Focal

treitz3

Does anybody on this forum run with Focal speakers?

ben62670

I spent an hour listening to some. I listened to 4 pairs, and only one pair grabbed me. They had inverted dome tweeters, 6" mid bass, about 40"'s tall, and a $5000 price tag. While impressive imaging I would spend my money elsewhere. They did not have a full sound. This was in a listening show room with a high end Denon receiver, and a Velodyne sub.

treitz3

Actually, the imaging was the one thing I was not impressed with. The soundstage is severely lacking, IMO. However, the one thing that has me going back to the Focals is the fact that for the higher frequencies, or the highest frequencies rather....I don't have to strain to hear certain instruments or subtle sounds. Ambiance is outstanding, just lacking the soundstage.

VR3

JM Lab is one of my more favorite mainstream brands....

The Grande Utopia is one of the better speakers I've heard, even though it is hard to tell in the current configuration I hear them in.

I havnt heard their lower line though.

ben62670

treitz3 wrote: »

Actually, the imaging was the one thing I was not impressed with. The soundstage is severely lacking, IMO. However, the one thing that has me going back to the Focals is the fact that for the higher frequencies, or the highest frequencies rather....I don't have to strain to hear certain instruments or subtle sounds. Ambiance is outstanding, just lacking the soundstage.

They must have been setup bad, and yes the tweets are delicious, detailed, and smooth.

treitz3

I have the 807v currently running in my rig. Where did you audition the Utopia?

That has been one of my goals this past year, but I can't seem to find a dealer that has them. When I look up the website, I can't seem to find out any information as to dealers that have them unless I fly to California.

VR3

My Dad owns a pair...

Not the best setup though

treitz3

ben62670 wrote:

and yes the tweets are delicious, detailed, and smooth.

That's what impresses me and draws me to them. Yum, Yum. Close to audio bliss concerning the top end. Just lacking on the depth and location of some of the soundstage. That's my only gripe. Planar speakers and electrostat's have the soundstage I seek, but the TNC [edit TNV, not TNC] tweeter has that beautiful sound you describe that I just can't seem to let go of.

treitz3

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »

My Dad owns a pair...

Yes, you and I shall meet.;)

Hey, the Utopia has the real Pure Beryllium tweeter, correct?

VR3

hehe, well my Dad dosnt live with me. And his Grande Utopia setup is less than impressive. His source is digital cable music... no real CD player or anything in the setup....

I think mine for 1/10th the price... blows it away overall, he smokes me in detail though... but all around - I got him, but I spent a year or so getting my stuff where I really liked it and really seeked it out...

He was more of a "Lets get the most expensive things possible!"

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showpost.php?p=606269&postcount=13

And yes, it has the Beryllium tweet in it.

ben62670

treitz3 wrote: »

That's what impresses me and draws me to them. Yum, Yum. Close to audio bliss concerning the top end. Just lacking on the depth and location of some of the soundstage. That's my only gripe. Planar speakers and electrostat's have the soundstage I seek, but the TNC tweeter has that beautiful sound you describe that I just can't seem to let go of.

I so agree. If that tweeter was matched to something with depth, and punch I would give praises to them. That sound from a metal tweeter is spectacular. Too bad the rest of the package is lacking. From what I have read I would listen to some Gallo's, or others. You can't make up for what is lacking in the focals with a sub. Keep in mind I only heard Focals in the less than $5,000 range.

treitz3

ben62670 wrote:

If that tweeter was matched to something with depth, and punch I would give praises to them.

Agreed. The lower end leaves something to be desired....5K and less.

ben62670 wrote:

You can't make up for what is lacking in the focals with a sub.

No, you can not. Spoken from experience.

Lsi9

I own a pair of the 826V, love them, the tweeter is outstanding and as far as soundstage, I guess you didnt hear the right music...The lowend doesnt go down below 38hz on mine but I prefer to have a cleaner hi end than a full spectrum speaker.

Yashu

They did not have a full sound. This was in a listening show room with a high end Denon receiver...

How can you hook a $5000 dollar pair of lovely speakers like this to a denon reciever and call it a fair review?

I am not knocking denon, I am just saying that something about that statement doesn't fit right when talking about auditioning a set of $5k speakers.

VR3

Go ahead and knock the Denon!

Hehe...

I'm JK...

I want to hear the JM Lab Chorus line though

shack

Yashu wrote: »

How can you hook a $5000 dollar pair of lovely speakers like this to a denon reciever and call it a fair review?

I am not knocking denon, I am just saying that something about that statement doesn't fit right when talking about auditioning a set of $5k speakers.

The TOL Denon AVR retails for around $7,200 and if being used in a HT setup the "mere" $5,000 Focals just might be up to the task. It may not be the best choice in a 2 channel rig but Dennon makes AVRs that are more than capable of driving most of the so call high end speakers and doing so very well. That said I have heard some Denon based rigs that sound great...even compared to some of the more exotic gear that I've heard.

treitz3

Lsi9 wrote: »

I own a pair of the 826V, love them, the tweeter is outstanding and as far as soundstage, I guess you didnt hear the right music...The lowend doesnt go down below 38hz on mine but I prefer to have a cleaner hi end than a full spectrum speaker.

The highlighted areas of your quote I would like to address. I can see where you might think that I could have not heard the right selection of music. I'd like to point out that I have heard almost my entire collection of SACD's, XRCD's, HDHD's, and Redbook CD's as well as DVD's and DVD-A's and trust me, my selection is varied. This music was enjoyed on a pair of 807v's which have the same TNV tweeter and mid-driver as yours does. I have the lower frequencies augmented with other gear.

I should have clarified, the sound stage is absolutely wonderful, but lacking when compared to a Planar ribbon or electrostat speaker, for example. even when I perform all of the tweaking, placement, height, angle, yada, yada, the sound stage out of a 1" tweeter [as fantastic as the sound is] cannot even come close to the radiating surface area X2 [back and front] of a planar or ribbon. I guess that's where my gripe is with this speaker, my only gripe might I add.

G-2

The Focals we auditioned sounded tinny & crunchy on the top and didn't have much bottom, we listened to some Dynaudio's, and that was a bad idea!

Lsi9

treitz3 wrote: »

I should have clarified, the sound stage is absolutely wonderful, but lacking when compared to a Planar ribbon or electrostat speaker, for example.

Ok I see, but then again what cone driven speakers can compare to those as far as soundstage?
also the speaker you auditioned is a bookshelf how can you campare that to an electrostat or planar? it just wont have the weight that larger speakers do, to be fair you should compare the 826V's to the planar and electros.

daveyg2

have a pair of JM Utopia Divas and i absolutely love them. The be tweeter is one of the best in the world hands down.

treitz3

G-2 wrote:

The Focals we auditioned sounded tinny & crunchy on the top.......

Out of curiosity, did you listen to the Chorus series or the Profile series?

ben62670

I went, and listened to them again. I like my Morel's better.
Sound Advice finally stepped up to the plate, and used a real amp to power their speakers. I listened to RTi's, LSI 15's 9's, and a couple Focals

izafar

Focal JMLab make great speakers. I listened to 1037BE at HE show in May it was a wonderful experience. They were smooth at the top and had a very detailed a dynamic bottom end. They cost around $11k though. Also listened to 837 and they were also a treat to listen to. I would like a place where I can audition Lsi15 with them side by side.

G-2

treitz3 wrote: »

Out of curiosity, did you listen to the Chorus series or the Profile series?

Not sure which series we listened to. May have been the Chorus, they were about a grand more than the 15's we ended up getting. The LSi's were simply smoother sounding and didn't sound as metalic at the top end. My neighbor loves Focals and he's got some that he's really pleased with. They just didn't work for us, they are still well made speakers that appeal to many, just not us.

treitz3

Thanks for answering. The reason I ask is because I auditioned one of the Profile series speakers that use a different tweeter than the TNV tweeter and I reached the same conclusion. My ears didn't take a liking to it. The price range you were talking about sounds right on with the Profile series. A quick way to tell is the Profile series has a concave front and rounded backs and the Chorus series has a "V" shaped grill, squared back and lacquer finish.

I do want to listen to the real pure beryllium tweeter that's in the Utopia's lineup, however I would be very disappointed if it had the brightness that the Profile series had.

VR3

The Utopia's are the smoothest, yet most detailed speakers I've ever heard in my life. Zero sibiliance or strain.

On the other hand, the Wilson X1 is extremely bright.

Funny how that works. The Utopia is one of the best, would love to really hear it setup right.

Yashu

It is also one of the most lovely speakers... I see it on the back of Stereophile sometimes and lust over it. Sometimes I had the room for towers like that to really sing.

VR3

Whats funny about the Utopia, the fit and finish is so perfect - it pretty much looks fake... hahha

Makes me laugh when I see the things. Look so great, and fake - all at the same time. Go figure. Nothing is out of place.. no spots on the finish, nothing left from cuts - nothing. perfect.

Yashu

Well they cost enough... I got my speakers mixed up for a bit, yeah the utopias are insane... I was thinking of the Electra 1000 on the back of Stereophile.

I mean, I would rather my speaker be made with at least *some* natural materials... You talk about Wilsons, aren't they made from mostly high tech composits? They look strange too... Maybe I am old fashioned.

VR3

The Wilsons are a must-see-in-person type speakers. Hideous in pictures, jaw dropping - holy crap beautiful in person. A work of art is not the right word. A lil to bright even for me, but man is that finish gorgeous. The high gloss black is perfect. No other word to describe - perfection.

Yashu

The Watt/Puppy looks pretty cool, the alexandrias look like praying mantises...I could live with a Watt/Puppy or Sophia, they are a size I could live with, and the Focal Electra 1000 would be sweet.

The Utopias, I like the way they look better than, say, the Wilson Alexandria