Focal Utopia monitors: Diablo vs. Micro Be

Thanks Elviukai, I'm using a robust 25W/Ch. tube integrated with the first generation Mini Utopias. I'm generally happy with the combo but the Mini's have some severe spikes below 100 Hertz. Based on your measurements, do you have an opinion on a change to the Diablos.

I looked at mini utopia impedanse indeed both peaks are more peaky (30 and 35 ohms at 30 and 80hz respectively) than Diablo which have 31ohms and 17 ohmz at 36hz and 78hz respectively. however it would not be major dificulty to amp. I have not heard oldest model of mini utopia, but I believe its still top of the class performer and probbaly way much honest comparing to diablo(it look like more studio monitor to me seing frequency response) but Diablo is so seductive and it feels so good to enjoy it. its the first focal speaker which is enjoyable to me for its character rather than ultra audiophile quality.

Thank you Elviukai. That's extremely helpful. I spent a good year auditioning speakers before choosing the Mini's and I still like them. But when pretty much everything I read proclaims that these third generation Utopias easily blow away the Be's, my interest is peaked. That said, I agree with those that consider it critically important to get the synergy between a speaker and amp right.

I would not consider word "blow away" right here. I still miss that very ultra top end "hotness" that previuos generations before II and III) had.

I believe that main reason for theese claims is that 3rd generation have more relaxed tweeter from all past series which alows speakers to be designed "fast" but also relaxed. The xover changes on focal team probably also is a key- when measuring and listening to utopia III Diablo and Maestro models i see now more "human factor" and less measuring perfection than previuos generations. And I like that. its not that hard to make speaker that measures flat, but its much more hard to "spoil" speaker with special selected on long tuning months dips and peaks which makes speaker sound more involving and still honest and REAL. I have never been a big fan of Hi-fi enginiered speakers in high-end. I that price tag I want as much "human factor" as it posible. Because final receiver is my ears, not microphone. When transmitter type is similar to receiver there is good posibility that speakers will push a tear or few from me in my favourite record :-)

Elviukai, my last answer to you regarding the output of my Accuphase E-550 amp into the Focal Micro Be speakers was too intransigent. Sorry, you seem to be knowledgeable in this regard. Please read further for clarifications.

Of course, the concept of nominal impedance is a vary vague concept that practically tell you nothing about important parameters like the lowest impedance, the frequency where it occurs, phase angle, etc. Not to mention that the impedance of a speaker as seen by an amp also depends on many other parameters, e.g. cables, how loud the speaker is played, room temperature, position of the speaker in the room, etc.

Since you have measured the speaker (I did not) you are probably right that my amp will delivery more like 60 watts when driving my Micro Be speakers. However, at the levels that I listen this is not a problem for my amp, i.e. according to the onboard meters my Accuphase has more than 20 dB of headroom (before clipping). This was actually the point I made in my answer to Phaelon.

You probably read quickly my answer to Phaelon and missed this point. This bother me a bit as this seemed not to be the first inconsistency in your answers (I have read many of your post about the new Focal Utopia line). The most striking example in this regard are your posts about the differences between the 2nd and 3rd Focal Be tweeters. In this thread you write:

"I would not consider word "blow away" right here."

whereas in a different thread. i.e. "Utopia Skala / Alto speakers anyone hear them both", you write:

"Scala is much better.its deisgned by another enginier in Jm Lab the tweeter itself is 3x better than old ones."

Regards,
Paul