Focal Twin 6's with sub review

[dasindevin]

Breaking them in surely helps
I bought them back in september and had them horizontally
They sounded pretty damn good, but i recently flipped them to the vertical style. Changing the position made for a huge improvement on the depth and imaging. Also we picked up the primacostic recoil stabilizers and they really helped the low end (cleaned it up)
Our room isn't treated all that well either. But flipping them upright could really change the sound depending on your room.
I really began to love the focal twin6bes the more i mixed on them

[desipate]

I keep my Twins vertical, too. And this may have been mentioned before, but I figure this insight is worth echoing:

When I first put my Twins on RX7 recoil stabilizers with the low-end driver on top, the low end seemed really muddy/nonexistent (in my treated room). I found myself longing for the Solo6s that I had just sold. I scoured the forums for guidance, considered selling the twins, thought about adding a sub, and even thought about ditching music and fleeing the country to become a truffle farmer.

But then, in a serendipitous flash of brilliance, my life changed forever: I flipped the "left/right" switch on each speaker to put the low-end driver on top. Boom! Suddenly all the low end information I was searching for was in my face and perfectly balanced. Let's just say that I was so shocked and excited that I almost had to change my pants. Luckily, that wasn't necessary, but you get what I'm saying.

The moral of the story: if your monitors aren't doing what you want them to, try different placements in your room before you go crazy or buy speakers that you may not need.

Now that I can't blame my monitors for why my mixes suck, I better get back to work.

[Purusha]

The placement makes all the difference even in the treated rooms.

[Vilddyr]

I have a set of twins with sub 6 too. I'm really in awe when i listen to them. Everything i work with is so clear and easy to keep track of, and still they are fun to be around. Especially with the sub, they have quite the fun-factor. This is by far the most well-integrated sub i've ever heard, and I've heard a lot of the really hi end genelc and K & h stuff.

With the sub, the twins pack an extra bit of punch, when not having to maintain the lower octaves. Really is a joy to work on them And as someone else mentioned, the sub is not just for feeling the low end, but it really let's you navigate to perfection. I really love these babies!

[DirtyChus]

I was making a mix in studio of one patner with Focal 6 twin in horizontal position and without subwoofer.

the sound was "tridimensionally" my patner was making corrective eq cut with sonnox eq plugin type2 selected. and the accuracy of the monitors was perfect. we could listen any resonance freq with more facilites than other monitors.

he told me that he made a test for sure his purchase. and compare ATC SCM50 (or scm100, i dont know!) vs Focal 6twin.

and the winner was Focal 6twin, he are still happy with his purchase.

[Glenn Bucci]

Originally Posted by Vilddyr

I have a set of twins with sub 6 too. I'm really in awe when i listen to them. Everything i work with is so clear and easy to keep track of, and still they are fun to be around. Especially with the sub, they have quite the fun-factor. This is by far the most well-integrated sub i've ever heard, and I've heard a lot of the really hi end genelc and K & h stuff.

With the sub, the twins pack an extra bit of punch, when not having to maintain the lower octaves. Really is a joy to work on them And as someone else mentioned, the sub is not just for feeling the low end, but it really let's you navigate to perfection. I really love these babies!

I am considering getting the Sub 6 to be used with my Focal Twins. I like your insight on this matter. It is not just the lower register but the sub will also bring a fuller low end sound without increasing the volume of the bass. In addtion, I perceive that you would enjoy listening to music on playback more with the added sub, and it could benifit your situation when your mastering.

Anyone have the Sub 6 and are not happy with it when using it with the Twins? So far I have only read very positive reviews on the Sub 6. Don't both mentioning the CMS sub, as I prefer to stick with the SM6 line that has the same quality amp and cone material as the Twins.

Based on the limited information I found on line, most people who have the Twins don't have a sub in connection with it. I agree for mixing it is most likely not needed as much since the only instruments that go down below 40kHz is a keyboard, bass or kick drum. Not to mention, you won't hear much below 80kHz on most Mp3 players and even the standard car stereos. But for impressing clients, having the ability to hear things down there that may need to be fixed at the mastering stage, and obtaning a fuller sound you with a sub could be something to consider.

[Purusha]

I added the SUB6 to my Twins and love it. Would not work without it. It's like having a big main monitors in the studio. Huge sound.

[Glenn Bucci]

I have the Sub 6 in my studio right now. I must say, this subwoofer is better than a cheaper Yamaha sub I had tried out a while back. There is a boom sound to the cheaper subs, but with the Sub 6, there is increased definition in the low end. Personally I think the sub is best to use as a second reference with the Twins. The Twins have enough low end, and when you get the low's, mid's and high's the way you want it, then take a 5 min break from listening to the music. Then with using a foot swtich, click on the sub and listen to how it sounds....which may give a better indication on how it sounds in a car stereo which normally has exagerated low end. There are several of these Twins and subs threads, but I wanted to add this information here on my observations as well.

Most important thing is to have bass traps, and to set the time to find the right spot for the sub. Put the sub where you listen to music, and crawl on the floor and listen to where the bass sound even and full. Normally it's the same area as your monitors, and not too close to the wall. I believe the CMS sub is just about as good, but with only a low pass filter (no high pass filter), I believe when you mute the sub, the main monitors don't switch to full range. Waiting for Simon to confirm this.

[David-Morpheus]

I have bought my twins around 18 months ago and while they were a significant step up from my previous adam p11a's I always found them lacking bass. The bass was there but it was more of a feeling than concrete notes in the lowest octaves. And most of the time mixing I spent on bass and kick, it was PITA to balance them right and to balance the overall bass as well as my bass sounds were always weak which then threw the whole mix out of balance.

So I have finally bought the sub6 3 weeks ago hooked it up and voila !!!!
I am finishing my first mixes on them and the results are amazing. The whole system now translates fantastic, no more bass level checking in cars and stuff like that, finally I can mix with confidence by just listening to the focals and occasionally switching to mixcubes to check the "lo-fi" behavior of the mix.

The bass response is even and I can recognize clearly the most minor changes in either level and frequency in the 30 - 100hz region.

So the final verdict is that the twins with the sub provide a full range audio microscope and mixing for me was never such entertaining as now

[zak7]

MMMMMM

THE TWINS ARE GREAT!

The bass is great.

and why do u need a sub to nail it? actually subs are you said great to give you a feel.

The part where Focals are not so goodare certain areas of the Hi-mids.

[Purusha]

Without the sub Twins just don't cut it, for me.

[zak7]

any speakers that works for you without the sub??

[David-Morpheus]

Originally Posted by Purusha

Without the sub Twins just don't cut it, for me.

exactly. they are great in every other aspect but for serious mixing of modern music that is extremely bass heavy the sub is a must.

[Purusha]

Originally Posted by zak7

any speakers that works for you without the sub??

Yes, Event Opal. But these are a bit too bright or open for my taste. I wish I never bought them... now with CMS sub added to the Twins they sound much better than the Opal.

[zak7]

I used the Twins many times, bass came out great, the only area were hard to mix were the Vocals and Snare and a bit of Guitar, they tend to sound louder in other monitors.

[DavidH]

Twin 6 BE user here. On Towersonic TS1Bs. Bloody excellent. You haven't heard these things until you have them properly isolated. In fact i'd say the stands are just as important as the monitors themselves. I only mention it because i see a lot of high end monitors sitting on desks with those pads underneath, it's a waste IMO.

[Purusha]

My studio

Inmate - YouTube

[DavidH]

Originally Posted by Purusha

My studio

Inmate - YouTube

I like the wrap-around, 'cockpit' style layout you've got going on there. Looks awesome.

[Purusha]

Thanks. I always dreamed about this