Focal 1038BE - good stuff

Joey_V

Just heard the Focal 1038BE, the newest member of the Electra line. Man, for a speaker that I had thought would be bright or lean, it sure as heck wasn't. Overall tone was musical but with superb bass and highs that were not actually fatiguing. Midrange was quite good and it seemed quite easy to integrate into the room.

I came away realizing that these French Focals are definitely something I can live with, especially since the sound is right around where I'd like a speaker reproduction to be. If any of you guys have some Focals, you're pretty lucky.

Definitely some good speakers coming out of this company.

I was more interested in the Utopia line such as the Focal Scala III v2, but alas I have not yet heard it. My friend who has the Scala III v2 and the Stradivari say that these 2 speakers are next level type, but that the Strads beat out the Scala III v2, but that the Scala III v2 are head and shoulder better than the 1038BE that I just heard.

So, more fun times ahead I guess.

1038BE in the white that I demo'd


Scala III v2

[Deleted User]

I also like Focal speakers but have not had the chance to experience any of the Utopia's. The BE tweeters are nice and am not surprised if it's implementation across lines sound good.

I did entertain the idea of purchasing the bookies a couple days ago. Where did you listen to the Focal''s at? As of late, I have been burned out on trying different setups and nitpicking. I realized that I have not really just sat down and just enjoyed the music. So my next setup will be just that.

Halen

Joey_V

Halen - My local friend had the Focal 1038BE... it was set up in his living room. Much bigger than my room but more of a multi-use room rather than a stereo room. I'm trying to get my ears on a few more speakers just to get an idea of what's out there.

Have not heard any of the Utopia or the Grande's for that matter... I am sure it is set up dependent as I really doubt that something at that level would be problematic or not sounding good. Room, upstreams have a lot to do with it, I agree nbrowser.

[Deleted User]

Cool. I have always been a fan of Focal and really liked it's mids and highs. Specifically, I am talking about their line of bookies. The bass department is lacking but a musical sub will easily fix that. The really like the W cones and would like to hear their new Flax line of drivers.

Damn it Joey, now you have me searching the Web for a pair of Focal bookies again. I just went through audio rehab the other night. This bill is on you. Lol

Halen

Joey_V

halenhoang wrote: »

Cool. I have always been a fan of Focal and really liked it's mids and highs. Specifically, I am talking about their line of bookies. The bass department is lacking but a musical sub will easily fix that. The really like the W cones and would like to hear their new Flax line of drivers.

Damn it Joey, now you have me searching the Web for a pair of Focal bookies again. I just went through audio rehab the other night. This bill is on you. Lol

Halen

Brother... screw you! You're the one who made me really look at the strads..

I'm sending you THAT bill.

Joey_V

nbrowser wrote: »

Joey, the retailer had the Grande's driven off a stack of Bryston gear, pre and amps. It sounded a bit too sterile for my tastes. I wondered how my Parasound amp would do on them however I didn't want to mention it to the salesman for fear of insulting the megabuck system.

I gotta say man, some of the best speakers in the world are near transparent to the source and that's what makes them great. There is a guy in Dallas who is probably 10x the audiophile I am and he has the Grande III... and I've been fearing going to his house to hear it because of what it might do to my idea of a reference sound.

I'm only going to listen to what I can afford.

Joey_V

Halen -

Those Diablo III man.... in red.... duuude....

Joey_V

nbrowser wrote: »

Joey_V wrote: »

nbrowser wrote: »

Joey, the retailer had the Grande's driven off a stack of Bryston gear, pre and amps. It sounded a bit too sterile for my tastes. I wondered how my Parasound amp would do on them however I didn't want to mention it to the salesman for fear of insulting the megabuck system.

I gotta say man, some of the best speakers in the world are near transparent to the source and that's what makes them great. There is a guy in Dallas who is probably 10x the audiophile I am and he has the Grande III... and I've been fearing going to his house to hear it because of what it might do to my idea of a reference sound.

I'm only going to listen to what I can afford.

Yeahhhhh and when your standing there...listening to probably close to a half million Canadian dollars in audio gear and it doesn't tickle your fancy...lol. I still want to hear those beasts powered by something a touch warmer though. It's not that the system sounded bad but it was just too...clean to use a term?

Yeah I totally get where you're coming from. LOL

I got that from what I've read too, that they're sterile... but again I haven't heard Utopias. What I heard from the ELectras was anything but that. So many great speakers, so little time!

ZLTFUL

Joey_V wrote: »

Halen -

Those Diablo III man.... in red.... duuude....

My buddy has a pair in his shop right now. I was planning on going over sometime this week and getting my listen on...

Joey_V

Yeah, never heard them but after hearing the Electras, boy I bet they sound good. My friend is a focal dealer and he is a wealth of knowledge. He has a lot of good things to say about Focal.

Though he owns the Strads so go figure. Would definitely love to have a pair in my house someday... maybe will revisit this idea in a year or two.

Joey_V

DSkip wrote: »

I'm hoping Magico will go back to the bookshelf route with something like an S0.5 or something to that effect. Something in that range would actually be much more affordable for the majority of audiophiles and really break the ice/get people talking about Magico at all levels.

I hear you... freaking Q1 is the price of other brand's reference models.

But they do that that S1 and in the used market, I've seen it hit 7.5K. Which is great if you're a Magico fan.

Just never heard it and couldn't pull the trigger on that.

Do love me a pair of Mini II..

... man, too much gear, too little time and money.

[Deleted User]

There used to be a Focal dealer here, near Texas Instruments off the High Five. But that was over 10 years ago, when Tweeter was still around. Last I heard, Focal was hard to deal with unless you could move the items like hot cakes.

I believe the first set of Focal I heard were from the Profile line. For the longest time I lusted the limited edition Profile with BE tweeter. My next setup will be in a 11 by 12 by 9 room. So whatever bookies I could fit in there would be great.

There are several brands out there that I do like. The Ushers I currently have are too big for my room and the next bookie will have to be spectacularly stellar to displace it. Yes. I am asking for a smaller speaker with even bigger sound. So, in a smaller sized room i feel it could be accomplished. It exists, as I have witnessed one but that pair was the only one in existence.

The Diablo looks nice but I wonder how much better it is compared to the other Focal bookies using the exact same drivers. The higher price tag could be attributed to its design. Ahem. Exotic manufacturing process.

Halen

[Deleted User]

Skip,
Who the hell are you talking too? Lol

Halen

brianle

I was about to buy this pair from a local seller and someone just snatched them before me. They were sold pretty quick too.

https://app.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-focal-scala-utopia-v1-black-2015-04-27-speakers-94539-fremont-ca

[Deleted User]

Skip,

Again. Who the hell are you talking too?. Haha

I can't wait to hear the Rosso man. You are one picky guy and demand perfection regardless of pricing point. It better perform to its pricing point. I have always respected that about you.

You have much experience that you share freely. BUT damn who the hell are you talking to? Lol.

[Deleted User]

DSkip wrote: »

This number is no longer in service.

Hahahahaha.
Don't you know. I have the most badass phone now that is Android. Phone is badass, android Is still suck.

ZLTFUL

As much as I love Magico (and the S1s on the used market)...I would go with the V2s on the used market for ~$7500-8500.

[Deleted User]

Zero wrote: »

It's tough not to admire a manufacturer that designs and (in some cases) produces its own drivers. Focal makes some good stuff.

Usher is another.

[Deleted User]

Zero wrote: »

HalenHoang,

You're right. Usher makes some great stuff as well. As for the driver situation... erm.. that kinda discussion is best suited for a different thread.

Haha. Yes. Along with their amps.as.well. it's a matter of having the balls to take something and prototyping it or making it better. Haha. I am ready for that thread. Cheers !!!!!

Halen

Joey_V

brianle wrote: »

I was about to buy this pair from a local seller and someone just snatched them before me. They were sold pretty quick too.

https://app.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-focal-scala-utopia-v1-black-2015-04-27-speakers-94539-fremont-ca

Wow

Joey_V

I need to stay away from forums, so much temptation.

Joey_V

nbrowser wrote: »

Joey_V wrote: »

I need to stay away from forums, so much temptation.

It's ok Joey...we'll help empty your bank account...they've assisted me in doing the same for a while now...join us...lol

You guys are terrible.

WLDock

halenhoang wrote: »

...really like the W cones and would like to hear their new Flax line of drivers.

I've listened to a limited amount of home speakers from Focal....the Grande Utopia used to be my dream speaker to listen to and own...the same with driving a Lamborghini! LOL! However, I've listened to just about every cone and tweeter from them in their "W" and "Be" raw drivers and mobile audio sets in some pretty high end SQ car audio systems. I used to have a 3 way set of the Poly-Kevlar drivers myself. Anyway, the Aria (Flax) drivers sound like Focal has taken all the good and bad feedback about the sound of their Kevlar cones, "W" cones, Be cones, inverted domes, costs, etc and used that to make a best of all worlds driver in the Aria line. I thought the 948's sounded very nice at Axpona. I really want to listen to those again. Maybe one I will look for in the used market in time?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v711/WLDock/AXPONA Chicago 2015/P1040413.jpg

Joey_V

WLDock wrote: »

halenhoang wrote: »

...really like the W cones and would like to hear their new Flax line of drivers.

I've listened to a limited amount of home speakers from Focal....the Grande Utopia used to be my dream speaker to listen to and own...the same with driving a Lamborghini! LOL! However, I've listened to just about every cone and tweeter from them in their "W" and "Be" raw drivers and mobile audio sets in some pretty high end SQ car audio systems. I used to have a 3 way set of the Poly-Kevlar drivers myself. Anyway, the Aria (Flax) drivers sound like Focal has taken all the good and bad feedback about the sound of their Kevlar cones, "W" cones, Be cones, inverted domes, costs, etc and used that to make a best of all worlds driver in the Aria line. I thought the 948's sounded very nice at Axpona. I really want to listen to those again. Maybe one I will look for in the used market in time?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v711/WLDock/AXPONA Chicago 2015/P1040413.jpg

So, funny you mentioned that. Those aria 948 were replaced by my friend'a 1038be... So I saw those exact pair at his place last week. He will be selling them and he is local to Dallas.

Maybe it's something you want?

WLDock

Any idea what he is asking? I'm sure they are out of my price range right now....need to wait a year or two. I see a set on the Gon for $3.5K.
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/full-range-focal-aria-948-gloss-black-trade-in-2015-04-30-speakers-22030-fairfax-va

I'm very close to selling the Polks and I plan to build my next set.

Joey_V

if you're serious i can ask him

WLDock

Joey, not serious at this time and there are dealers in Chi....but at some point I might be looking.

RamZet

Leave it to the French to use one of the rarest materials in the universe to make a tweeter...

They do sound nice though.

Joey_V

RamZet wrote: »

Leave it to the French to use one of the rarest materials in the universe to make a tweeter...

They do sound nice though.

I have yet to see someone make a tweeter out of unobtanium. That would be awesome

ZLTFUL

RamZet wrote: »

Leave it to the French to use one of the rarest materials in the universe to make a tweeter...

They do sound nice though.

And the Norwegians (Seas)...and the Americans (Magico)...and the Danish (Scan-speak)...and the Japanese (Yamaha)...and the Chinese (Tang Band...but the amount of Beryllium being used is suspect)

Joey_V

WLDock wrote: »

Joey, not serious at this time and there are dealers in Chi....but at some point I might be looking.

WLD

There is a pair of 948 Aria FS in Lombard near Chicago. I suggest you look at that as it is local and will save you a ton plus you can see it in person and do local pick up.