Focal $40K DIVA UTOPIA Active Streaming Wireless Speakers for 21st Century Audiophile

Focal Says Goodbye to Analog Crossovers, Goes Active!

Focal has introduced its first active streaming wireless speaker, and it’s a doozy. While there are plenty of affordable and mid-priced options in this increasingly popular category, the new DIVA UTOPIA ($39,999/pair) is aimed squarely at the well-heeled audiophile who values simplicity and design, but who still demands the extreme levels of performance offered by the best component-based systems. Focal says that the DIVA is the result of a five-year R&D project, and that it combines pure Focal sound, unique design, cutting-edge Naim electronics, and the latest wireless technologies to offer “unparalleled freedom and ease of use” while delivering “sensational listening experiences.” Handcrafted in France, the DIVA UTOPIA continues Focal’s legacy of excellence while ushering in “a new dimension of the Utopia philosophy” focused on “audio progress and innovation,” according to the company.

Focal’s Professional department has made active studio monitors for over two decades, and these have almost certainly been used in the creation of some of your favorite contemporary music. My pal Sean Watkins from the Grammy-winning band Nickel Creek uses Focal monitors in his home studio. But the DIVA UTOPIA marks the first time that the company has developed an active speaker for the luxury/audiophile consumer market. It’s an all-in-one system — simply plug the speakers into power, connect to your network, and play music from your own digital collection or from the streaming service of your choice. At its core, the DIVA is an active, 3-way, bass-reflex floorstanding loudspeaker with a built-in streamer, DAC, and amplifiers designed by British audio manufacturer Naim. (Both Naim and Focal are owned by parent company Vervent Audio Group.) Cabling in this kind of system is kept to a minimum. Each speaker needs to be tethered to an AC outlet, of course, but those might be the only cables involved, depending on the audio sources used. The two speakers pair with each other via a wireless Ultra Wideband connection promising exceptional sound quality with “imperceptible latency (and) remarkable precision,” according to Focal. For streaming, the speakers are compatible with Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, and many other services (including Qobuz) via the Focal & Naim app, available for iOS and Android devices. They also support AirPlay 2, Google Cast, UPnP, and Bluetooth 5.3. 

Surprisingly, there is no mention of Roon Ready support at launch, which seems like a major omission until you realize that Samsung's recent purchase of Roon has raised concerns for Focal regarding data protection, intellectual property, and other factors beyond their control. Roon is popular among audiophiles of all descriptions these days, and especially so among wealthy shoppers interested in wireless audio tech. For those with physical connections in mind, the DIVA UTOPIA offers HDMI eARC, optical Toslink, and USB Type A connections, the latter presumably for attaching a hard drive loaded with audio files. The DIVA also accepts analog audio via an RCA line input, which vinyl fans will use to attach a phono preamp. Those more firmly rooted in the 21st century vision of music consumption can integrate the DIVA speakers into a multiroom Focal and Naim system, with the ability to sync up to 32 streaming devices and control them from the app. The speakers can also be controlled by the supplied remote control, or by voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant. Focal says that the DIVA speakers connect with all major home automation systems, including Control4, Crestron, Savant, and RTI, and to both Apple Homekit and Google Home.

One of the stand-out features of the DIVA UTOPIA is the Ultra Wideband (UWB) tech used for the wireless interlink between the left and right speakers. This is a relatively new bit of tech in the world of home audio — the first speakers to use it were the Sonus faber Duetto wireless speakers, which came to market in late 2023. Focal says that the UWB tech used in the DIVA was co-developed with a trusted partner, though this partner is not named. (Sonus faber used UWB tech from Spark Microsystems.) Ultra Wideband technology offers some significant advantages for an application like this, including high resolution and very low latency with no signal loss or compression. I am curious to see how the DIVA speakers perform with respect to signal stability. With the Sonus faber Duette, the signal would suffer dropouts when someone stood between the speakers. The wireless interlink is limited to 24 bits/96kHz, so signals with higher sampling rates will be downscaled. Luckily, the DIVA UTOPIA speakers ship with a “Hi-Res Link cable” which can be used instead of the UWB connection. The use of this cable increases the resolution of the inter-speaker link to 24 bits/192kHz, and obviously removes any lingering concerns about dropouts. Either way, the loudspeakers’ internal clocks are controlled by Naim’s Intelligent Dynamics Clocking (IDC) innovation, which reportedly ensures that the audio data is transferred between the two loudspeakers with “impressive speed, reliability, and precision,” so the left and right channels remain perfectly synchronized.

Focal DIVA UTOPIA: Driver Technology and Cabinet Features

Loudspeaker technology and driver design have been Focal’s core focus since the creation of Focal-JMlab in 1979. For many years, the company produced the drivers used in some of the world’s most exclusive speaker brands. Several of Focal’s best driver innovations are now at work inside the DIVA UTOPIA, starting with the company’s famous M-profile beryllium tweeter. This tweeter builds on the strengths of Focal’s original beryllium tweeter, as seen in the groundbreaking Utopia Be series loudspeakers from 2002. The M-shaped dome “allows optimal dispersion of high frequencies, guaranteeing a wide soundstage,” according to Focal. Of course, the pure beryllium itself contributes exceptional rigidity and light weight. Combining these benefits reportedly results is a low-distortion tweeter capable of “reproducing the tiniest nuance with remarkable fidelity.” The tweeter’s performance is optimized by Focal’s IAL (Infinite Acoustic Loading) technology, which precisely controls acoustic pressure behind the dome, considerably reducing resonance and distortion, according to the company.

The DIVA UTOPIA also employs a 6.5-inch midrange driver mounted beneath the tweeter, and four 6.5-inch woofers positioned on the sides of the cabinet. The midrange driver delivers an “ultra detailed, natural midrange with no distortion and front impact in the bass,” according to Focal. The woofers, which are arranged in a push-push configuration, are reportedly capable of high power handling and “stunning bass presence.” Focal’s rated bandwidth for the DIVA UTOPIA is 27Hz-40kHz (+/-3dB), with a -6dB point at 24Hz. The midrange driver and woofers all feature Focal’s unique "W" sandwich cone technology, a design that has been used in the brand’s top speakers since 1995.  The handmade cone utilizes a central foam core sandwiched between two outer layers of glass fiber. Focal says that this construction provides an optimal combination of lightness, rigidity, and damping — the key parameters for a high-quality speaker driver. According to Focal, the result is a low distortion rate and “a fully transparent listening experience,” with a perfect frequency response and “ultimate precision.” These drivers feature TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) surrounds, which solve a key problem, according to the brand. Increasing the damping of a speaker driver surround often results in increased mass and diminished sound definition. Focal tells us that TMD technology uses an additional mass oscillating in opposition to the resonance, which allows for increased control by stabilizing the behavior of the surround, thus avoiding cone deformations that lead to distortion. The use of TMD technology in the midrange driver and woofers therefore increases definition and preserves dynamics, according to Focal.

The cabinet into which these drivers are installed is a molded polymer body with structural reinforcement optimized using finite element analysis. Focal says that this polymer is a rigid, high-density material with anti-vibration engineered into the design, resulting in high cabinet neutrality. It’s a ported design with a unique ground radiation vent, resulting in no dynamic bass compression, according to the company. The cabinet sits on an injected aluminum base with a built-in “escape ramp” from the vent to facilitate laminar air flow. Focal claims this design provides “significantly improved bass reproduction”. The base sits on casters, making the speakers easy to move. Once you’ve dialed in the perfect positions, you have the option to fit the included spikes.

Focal DIVA UTOPIA: Naim Inside

Under the hood, the DIVA UTOPIA benefits from “the best of Naim electronics,” including quality power amplification and a new streaming architecture based on the new Naim Pulse Platform active module. This platform can deliver resolution up to 32bits/384kHz. As the DIVA is an active speaker, each section of its three-way design is amplified separately, using a total of 400 watts of Class AB amplification per speaker. The woofers receive 250 watts, while the midrange and tweeter drivers each receive 75 watts. This amplification was “designed specially to supply this loudspeaker,” not that an off-the-shelf Naim amp would be a bad thing. The company is known for making quality Class AB amps, devoting particular time, attention, and resources to power supply design and performance. But the amps used in the DIVA have been integrated into an active, holistically-designed system for “optimized performance, stability, and dynamics,” according to Focal. Before the audio signal reaches the amps, it goes through a powerful DSP engine with optimized digital filtering that guarantees “perfect signal processing for even greater transparency.” Then it’s converted from digital to analog by the “ultra-high-performance DAC.” Heat emissions within the electronics are controlled by an anodized aluminum heatsink “lifted from Naim’s world-class Statement amplifier,” according to Focal. It sits in the rear of each loudspeaker, keeping each component at an ideal operating temperature to ensure the reliability and longevity of the DIVAs. Focal says that the heatsink works alongside custom “compressor-limiter technology that has been specially designed for Focal speaker drivers and Naim electronics, allowing users to turn up the volume without fear of damaging the loudspeakers.”

Focal DIVA UTOPIA: Design

It takes just a glance at the DIVA UTOPIA to understand that this is a visually sensational loudspeaker — not the kind of design that blends demurely into the room. It’s certainly a unique look, and one that is likely to divide opinion. There is an obvious refinement to the design, which features woofers subtly placed to the sides, and side panels that appear to be floating a few inches from the cabinet. These panels are separated by a signature “incision” at the front, where you’ll find a backlit Focal logo glowing near the base of the speaker. The red and black double grille on the tweeter is a clear Utopia design element — it immediately made me think of the Utopia 2022 Headphones. But it also made me think of the HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. There is definitely something sci-fi about such a futuristic look, but to me there’s also something menacing, even sinister — like an upscale Dalek from Doctor Who.

Looks are obviously highly personal, and I have no doubt that many audiophiles with contemporary minimalist homes will love the design and its thoughtful details, like the brushed aluminum “ribbon” encircling the tweeter. Focal says that this symbolizes Yin and Yang, evoking harmony between expertise and technology. Another two-tone ring encircles the midrange driver, and the speaker’s two-step bevelled plinth makes the whole speaker look as if it is levitating. Perhaps the most unusual design choice is the felt material chosen for the side panels. Focal says that this felt is a “cutting-edge material,” made from OEKO-TEX-certified polyester fibers that comply with strict sustainability and environmental protection requirements. I’m all for designing products with minimal environmental impact, and I can see an elegance in the texture of the material, which Focal says is “prized by a host of creators in the Haute Couture, automotive, and interior design sectors for its unique appearance and properties.” The felt is “rigid, yet light and fluid,” with a grey finished designed in conjunction with Germany’s Becker Brakel — one of the world’s leading manufacturers of shaped wood and non-woven material, according to Focal. The material is shaped into a complex dual-curve, and the detachable floating side panels definitely succeed in giving the DIVA UTOPIA a unique character. Focal also says that the felt material has insulating qualities that further enhance the loudspeaker’s already outstanding performance. The pragmatist in me wonders whether it would be hard to keep clean, and whether it would attract dust and pet hair. If installed in an open-concept living space adjacent to a kitchen, would these felt-clad towers accrue a sticky layer of vaporized cooking oils over time? How would I remove the stain after my baby niece catapults a tablespoon of mashed blueberries directly at the DIVA’s pristine felt surface? These questions abound, but there’s one thing that I needn’t wonder about at all. Without a shadow of a doubt, my cat Mazel Tov would absolutely delight in the opportunity to destroy the luxurious felt panels with her exquisitely sharp claws. My reservations aside, Focal says that the DIVA UTOPIA was designed to resemble a “signature watch,” with an overall aesthetic that is “as ethereal as it is powerful, as understated as it is sophisticated.”

Our primary goal for DIVA UTOPIA was to create a user-friendly experience without compromising on performance. We can confidently say that we have succeeded.

— Cédrick Boutonet, Focal & Naim CEO

Focal DIVA UTOPIA: Conclusion

It is interesting to see active streaming all-in-one systems like the Focal DIVA UTOPIA reach further into the stratosphere of ultra-high-end audio. (See our article Can Active Streaming Speakers Really Replace a High-End Stereo System?.) On the more affordable side of the spectrum, products like the KEF LSX II and PSB Alpha iQ are no-brainers for many customers. Both sell for $1,300 per pair as of the time of writing. As you move up in price, more options appear from KEF, JBL, Buchardt Audio, Dynaudio, and other well-known brands. The $4K Sonus faber Duetto wireless speakers offer impressive sound quality for the money (though they were plagued by operational bugs when I reviewed them last year). It’s easy to see the appeal of a simple, all-in-one solution at these prices, and I have no doubt that this product category will continue to yield successful new products up to at least $15K. Moving up from there, however, I will be interested to see how many audiophiles willing to spend tens of thousands or more will embrace this kind of “set it and forget it” audio system. Traditionally, big-spending audiophiles have amassed large, complicated systems comprising many shiny boxes that can be upgraded, tweaked, and swapped out. For many of us, that is part of the fun. But what Focal is suggesting with the DIVA UTOPIA is that there are other wealthy audiophiles who simply want to enjoy the music without the endless gear-matching and faffing about with cables and tweaks. To be sure, Focal is not alone in thinking this. One of the most enjoyable demos I heard at T.H.E. Show 2023 was the active streaming Linn 360 Exakt Integrated loudspeakers ($105,000/pair). And YG Acoustics, one of the biggest names in ultra-high-end speakers, now has a whole line of all-in-one active speakers. That company’s least expensive model is the Vantage 3 Live, which is over 50% more expensive than the Focal DIVA UTOPIA, at $65,600 per pair. The range-topping YG XX3 Live sells for an astonishing $258,600 per pair. All of this leads me to wonder whether Focal is just getting started with the DIVA UTOPIA. At 4 feet tall, and selling for $40K per pair, the DIVA UTOPIA is nowhere near as large, nor as expensive, as Focal’s top UTOPIA Series passive speakers. I have little doubt that the DIVA UTOPIA will sound superb. If it is a financial success, there’s every possibility that Focal could make a bigger and even costlier version.

If you want to see the DIVA UTOPIA in action, the speakers will be available later this month in qualified stores of the Focal Powered by Naim network. We will be getting a personal demo at a press event in NYC later this week and will report on our subjective listening impressions shortly. If you had big money to spend, would you want to build your own mega-system, or would you keep it simple with an all-in-one product like the Focal DIVA UTOPIA? Share your thoughts in the related forum thread below.

More information: Focal DIVA UTOPIA

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