Focal Utopia vs MM6 listening test

[AustinKP]

On another forum, I found a guy that lives in my same city. We met up today to hear each other's systems. He has an Eclipse HU, w/ Focal Utopias powered by a 4-channel Audison (very nice)amp bridged to 160 x 2. We sat in his car and listened to them for about 2 hours or so. He saw my fiberglass project and is thinking about making some for his car, so he wanted to see how I did mine.

He also has a StereoIntegrity 15" SI D2 running on 600 watts that is very clean and hits pretty hard, considering the sub can take like 1000 watts all day, but that's a different story...

I started by listening to my trusty Train of Thought CD to get a feel for how they sounded. Like I've read, the tweets are very bright, just on the border of harsh for the opening cymbal crashes, but overall are very crisp and detailed. His 5.25" mids are sitting in the factory locations, so his soundstage was very low. We turned off his sub so I could directly compare our mids. They sounded very nice. Very crisp, accurate sound.

Then we got in my car to hear the difference. His tweets are a bit brighter, although I prefer the polk tweets, which are just as detailed, just a bit more laid back. However, we both agreed that our mids sounded very much the same! Same tone, same amount of detail, same crispness in both. I was amazed! My mids definitely had more midbass, but that has a lot to do with mine being 6.75" compared to his 5.25" I'd imagine.

Anyway, I was just very happy to learn that I made a wise decision in Polk, and they sound just as good as speakers that cost twice as much. Yeah for Polk :)

[MacLeod]

Ive heard the Utopias only on a soundboard and I didnt think they were bright. I actually really liked the way Neal Pearts ride cymbal on 'Test for Echo' sounded.

Overall the Utopia is a better speaker, BUT considering the MM6 is $300 and the Utopia is $1300, Ill take the Mighty MM6 anyday! :D

My only complaint about the MM6 is they are a little too thin sounding for me, at least right now. They havent had time to break in yet and Im hoping once they are theyll put out a little more midbass.

[AustinKP]

Originally posted by MacLeod
Ive heard the Utopias only on a soundboard and I didnt think they were bright. I actually really liked the way Neal Pearts ride cymbal on 'Test for Echo' sounded.

Overall the Utopia is a better speaker, BUT considering the MM6 is $300 and the Utopia is $1300, Ill take the Mighty MM6 anyday! :D

My only complaint about the MM6 is they are a little too thin sounding for me, at least right now. They havent had time to break in yet and Im hoping once they are theyll put out a little more midbass.

All I can say is, more than ever, I know that INSTALL IS EVERYTHING.
Also, we both paid the same amount for our speakers. He got his 5.25" Utopia's for $200 online somewhere.
-Austin

[MacLeod]

Originally posted by AustinKP
He got his 5.25" Utopia's for $200 online somewhere.
-Austin

Hmmm, something is real fishy. Im not calling your buddy a liar but I cant imagine anyone getting $1300 speakers for $200. Espeically with the demand Focal has unless they were stolen or well used.

You sure he has Utopias and not one of the lesser series like Polyglass or K2 Power?

[exalted512]

utopias for $200??? they had to been used off of ebay or something...or not utopias. honestly, my guess is that theyre not utopias. ive heard them before and they are MUCH more details than the mm6s...MUCH more....
-Cody

[AustinKP]

I don't know if he has connections or what, but he was sure they were Utopias. He could have gotten them used, I don't know. Only thing I can figure is that since they were installed in the factory locations in the doors, maybe that made them sound worse? Plus, mine get louder on half as much power. He had 160 watts per channel going to his, and I have 85ish per channel. I made sure his gains were set right on his too. I don't know what to tell you guys. I'll have to ask him where he got them...

[exalted512]

there has got to be something seriously wrong with his install...

[Thom]

It's no that hard to imagine, I've heard several installs (years ago) at the local shop that carried Focal that weren't impressive. The install is very important.

[MacLeod]

Originally posted by AustinKP
I don't know if he has connections or what, but he was sure they were Utopias.

Hmmm. Does Pyle call their speakers Utopias? :D