What kind of amp would you all recommend to power a pair of Focal Utopias 2 way components in the front and a pair of coaxials in the rear? I was planning on going with a JL 450/4 and have 75 watts/speaker going to the rear and 150 watt/speaker going to the Utopias. But one of the stereo guys told me that the JL won't be enough for these speakers. He recommends the Diamond D7 amps. Anyone have a JL running their Utopias and how do you like the sound? Thanks.

 

I believe anyone who has JL amps running Utopias will tell you that them JL amps sound good, because they do. This is provided that they never tried the Utopia with a superior sounding amplifier. For example, if you ask someone who used to own an Accord what they think about their Saab that they now own they would say that their Saab is excellent, because it is. If you then take their Saab away and have them drive a 3 series for a week, they will no longer think the Saab is great.

The key with Utopias is to make sure that your other components are of equal sound quality. If you don't match your other components to the Utopias, then you have wasted money and could have bought a less expensive set of Focals that will still reveal all of the amp's potential.

Utopias are one of you more expensive speakers on the market and are not only strong in their price range, but strong up against almost anything.

This is not the case with JL amps. They are strong in their price range. If you really want to hear Utopia's potential, get a serious amplifier or buy a lower Focal model and put the money into other parts.

I have designed/installed over thousands of car audio systems and although this is NOT a rule, I do notice that most good matches involve a mids/high amp that is close to the same retail price as the component speakers you have selected.

You can't buy a Ferrari and then put Pep Boys 4 tire special on and not wonder if there is more potential left in that Ferrari. Of course there is!

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