YOU CALL THIS HI-END HI-FI? WHAT THE FOCAL?!

This is Hifi?! What the Focal?!
We will have this upgrade on the site soon, in the meantime, just give us a call to order. 1-940-592-3400

[@shaner3d]

Pretty sad that this is what we get from so many manufacturers these days. Meanwhile, they’ve been making ridiculous price increases. Thank you for exposing these companies.

[@Acoustic_Theory]

Can you point to any companies doing differently these days that are still in business?

[@TheMerong]

@@Acoustic_Theory Schitt?

[@tchernob]

The price is just wrong in America. It's only 1k here in france

[@juststuff5216]

@@tchernob The same goes for Focal and Hertz car audio gear sold in the UK. The comparative price hike makes enthusiasts in the U.S. are getting a higher grade/series product, than they actually are!

[@wadimek116]

@@tchernob Still its awful they can't even use copper connections. Its basically free to buy pure copper cable

[@mechdude1]

GREAT JOB 👍... I used to have a hobby of building loudspeakers and subwoofers... Everything you stated is true... In the upgrade that you did to those top quality parts is outstanding. The difference that those parts will make is dramatic... And the price that you charge for all those parts and for all the work and for all the engineering and for all the measurements... It's a very good deal 😉

[@DamionG1987]

I have these speakers and they sound great. I think you are being pretty harsh on them.

[@jonasDoguedeBordeaux]

I'm gonna modify mine soon Watch out for the video in the near future this guy wants to make money from us all

[@welshrarebit9238]

It’s all about your business to him

[@jonasDoguedeBordeaux]

@@welshrarebit9238 I totally agree mate

[@jimmylundin4380]

All his points are legit. That $3 tweeter sucks.

[@jukingeo]

Not really, he showed you the measurements and heard what they sound like. As I said above, I don't think Focal is winning any awards with that Radio Shack tweeter they have in there. A tweeter that is constructed like that, with it's problems, shouldn't be in a $2200 cabinet. But I guess you are feeling the burn for paying so much for a speaker that just shouldn't cost $2200, but rather $500 at best. It is mark up and greed. Now, of course, I am not faulting you as you probably didn't know. Many don't know what is really inside a speaker until they take it apart. This is why I tend to avoid high priced audio components because you really don't know what company is going to take you to the cleaners and "clean" you out of your money. Some companies, such as McIntosh are legit, but it is not like I can afford them anyway. Still there is Law of Diminishing Returns too. Do I really NEED a McIntosh or Focal speakers? No, I don't. I feel there are good sound components out there that can be had for far less. I like guys like Danny and Erin that have the proper test equipment to find flaws in speakers and in Danny's case, he takes the speaker apart and lets you know how well it is built. So I tip my hat off to him for offering that service to us audiophiles here on You Tube. Further, he offers a fix for them too. Granted, the sting is worse having to spend more to correct the problems of the cabinet and cross over which shouldn't have to be in the first place...not at that price level. But educating the people is what I am for, exposing the crooks of the audio industry for what they are. Things have been getting out of hand in the audio industry and really, people just have to stop feeding the trolls.

[@SuperMcgenius]

Yes, I made many speakers with the old Focal drivers, when tamed sounded good. You are so right about associated electronics. 👍

[@freone111]

I have the same experience as you. If you tame the drivers they sound really great.

[@cvee2614]

Danny, great review. Watching you go through the steps in selecting the components to correct the serious short comings of this pricey speaker brings me back to my XLS Encores that I built a year ago using your recommended upgrades down to the tube connectors. Coming from a long line of brands, AR2ax, Polks, Klipsch, Boston Acoustics and Focal, I finally found a winner in the X-LS Encores and can't begin to describe how pleased I am with my decision.

[@loubano]

I love all of your time and explanations. Thanks a lot for all your great video. I forwarded your video to a friend who owned the 906

[@stuartkennedy4202]

I like many others have been buying hifi for many years and we really had no clue and the fact we are conned. Thank you for your knowledge.

[@petertimp5416]

Thanks. Though I'm looking for the rolled up dollar bill on the bench 😂

[@gogo-fk1lu]

I have these speakers at home and they are not bright as they say ... at least it seems so to me. I am very happy with them and in our country they cost exactly 769 € a pair.

[@jackfalco5351]

Exactly. These are not bright speakers.

[@micheandmikey]

I have been obsessed with your knowledge and your videos since stumbling onto your channel. I'm in utter shock to discover just how much scamming goes on at the reference level of HIfi. Keep em coming, now I want to send in my Beethoven concert grands! :) LOL

[@bergennorway]

If I don’t remember wrong, I think he did Beethoven concert and compared it to concert grand.

[@micheandmikey]

@@bergennorway I saw the Mozart video, I'll look for the Beethoven.

[@bubbleone6526]

They’re banking on the name and hoping the customers won’t send their speakers to Danny. 😂😂😂

[@freone111]

Im a previous Focal installer and retailer. Yes, it is markedup very high. And crossover parts are very cheap. In a fully active system we would actually tune Focal not to sound like Focal and it would be beautiful. There is a way to tame the drivers, Danny knows best about this from first hand experience. Great work Danny.

[@TheMatsushitaMan]

Tune Focal to sound *not* like Focal?

[@richardjohnston4682]

If Danny’s so good why isn’t everyone in the world using his speakers?

[@kenbowser5622]

My 948's sound fantastic.

[@sportsmachinerr1401]

Why change the beautiful signature Focal sound.

[@richardriley3543]

@@richardjohnston4682 he can't keep drivers they sell out fadt

[@EvanZamir]

Preach. I built two pairs of DIY speakers a little over 20 years ago. The larger pair my mom tossed when I was in grad school, but the smaller pair of bookshelf speakers I still use to this day. The tweeters were Focal inverted titanium dome and the drivers were 7" Scan-Speak. I'm not even sure the DIYer can still order these components.

[@dajikbatarang1]

Focal is extremely overpriced in North America. If you look at the European prices for the same model its far less. I think this speaker goes for about $800-900 in most of Europe. Also Focal was taken over by a private equity firm who has raised prices 3 times since the takeover. So they might have had value at one point it doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

Remember that Focal is a French company and their products will be vastly cheaper within the EU as a result of that.

[@rolletroll2338]

I bought them for 550 euros un France.

[@vintageflanker7096]

@@rolletroll2338 440€, as far as I'm concerned. Cheapest I've seen was 399€ in Walnut.

[@rolletroll2338]

@@vintageflanker7096 Wow, at this price they outclass anything. but at 2000$ this is just a scam...

[@vintageflanker7096]

@@rolletroll2338 It really is. You better buy them in France. Will still cheaper even after adding tax and shipping...

[@ChicagoRob2]

The tweeter is a joke. It has a ridiculously small damping chamber and a high free air resonance. Probably costs Focal $3 ea. Even if you can get these speakers for $1000, you’re getting ripped off.

[@welshrarebit9238]

The higher cost is for the gorgeous cabinets….Made in China then shipped back to France

[@BruceCross]

Danny is very close when he guesses aluminum. The website says the tweeter is aluminum/magnesium.

[@ad_fletch]

They are under US$1K in Europe. The RRP in the US (and just about everywhere else) is very high.

[@kdomster9141]

Small size of the magnet means these are likely made with neodymium magnet and these are always tiny but as powerful as other much larger tweeters ...

[@ChicagoRob2]

@@kdomster9141 A small magnet is fine, but the miniscule damping cavity allows for poor attenuation of back wave energy.

[@bingdong8571]

Thanks for bringing the reality of focal speakers back to earth. (Just tell them it has berillium tweeters and they'll buy it)

[@saltaormina9404]

My stock 906’s are set up with an all Rega system…Elex-R, Aria Phono Stage, P6 with Exact-2 MM, and Audioquest Rocket 33 cable sitting atop Solid Steel stands. Bass duties sent to a REL T5x. It sounds fantastic with 80% of the vinyl I run through it. Highly recommended.

[@jondonnelly4831]

That's one way to fix them. Vinyl is intentionally mastered to roll up High freq around 15k which is a good thing for these speakers and of course sending the bass to the sub is good too. Thing is that combo you have will make any decent speaker much nicer to listen too.

[@saltaormina9404]

@@jondonnelly4831 appreciate the feedback Jon. This rabbit hole has me contemplating a step up to the Elicit-R…LoL…let me know what you think :)

[@BobFrostV]

I went from this focal arya line to Revel Be line. Noticably better dispersion when moving around the room. I also prefer the harman freq curve apparently. Still using these focal 906 for sides until I decide between bookshelves vs more floorstanders. Rel subs look so good. I wish I could a and b the Rel 31 with some other big brands in my space.

[@nsdesilva]

Almost the same setup as yours.. except Rega P3 and ATC SCM 11 Speakers. Just ordered a Rel T5x.. hope all good.

[@saltaormina9404]

@@nsdesilva Sweet! Great system and I’m sure you’re enjoying it 🔥🔥. I’ve since upgraded. LoL. Now running Rega Aethos into KEF R3. Everything else is the same. It’s got some more juice now. I think I need to move to the T7x sub or another T5x. It’s an addicting hobby! LoLoL

[@arfer1470]

Great video as always Danny 👍 I have been looking forward to you doing some Focals because I have some Focal 806v in my second system that I have been gradually upgrading the crossovers in. So far I have only replaced the capacitors and resistors and have seen great improvements so far, they are smoother and far more detailed in the bass. I have some Mundorf air cored inductors waiting to go in but I am going to put the crossovers in an external box so there is space to keep the inductors apart, also I plan to get a measurement mic so I can measure the changes and possibly tweak them a bit more. I have spent years modding amplifiers but the improvements to be had from modifying speakers are much greater. Keep up the good work 👍

[@kerrylittle3900]

I just bought a set of the Focal Aria 906's and they sound pretty darn good. Yeah they might sound a bit fuller with a small subwoofer but I'm using them in the kitchen. Have other rooms for the bigger stuff. LOL.

[@metallicablackend484]

Nice done Focal Slayer! Love from Sweden!

[@noone-cf2zo]

I would like to hear from the customer about what he thinks about the improvements

[@everything777]

I have the 936 speakers and they sound incredible

[@leonsam12]

I have the same speaker, what amp are you using on them? I’m in the market for one and just using an AVR in the meantime

[@nickosstylianou6460]

I have these speakers, I definitely agree about them being bright, especially at high volumes. I’m looking at other speakers

[@erics.4113]

I was recently considering purchase of this exact speaker. Bracing myself now .. lol

[@johnshaw359]

That's exactly why I decided to buy ATC 40 SCM speakers some years back.

[@salmorreale7900]

Love the education, thank you for posting.

[@giangvu7902]

Agreed with you on this one. These used to sell for $899/pair before everything started to increase in price. Too expensive at $2200.

[@terrywho22]

Exactly, I thought these were less than a grand a pair. Man, have things changed quickly.

[@rmm2424]

Never that cheap for the ARIA you thinking of the Chorus line.

[@Jordonater]

In France where there made there around 500 euros for the pair so its not bad part quality at all for that price and if it creates a neutral response thats all that matters. Theres no point in a manufacturer spending more money on parts if its not necessary in fact Focal even says because everything is done in house it has enabled them to use cheaper parts because they are designed to work with each other. Danny is not wrong in saying there can be improved but when it comes down to 2-3db changes youd be surprised how hard most will have it to tell the sound apart from stock. Also music can sometimes sound better with a dip between 2-4khz because a lot of recordings are too hot there.

[@gerihifi]

Never trust big brands!!! Always do your homework and do research and watch videos like that, thanks a lot for your honest insights!

[@MRB1910]

Maybe a little off topic but I recently heard the Focal Maestro and was blown away by the dynamics. I’ve never heard anything like it short of a really really good live PA rig. Blew away everything I thought I knew about high end audio. Price blows you away too but they charge that because it’s that good!

[@audioguy67]

if you want dynamics try some good horn speakers

[@johnclark3067]

I also hope to listen to some Utopias someday. What electronics were driving them?

[@chrispicquet733]

I discovered the same thing you did! There are some real junk Focal stuff out now! I have a pair of Focal T120TI tweeters,which were rated as the best dome tweeters ever made! Focal solved the main problem with dome tweeters( Inverted dome that never sees the cabinet! Also the voice coil is only 1/2", which connects to the the inverted dome exactly half way between the apex of the inverted dome and the rubber surround ( No dome tip distortion) No crazy room reflection! 20 oz magnet.used in the Wilson High End Speakers.other than that, I stay away from domes,preferring Ribbon,or Horn Designs.

[@markgaches1961]

Great work on the filter.

[@Roman-wl1qg]

I admire your work. Great job! I own a pair of Focal Aria 926. Sadly I am from europe. So sending in my speakers is a bit difficult. Would love to see someone else sending in the Focal Aria 926. So I can order an upgrade kit from GR.

[@hifiandrew]

You're brutal... and I love it. Speaker makers need to be called on their BS.

[@Nerfcar1]

Focal has a line of "budget" speakers just like any other speaker company..Yes they do make superb speakers if you have the money.

[@silicon.alchemist]

$2200 is hardly "budget"

[@Leicester_Square]

@@silicon.alchemist Here in Europe / Germany they are around 1000€/pair. Still quite expensive but far away from high end pricepoints or products.

[@johnclark3067]

Exactly! I have only listened to the Focal Electra 1038Be and the Kanta 2 both on McIntosh electronics. Probably have to go to New York city and make an appointment to see and/or listen to Utopias. I have heard several Utopia setups in car audio though.

[@michaelwaveoven]

Hey Danny. I've been watching your videos for a while and always enjoy the attention to detail. I was reviewing your site and didn't see any JBL models listed. Have you ever gotten your hands on an older JBL model S38? They were released in 2001 and stereophile wrote a nice review about them back in the day. I have a couple sets of them and absolutely love the value these speakers offer. Other than replacing the original crossover over components with higher quality replacements, do you have any suggestions on mods for theses?

[@mdocod]

Nice work on this one. Someone should forward this to focal.

[@russellbaston1223]

Some of the Focal high end tweeters were (maybe still are?) beryllium. I built a pair of small speakers based on Focal units, a D'Apolitto configuration with Kevalar bass/mids and beryllium tweeter.

[@johnclark3067]

That is correct. There are even different versions of beryllium tweeters from Focal. The tweeters in these speakers are among the cheapest they make. Still sound better than most cheap stuff but not as good as any revered by audiophiles. Focal manufactures some of the best "cones and domes" on the planet, but they aren't available to diy'ers and not many have even seen them much less heard them.

[@pliedtka]

Until end of '90s most of Focal drivers were available to DIY, then Focal and Dynaudio pulled out drivers distribution. As for the quality or technicalities behind Focal, Dynaudio and other manufacturers, there's nothing special about them these days. Scan, SB, and a few others make more advanced spkr drivers and better made.

[@russellbaston1223]

@@pliedtka I agree, to an extent , but beryllium tweeters are still a bit special.

[@wadimek116]

@@johnclark3067 Doubt, we got super high competition on driver market. There is nothing special about focal drivers today

[@mikeconnell698]

Nice work on the tweaks!

[@tomastomasek1401]

it has probably been said here, but these speakers in Europe cost approx. 1000 euro per pair, often in so called French days it can be found for 750 € now. Great speakers for that price. For 2200 I am not so sure

[@gerlachsieders4578]

No wonder my Aria's sounded crappy... They sounded flat, lifeless, parts of the music presentation were missing (that I Could hear on my crappy car system), I guess it was the poor midrange. I just kept waiting for them to come alive. Eventually I swapped them out for the Wharfedale Denton 85, sounded waaaaay better with my Audiolab 6000a. The Dentons are in a speaker workshop now for an upgrade, can't wait to hear how that works out. Meanwhile back to my backup Aria's, shite.... Danny, thank you for all your excellent work, it has opened my eyes and made me decide to give my Dentons and upgrade. While I was there, I heard some fantastic monitors, future projects perhaps... Kind regards from the Netherlands, Gerlach Sven

[@jondonnelly4831]

I only paid 700 pounds for this pair new. These are absolute sound 2022 winners, Stereo sound best buy, AV Forums recommended and MANY other accolades. What HiFi called, them mature, stable with considerable polish in 2013. So they ARE Hi-Fi, or so I thought... , but your right there are serious issues with these speakers. They DO RING, the top end is WEIRD, sometimes fine, sometimes not. NOT loud enough for spoken content, but TOO much for electronic music. Weird. Now I know why. I already did the no- res tweak and treated the room which has helped (a lot) and I also removed the rings and never replaced them as they ARE NOT well fixed on. This is amazing you fixed what a massive multinational award winning company could NOT do ( they had NINE years). SHAME ON THEM and SHAME ON REVIEWERS!!!! I'll get this upgrade! THANKS SO MUCH for fixing !

[@abboberg]

The B&W CDM-1NT upgrade changed these speakers from a "tin can" sound to a warm and rich sound. You may not notice they have this sound when listening to them on their own, but I have two pair of these speakers, and was able to A-B the original to the upgrade. The original, with its cheap crossovers, definitely have a tin can sound in comparison to the upgraded speakers. Well worth it, especially considering these speakers can be purchased pretty cheaply used.

[@dazaudio2131]

hilarious that u think a company with years of experience of making speakers cannot do what danny has just done. its pretty simple, they are going for a different sound to what danny has turned them into. might sound shitty in your room but not in others.

[@johnclark3067]

I love what Danny is doing for this industry. Don't always agree with him but there is no denying that he can help by using a scientific approach to problems that shouldn't exist with proper engineering.

[@danabunner487]

It is interesting in that these exact speakers have received multiple very positive reviews and are highly recommended by audiophile publications.

[@jondonnelly4831]

@@dazaudio2131 Let's set Dannies tweaks aside for a second and look at build quality. The beauty rings are double sided taped on with pretty weak tape and the cabinets ring because they are not well braced inside. The magnets that hold the grills on are also weak and a slight tap they move. I'm not saying these speakers sound shitty, but those issues are easily fixed and point to Focal really not caring. The drivers are actually very decent. They also play low real well.

[@roni801129]

600€ these speakers are worth it ... and it sounds great ...

[@joeygonzo]

That's why I dig the 80's and 90's speakers .

[@sccanj]

Sure, particle board speakers. I bet you think they sound better

[@sc0or]

For most of the upgraded loudspeakers you would call that impulse chart great ;) After the upgrade of this crossover it looks simply ideal by the way. But to call it “terrible” from a beginning is not fair. The vertical dispersion and that dip on a FR curve might be intended to prevent reflections from a ceiling/floor in this frequency range, that makes a “family sound”. That would be expected from such manufacturer. The cabinet sounds like a stone after a knocking. These are the best loudspeakers in about €1000 price range. PS I think you should review your price for the upgrade. A worse from s beginning Dynaudio upgrade is about 50% cheaper. These are €1000 pair, not $2200. A $500+ upgrade makes no sense for good sounding loudspeakers in this case.

[@ronnyvidotto4631]

i have focal Aria 948 and They sound amazing,with the right Amplifier and Dac!

[@bobbys4458]

Can you give an advice for “right Amplifire” pls?

[@freone111]

Danny, just for the info. That is called a FLAX CONE MATERIAL. These sound more musical than the kevlars. And the tweeter if I am not mistaken is magnesium. They use both for Car Audio.

[@johnclark3067]

I have owned the flax car line before and liked them. Have the new K2 line now which are aramid. Similar enough to Kevlar. They are "aggressive" sounding; good for competing with road noise. The K2's sound best ran actively (no passive crossovers) on LOTS of Mosconi class AB power along with good tuning. My next upgrade will be a Mosconi DSP.

[@peace-yv4qd]

I believe that the driver material is Flax. I have the Focal 905's and the 926's. I enjoy them very much but I wouldn't mind upgrading them if my budget allows. I think the 905 is discontinued. The 926's have gone way up in price. I picked mine up for around $2200.00. I'm just wondering if the price increase is due to the internal parts being upgraded. Probably not. Unfortunately I don't the expertise to do the work myself unless I can find someone locally to do the work. Informative video.

[@lordi200056]

Very eye-opening stuff! Any chance you will be doing a teardown on some active speakers? For example Focal's Shape series is very acclaimed, but am yet to find some kind of teardown on them...

[@pv8203]

Thing is, these speakers retail for about €1k here in Europe, often less then €990 in France. Not saying they shouldn't be built with better quality electronics, but my expectations from the manufacturer are very different then if I had to pay $2k+ for them in the US.

[@leonsam12]

But these already sound perfect👌

[@julesbarry2081]

The price for those loudspeakers Is 799 Pounds Sterling so approx $1000 Dollars, so the cheesy crossover seems to be in the right price ball park for those speakers as you suggest In your video.

[@oluhamilton2121]

Keep doing it, Danny...l learn a lot listening to your critiques. I WISH you would critique Triangle Trios or at least fell me if they are worth modding. Thanks just the same for being.

[@midnightsocean2689]

Great video. This is what happens when profit margins get too big and manufacturing gets overly outsourced. Danm hard to find offerings by the more well known companies that aren't over priced to some extent or another. I used to build speakers back in the day and I can say, those parts used to be a lot better. This is why I tend to avoid larger companies now and buy from smaller more local companies.

[@welshrarebit9238]

Sounds like paradigm with there signature series

[@chrispicquet733]

My JM LAB Colbolt 807's are incredible.the same tioxid drivers in the Grand Utopia

[@pjo1964]

So basically were looking at $500us speakers realistically.

[@vukasinpejcic4823]

Yeap, if you want a decent speakers spend 20k and you'll get it. I think that upgrading your current speakers is far more better and cheaper than buying a new ones, cause new ones would require same upgrade. Great video Danny, respect to you and your work.

[@ArthaxtaDaVince777]

I have the aria 948s for 7k and I don't imagine a better sounding speaker or even a need for it...

[@cuongtran-ty1te]

GR research kits are one of a kind , But CSS is on another level.

[@vicg5323]

Thats crazy. I really liked that speaker and the mid sounded good. 2200 dollars and crossovers are worse than the Elac 6.2 debut.

[@hugobloemers4425]

That is a bit disappointing. With all these cheesy parts I wonder if the tweeter is up to scratch after the upgrade. I mean if the cross over is only worth $10,- I can hardly imagine the tweeter costing more than $20,-

[@MsCorbacho]

I thought the same , the woofer seems quite nice. , but that tweeter is a nightmare

[@david1rosenthal]

You can see in the original graph that the on-axis has a broad dip centered at 6khz BUT that dip on axis is balanced by broader dispersion in that frequency range (this is the Focal house sound). This gives the speaker an in-room response that is balanced. Your new “flat on axis” crossover just unbalances that. See 9:46 for the most important graph (that you quickly blow by) while shows how badly you destroyed this carefully-engineered balance and how much excess energy you now have around 6kHz. You are in no position to criticize Focal’s engineering. This is like taking a family car, slamming it with new super-stiff springs then patting yourself on the back about how much less it leans in corners while criticizing the OEM despite the fact that you’ve destroyed the overall appeal.

[@dannyrichie9743]

You can't just look at the horizontal off axis. You have to look at the vertical off axis too. So in this case our upgrade will give the speaker a much more even total in room response than it had from the factory. Also, the stock parts, wire, and binding posts are garbage. Our upgrade improves clarity and detail levels significantly.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

A very honest and competent review........;

[@cobar5334]

It is amazing how many speaker makers use 'cheezy' parts and trade on a 'reputation'.

[@Justwantahover]

6:05 My B&W 706 speakers seem to lack texture in the voice sound (in my room) but they have a stinging top end. Looks like the Focals might sound similar, going by the graph.

[@dlfrestoration]

I love focal but they need to be tuned with a dsp. I do car and home audio and did a 3 way fully active set up with 200 rms per drive and turned as flat as possible it sound so amazing. Then I had the focal 3way speaker using the same drives and lacked the detail and are so aggressive and offensively bright. I wish I cld build crossovers or cld get you to do all the crossovers for me.

[@zoltanvigh3811]

HI! Exactly what people mentioned already in comments, these speakers should not cost $2200, that is way overpriced.. I remember them being on sale in maybe 2017- 2018 for the equivalent of $700-800 for a pair here in Hungaristan including 27% tax.

[@WheeledandWellArmed]

I bought the LRS Encore with all upgrades and pretty happy. I would like your subwoofer completed. Is that an option?

[@michaelforsythe4335]

I own a pair of those and believe you me, they are NOT bright. I have them paired to a Simaudio W3 and NAD M52 DAC. I have an older pair of Chorus speakers (also Focal) which are much brighter and airier; I prefer them to the Arias, frankly. However, I got the Aria's for $1100 Cdn new. They took weeks to break in, but overall I'm not displeased.

[@Antoon55]

I my country (NL) the Focal Aria 906 cost 549 Euro per speaker..

[@thomasdiyaudio5353]

I have similar thoughts about Focal and this video confirms my thinking. From your experience, which speakers (under US$2,000) offer the best value for money in particular the crossover?

[@TonicofSonic]

Those crossover components look straight out of a Sony sscs5 or Polk t30. To put that into perspective, those are sub $150 speakers and a sub $140 center channel.

[@WeeWeeJumbo]

really can't get over that tweeter

[@tbirdsteve1]

I wish someone would send you some Jamo Concert VII's to look at. I'd LOVE an upgrade for those.

[@berkut6313]

We get these for half-price over here in France. Find them really good as such, although I complemented them with a sub. Not sure I’d pay two grands for these...

[@kobiljaglava3138]

I'm a big fan of JMlab and what they were doing 20 years ago. What they are doing today is very sad 😪

[@joeygonzo]

now owned by Klipsch and made in China

[@freone111]

They arw owned by different people now. JM LAB products were great

[@eugene9000pro]

This retails for 900 euro/pair in europe. With sometimes rumored at 500 after discounts

[@roybrolsbeak]

I have quite a budget to spend on new speakers but with these crazy prices and cheap parts everywhere ill stick to my current setup for few more years.

[@PierreVilleneuve88]

I am surprised he doesn't know it is a flax cone driver. It is pretty well marketed by Focal themselves. Interesting video, I knew the brand but not your channel. Focal Studio speakers seem to be a better value than their Hi-Fi line-up. The studio speakers are cheaper for comparable drivers plus they include the built-in amplifier. Cheers

[@mgsamps]

Yeah, claimed he worked for/with Focal and didn't even know the bass driver was made from a plant material called Flax, then calls them bright, these speakers are not bright, the older models maybe but not these, they actually have quite a smooth sound which makes me wonder if he even bothered to listen to them before tearing them apart. This video should be called how to blow $300 and ruin a perfectly good sounding pair of speakers. Pretty sure Focal with all their years of Knowledge and experience know what they are doing, I mean it's not like they knocked them up in their backyard with a few scraps. Cheap build x-over sure, but perfectly adequate.

[@techsamurai11]

@@mgsamps how is a $10 crossover adequate in a $2,200 speaker? This is highway robbery. What's next?

[@mgsamps]

@@techsamurai11 Firstly it isn't a $10 crossover, this is pretty standard across the industry not just Focal, they all have cost constraints and the crossover is where they can save money and sometimes do depending on the speaker's design.Using cheaper components doesn't always mean it sounds bad because it doesn't. Some speakers like Epos used a single capacitor on the weeter, does that make it rubbish? NO. By today's standards the F Aria is not a particular high end speaker and the crossover inside it does the job it supposed to and quite well. It's a pretty nicely balanced and great sounding speaker so no real need to mess with it, and certainly not by spending over $350 on modding it. That money would be better spent by just buying a better speaker.

[@techsamurai11]

@@mgsamps I think Danny called it a $10 crossover and he buys those parts - Focal may get a better deal so it might be less. The speaker costs $2,200 for a standmount which is in competition with Arendal Towers, Polk R700s and close in price to the Q Acoustics Concept 50. For a $800 speaker that apparently is what folks pay in Europe, it may not be bad but for a $2,200 speaker it deserves a $300 crossover, if not more. The problem with buying a better speaker is what speaker will you buy and how much will you spend. I think only Zu Audio allows people to upgrade the internal components for a nominal fee and get a much better speaker than what you pay for. From what we've seen very few companies have decent electronics even though you're paying $8,000 for the speaker. You can't see the electronics inside a speaker so the manufacturer puts an integrated video card inside a performance computer. This is a practice that needs to stop. When you pay $3,000 for a computer, it needs to have a RTX 3080 or 3090 GPU in it, not an integrated video card. Imagine how much better this speaker would have been after adding all the mid-range components, removing interference.

[@mgsamps]

@@techsamurai11 Yeah I suppose I might be a little disappointed If I'd paid $2200 for them, I bought mine on special offer for 600 quid UK, no complaints with the sound apart from the bass being a little odd, not sure spending $300 on X-over parts would have helped tho. Moved on now.

[@PhilipBallGarry]

The new Mission 770 looks interesting. An appropriate "tip of the hat" to the legendary 80's original. Quality parts, sandwich wood construction, some very nice drivers and a dual board crossover with high quality components. They're about £3300/pair but you CAN see where your money goes

[@techsamurai11]

really? how do you know the parts that they use?

[@PhilipBallGarry]

@@techsamurai11 Well, they've done a full review on KZbin - so there's that

[@techsamurai11]

@@PhilipBallGarry Andrew Robinson's review?

[@PhilipBallGarry]

@@techsamurai11 I think that might have been the fella. I can't remember. I mean, if I had £3k to spend on audio it'd probably go towards paying the mortgage or heating the house this winter instead. There's a lot more to worry about these days. My Kanto YU6 are pretty good for now too 👍😋

[@idkisaidit]

Would love to get your analysis of the kef r-3’s!

[@stevenpaul3886]

It’s get ur able to show this to those who are non believers in the upper brands like this!

[@pizzaearthpancakesandother2549]

Even flat earthers wouldn't call this high end! 32 years ago, I had better tweeters in my 90 Suzuki Swift! (4 Vifa silk dome)

[@Messenger_of_Allah313]

AE uses Vifa damn they sound good !!!

[@mikewalker2080]

Thank you.

[@Clint_the_Audio-Photo_Guy]

As someone who's considering carrying Focal in our market, this is interesting. I've heard them before, and wasn't blown over by them. They seem to be following the old "Make them look good, and they'll sell" adage. These companies don't seem to care much about parts quality anymore. On one hand, they're right. People buy what they like the looks of first, almost always. I've been selling HiFi for 19 years and I can attest that this is true. They'll say the one that looks better to them, sounds better, because it's subjective and they'll just say the one they like the looks of more, sounds better. Well the speaker I'm designing will be all about parts quality, and hopefully still looks good. You'll probably be hearing from me in the not-too-distant future. ;)

[@armandorancano6415]

There's no doubt aesthetics play a huge part in purchasing decisions. The quality of parts can, though not always, make a difference in sound quality. It all depends on the engineering. I have been around electronics designers enough to know that high quality parts can change the sound. However, that change is not necessarily an improvement. Not every choice of a cheaper component was done to achieve margins. Ditto for speaker resonances. What may look cheesy aesthetically and a manufacturing shortcut may have been engineered that way for a particular voicing.

[@darensweeney5925]

Their newer stuff doesn't even look good!

[@worstalentscout]

consider Audio Physic then............

[@jondonnelly4831]

I bought based on the reviews, the looks where a bonus. Check the reviews in the audio press they are highly regarded. So who do u trust? Best to have a look inside as the parts, funny how reviews don't often do that. Wonder how much publications get for favourable reviews.

[@martybousum1010]

Thanks for keeping us in the loop! You're my favorite channel!

[@SylvainThuret]

1800 / 2200 is the US export price tag. In France they are regularly sold from 500 to 590 euros during season sales. And to my ear they are very good speakers. Maybe not so for the export price. But under 600 they are excellent.

[@pullrich001]

You're probably the best guy to ask about this. I have a pair of original JBL L100's which I love the sound of, but the base is a little boomy. I've thought about getting a newer bookshelf to replace them, as the room is small at 12 x 12. What do you recommended in the $1-2K range?

[@dannyrichie9743]

Have a look at our X Series models.

[@slumgullianpass]

Getting boogers on the tweeter won’t upgrade it.

[@Edward135i]

Man now I want to see you take apart a pair of Focal Kanta No1's I wonder what $7,995 actually gets you.

[@fcamiola]

Me too...

[@jamieirwin6333]

Excellent review, or analysis. I’d love to send in my Yamaha NS5000s but logistics would be expensive! It’s depressing to find out how cheaply made some of these speakers are.

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

Interesting considerations and good crossover reengineering. Woofer is flax. 906 K2 model uses kevlar. The 906 is not cost efective in the USA. You can get them for a nudge over €1000 in the EU, (inc. VAT) and occasional clearances down to €600, particularly in France, where they are made. Shipping and customs account for the $2000 US price. Your crossover kit costs as much as a rebated new 906 in European audio outlets. I'll study the improved K2 version of the 906: perhaps it tweaks things in your direction! At 1000€ the 906 is actually quite good and responds well to EQ. The K2 is even better. I would love to install your upgrade, but customs and freight to Europe are sky high. Looks attractive for US 906 users!

[@projack1971]

The price is stupid in the USA as these can be had between £400-£700 in the UK and Europe ( I had 2 pairs new for £400 a pair) and for that price the speaker is very good value so for Europe and the UK the upgrade would be a great upgrade for the USA I would just pass on the speakers period as the price makes them very poor value

[@BostonMike68]

That's why I design and build my own speakers. My frequency is flat my waterfall is flawless

[@greggcheap6208]

That tweeter is a decent mock of their TC 120 ? It reminds me of those old 70's speakers using full range woofers and mocking up "tweeter vents" or blatantly painting tweeters and midranges under the grill fabric lol.

[@carforumwanker]

Years ago NAD (UK) had a workshop in North London. Inside they did a lot of research and "consultancy " work for a few other companies . Lets keep it simple .many many top end pre and power amps , CD players and Integrated amps that cost huge amounts more where designed by NAD and the PCB boards etc re configured so it would not be so obvious .The Guys I spoke to said the extra quality components would not add up to more than £60 . SO lets say if it was branded NAD it would have retailed at less than £300 with the standard components .The "modified " PCB boards etc might end up in amps costing £4k and more !!!! People really are fooled and conned

[@armandorancano6415]

Danny, I think you provide a terrific service. There is no doubt that many speakers could have better drivers, wiring, bracing, cabinet builds, and cross-over parts. What I am missing are reviews from folks who bought and did your mods. What sound differences did they experience? Did the mods improve the performance of the speakers and how? Were any perceived sound differences worth the cost and effort of the mods? It's good that you evaluate the performance of so much audio gear. But who is evaluating your performance? Your results are invaluable. They particularly connect with folks whose personalities like to find fault. That is an observation, not a judgement. I'm someone who has improved the quality of cross-over parts and likes to do it even if sound differences are not significant. It is, after all, a hobby. However, full disclosure and credibility requires a good evaluation of how your mods help actual audible performance.

[@dannyrichie9743]

Our forum at the Audio Circle is full of customer feedback.

[@armandorancano6415]

@@dannyrichie9743 Danny, it is good that there is feedback available. However, it is hardly easily accessible. Someone viewing this video, for example, would have to register with Audio Circle and have three approved posts before having the ability to search. That is hardly easy access. A more direct way would be to post a link in a video such as this one leading to a survey where mod purchasers can answer standard questions. You would break new ground in customer feedback. You read reviews to decide on purchases. I would love to use one of your mods but I am not into faith-based purchasing. I believe you are honest and straightforward, but even the best of people make recommendations that don't have a significant impact.

[@abboberg]

@@armandorancano6415 You are right - I still haven't been able to post a review there for my B&W CDM-1NT upgrade. I have posted a few times on KZbin, tho. It was a lot of work (me being a mechanical guy), but the sound was completely transformed from a "tin box" sound to a warm and rich sound. The bass was also deeper with no detectable ringing, and the stereo imaging was much improved as well. I have two pair of these speakers, so I was able to make an A-B comparison.

[@armandorancano6415]

@@abboberg Thank you, Arne. Yours is the type of immediate feedback, in the comments of the video, that I find quite useful.

[@jfritzy4358]

Been there, done that, have the T-shirt. Better quality parts make a positive difference. Before and after measurements showed a difference and most importantly my ears were pleased with the after.

[@rosswarren436]

I knew there was a bad disconnect in the consumer audio world when Danny tested and upgraded a Dynaudio Special 40 and found it terribly not so "special" lacking in sound and quality crossover parts - at $3600/pair for a bookshelf speaker...Jeez. There too often seems to be no correlation between price and quality. Heck, my pair of $600 Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 has better measurements that that. I guess you are paying $600 for a speaker and $3000 in pretty wood grain from some of these companies...Ugh.

[@ChicagoRob2]

There are exceptions, such as the Buchardt S400 MKII, which has a very expensive, boutique crossover.

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

To be fair, flat frequency response does not necessarily make a good sounding speaker. Do your Diamond 12.2 speakers have lower distortion, lower compression, faster attack, more detail, better decay tails, wider dispersion, higher power handling, more bass extension etc ?

[@rosswarren436]

@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt they sound good to me, and that is all that matters. And I don't have to EQ the shit out of them, in fact, I don't have to EQ at all, and that precisely is the reason I LIKE a flat frequency response speaker. I want no coloration at all or if anything, a very slightly warm midrange. At this crazy price point they are just screwing clueless people over who have more dollars than cents, er sense....LOL...

[@carlosoliveira-rc2xt]

@@rosswarren436I'm not disputing whether or not they sound good and yes usually flat frequency is desirable. You said their measurements were better than the Focals and I was only pointing out the many measurements and criteria that are available in order to make that claim. Cheers!

[@swllz]

@@carlosoliveira-rc2xt , hi, I have searched extensively, but can not find any measurements on 12.2, I only found measurements on 12.1, the measurements on 12.1 are very decent though.

[@mickyd3]

Danny, Would you mind explaining the waterfall chart and how to decipher the graph? I see these often and I am not quite sure what is considered to be a good waterfall chart versus one that is bad. Please explain. Thank you.

[@stevensawyer7731]

I have the focal chorus 816w with the higher end drivers from the utopia range they are 13 years old might have a little look to see if it has a shitty crossover but to be honest I like how they sound glad I didn't pull the trigger on those arias think they call that speaker material flax you can buy aria towers in the uk for the price you quoted for those bookshelves looks like they are ridiculously expensive in the US

[@arfer1470]

They will be cheese inside, like my 806v, if you have the skills I would say it is worth the effort, it gets tricky though because they squeeze the whole crossover on the back of the connector plate to save money in manufacturing leaving little room for better parts which tend to be bigger. Although with yours being the tower type they may have attached them to the rear panel.

[@RennieAsh]

Not sure I'd like that slight peaking _And_ off axis bunching around 4-5kHz in the revised version. The original had it shelved down there to balance out the response.