difference is the resolution of the audio signal that passes between a pair of Diva Mezza Utopias: the system supports a lossless, high-res 24-bit/96kHz wireless connection, and an optional wired speaker interconnect will bump the resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz.
Though it’s a “lifestyle” product with all-in-one wireless convenience and a luxurious ivory felt finish to help the 50 x 18 x 24-inch (127 x 46 x 62cm) speakers slot easily into an upscale living space, the Diva Mezza Utopia is designed and engineered like a typical 3-way example of the best stereo speakers.
Its four eight-inch woofers are mated with a 6.5-inch mid-bass driver and a Pure Beryllium ‘M’-shaped inverted dome tweeter. Power is specified at 500 watts per speaker, with separate Naim-designed Class-AB amplifiers used for the tweeter, mid-range, and bass, and separate power supplies used for the tweeter-mid-bass and bass sections.
Along with its Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect wireless streaming capabilities, the Diva Mezza Utopia features a range of wired audio input options. There’s HDMI eARC, optical digital, Ethernet, USB, and analog stereo RCA, with that last one also letting you connect one of the best turntables if you pair it with a phono preamp.
Given its wireless, lifestyle-friendly design, most listeners will likely go the streaming route, and the Focal & Naim app lets you stream from the Tidal and Qobuz music services directly within the app, as well as access internet radio stations. The app also features Focal’s ADAPT (Adaptive Acoustic Personal Tuning) technology, which “uses a sophisticated algorithm to calibrate the system to both room acoustics and user preferences,” according to the company.
Focal additionally provides a Zigbee hardware remote for controlling the speakers.
Diva Utopia first, Diva Mezza next
The Diva Mezza Utopia was a no-show at Focal’s scheduled press-only demo due to the speakers being held up in customs, but the company also had its Focal Diva Utopia ($40,000), the Mezza’s smaller, less powerful predecessor, on hand at the show.
Thankfully, the company was able to retrieve its goods from customs the next day and reschedule the demo, but I was glad I had the opportunity to first hear the Diva Utopia before getting the Diva Mezza Utopia treatment.
While Focal’s smaller speaker sounded great, the new wireless flagship had a more open, effortless, and dynamic sound than the original, along with deeper, more powerful bass. Focal leaned heavily on electronic music tracks for its demo, and one track in particular, Bungee Jump by Captain Hook, best showcased the Diva Mezza Utopia’s capabilities.
Imaging in particular was fantastic on this track, with the soundstage extending far beyond the physical confines of the speakers themselves. With four 8-inch, separately amped woofers per speaker, the bass was similarly impressive, especially given the large-ish, high-ceilinged room where the demo took place.
With a pair of Diva Mezza Utopias priced around the same as a luxury EV, I won’t be buying them anytime soon. But the dynamic, detailed, full-range hi-res sound I experienced in Focal’s demo was a highlight of Audio Advice Live 25, and it made me desperately want to own these luxury lifestyle speakers.
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