Focal SM9 !

[CoolColJ]

Also, any issues with audible hiss a metre away?

[Sound Evolution]

Originally Posted by CoolColJ

I'm a bit worried by all the relays in the SM9 from what I gather - as far as long term reliability goes - should I be?
Like will they go 10 years, everyday, 8 hours a day without servicing?

The SM9 is designed with long term durability and reliability in mind.

As opposing to switching signals with transistors and/or other gates, the SM9 use high quality relays for the best audio quality. All contacts in one relays are paralleled to make double contact switching of one signal. e.g. each to switch signal-path use one double contact relays instead of switching 2 circuits with one relays.

Those relays are very high quality parts.

Secondly. When you switch on the SM9, the start up procedure is that all relays get cleaned first before operation. This to prevent oxidation on long term. This is the fast clicking sound users will notice when starting up a SM9. The SM9 has a very intelligent internal computer who takes care of that. (including system check-ups and protection etc.) This computer even measures your mains voltage and frequency and will switch the SM9 off in any faulty event.

Originally Posted by CoolColJ

Also, any issues with audible hiss a metre away?

The SM9 is a very silent design. As matter of fact the pre-amps are a very sophisticated design where there are basically multiple pre-amp stages paralleled.

By doing this, each time one double a pre-amp stage, the noise will get reduced around 3dB. This because the noise from both circuits are not correlated and partly cancel out. In the SM9 there there are 4 fully balanced differential pre-amps stages paralleled to have a noise reduction of nearly 12dB! in comparison to a standard one Op Amp differential input stage.

Not only does this reduce the noise, but also the distortion. Each pre-amp only has to produce 1/4th of the current. Since those stages are paralleled it doesn't add any longer signal paths. All those stages are DC coupled with no electrolytic capacitors in signal flow.

Aside from all technical talk, those pre-amps just sound amazing with 3D imaging and drive and balls!

In short the SM9 is a very silent monitor.

With kind regards,
Bas

[CoolColJ]

I'm convinced

I have negotiated a good price with a local dealer - so I might grab one this week....

[Rsantana]

deff no hiss very quite monitors overall my only gripe is i thought they would be a bit louder considering they are 600 watts. They are perfect in the Near field position.
Still breaking them in.

[Sound Evolution]

Originally Posted by Rsantana

deff no hiss very quite monitors overall my only gripe is i thought they would be a bit louder considering they are 600 watts. They are perfect in the Near field position.
Still breaking them in.

The SM9 doesn't sound "loud" because they deliver the power with such an ease and control without any distortion till the clipping point.

See it like this. If you take a old original Mini Cooper car, and drive 60 m/h on the highway. You feel a great sensation and you think a lot is going on and you going incredible fast. Will you take a BMW7 or a Mercedes S and drive 60 m/h you think you are going slow and nothing is going on. It is the ease of big engines and modern cars that makes you not aware anymore of the actual insane speeds you driving at. The same with (audio) amplifiers. When they can deliver so easy and so effortless, you have no idea anymore how loud you really go.

Most amplifiers with lighter power supplies start to squeeze and sound aggressive if you come closer to the clipping point. Our ears are very sensitive for this kind of odd harmonic distortion and it appears as very loud (which it is). The SM9 has a overkill power supply, (in fact it doesn't sag by halving the impedance and the SM9 amplifiers can double their power in halve the load).

Take yourself a dB. meter and you see how loud it actually is. However since the power is so clean and natural it will never sound as loud. That is the beauty of the SM9.

With kind regards,
Bas

[Passion4Sound]

[CoolColJ]

Originally Posted by Rsantana

deff no hiss very quite monitors overall my only gripe is i thought they would be a bit louder considering they are 600 watts. They are perfect in the Near field position.
Still breaking them in.

How is it sounding compared to your Twins are this stage?

[Rsantana]

Originally Posted by CoolColJ

How is it sounding compared to your Twins are this stage?

Honestly they sound way better no doubt!!! I was actually going to measure the decibel reading tomorrow if i have the chance. I like my music loud especially because i mainly produce techno and dance stuff so my concept of loud may not be yours lol!! but to me they sound a few dbs lower than the Twins could be because the twins are ported.
I totally agree that these speakers are so damn clean its deff a different sound... so i may have to get used to them. Hope this helps!

[CoolColJ]

Originally Posted by Rsantana

Honestly they sound way better no doubt!!! I was actually going to measure the decibel reading tomorrow if i have the chance. I like my music loud especially because i mainly produce techno and dance stuff so my concept of loud may not be yours lol!! but to me they sound a few dbs lower than the Twins could be because the twins are ported.
I totally agree that these speakers are so damn clean its deff a different sound... so i may have to get used to them. Hope this helps!

Step outside the room and the back, the volume might surprise you
I found the same this with the Opals, they don't strain like some speakers so they don't sound as loud at the same volume.

How is the front to back depth of the SM9?

[Sound Evolution]

Originally Posted by CoolColJ

Step outside the room and the back, the volume might surprise you
I found the same this with the Opals, they don't strain like some speakers so they don't sound as loud at the same volume.

How is the front to back depth of the SM9?

That is my experience to with the SM9's. You have no idea how loud you actually listening, till you try to talk to someone in the same room and notice you have to scream to make yourself hearable.

I think the depth of the SM9's is one the deepest you ever hear in a studio monitor. The SM9 is capable of building a stage till far behind the speakers. It is truly a 3D experience.

Ps. the Opals have quality class A/B amplifiers as well, and this is certainly a big underestimated part of a good studio monitor.

[Rsantana]

Originally Posted by CoolColJ

Step outside the room and the back, the volume might surprise you
I found the same this with the Opals, they don't strain like some speakers so they don't sound as loud at the same volume.

How is the front to back depth of the SM9?

It's incredible how much depth they have this is one of the things that I was having trouble with on my twins. I must say everything I thought the twins where missing these babies have. The bass is deep with super fast transients the hi's sound smoother. Not trying to sound like I'm bashing the twins I love them for the price.
I think they have helped me immensely mixing wise and would recommend them to anyone but these are truly in a different league and they should be for 7 grand!

[Rsantana]

Originally Posted by Sound Evolution

That is my experience to with the SM9's. You have no idea how loud you actually listening, till you try to talk to someone in the same room and notice you have to scream to make yourself hearable.

I think the depth of the SM9's is one the deepest you ever hear in a studio monitor. The SM9 is capable of building a stage till far behind the speakers. It is truly a 3D experience.

Ps. the Opals have quality class A/B amplifiers as well, and this is certainly a big underestimated part of a good studio monitor.

totally agree

[bendermastering]

Originally Posted by Sound Evolution

The SM9 is designed with long term durability and reliability in mind.

As opposing to switching signals with transistors and/or other gates, the SM9 use high quality relays for the best audio quality. All contacts in one relays are paralleled to make double contact switching of one signal. e.g. each to switch signal-path use one double contact relays instead of switching 2 circuits with one relays.

Those relays are very high quality parts.

Secondly. When you switch on the SM9, the start up procedure is that all relays get cleaned first before operation. This to prevent oxidation on long term. This is the fast clicking sound users will notice when starting up a SM9. The SM9 has a very intelligent internal computer who takes care of that. (including system check-ups and protection etc.) This computer even measures your mains voltage and frequency and will switch the SM9 off in any faulty event.



The SM9 is a very silent design. As matter of fact the pre-amps are a very sophisticated design where there are basically multiple pre-amp stages paralleled.

By doing this, each time one double a pre-amp stage, the noise will get reduced around 3dB. This because the noise from both circuits are not correlated and partly cancel out. In the SM9 there there are 4 fully balanced differential pre-amps stages paralleled to have a noise reduction of nearly 12dB! in comparison to a standard one Op Amp differential input stage.

Not only does this reduce the noise, but also the distortion. Each pre-amp only has to produce 1/4th of the current. Since those stages are paralleled it doesn't add any longer signal paths. All those stages are DC coupled with no electrolytic capacitors in signal flow.

Aside from all technical talk, those pre-amps just sound amazing with 3D imaging and drive and balls!

In short the SM9 is a very silent monitor.

With kind regards,
Bas

Very interesting stuff.. The SM9 does feels like a very hi-tech and well thought monitor but Focal should make this kind of information public!

I had no idea of how advanced, hi-tech the speaker was till I got one pair! All that information should be on Focal's website, it may help to sell a few more pairs...

[Sound Evolution]

Originally Posted by bendermastering

Very interesting stuff.. The SM9 does feels like a very hi-tech and well thought monitor but Focal should make this kind of information public!

I had no idea of how advanced, hi-tech the speaker was till I got one pair! All that information should be on Focal's website, it may help to sell a few more pairs...

There is even more.

-Internal signal between power amps and pre-amps is truth balanced differential
-all PCB's are 4 layer designs with dedicated ground-planes (this is very innovative in power amplifier design as opposed to single layer and double layer designs with old fashion star-ground traces. This to make the inductions very low, thus lower distortion
-All stages are DC coupled without any electrolytic capacitors in signal flow (specialized DC servo circuits are designed)
-The power supply exist of a huge bank of 40 small capacitors in a row, which makes all together a huge capacitance. (normally you see two big cap's in a a power supply) This occupied 80% of the amplifier space, but is done for very fast power supply responding times and very fast charge and discharge times. This lowers the power supply impedance drastically.

So much thoughts and many listening is went into the SM9 amplifiers. Development took nearly 3 years.

All of this contributes to the high sound quality of the SM9.

With kind regards,
Bas

[mossy]

why am i reading this thread, now i want to upgrade my twins

[Lupez]

same here

[CoolColJ]

Well I got my SM9 on order, but the distributer said the one they had there don't have the latest chipset.
They emailed Focal about serial number ranges, and getting some chipsets - sigh still haven't heard back from the dealer...

was hoping to have them by this weekend, but that looks unlikely now

[Rsantana]

Hmmm how do I find out which chipset I have?

[CoolColJ]

Originally Posted by Rsantana

Hmmm how do I find out which chipset I have?

If your SM9 has no issues, then it likely has the latest one

[Tube World]

Ok we know the Barefoot and SM9 are both great. How would you describe the sound character of each? Both will get the job done, but what are some pros and cons on each monitor?

[CoolColJ]

Originally Posted by Tube World

Ok we know the Barefoot and SM9 are both great. How would you describe the sound character of each? Both will get the job done, but what are some pros and cons on each monitor?

Most people seem to describe the Barefoot MM27 as NS10 with more bass.
Not literally off course, but character and tone wise.

SM9? Like a Focal but better I guess

[Fleaman]

Originally Posted by CoolColJ

Most people seem to describe the Barefoot MM27 as NS10 with more bass.

Not everyone agrees with this, but I'm one that does. I'm in the camp of: more like a NS10 with a sub, vs a NS10 with just more bass.

I think the MM27's are much more room and position dependent, which ironically kinda reminds me of the pain of finding the right spot and balance(NS10>sub) for a NS10 sub combo.

Interestingly, when I used a sub with NS10ms, it was a sealed sub.

[Tube World]

Originally Posted by mossy

why am i reading this thread, now i want to upgrade my twins

My question for you is how well are you mixes translating with the Twins? If your mixes are just great, there is no need to switch to a higher powered microscope (monitor) on music if your end results are very good. There is always more powerful and so called "better equipment". It never ends. The question is if your end results are great with what you have, don't get sucked into the gearslutz mentality that you have to keep spending more money and continue to buy better and better equipment. We hear how one mastering engineer uses Focal Solo's to master records, so it really comes down to your skills as an engineer and not as much on the gear itself. The Twins or my PMC TB2's are way good enough to obtain great mixes if you have proper acoustic treatment and have good engineering skills. Granted if you have the money and want to spend the money that is all fine and good, but they are not needed.

[mossy]

Originally Posted by Tube World

My question for you is how well are you mixes translating with the Twins? If your mixes are just great, there is no need to switch to a higher powered microscope (monitor) on music if your end results are very good. There is always more powerful and so called "better equipment". It never ends. The question is if your end results are great with what you have, don't get sucked into the gearslutz mentality that you have to keep spending more money and continue to buy better and better equipment. We hear how one mastering engineer uses Focal Solo's to master records, so it really comes down to your skills as an engineer and not as much on the gear itself. The Twins or my PMC TB2's are way good enough to obtain great mixes if you have proper acoustic treatment and have good engineering skills. Granted if you have the money and want to spend the money that is all fine and good, but they are not needed.

they translate ok - mainly problems on the low end, my room is fairly well treated though. Judging sub is the hardest part, i have a hifi system hooked up to my computer so i can check mixes on that, would be nice to eliminate that step

[CoolColJ]

Focal are sending the new chipsets to my dealer, for a tech to install them to the SM9 they have.

So I hopefully will get my set later next week.
I hope the tech doesn't scratch/mark my monitors

They are surpisingly small for the weight

[Tube World]

Originally Posted by mossy

they translate ok - mainly problems on the low end, my room is fairly well treated though. Judging sub is the hardest part, i have a hifi system hooked up to my computer so i can check mixes on that, would be nice to eliminate that step

Perhaps the Focal Sub 6 would help in this area. This who have the Focal Twins who wanted more low end found the Sub 6 very helpful, especially when used with a foot switch that can bypass the sub when not needed.

[Tube World]

Originally Posted by CoolColJ

Focal are sending the new chipsets to my dealer, for a tech to install them to the SM9 they have.

So I hopefully will get my set later next week.
I hope the tech doesn't scratch/mark my monitors

They are surpisingly small for the weight

Nice photo, the SM9's look great! Do you still see the Twins being useful in your studio if you have the SM9's?

[Rsantana]

Originally Posted by Tube World

Perhaps the Focal Sub 6 would help in this area. This who have the Focal Twins who wanted more low end found the Sub 6 very helpful, especially when used with a foot switch that can bypass the sub when not needed.

I almost went this direction but I figured I was a only a bit shy price wise so I returned my twins and upgraded to the sm9s. I also wanted a sealed enclosure for more accuracy instead of dealing with sub placement.

[Fleaman]

Originally Posted by Rsantana

I almost went this direction but I figured I was a only a bit shy price wise so I returned my twins and upgraded to the sm9s. I also wanted a sealed enclosure for more accuracy instead of dealing with sub placement.

The SM9 isn't really a sealed enclosure, it has a passive radiator which acts much like a ported design. Also, sealed or not shouldn't really be that different regarding the main monitors vs monitors + separate sub. The key difference is that monitor+sub system is of course much more sensitive to time alignment issues due to them being separate boxes, not to mention crossover/blending issues, etc.

[Rsantana]

Originally Posted by Fleaman

The SM9 isn't really a sealed enclosure, it has a passive radiator which acts much like a ported design. Also, sealed or not shouldn't really be that different regarding the main monitors vs monitors + separate sub. The key difference is that monitor+sub system is of course much more sensitive to time alignment issues due to them being separate boxes, not to mention crossover/blending issues, etc.

Agreed I know know its not a true sealed inclosure but fairly similar concept with out getting too technical.
I have had my fair share of bass freq issues in my room which i have tamed thanks to my GIK 244 bass traps, but still doesn't leave me to confident enough to fiddle with placement and time alignment etc. no patience for that. After having these speakers for about a week i can say they don't sound like the twins at all so i dont think it would be the same if i bought a sub. I do agree that if you did go that way it would a killer set up and if you cant afford that id go with the Opals.
For about a thousand dollars more (Twins & sub).. for me it was a no brainer.
If Focal didn't raise their prices i sure would of thought twice about this purchase but no regrets here these things are incredible.