@ozzy
Fascinating... And I'm over here with an average size room powering 936's with an amp that cost $1000 to build, getting it's signal from a refurbed 1977 Marantz, in a room treated with carpet squares and bed pad from Walmart and acoustic foam from Amazon, and there's nothing remotely discordant about the sound or imaging. I'm about 99% sure I'd get the same results from 926's as well. Or any if the 1000 series.
Sorry folks... I'm not buying it. I know from experience that you can easily put speakers in horrible places in a room and get really ugly sound out of them. I've done it with mine. And no amount of treatment or insanely priced gear fixes that blunder. |
kosst,
The Focal Dealer said he was playing the Kanta 2 with $85,000 worth of amplification. His room was decked out with lots of room treatment.
The speakers just can't handle much in the way of rock music.
ozzy |
I've heard speakers with 2 dedicated 6.5" woofers go loud and reasonably deep, the Revel F32's, but they didn't have the midrange to die for that focal gives you. The 1028be sounded really, really good and I expect the Kanta2's to be an improvement at + $3000.00 per pair. Both speakers cabinets look too small to put big sound into a big room, but in an average size room with a couple hundred watts, maybe a peachtree nova 300 the bass is controlled and musical? If you like the focal house sound you'll like the Kanta2's. |
I listened to 936s a few years ago, and I still remember that they had a different timbre-presentation to any of the other brands that I was auditioning. Not precisely bright or forward, but definitely in the see-through camp; it's actually hard to put on adjective on it. I could easily see how people would respond positively. Personally, I preferred the presentation offered by Vienna Acoustics. |
"Geeze.... This just sounds like every rant I've ever seen from people who heard them in horrible rooms with lousy gear. " I'm another who also reported finding the bass of the Kanta to be disappointing - overarm and disjointed. It was in a very good room, with room treatments (including tube traps) on very good gear. A monitor audio speaker, about the same size in an essentially identical room did not have these problems. I also demoed various Focal speakers over the last two years,and did indeed find some of them a bit too bright. They have always had a "look at me" tweeter sound, every time I've ever encountered Focal speakers (which is a lot, in many different set ups). I actually like the sound of some Focal speakers, especially their large models. |
@kosst_amojan"
""And nobody who's heard Focal in the last 5 or 6 years says they're bright. " I am NOT a nobody. I feel Focals are bright and I heard them 3 months ago, I do not like berelium tweeters period. It is like picking at my ear drum with an ice pick. IMHO, Focal speakers SUCK and I wouldn't waste my money or my time even listening to them. Don't knock someone who doesn't like what you like.
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Geeze.... This just sounds like every rant I've ever seen from people who heard them in horrible rooms with lousy gear. Sorry guys, but they're way too much like my 936's to sound anything like you describe. And nobody who's heard Focal in the last 5 or 6 years says they're bright. |
Ozzy.........................
I agree it probably would, but for that price, the bass should be decent. I felt the mid bass was quite weak, although that is the first pair of Focals I listened to for more than 10 minutes as the others I have heard over the years were so bright, I wanted to rip my ears off. They sounded good at RMAF where they first introduced them but they were playing some lightweight jazz. While I am sure they are good for some Jazz and chamber music, I wouldn't try playing Ozzy Osbourne or Led Zepp on them. It seems that Kosst_amojan thinks they are the next best speaker and nothing you or I or others say will change his mind. All I can say is I am glad I don't own them. |
I don't believe that's what it sounded like because no Focal I've ever heard sounded like that when properly placed. |
kosst,
I have no reason to.
I was disappointed for I really like the looks and the size.
And the mid/treble and soundstage were pretty good. But when the first drum whack from CCR Green River tune hit the bass topped out and sounded like a cheapo speaker.
stereo5,
Thank you. I also played other music including Pink Floyd etc. Now I think this would be a good speaker if you bi-amped it with a sub via a electronic crossover at 80hz or above .
ozzy |
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I believe him because that is pretty much what I heard. Pink Floyd sounded like **** on them, definitely not for me. |
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It looks like censoring is being done on this thread. I posted earlier about my listening experience with the Focal Kanta 2 but now it has disappeared.
So, I’ll try it again.
Short version:
The Kantra 2’s bass seriously bloated and sounded terrible with rock music played at a moderate to high sound level. Definitely not a full range speaker.
ozzy
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I was listening to Mickey Hart’s Planet Drums last night. +1 Enjoy! I knew you were a Phriend. :) |
Generally any speaker that digs down below 40Hz is considered full range and will suit the demands of the vast majority of music. I don't understand some people's need for overblown bass down to 20Hz. I was listening to Mickey Hart's Planet Drums last night. The 936's do 32Hz just fine. I'm sure the Kanta No.2 does too. |
My B&W802D2’s were considered full range...the Kanta 2’s have as much low end as they did plus more fullness in the mids!
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No.... I'm tired of hearing this abject nonsense. By any definition, a speaker with the response of the K2 is a full range speaker. |
Smallest floorstander in the lineup. There will be Kanta no3 with substantially more bass.
However, any good full range system would have properly integrated subs anyway.... |
Sat down and listened to the Kanta 2 today. I was not able to compare them to any other manufacturers at the shop I was in. I listened to the Sopra 2's after. As for the K2's they have a good sound stage and response on the highs but I found them lacking in the low end. I think it could be corrected with adding a sub to the line up but for me I want a full range set I don't need to add a sub too. I do think that this is part due to the 6.5" woofers. As for the S2's they have an even better sound stage throughout the entire full range. I would have no problem running these without a separate sub. Considering the price difference in the K2's and S2's I think a set of used S2's would be a better option then the K2's. Like I stated in the beginning though. I was not able to listen to any other brands at this shop. |
And Kosst makes my point!
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Yeah.... I can't stand the "let's all get along" philosophy. Some people have good ideas. Some people have bad ideas. We sort them out through contending. Perhaps the psychologically frail should abstain from having opinions. There's nothing wrong with conflict or debate.
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Why is it that we can’t just make our choices, enjoy what we have and be happy for each other? We are a truly troubled species. If the game is lost then we're all the same No one left to place or take the blame. |
Why is it that we can’t just make our choices, enjoy what we have and be happy for each other? We are a truly troubled species. |
Bass integration will always have room dependency no matter the speaker, and some setups aren't easily solved. In one scenario it will be set and forget with others being laborious.
The AMT to mid integration which had been an issue on earlier some GE designs has been mostly resolved in the Triton One and + series. Looking at figures from the Reference One. At most there is a small vertical response dip at the extremities, so maybe sitting rather low might have an impact. The upper treble is just a tad bit elevated when listening directly pointed at you, but that is the designed intent and mainly done to compensate for in room response when setting a wider toe in. In room, it can measure well and the dispersion below the upper treble is decently linear and even through wide range. It shouldn't be that hard to dial in the treble. If you like your treble shelved a bit down, it may sound a bit brash with a recordings that are bit hot themselves. I also wouldn't pair this speaker with amps with a forward or lean sounding. Prior models did have some of the same design for the tweeter response (a bit more from what I can read), but the added suck out they had in the mid-treble hand off made getting setup right a tougher job. Not so much with latest stuff. I find the worst offenders are those that have a mid treble flair since our hearing is more sensitive to it than the upper treble.
From a measured perspective, only have gripes with some low level mid range distortion and some AMT linearity at high volume. Still, these are some very good figures.
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We all hear different and that is what makes this hobby so much fun. Right. And lets not forget that there are those on the forum with supernatural hearing; able to distinguish when an ordinary speaker wires cable direction (not polarity) is switched from speaker to amp and vice versa :) |
@kosst_amojan From all the reviews I have read, once the bass was dialed in, that was pretty much it. That's the way it worked with my Triton Ones and my Triton References. I am very picky about the treble extension (bright) and I was very wary of the folded ribbon tweeter, but I found that it wasn't bright at all. I am running both sets of speakers in 2 different systems with McIntosh so that may account for that. My only gripe is that people who never heard them dismiss them as home theater speakers and won't even think they could be wrong. I have been into high end audio since it's infancy back in the early 70's and have owned probably 15 different pairs of speakers since then. The Golden Ear speakers and a pair of Odyssey Kismet speakers are the only ones that have stood the test of time in my systems. I heard the Focal Kantra at the RMAF and I thought they sounded superb. It is the first time I could actually listen to a Beryllium tweeter without wanting to rip my ears off. We all hear different and that is what makes this hobby so much fun. |
Virtually every review I've read of ant GE with active subs has commented on how they require constant fiddling between recordings to sound right.
Most of my gripes with GE's are opinion and preference. The reason I liked them was that tweeter. The reason I didn't buy them was that tweeter. Kinda had enough of the quirky ribbon tweeter dispersion challenge. They were among the brightest speakers I listened to as well.
Bottom line is real simple: the towering, enveloping soundstage the Focals projected combined with their transparency and ability to be as aggressive as the material commanded sold me. Golden Ear hadn't sorted that jazz out when I bought my 936's in anything they made. |
The thing is that all that "real good bass" is overblown. Overblown bass is what people like in home theater speakers. I disagree, but I respect your opinion. I’ve found the bass to have the right "weight" to it. IMO, the crossover integration from mid-to-low bass is as good as it gets, or at least as good as I’ve heard. There’s also a DSP processor ahead of the sub amplifier to further refine the bass signal. |
The thing is that all that "real good bass" is overblown. Overblown bass is what people like in home theater speakers. |
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@twoleftears
Golden Ears and Definitive Technology were both cofounded by Sandy Gross, and certain ideas have cross cross pollinated, or so to speak.
As for the term "home theater speaker" references used, I do agree its a poor term as it doesn't convey the intent properly. I also don't believe its bass that is being discussed, but instead an eager treble. There is always a difference of opinion in that part as our hearing varies more so in treble response than almost any other in the audible band.
Early GE models had some enthusiasm in the upper registers which meant pairings and setup would be key. The most recent Triton Reference is much better in this regard. An evolution in design they continue to make rather quickly. That is why I do feel that past listening is no longer representative of current offerings and should be revisited.
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A lot of choices for all kinds of tastes...arguing which are better is illogical!
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1. Stereophile Recommended Components, as we all know, are both as comprehensive and infallible as the Pope. Right? 2. Never heard the GE Reference. Can't comment on it. 3. Look at the GE product line, and the Definitive Technology line. All designers have an agenda, are going somewhere. Draw your own conclusions. Tall narrow speakers (to go each side of the big screen), cloth covered (keep costs down), race-track woofers (keep them cabinets slim). How many high-end companies use race-track woofers? |
Is there a Kanta 2 Focal dealer near Michigan?
ozzy
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This (speaker) pissing contest is juvenile at best. You guys know better. Both are excellent speakers and this notion that a multi-thousand dollar speaker was designed only for home theatre application since it makes real good bass makes no sense. |
Borderline...Madonna at her best!😮
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@stereo5
Well damn! The Triton 1 is only as good as a Focal 936? That sounds like an absolute rip-off to me. Not to mention there was strenuous debate about where to place the Sopra. And we all know the Utopia range is class A all day long. |
So, Golden Ear speakers are more for home theater. This statement was made a week or so ago. It is amazing that in the latest Stereophile Recommended Components, there isn't a Focal speaker that is higher than Class B, yet the Golden Ear Triton Reference is in the Class A category which includes less than a dozen much more expensive speakers that has good bass down to 20hz. How is it possible that a lowly Home Theater speaker got such recognition? IMHO, the person(s) that made that statement are talking out their back end. I will say this for the last time, the GE series of speakers while good for Home Theater, were designed as an Audiophile high end speaker.. The GE Triton 1 are in Class B, borderline Class A. Again, in the same Class as the Focal. Just Sayin. |
Thank you @mmeysarosh. Your previous response herein is very well stated, and rather gentlemanly like too for that matter. In principal, I agree with you.
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@mmeysarosh
Yeah... I'm pretty sure the Sopra No.3 belongs in a better class than my 936's. |
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@gdhal
I have seen three sets of measurements out of the Triton Reference and I will agree that its a considerable improvement. Even the plus series showed good progress from prior versions. Nonetheless, Stereophile just like all other reviewers are ranked subjectively and all of us feel and hear differently about the sound we like. I was honestly surprised the Sopra 3 was placed in the Class B Full Range category, but this isn't the only time a head scratch moment has come from their listings. Every other subjective ranking for the Sopra series have held them in higher regard. While I don't think the Sopra are SOTA, I do feel they offer performance nearing the top of their price categories. With the strides that GE has made, and what I expect will be made in light of the Reference model, they do warrant an additional audition. In respect to the Kanta2 and other models that may or may not flesh out of the line, they should come out as pretty solid speakers. A little pricey, but nothing obscene. Love the overall look though.
In any review, a combination of system synergy, musical preferences, room, and your own personal preferences to the sound will impact how one regards a product. I believe your must understand a reviewer in all these terms to understand the perspective. When they discuss the music they used in the review, a speaker history and comparisons if possible, and disclosure about the complete environment is really necessary to get a frame of reference. |
@kosst_amojan
All good.
Besides, as a general rule of thumb, as far as this forum is concerned, I consider you a Phriend :) |
@gdhal
That's cool. Somebody out there needs to make a really good home theater speaker.
I don't think I've ever said I don't like GE's. I didn't buy them because they failed to convey the aggression and grit some of the music I like calls for. |
@ joey_v
Thanks, looks like he carries not only Focal, but also a lot of the other brands I'm interested in! Will check it out.
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I listened to Triton 2s a while ago, and came away with the distinct impression that they were primarily voiced with HT in mind. Of course, you, Kosst, mmeysarosh, and all others are entitled to their listening preferences and opinions. Triton naysayers should consider another listen or hearing confirmation check, as I come to learn (today, and unconfirmed although via a reliable source) that the new Stereophile Recommended Components issue is out and the Triton Reference (yes, I know I’m quoting your T2 comment) is in CLASS A - FULL RANGE. **AND** the **least expensive** member of that very-elite group, by a factor of 2x. Just sayin :) |
@kosst_amojan I agree. I listened to Triton 2s a while ago, and came away with the distinct impression that they were primarily voiced with HT in mind. |
@mtrot
There's a dealer in Dallas area - DFW Audioguy.
He has yellow Kanta 2 in his store. |
I have heard them at a fair and they sounded great. I also read a review in a Swedish hifi magazine and they were very impressed and thought it was a good buy at its price Easy to listen to with a very, very good treble and a fast bass. |
@kosst_amojan, we shall see if and when a No.3 comes to be. For me it will be about the timing as I'm planning to pull the trigger on new speaks shortly after the Munich show unless there is some real news about a bigger Kanta that would give me pause. So, I hope the No.3 comes before, or concurrent with, a No.1.....
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@stereo5
No... I didn't flag any of your posts, but I just flagged your last one.
As a matter of truth, ALL of the GE speakers suffer from aberrant behavior in the treble region that looks like reflections from the AMT aperture. All of their MTM configured speakers suffer from discernable vertical comb filtering as well. I understand what the bass level adjustment is for. It's an inadequate solution to poor placement.
@butler
It's a presumption that there will be a No.1 and No.3 since the No.2 is obviously a middle of the series product. If there weren't going to be other speakers in the series, why call it Kanta No.2 instead of just Kanta? |
