Anyone here using Focal monitors?

[jonnypowell]

Thinking about buying a smaller pair of them for my home studio. Don't want to spend more than 2k.
I've heard a few good things about them from friends of mine in the past.
I just sold my Genelec 8050's which were totally over-kill and way too big for my little set-up..
Right now I'm using some of the new KRK Rokit 5's, and they really are quite terrible.. They are SOOOO cloudy it's insane. You really notice the difference after spending over 6 years with Genelecs.

Any opinions??

[goldphinga]

Im using the Twin 6 Be's and they are nothing short of miraclous. Translation is amazing between systems ie what you hear in the studio is what you get on other systems, mid, high and low definition is fantastic too and i dont even need a sub to hear whats going on right down to 30 and below. As a consequence the time it takes for me to do a mix has halved as i can hear every change that is needed in terms of eq and processing.

Ive not tried the smaller Focals but ive heard nothing but great things about them. One very happy user here of the larger ones.

[fragletrollet]

I have the twins aswell. Only problem is that they are so god damn accurate that I spend alot of time on details youll never hear on smaller crappy speakers anyway :p

[kasprouch]

ditto

[Syltagogotronix]

I switched from 8050s to Solo 6s. Love the Focals!

I would advise trying them before buying them though, as they are very different from the Genelecs and it took me a while to get used to them.

[mattyc]

got twins and auratones. great combo. easy to work on, way less tiring than the genelec 1030s i used to use.
i find swapping between the auratones and focals and swapping "writing hat" and "mixing hat" sometimes nice too.

[rushton]

hey johnny im guessing your looking at the cms's? i like the look of them never heard them but im tossing up between a pair or these with the new cms sub or a set of event opals. what would you guys do?
ive heard the opals and they are amazing. the cms's won a few awards but because im not in a city i cant get anywhere to hear them.

[HomeProducer]

Originally Posted by Syltagogotronix

I switched from 8050s to Solo 6s. Love the Focals!

I would advise trying them before buying them though, as they are very different from the Genelecs and it took me a while to get used to them.

why did you switch?

[Syltagogotronix]

Originally Posted by HomeProducer

why did you switch?

I was moving studios and had to work from home for a little while - and I thought I´d get some smaller monitors that would be less likely to seriously damage my relationship with my neighbours.. I borrowed a pair of Solo6s for a while and ended up selling the 8050s and ordering some Solo6s.

[HomeProducer]

Originally Posted by Syltagogotronix

I was moving studios and had to work from home for a little while - and I thought I´d get some smaller monitors that would be less likely to seriously damage my relationship with my neighbours.. I borrowed a pair of Solo6s for a while and ended up selling the 8050s and ordering some Solo6s.

my neighbour above must love the 8050s since he never complained.

[mstrom]

I'm using Twins here. What I really like about them is that while they are accurate they still manage to sound very musical and pleasant. Haven't tried Solo's but they might be what you're looking for if you need a smaller system.
They should be at least a big step up from Krk's.

[Eric J]

Originally Posted by mstrom

I'm using Twins here. What I really like about them is that while they are accurate they still manage to sound very musical and pleasant. Haven't tried Solo's but they might be what you're looking for if you need a smaller system.

Twins here as well, this is an accurate statement. Get them, you wont look back.

Originally Posted by mstrom

They should be at least a big step up from Krk's.

Thats an understatement!

[Oli]

Has anyone compared twins to the CM series? The CM's are pretty nicely priced, though I am wary of buying at the low end of a range. I think there really are some waste of space low end monitors around. CM's seem to have a good heritage though. The cast metal case seems popular now, and from an engineering perspective, seems quite a reasonable decision. The spec's look good too.

One think which interested me with the Focus monitors, was the high frequency response. They are well in excess of human hearing. One aspect of frequency response, which I think is ignored to some extent, is the effect it has on phase response. Introducing a pole at the edge of hearing, also effects the phase response, within an audible range. By having frequency response in excess of the audible range, this issue should be circumvented. Having said that, I've not had a lot of hands on experience of how significant this issue may be. From what was only a single listening test in a lab at uni, the effect seemed significant, though quite subtle. It was noticeable for playback of recordings from microphones with super aural extension. It just seemed more natural sounding, and closer to a live space.

[davlippo7]

The two best are #1) Event Opals and #2) Focal Twin6s. I just purchased both and returned the Focals because the Opals were $475 less and a tad better for my setup. Both are fantastic!

Read this:
http://www.pashop.com/site/pdf/featu...ent%20Opal.pdf


If you are considering the solo6 vs the Opals, similar cost and no contest. The Opals!

[mattyc]

Originally Posted by davlippo7

The two best are #1) Event Opals and #2) Focal Twin6s. I just purchased both and returned the Focals because the Opals were $475 less and a tad better for my setup. Both are fantastic!

Read this:
http://www.pashop.com/site/pdf/featu...ent%20Opal.pdf


If you are considering the solo6 vs the Opals, similar cost and no contest. The Opals!

dont take this the wrong way, but do you work for event ?? the only 10 posts you have made are all about them and you have posted the future music "review" (a terrible piece of puff journalism) in many threads here on gearslutz.
im sure they are great speakers but it seems rather odd to me.

[jonnypowell]

Well I sold my Genelec's because they are simply too big for new bedroom studio, and I found they never translated very well when I played my tracks out compared to other monitors I'd used.
The other consideration is noise pollution as I'm moving in to an apartment block so I'll never be able to have them that loud.
My mix-downs will be done at a separate studio which is completely treated with a large monitoring system.

So on account of all that would you guys recommend the solos over the twins??

Cheers,
Jonny

[hugol]

Originally Posted by davlippo7

The two best are #1) Event Opals and #2) Focal Twin6s. I just purchased both and returned the Focals because the Opals were $475 less and a tad better for my setup. Both are fantastic!
...
If you are considering the solo6 vs the Opals, similar cost and no contest. The Opals!

How do you figure the Events are $475 less than the Twins? The Event Opals are £2,500 in the UK. The Solo 6's about £1350 and the Twins about £1950. It's not that different in the US, right.

(As an aside gear prices seem to be rising monthly here as the pound is getting totally destroyed....ouch)

[Eric J]

Originally Posted by jonnypowell

Well I sold my Genelec's because they are simply too big for new bedroom studio, and I found they never translated very well when I played my tracks out compared to other monitors I'd used.

Twins translate almost flawlessly, especially with good treatment.

Originally Posted by jonnypowell

The other consideration is noise pollution as I'm moving in to an apartment block so I'll never be able to have them that loud.

I wouldn't be too concerned about this, the Twins are more about accuracy rather than volume. You shouldn't be producing at loud volumes anyway, it quickens ear fatigue.

Originally Posted by jonnypowell

My mix-downs will be done at a separate studio which is completely treated with a large monitoring system.

If this is the case, I'd question the need for Twins in the first place. If you are not mixing in that room, then lower grade monitors should be fine, because accuracy is less important at that stage.

Originally Posted by jonnypowell

So on account of all that would you guys recommend the solos over the twins??

Never recommend the Solos over the Twins. I mean the Solos are good monitors, but the Twins are better.

[MonoBrow]

I tried the twin 6 adam p22a p33a at home and went with the p22a.The focal speakers are nice but totally not for me.

[F5D]

The twins were a good purchase for me, as I don't want to play loud and they let me hear details already at low volumes. I guess I would have been fine with the solo's already but due to the talk here, I went with the twins.

[Oli]

Originally Posted by F5D

...but due to the talk here...

It's sure got me thinking about a few things, too. I haven't found a place with Focals in my area, though. Next time I'm in a major city, I will try to find a pair to listen to, though.

[davlippo7]

Well the twins pair cost me $3050 but I lost $50 when i returned them and the Opals cost me $2525. So 3000-2525=475 less.

No, I don't work for Event. This very same platinum award went to the twins the year before so they have credibility because we all know how good the twins are. The Opals are differently better.

[kasprouch]

Originally Posted by davlippo7

Well the twins pair cost me $3050 but I lost $50 when i returned them and the Opals cost me $2525. So 3000-2525=475 less.

No, I don't work for Event. This very same platinum award went to the twins the year before so they have credibility because we all know how good the twins are. The Opals are differently better.

ah, so you work for FM?

[goldphinga]

Well i write for FM and i reviewed the Twins last year. After a couple of days spent with them my old Mackie 824's went on Ebay and i got a pair of Twins and havent looked back. Amazing speakers, as im sure the Opals are too. But always try before you buy and form your opinions on gear from as wide a source of opinion as possible.

[mattyc]

Originally Posted by davlippo7

Well the twins pair cost me $3050 but I lost $50 when i returned them and the Opals cost me $2525. So 3000-2525=475 less.

No, I don't work for Event. This very same platinum award went to the twins the year before so they have credibility because we all know how good the twins are. The Opals are differently better.

in europe the focals are cheaper

at thomann for example, a pair of focal twins is 2316 and the event opals are 2580, i guess thats due to where they are made. so depends on where your buying from.

a FM platinum award will never make me buy anything btw, but interested to hear the opals if they are indeed, as FM says "the best speaker ever" e. IMO in music its not about the "bestest" all the time but sometimes about flavours and what suits different people.

[jonnypowell]

Originally Posted by Eric J

T
If this is the case, I'd question the need for Twins in the first place. If you are not mixing in that room, then lower grade monitors should be fine, because accuracy is less important at that stage.
Never recommend the Solos over the Twins. I mean the Solos are good monitors, but the Twins are better.

Yeah I knew someone would say that.. It's important for me to hear things accurately and choose the right sounds at the writing stage because it makes things much easier when it comes time to mix.
This is especially true with reverbs and FX which I also bounce before mixing.

The other problem is I find it hard to listen to shitty monitors for a long period of time.
Never had that with the Genelecs..

Think I'm gonna go with the Solos. The twins are probably over-kill for my needs and I'd rather spend the extra grand somewhere else.

[cynics1207]

hi jonnypower,

i used to have has focal solo6 along with ns10m and auratone 5c, listen through the metric halo ULN-8. i always love the focal solo as they are very nice, well balance sound speakers. And i can hear lots of detail with them, very good stereo image. solid bass on that tiny 6.5" driver.

but i always have to depend ns10m to check about the mid range as i think the solo is not that mid forward sounding speakers. (maybe it's my room?) ns10m did the job, but i hate listen on them as well. i just play on low volume to make sure the vocal and bass, kick sitting nicely in the mix. and auratone got lots of use in this kind of situation. after all this, the mix translate well on other system. doesn't this is what we want?

until i heard the twins in my room, and i no longer need to check on the yamaha ns10m anymore because the mid on focal twins is just what i looking for as my idea speakers. since i got the twins, it help me get my mix done faster, and i dont get ears fatigue like how i listen on ns10m. the twins can go much louder and really deliver deeper bass. and i can still hear everything even mix on very low volume included the bass. amazing.

if money is not an issue, i would say go for the twins and get a pair of auratone/ avantone mixcube, and you will be a happy mixing man.

[mattyc]

Originally Posted by cynics1207

hi jonnypower,
if money is not an issue, i would say go for the twins and get a pair of auratone/ avantone mixcube, and you will be a happy mixing man.

thats my combo, and i think they work really well together, very complimentary speakers.

[Farout]

Originally Posted by goldphinga

Well i write for FM and i reviewed the Twins last year. After a couple of days spent with them my old Mackie 824's went on Ebay and i got a pair of Twins and havent looked back. Amazing speakers, as im sure the Opals are too. But always try before you buy and form your opinions on gear from as wide a source of opinion as possible.

This is a good thing to read (for me).
I'm hoping that my Focals will be delivered tomorrow.
Makes me feel a little more secure ... right now I think I have sticker shock or something!

Scott

[Odey]

Originally Posted by jonnypowell

Thinking about buying a smaller pair of them for my home studio. Don't want to spend more than 2k.
I've heard a few good things about them from friends of mine in the past.
I just sold my Genelec 8050's which were totally over-kill and way too big for my little set-up..
Right now I'm using some of the new KRK Rokit 5's, and they really are quite terrible.. They are SOOOO cloudy it's insane. You really notice the difference after spending over 6 years with Genelecs.

Any opinions??

I guess you are talking in Aus Dollars? I would stretch for the Twin 6's. Considering the amount of money you spend on synths, might as well have the best monitors. Then you don't have to upgrade in a few years. I bought adam p11's and I am happy with them but my next upgrade in monitors will be the twins. The smaller focals look like a great option but make the leap!