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Hi-Fi Focal Users Club

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TSjoshuachew
post Apr 25 2014, 09:57 AM, updated 5y ago

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Focal-JMlab

is a French company, which has been designing and selling high-fidelity audio systems since the early 1980s. This Saint-Étienne based company manufactures loudspeakers for the home, speaker drivers for automobiles, headphones and professional monitoring loudspeakers.
The Grande Utopia is the brand’s emblematic loudspeaker, which earned the company its worldwide reputation.[2] It is considered one of the best high-fidelity loudspeakers in the world.[3][4]
Focal’s industrial strategy concentrates on having full control over the entire production process, from the design and manufacturing of the speaker drivers to the assembly of the final product. Its products are entirely designed and developed in France, and most of the production is carried out at the factory in Saint-Étienne (France).
Focal-JMlab generates a €-42-million annual turnover and employs about 200 people at its facility in Saint-Étienne, which groups the production, R&D and management departments at the same site. Its export share is 70%.

Technologies
Focal-JMlab maintains a regular research and development program in speaker drivers’ technologies. Investments in this field have enabled the company to conceive various innovative concepts. Ten innovations have been patented to date.

The inverted dome tweeter (1981)
The inverted dome tweeter was designed and developed by Focal in 1981. One of its main advantages is its low directionality and its high dynamics. The majority of the brand’s tweeters still feature this technology.

The « K2 » cone (1986)
In 1986, the company introduced the Polykevlar sandwich structure. The Poly-K cone is composed of two layers of aramid fibres applied to either side of a hollow-micro-ball structure in order to improve the compromise between weight-rigidity-and damping.

The Polyglass cone (1988)
Polyglass technology was introduced by Focal in 1988. This consists in depositing fine glass micro-balls on the surface of a cellulose pulp cone (paper). This combination of glass and paper results in a very rigid material with a low mass, providing excellent damping qualities. The Polyglass cone resulted in a very linear frequency response curve and improved the definition of the midrange.

The “W” sandwich cone (1995)
In 1995, Focal improved its sandwich concept with its “W” cone system which consists of two sheets of glass fibres applied to a structural foam core. Unlike the mono-material cones, the “W” sandwich cone optimises the frequency response curve by maximising the mass, rigidity and damping.

The Beryllium Tweeter (2002)
In 2002, Focal launched another innovation, the Beryllium Tweeter, which was the first of its kind in the world.[14] Beryllium is seven times more rigid than titanium or aluminium, but has the same mass. It enabled Focal to develop a lighter and faster tweeter which provides excellent damping qualities. When associated with the inverted dome concept, the frequency response can be increased to 40 kHz, and more than 5 octaves can be spanned. Being ten times more expensive than gold,Focal only uses the Beryllium Tweeter for the Premium ranges: Utopia and electra.

Tweeter Al-Mg (2007)
This tweeter was introduced by Focal JMlab in 2007. The use of aluminium increases damping qualities, whereas the use of magnesium increases the rigidity of the dome. This enabled the frequency response of the Al-Mg Tweeter to be increased to 28 kHz. The Al-Mg Tweeter is used on the Chorus range of the Home line and on the CMS range of the Pro line, among others.

The Flax membrane cone (2013)
Eighteen years after introducing the “W” sandwich cones, Focal launched the new Made in France “F” Sandwich cone (for Flax). Composed of flax fibres enclosed in two thin layers of glass fibre, this solution offers a natural sound without colouration thanks to light, rigid and damped cones.


Products

Focal-JMlab has organised its range of products into five universes: the Home line, the Car line, the Pro line for music industry professionals, the Headphones line since 2012 and finally the Integration line (public address sound systems)
The Home loudspeakers universe represents 59% of the company turnover and is divided into two collections:

Classic: all the loudspeakers of this collection are designed, developed and manufactured in France and combine all the Focal technological innovations (inverted dome tweeter, « W » and « F » sandwich con, etc.). Among the principal products, there are the Utopia, Electra, Aria and Chorus lines. In 2013, launches Easya, high-fidelity wireless loudspeakers connectable with multiple sources thanks to built-in Bluetooth® aptX® technology.

The Grande Utopia is the collection’s emblematic loudspeaker. The first generation of the Grande Utopia, born in 1995, is a condensation of all the expertise and experience that Focal had gained since its creation. The second generation, in 2002, had the particularity of featuring pure Beryllium dome tweeters which enable it to receive, the year after, the “Golden Sound” award in Japan.[16] The third generation, launched in 2008, was a concentration of the best of Focal technologies. Designed by Pineau & Le Porcher, The Grande Utopia EM distinguished itself through its extraordinary dimensions: weighing 570 lbs (260 kg) and standing over 6 ft (2m) high. The cabinets can be customised at the cabinet-making facility in Bourbon-Lancy which is in charge of manufacturing and finishing the cabinets.

New Media: Since 2008, with the arrival of the Dôme miniature loudspeaker, Focal has adapted its know-how to new modes of music consumption with compact loudspeakers, “Plug and Play”, multimedia and more recently wireless (XS Book Wireless in 2013). In 2013, Focal launched 5.1 Home Cinema Packs in the New Media collection.

At the end of the 1980s the Car Audio department was born and the first car audio products were launched. In 2010, the Car Audio division has been reorganised into three ranges and represents now 30% of the turnover.

Elite : manufactured in France, the Utopia Be and K2 Power kits enable made-to-measure installations. It is the high-end range of the Focal Car Audio offering.

Performance : products of this range offer the possibility of creating your own installation thanks to the technical solutions of the Expert and Access lines.

Intégration : This range offers simple and quick to install products, particularly “Plug & Play” kits intended for improving some brands’ original acoustic (BMW, Peugeot 207 and Golf 6) but also the Universal line where each system has a reduced volume and is easy to install.
In 2002, a professional department, “Focal Professional” has been created, offering studio monitors dedicated to recording studios. The range is composed of three lines: SM9, SM6 and CMS to which the Spirit Professional headphones designed for sound professionals (sound engineers and musicians) were added in 2013. The range now represents 11% of the company turnover.

Since 2007, Focal have offered invisible sound systems, In-Wall and In-Ceiling, in order to add sound to public and private places.
Finally, in 2012, Focal expanded into commercialising its first nomad headphone, Spirit One. The range is completed in 2013 with the Spirit Classic, a headphone intended for a use at home and Spirit Professional.
TSjoshuachew
post Apr 25 2014, 10:00 AM

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Anyone? (:
noobandroid
post Apr 25 2014, 11:15 AM

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all i know is focal spirit one, laugh.gif
TarePanda
post Apr 25 2014, 12:28 PM

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Focal will in my list if i consider full speaker.

The Grande Utopia is one of the best in Hifi world~
TSjoshuachew
post Apr 25 2014, 04:07 PM

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I got the FOCAL - PROFILE 908 DIAMOND BLACK.
chanhin
post Apr 27 2014, 11:30 PM

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Electra series always been my dream speakers... Very realistic sound that even competitor with 3x price cannot produce. Listening to some CD like really in live concert where the singer just in front of me. Damn... so poison... brows.gif

However, due to its high asking price, it remain my dream speaker in my dream... cry.gif

This post has been edited by chanhin: Apr 28 2014, 11:04 PM
Quazacolt
post Apr 28 2014, 12:26 PM

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munak991 i know he got focal car audio stuff
munak991
post Apr 28 2014, 12:40 PM

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QUOTE(Quazacolt @ Apr 28 2014, 12:26 PM)
munak991 i know he got focal car audio stuff
*
What i got is not even Beryllium also =(
Only Yellow Yellow Driver tongue.gif

Owned a Focal KRX2 just made it active system.

Focal Bookshelf speaker is also in my dream list.
Grand Utopia, never had the chance to try it

This post has been edited by munak991: Apr 28 2014, 12:55 PM
jchue73
post Apr 28 2014, 06:23 PM

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QUOTE(noobandroid @ Apr 25 2014, 11:15 AM)
all i know is focal spirit one, laugh.gif
*
I heard that one before and I was not impressed. The Phillips Fidelio L1 was way better.
munak991
post Apr 28 2014, 07:27 PM

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QUOTE(jchue73 @ Apr 28 2014, 06:23 PM)
I heard that one before and I was not impressed. The Phillips Fidelio L1 was way better.
*
Focal spirit one price tag can get a lot better headphone already.
Once I put on, I find uhhhhh is this good headphone??
widget
post Apr 28 2014, 08:58 PM

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I used to own the Focal Electra 1027Be, driven by Bladelius Thor amp when I was still playing hi-fi 6-7 years back.
That was my last speaker set-up before I downgraded to head-fi... lol!
TSjoshuachew
post May 12 2014, 07:01 PM

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Focal Profile 908 Diamond Speakers
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beemaro
post May 18 2014, 04:12 PM

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Nice speaker:)
TSjoshuachew
post May 18 2014, 04:30 PM

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QUOTE(beemaro @ May 18 2014, 04:12 PM)
Nice speaker:)
*
Thanks. After burning in and listening to the speakers for a few days.
Wow. The midrange and the treble is seriously something special. It's just so smooth. How the midrange blends with the highs is just beautiful. The treble extends very well but is oh so smooth. That beryllium tweeter is really amazing. Apparently it's trickle down technology from their higher end Utopia series.
TarePanda
post May 19 2014, 05:16 PM

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You will addicted to speaker if you have sufficient or dedicated room for them~
munak991
post May 19 2014, 11:24 PM

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U make me Jelly,

how much is those speaker?
TSjoshuachew
post May 19 2014, 11:38 PM

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QUOTE(munak991 @ May 19 2014, 11:24 PM)
U make me Jelly,

how much is those speaker?
*
Rm12,800 with taxes and shipping.
munak991
post May 20 2014, 12:25 AM

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QUOTE(joshuachew @ May 19 2014, 11:38 PM)
Rm12,800 with taxes and shipping.
*
.... drool.gif
TSjoshuachew
post May 20 2014, 12:40 AM

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QUOTE(munak991 @ May 20 2014, 12:25 AM)
....  drool.gif
*
You eyeing at some Focals too?
munak991
post May 20 2014, 12:43 AM

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QUOTE(joshuachew @ May 20 2014, 12:40 AM)
You eyeing at some Focals too?
*
Yea... looking at Dome, Looking at bird, but end up buying China made speaker..
A bookshelf cost so much.... i end up buying Active speaker and Active Amp.
The entire setup is about your bookshelf lulz

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