2. speakers
  3. 142152-6999

Why so many used focals?

I look on the forums to read and learn about owners reactions about focals and compared to many brands there's little action which would make me think it's a small company... til I search on AG for used focal speakers and pages of used speakers come up! Are they the type of speakers that offer a clear upgrade path OR are they short term speakers that wow the listener early and fatigue in the long term?

I couldn't be in the same room with focal's from the 90's, but the recent speakers have been very pleasing to the ear in auditions. Experienced reply's would be appreciated and please no hating on the brand. Tks
128x128steve59

Showing 2 responses by wqgq_641

wqgq_641
27 posts
 
I haven't heard the higher end Focals but the entry level Focals did not impress me. I listened side by side to: Focal Aria 936, Dali Opticon 8 (ugly brutalist looks), Dalia Fazon F5, Monitor Audio Gold 300, and Golden Ear (can't remember which). The dealer was using a Marantz  PM15S2 amp and a Marantz HD-DAC1 to drive them. To my mind the Marantz set-up was cold and lean compared to my Rega Amp/DAC.  The Focals had a very coloured boxy sound, the Monitor Audios were painfully bright. The Fazon F5 was by the best and most expensive of this list.
I ended up getting Spendor A4s from a different dealer.
wqgq_641
27 posts
 
@kosst_amojan1 I listened to both the 926 and 936 and have photos from that session to remember what I did. My test CD was burnt with tracks ranging from Missa Papae Marcelli, through Jennifer Warnes, Adele, Bob Dylan, Kings of Leon, and Pearl Jam. They sound highly coloured in a negative way to me ears. This was early summer 2018 with the flax drivers. To _my_ears their claim that the new flax drivers are uncoloured is ridiculous, YMMV.
More to discover