Focal Diva Utopia Gloss Finishes, IsoAcoustics Unveils GAIA Neo Feet

When Focal unveiled the $40K Diva Utopia active streaming speaker in October 2024, it seemed like a compelling high-end product, and it has since garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews (despite its unfortunate lack of Roon Ready certification). But at launch, I questioned the practicality of its unique felt exterior finish, which I worried would not stand up well to pets, kids, and time. If you’re spending this kind of money on speakers, you want them to look good for years to come.

Focal Diva Utopia Gets Glossy

For the lucky folks shopping in this price range, we have some good news: Focal is introducing three new lacquered finishes for the Diva Utopia: Black High Gloss, Dune High Gloss and Off White High Gloss. The lacquered finishes will be available starting in June, exclusively from select Focal Powered by Naim stores. The bad news is that these finishes raise the price of the speakers by a gut-punching $9,500 per pair. The reality is that Utopia-level speakers are not just high-performance products, but also luxury products. If you want premium materials and sophisticated aesthetics, you can have them, at a price. One interesting wrinkle is that owners of the standard felt-adorned Diva Utopia can purchase the lacquered side panels (I believe for the same $9,500/pair) to upgrade the look and feel of their speakers. Installation of the new panels is carried out by trained professionals at your local Focal Powered by Naim store.

More information: Focal Diva Utopia

IsoAcoustics Introduces GAIA Neo and GAIA TITAN Neo Acoustic Isolation Feet

IsoAcoustics introduced the original GAIA threaded isolation feet back in 2016. Designed to replace factory-installed feet or spikes, the GAIA feet promise improved performance from your speakers. While there are certainly plenty of audio tweaks on the market that fail to deliver, the GAIA feet are the real deal. At the recent 2025 High End Munich show, IsoAcoustics announced two new ranges of isolation feet within the GAIA Series: GAIA Neo and GAIA TITAN Neo. While the original GAIA models will remain available, these upgraded versions offer new features like seamless height adjustment, simplified installation, and refined aesthetics. The new height adjustment mechanism allows the isolators to be raised or lowered by up to 8.5mm (0.34”) without affecting their on-axis alignment. Simply rotate the lower ring to adjust. Installation is easier too, according to IsoAcoustics. On these new feet, the top of the isolator housing sits flush against the bottom of the speaker, with an integrated o-ring that compresses for a secure fit with no lock nuts required.

In addition to these practical improvements, the Neo feet promise greater isolation thanks to refined internal isolators with adjustments to shape, thickness, and durometer (hardness) of the materials used. These changes are the result of continued R&D and performance testing, according to the company, delivering improvements in clarity, focus, and low-frequency definition. The GAIA Neo series also accommodates floors that are not perfectly level by incorporating a bottom isolator that can pivot to maintain full contact with the floor even when the surface is slightly angled. This allows the speaker to remain stable and ensures consistent performance without rocking or compromised support, according to IsoAcoustics. On either carpets or hard floors, finding the perfect speaker positioning is easy thanks to the inclusion of temporary sliders that go under the GAIA Neo feet while you experiment with placement. These are easy to remove when you have everything dialed in.

Neo makes it easier than ever for audiophiles and Hi-Fi enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of their systems. GAIA is the standard in isolation performance for the audio market and we’ve worked very hard to make this outstanding product line even better. GAIA Neo is the culmination of this exploration.

— Dave Morrison, Founder of IsoAcoustics

Offered in dark chrome or a subtle black finish, there are six models in the Neo range designed to support speakers of different sizes. The TITAN models are purpose-built for large floor-standing speakers weighing up to 620 pounds each. The GAIA Neo range will be available for purchase in Q3 of 2025, though pricing is TBD.

More information: IsoAcoustics GAIA Neo