@@carlt.1547 People often think an audiophile is someone that spends a lot of money on their gear when in reality an audiophile is just someone that keeps sound quality in very high regard. It literally translates as someone who loves sound.
Very interesting insight. I have the Aria 948's and love their natural open performance - Great speaker for the money. Just enough detail and treble without being harsh - zero listener fatigue. Quick full bass, with zero bass bloat. The best part is the mid range and soundstage - open and huge! I can only imagine how nice these would perform. Unfortunately no dealer anywhere close to me here in Thunder Bay.
@@louiepb3439 Emotiva XPA-1 gen 2 monoblocks. They are not regarded as the best, I realize, but they are tremendous performers for the money and have served me well for years with no issues. There is definitely a break in period with them. I had Mcintosh MC601's. They were better but not significantly enough to justify the price differential. It all comes down to what you can afford...
@@louiepb3439 You're very welcome Louie! Sounds like a plan. I find preamps are just as important as the amps. When I had the Mcintosh gear I used the C50 which was hard to beat. With the Emotiva amps I've used a Parasound P6, Onkyo P3000R, Vincent SA-32, and currently acquired a new Anthem STR Pre. If you have the funds I'd definitely look into the Anthem STR power amp. Very vibrant and energetic. It may be a slightly less expensive alternative to Mcintosh. I do love the Mcintosh sound, though, so sounds like you have the right idea. Cheers!
I just bought the Focal 726's. They are stunning. The clear, crisp and precise sound is truly amazing. The quality of the build is 2nd to none. French made quality and superior engineering. I'll never sell these beauties. I'm a very, very proud Focal owner.
I heard these 2 days ago. They were hooked up to a McIntosh c49 preamp with a mc462 amp. Heaven. I’ve been dreaming about the entire system. We even hooked up the kanta 2 to the ma 5300 and it was crazy awesome.
Thank you Kevin !! A fine presentation !! I'm very impressed with Focal and currently using the Chora 826's in my living room - they are superb. I am considering stepping up to the Kanta No. 2 speakers. I'll call in when I'm ready !
I have had a pair of Sopra No2's since they first became available in the U.S. and I must say, it seems that Focal is "at the top of their game" now. I absolutely love the way my system sounds. I've been one of those who has swapped out this, that and the the other component of my music audio system, but am no longer in that mode. It's much more relaxing to just "listen to the music" and not be up tight about the equipment.
Glad I found this channel. Finally somebody that knows what they're talking about. Yes indeed paper is one of the best sounding medians that one can use. People see paper cones and discredit them but don't realize that indeed it is a much better material than most of those other Exotics that cost far more. If you have the money beryllium or flax is the best but for the price of it I'll stick with paper. I BELIEVE paragon makes beryllium drivers . Of course what you coat the paper with makes a big difference in break up.
Yamaha ns1000m berilium mid and tweeter I think that was the first speaker to use berilium not Focal please correct me if I am wrong ( I have fact checked this though) . Dennis
Hi Nick T. Your very well informed about the Yamaha NS Range of products as I own 3 pairs of these speakers in order NS10m + Two pairs of NS1000m one spare just in case!!! all updated and checked along with the Yamaha AS 3000 amplifier and a CDS 3000 CD Player as My hi-fi system it's very nice my second system is a modified Gerrard 401 slate base with a SME M2 12R tonearm and a Dynavector DV KARAT 17D3 cartridge audio reaserch Preamplifier SP 10 mk 2 and a Power amplifier classic 60 with Spendor BC1 1969 reissue. Oh and a Denon DCD 720ae CD Player both systems are good for different reasons. I also have a studio as I am a sound engineer music is my life I don't have a TV it fits the mind (in my opinion) it's cool that you are so knowledgeable about Yamaha speakers give your self a round of applause and a drink yay for music!!!!. Peace and love Dennis
I still have and use my NS1000, had them from new in 1977. They still sound fine to me, mind you at my age my hearing is not as good as it was back then.
They sound much better when the cheap, stock electrolytic caps in the crossover are upgraded to metallized film. I can't believe a then $10,000 pair of speakers had a $5 crossover...
Me 2, the 826W 30th Anniversary. I've heard the Kanta nr1 and it sounded already way better compared to my 826W's, for such a small speaker, I couldn't believe there could be such an improvement with all the new tech in the Kanta's, but it's real. I was pretty convinced when buying the the 826W's they would be speakers for life... especially next to similar priced B&W's, KEF or Monitor Audio. Easy choice back then. Next weekend I'm going to have a listen at the Kanta nr3 to replace my 826W's. Can' t wait. :)
I own the ELEAR Focal headphone and listened side by side with other headphones. So I'm anxious to listen to their speakers. I may choose them over Klipsh Heritage
These Focal’s sound great I agree. Problem is you need great pieces alll around it to drive that beautiful sound and reproduction. It’s going to be an expensive setup all the way around. Check out The new stands for focal too. Just start throwing ur money out the window to achieve a very slim and nominal difference. You can get extremely close to this sound for SIGNIFICANTLY LESS money. This is clearly an advertisement. I bet the profit margin on those Focals are one of the largest by % in that store.
Hmm... Wish I could afford these. I love the Focal sound. I was thinking I can either afford a complete 5.2 surround setup with very good equipment, or these two full range speakers only. I'm mostly into movies and TV, so I'd probably be better off with the surround setup, but these Kanto 2 are so lustworthy.
I owned 1028's and just moved to the Kantas. I had the chance to test them out side by side with the same equipment (Naim 272/NAP250DR) and the Kantas have much richer mids and smoother lows than the 1028's. Both great speakers, and honestly if I hadn't tried them side by side, I would still love the 1028s.....
Auditioned the Aria 936 and Kanata 2's again. I was actually hoping not to hear a significant difference. There is indeed a difference. How significant is hard to say. Not hearing the Kanta's next to the 936's, I'd find no fault in the latter at all. But when switching to the Kanta's, there's something. I didn't want to hear that difference, as I really don't want to consider such more expensive speakers. Sitting on the audition room sofa, there is a difference in vocals. Diana Krall's voice moved in the soundstage. Beryllium ? Or is it the better phasing in the Kanta's due the curved front panel, and perhaps more significantly, the tweeter is placed lower. More at sitting ear level. And just to add to my confusion, I caught a listen to a used pair of FS Cremona's, which were quite impressive. Reminded me a bit of the sound of the Opera's I mentioned in my last post.
A company called Ora is developing a 95% graphene compound that is supposed to have the best characteristics of paperl and beryllium without the drawbacks. They will release the a pair of headphones using this tech in the 1st quarter of 2019.
I hope focal figured out how to remove the horrible port noise they have had in the past. It was VERY prominent during a demo in England. No, it wasn't the room, electronics or anything except the speaker. 38 grand for ....noise.
Scott Lowell Yeah the pre-Be Tioxide Focal tweeters were a bit of a shocker ( & it clearly showed in measurements ) & was even more audible to me... the Be domes currently available all appear to sound & measure great - no duds - Nice to see Focal still in the game after B&W threw-in the towel....
I'm torn in my decision for upgrading my speakers after 20 years. We've just moved into a place where the living room is about 40m2. Up to now I have used a small pair of ELAC 310 JET, which whilst indeed tiny, do go down to 42hz. However they struggle in this big room, and even for late night low volume listening, I need to raise the volume more than I would desire. On my list are FOCAL Aria 936 and maybe 948. Opera Seconda or Quinta, and a 2nd hand pair of SF Cremona. And if I were to lower the budget some, then the MA Silver 300's or Dali Opticon 6. Yep, I'm all over the place. Driving these will be my 20 year old Audiolab 8000Q plus 2 x 8000m's. The Focals sound great. Not sure the Kanta raises the bar enough to justify the more than doubling of the price, but I perhaps get a good deal on them as one of the first customers here in Singapore. They are probably more 'audiophile' in nature than the Italian speakers. The Italians dare I say sound more 'musical' ? They perhaps seem to me on auditioning, that there would be no fatigue experienced with them. I see mentioned below by Jan Patrick that he feels this with the Kalista, which I feel similarly when auditioning in the showroom but wonder if it would be the same at home. My living room has tiled floors and is not overloaded with furniture. A few oriental rugs here and there. I did also listen to the Callas Diva (v3) just because they were set-up at the shop, and they were insanely room filling, without sounding loud. But they really bust the budget, as I cant get a similar deal as a the Kalista. Whatever I buy will likely stay with me for the next 20 years plus, hence the protracted and all over the place decision process. So I would stretch the budget in that justification, if something really finally hits the sweet-spot with me. Wish I could visit a single showroom such as yours Kevin, where you have so much choice and education in a single location.
@CARSON TUCKER They're excellent, but revealing. 1970's rock for example, can sound a bit harsh. Could be my room, but my Elac's were not. Could be the difference between ribbon vs berylium tweeter. But good recordings, and styles such a vocals and jazz are exceptional. In the end, my choices were narrowed to Monitor Audio 300 Silver, Dali Opticon 6, and Opera Quinta. I was limited to showroom listening. Looking back, I wonder if the MA or Dali's would have given me most of the joy for a lot less cost. Have been considering upgrading my 23 year old Audiolab amplification, but cant decide on that route yet.
Love your video's Kevin, I like the techical side of understanding speakers their different designs and why they use a certain material. I do have one on Focal in general, why do they not make their speakers with duel binding posts ? They dont believe in Bi amping ? I always have Bi amped my speakers. Thxs
In all, the BE tweeter is a giant improvement over the tioxid, which went off like a fire alarm at 17khz. (This is measurable too) These are MUCH easier to drive than B&W. FWIW---it wasn't pure Kevlar, it's polykevlar.
4:54 If you rub paper it makes "white noise" but if you rub anything else it won't. Also the most expensive drivers I've heard of are paper cones ($70,000 a pair). And with what he just said seems to indicate that paper must be good enough.
B&W use diamonds in the construction of their tweeters yet cost considerably less. There are very clever people out there, designing quality speakers for various companies. I don't get Focal pricing. According to independent reviews there are better speakers to be had for a lot less money. I note, the front panel is made from plastic and the cabinet from MBF.
Would love to hear and see what Kevin thinks about pairing the Primaluna EVO 400 integrated with a pair of Kanta 2s. Seriously flirting with this idea.
There is a reason why Beryllium tweeters usually have a screen or other barrier on the driver, Beryllium is deadly toxic. Best step lightly around that dome. Don't recomend you handle it either. ;)
Correction. Yamaha used Beryllium tweeters and mid-range domes in the 70s! NS-1000s. I don't know how pure? But I've read it's radioactive!! 😱 But, I want these Focals!👍 Or their Sopra 2!! SMH
You really ought to order some of Dali’s rubicon range it’s incredible. It doesn’t seem you’ve heard of them from the way you talk about focals in-house drivers
minute 4:55: "The best material to make cones is actual paper, at least sonically..." That's what Amar Bose has been trying to explain all these years.
Do you think this kanta 2 can be a good match with my parasound combo ... a21 and p6? Thanks for your opinion. For now this combo work with my monitor audio silver 300. But I want to upgrade.
It drives me crazy how he talks about *"I don't want to step on this expensive rare beryllium tweeter because it is so ..... blah blah"* x20 times but he NEVER picks it up off the floor. -.- on another note. first time I heard the focal shape 40 (pair) (bought the small version to test them) I was so in love with them I sold my KEF LS 50W nocturne edition and purchased a pair of shape 65s(pair), have the shape twins (pair) coming soon and the trio 6BE. Focal speakers are 100 times better than any of the HIFI competitors period.
I know you are trying to advertise your speakers but these have NOTHING to do with the SOPRA 3 ... the SOPRA is a whole different league the sound is completely different! The kanta 2 has lots of resonnances, sounds muddy in the mids and mushy overall ... the Sopra is clean, tight and you barely hear any "speaker coloration" sound.
Wat Dis I had the pleasure in a stereo store near me. They were incredible, lots of low end for small drivers and excellent imaging. Sounded like the music was coming from anywhere but the speakers.
So he is referring to the new line of Paradigm Persona line of speakers not being made pure beryllium...? materion.com/products/beryllium-products/truextent-acoustic-beryllium
To continue my self dialogue, I've ended up with a pair of Kanta 2's in my living room. Busted the original max budget by 3 fold, but if my ,last speakers served me well for 20 years, I've rationalised this in an annual cost basis. My final contenders were the Kanta 2's, 3 models of Opera (Seconda, Quinta and Callas Diva) and back within budget, the Monitor Audio Silver 300's. Had the Callas Diva's been closer in price to the Kanta's, they may have won out. The Diva's have some back firing tweeters, that do give them quite astonishing room filling capabilities. The Kanta's won out due that the final day of my auditioning, I took along CD's that I felt were harsh sounding. The Kanta's seemed to handle them best. At home, I set them up according to Focal's advice, toes in towards the listener. That first day of listening was frustrating. I thought I'd made a huge mistake, Spent so much. Maybe I should have just gotten the MA's, or the perhaps more musical Operas. I did recall when auditioning them, I did ask them to be toed in less, and aso read one review, where the reviewer expressed he felt they did not nee toe-in. So i set them to fire straight. Better ! Much better. Imaging improved, as did off center listening. A day later, I am starting to really appreciate them. Bass is all there. What they will do, is they will reveal a bad recording, despite what I mentioned above during my final audition. So I assume I'll continue to lose a bit of sleep over the nest day realising what I spent on speakers, and repeat that sleeplessness when the credit card bill arrives. But I also assume that these might be my final main room speakers. It may be the equipment that will need an upgrade, but so far happy with the match to my 20 year old Audiolab's.
4 года назад+10
This guy does the same act for every speaker he sells.
I auditioned those speakers. They actually sound better than they look. The sound is very captivating. In my opinion they are easy worth the asking price but they require good amp and source. Mids and bass are fantastic, tweeter is very revealing so the amp should match personal preferences. Audition before buying is recommended.
@kc2pih can you please expand on the cold and sterile hunks of cnc crap? What speakers do you have? I own a pair of magico S1MKII. I don't find them sterile. They present the music as it was recorded. This is similar to the approach of my abyss AB-1266 phi tc headphones. I am a musician and enjoy a realistic sound. The magicos portray a violin very realistically which many other speakers don't. They are also made from a single piece of extruded aluminum. I consider the build quality to be incredible. Much better than many other speakers. The A3 has the best build quality in its price range (maybe not the best looking thoug). I upgraded to these from a pair of dynaudio c1 platinums and couldn't be happier.
Now I understand why you are talking to a single speaker. It comes as a single. It's so Damm perfect, you don't need to buy a pair. One is all you need. Magic. Amazing. New arrow in hi fi world. Spred the word. You buy only one and lie it andrneeth the tv.. My bad!! It's a center 🔊
Every cone breaks, every cabinet resonates. It is about smart compronises. When Kevin is presenting something, he always uses superlatives. I like the enthusiasm but having some experience I do not believe everything he euphorically claims. The Focal are good but far from being as natural as a living voice, a harbeth, a deVore, a Fyne Audio, a Tannoy, a Spendor, some older Dynaudios.... Pretty damn good but not as effortless, elastic and organic sounding as the speakers mentioned above.
If focal is using flax because they claim it possesses the same or similar sound characteristics as paper but without the claimed breakup inherent in paper . well, why would they then mask that sound and add mass by sandwiching the flax between layers of GLASS!..couldn't you do the same process with paper and get the same result!..doesn't make sense.
Thy do it for a higher response in the driver cone as paper is the best it can rip easier and the flax gives the strength . That is how it was explained to me when I asked at a dealer.
@Derek Schroeder It's called an effin sandwich - materials science 101- BUT there is a hellofelot more going on in a loudspeaker membrane.... you've got the skins + the core material - sandwich construction is used in many areas where strength & light weight is paramount - the flax used here provides a well damped core material... Focal have been using sandwich cones for at least 30 years & I believe they are regarded as one of the very few experts in this field ;-)
Go read the white paper. Go look up the poly-glass cone. The layers of fiberglass on the F cone or .04mm on each side. The F cone has vastly better tensile strength than paper or the W cone. It has better damping than the W cone. And it has better rigidity than paper. Might want to go look it up instead of drawing ridiculously uninformed conclusions next time.
While I appreciate your points...and the sound they make, having heard one set... I cannot stop wondering how long the things will last. EVERY SINGLE device I have seen built by the French...has gone up in flames earlier than they should. (Name a good French car.) (French amplifier??) (Well, one that lasts, anyway...) Italy makes some wild-performing cars. When they run. Lets see how these stand the test of time.
Renault, Citröen, Peugeot, todos campeones del mundo de rally muchas veces, y campeones del mundo en F1,,,,Devialet, el amplificador más avanzado del mundo, y más que me dejo....Puede usted decir alguna marca Americana que haya ganado algún campeonato del mundo de rally, o de F1??? O algún amplificador mejor y más sofisticado que Devialet??? Bueno puede decir lo que quiera claro...jjejejjjejejje
I auditioned Kanta for 1hr and yes cabinet resonates. Mind you, it is a very light weight cabinet. And sound is 70% cabinet and only 30% drivers. If Focal does not solve the cabinet problem, not only in Kanta, but in Sopras as well, their sales will slump. Scala v2 is an excellent speaker, but all these lower offerings are very bad
"And sound is 70% cabinet and only 30% drivers" - You are absolutely wrong. It's over 90% drivers and maybe 10% cabinets IF it's a badly designed and very resonant cabinet. Cabinets mostly serve to contain a specific volume of air in them and therefore offer a specific resistance to the driver movement, depending on design. Most good speakers have cabinets that don't resonant audibly and don't add much to the sound, in a negative sense. Yes you can knock on them when they're not playing and they will sound a bit "hollow", but they're pretty much dead as far as audible resonances go while playing music.
Kanta has top notch drivers and mechanisms around them, but can't compare side by side to one very old Kharma. Both Kharma and Kanta have Focal beryllium twiters, both have excellent woofers. But Kharma sounds significantly better than Kanta. Same top notch T-A electronics and source and Transparent cables were used in comparison, and 17 of all genre of music challenging speakers to their limits. The answer? Cabinet. That Kharma has pressed fibres and special polymer compounds for utmost control of resonances. Even almost half the size of Kanta, Kharma is almost twice that heavy.
"The single biggest cost with the speaker is probably the cabinet" - Danny Haikin, Bowers & Wilkins. Where these Kantas, Sopras, etc save money is their cabinets. Just listen, these cheap cabinets resonate big time, even on RUclips. Open two windows and listen a speaker with a decent cabinet (of course it is going to be more expensive - 70% of the speakers cost is cabinets) on one and listen Kanta on another. Switch back and forth and compare while you listen, huge difference.
A master class in sales. Focal is a no brainer fine speaker line
I'm no audiophile (Klipsch RP gear), but this guy certainly makes me strive to become one. So genuine
@@carlt.1547 Same here, full RP home theatre. But, my next stereosetup will have Focals, and a decent amp. Will keep the Klipsch for movies ;-)
@@carlt.1547 People often think an audiophile is someone that spends a lot of money on their gear when in reality an audiophile is just someone that keeps sound quality in very high regard.
It literally translates as someone who loves sound.
From the moment I heard Focal speakers its been a love affair.
Well, for me it was in the car. But yes.
Though I found out that good placement has a lot to do with it too.
I've never heard them but I am obsessed, what gives?
Very interesting insight. I have the Aria 948's and love their natural open performance - Great speaker for the money. Just enough detail and treble without being harsh - zero listener fatigue. Quick full bass, with zero bass bloat. The best part is the mid range and soundstage - open and huge! I can only imagine how nice these would perform. Unfortunately no dealer anywhere close to me here in Thunder Bay.
If Focal made coaxials like the KEF Uni Q, they would be better than the KEFs. Pity they don't make point source coaxials.
What amp do u use to drive the 948s?
@@louiepb3439 Emotiva XPA-1 gen 2 monoblocks. They are not regarded as the best, I realize, but they are tremendous performers for the money and have served me well for years with no issues. There is definitely a break in period with them. I had Mcintosh MC601's. They were better but not significantly enough to justify the price differential. It all comes down to what you can afford...
Jan Patrick Lucas thanks for the prompt reply really appreciate it! I’m hoping to run them with a Macintosh amp in the future 😎✌️
@@louiepb3439 You're very welcome Louie! Sounds like a plan. I find preamps are just as important as the amps. When I had the Mcintosh gear I used the C50 which was hard to beat. With the Emotiva amps I've used a Parasound P6, Onkyo P3000R, Vincent SA-32, and currently acquired a new Anthem STR Pre. If you have the funds I'd definitely look into the Anthem STR power amp. Very vibrant and energetic. It may be a slightly less expensive alternative to Mcintosh. I do love the Mcintosh sound, though, so sounds like you have the right idea. Cheers!
I just bought the Focal 726's. They are stunning. The clear, crisp and precise sound is truly amazing. The quality of the build is 2nd to none. French made quality and superior engineering. I'll never sell these beauties. I'm a very, very proud Focal owner.
I heard these 2 days ago. They were hooked up to a McIntosh c49 preamp with a mc462 amp. Heaven. I’ve been dreaming about the entire system. We even hooked up the kanta 2 to the ma 5300 and it was crazy awesome.
They are all the best speakers, I am confused
Thank you Kevin !! A fine presentation !! I'm very impressed with Focal and currently using the Chora 826's in my living room - they are superb. I am considering stepping up to the Kanta No. 2 speakers. I'll call in when I'm ready !
I have the Focal Chorus 716's and I love them. I think these Kanta's are incredible. I wish to have a set one day. SO beautiful.
I have had a pair of Sopra No2's since they first became available in the U.S. and I must say, it seems that Focal is "at the top of their game" now. I absolutely love the way my system sounds. I've been one of those who has swapped out this, that and the the other component of my music audio system, but am no longer in that mode. It's much more relaxing to just "listen to the music" and not be up tight about the equipment.
Thank you! We tend to forget that at the end of the day, the music is the most important element of any system.
How do the kantas compare with sopra n2? Thanks!
Glad I found this channel. Finally somebody that knows what they're talking about. Yes indeed paper is one of the best sounding medians that one can use. People see paper cones and discredit them but don't realize that indeed it is a much better material than most of those other Exotics that cost far more. If you have the money beryllium or flax is the best but for the price of it I'll stick with paper. I BELIEVE paragon makes beryllium drivers . Of course what you coat the paper with makes a big difference in break up.
Wilson still uses paper cones on their flagship speakers. I agree they are still very relevant.
Yamaha ns1000m berilium mid and tweeter I think that was the first speaker to use berilium not Focal please correct me if I am wrong ( I have fact checked this though) . Dennis
Dennis Rowe i have those Yamaha speakers, unbelievable sound quality. NS 2000 has beryllium mid & tweeter. NS 1000 has beryllium tweeter.
Hi Nick T. Your very well informed about the Yamaha NS Range of products as I own 3 pairs of these speakers in order NS10m + Two pairs of NS1000m one spare just in case!!! all updated and checked along with the Yamaha AS 3000 amplifier and a CDS 3000 CD Player as My hi-fi system it's very nice my second system is a modified Gerrard 401 slate base with a SME M2 12R tonearm and a Dynavector DV KARAT 17D3 cartridge audio reaserch Preamplifier SP 10 mk 2 and a Power amplifier classic 60 with Spendor BC1 1969 reissue. Oh and a Denon DCD 720ae CD Player both systems are good for different reasons. I also have a studio as I am a sound engineer music is my life I don't have a TV it fits the mind (in my opinion) it's cool that you are so knowledgeable about Yamaha speakers give your self a round of applause and a drink yay for music!!!!. Peace and love Dennis
I still have and use my NS1000, had them from new in 1977. They still sound fine to me, mind you at my age my hearing is not as good as it was back then.
They sound much better when the cheap, stock electrolytic caps in the crossover are upgraded to metallized film. I can't believe a then $10,000 pair of speakers had a $5 crossover...
sounds great with default......any detailed instructions how to do this replacement ?
I was worried you were going to step on that Berrillium the entire video.
You had my attention with the speaker content. You have my respect because of the Pro Italia t shirt. Viva Ducatisti!
Great videos and information! I will be calling on the PS Audio DAC / Streamer.
Kevin is a master of hi-fi reviews. And he is has a passion for equipment. Wish we had his expertise where I live!
@Lion 88 I like your sense of humor :-) I heard nothing else but nauseating & predictably nonsensical HiFi BS
Bogdan ,
That would be typical,
For those that can not Hear ......
Very nice looking speakers in my opinion :) Especially in piano black.
A really good review !!i
I own the 30th Special Edition Model and they are great and this has me wanting to hear and see with my Parasound amps!
Me 2, the 826W 30th Anniversary. I've heard the Kanta nr1 and it sounded already way better compared to my 826W's, for such a small speaker, I couldn't believe there could be such an improvement with all the new tech in the Kanta's, but it's real. I was pretty convinced when buying the the 826W's they would be speakers for life... especially next to similar priced B&W's, KEF or Monitor Audio. Easy choice back then. Next weekend I'm going to have a listen at the Kanta nr3 to replace my 826W's. Can' t wait. :)
This will be my new speaker in my nee place :)
wow thank you for this vid and information need to update
This guy reminds me of Crazy Eddie back in the late seventies .
"Crazy eddies prices are INSANE "
Beautiful speaker
Did you pick the beryllium example up?
I own the ELEAR Focal headphone and listened side by side with other headphones. So I'm anxious to listen to their speakers. I may choose them over Klipsh Heritage
These Focal’s sound great I agree. Problem is you need great pieces alll around it to drive that beautiful sound and reproduction. It’s going to be an expensive setup all the way around. Check out The new stands for focal too. Just start throwing ur money out the window to achieve a very slim and nominal difference. You can get extremely close to this sound for SIGNIFICANTLY LESS money. This is clearly an advertisement. I bet the profit margin on those Focals are one of the largest by % in that store.
Hmm... Wish I could afford these. I love the Focal sound. I was thinking I can either afford a complete 5.2 surround setup with very good equipment, or these two full range speakers only. I'm mostly into movies and TV, so I'd probably be better off with the surround setup, but these Kanto 2 are so lustworthy.
Great review, thanks!
I wonder, how it compares to Electra 1028be's?
I owned 1028's and just moved to the Kantas. I had the chance to test them out side by side with the same equipment (Naim 272/NAP250DR) and the Kantas have much richer mids and smoother lows than the 1028's. Both great speakers, and honestly if I hadn't tried them side by side, I would still love the 1028s.....
So kanta is a step up from the Electra series
Mike Yrenaya thanks for the good info. I bought the Kanta No.2 and never have heard the 1028’s. Very happy with the purchase.
Auditioned the Aria 936 and Kanata 2's again. I was actually hoping not to hear a significant difference. There is indeed a difference. How significant is hard to say. Not hearing the Kanta's next to the 936's, I'd find no fault in the latter at all. But when switching to the Kanta's, there's something. I didn't want to hear that difference, as I really don't want to consider such more expensive speakers.
Sitting on the audition room sofa, there is a difference in vocals. Diana Krall's voice moved in the soundstage. Beryllium ? Or is it the better phasing in the Kanta's due the curved front panel, and perhaps more significantly, the tweeter is placed lower. More at sitting ear level.
And just to add to my confusion, I caught a listen to a used pair of FS Cremona's, which were quite impressive. Reminded me a bit of the sound of the Opera's I mentioned in my last post.
Amazing speakers. Beryllium is expensive however.
Also Dynaudio makes every single part of its speakers IN HOUSE.
A company called Ora is developing a 95% graphene compound that is supposed to have the best characteristics of paperl and beryllium without the drawbacks. They will release the a pair of headphones using this tech in the 1st quarter of 2019.
I hope focal figured out how to remove the horrible port noise they have had in the past. It was VERY prominent during a demo in England. No, it wasn't the room, electronics or anything except the speaker. 38 grand for ....noise.
Scott Lowell Yeah the pre-Be Tioxide Focal tweeters were a bit of a shocker ( & it clearly showed in measurements ) & was even more audible to me... the Be domes currently available all appear to sound & measure great - no duds - Nice to see Focal still in the game after B&W threw-in the towel....
I'm torn in my decision for upgrading my speakers after 20 years. We've just moved into a place where the living room is about 40m2. Up to now I have used a small pair of ELAC 310 JET, which whilst indeed tiny, do go down to 42hz. However they struggle in this big room, and even for late night low volume listening, I need to raise the volume more than I would desire.
On my list are FOCAL Aria 936 and maybe 948. Opera Seconda or Quinta, and a 2nd hand pair of SF Cremona. And if I were to lower the budget some, then the MA Silver 300's or Dali Opticon 6. Yep, I'm all over the place. Driving these will be my 20 year old Audiolab 8000Q plus 2 x 8000m's.
The Focals sound great. Not sure the Kanta raises the bar enough to justify the more than doubling of the price, but I perhaps get a good deal on them as one of the first customers here in Singapore. They are probably more 'audiophile' in nature than the Italian speakers. The Italians dare I say sound more 'musical' ? They perhaps seem to me on auditioning, that there would be no fatigue experienced with them. I see mentioned below by Jan Patrick that he feels this with the Kalista, which I feel similarly when auditioning in the showroom but wonder if it would be the same at home. My living room has tiled floors and is not overloaded with furniture. A few oriental rugs here and there.
I did also listen to the Callas Diva (v3) just because they were set-up at the shop, and they were insanely room filling, without sounding loud. But they really bust the budget, as I cant get a similar deal as a the Kalista.
Whatever I buy will likely stay with me for the next 20 years plus, hence the protracted and all over the place decision process. So I would stretch the budget in that justification, if something really finally hits the sweet-spot with me.
Wish I could visit a single showroom such as yours Kevin, where you have so much choice and education in a single location.
@CARSON TUCKER Wow, I'm late replying here,. I ended up getting a pair of Focal Kanta's.
@CARSON TUCKER They're excellent, but revealing. 1970's rock for example, can sound a bit harsh. Could be my room, but my Elac's were not. Could be the difference between ribbon vs berylium tweeter. But good recordings, and styles such a vocals and jazz are exceptional. In the end, my choices were narrowed to Monitor Audio 300 Silver, Dali Opticon 6, and Opera Quinta. I was limited to showroom listening. Looking back, I wonder if the MA or Dali's would have given me most of the joy for a lot less cost. Have been considering upgrading my 23 year old Audiolab amplification, but cant decide on that route yet.
Love your video's Kevin, I like the techical side of understanding speakers their different designs and why they use a certain material.
I do have one on Focal in general, why do they not make their speakers with duel binding posts ? They dont believe in Bi amping ? I always have Bi amped my speakers. Thxs
In all, the BE tweeter is a giant improvement over the tioxid, which went off like a fire alarm at 17khz. (This is measurable too) These are MUCH easier to drive than B&W. FWIW---it wasn't pure Kevlar, it's polykevlar.
@Kevin love the videos! Would these Kantas pair well with the new McIntosh MA352 tube amp? Thanks and keep up the great work! 😎✌️
4:54 If you rub paper it makes "white noise" but if you rub anything else it won't. Also the most expensive drivers I've heard of are paper cones ($70,000 a pair). And with what he just said seems to indicate that paper must be good enough.
B&W use diamonds in the construction of their tweeters yet cost considerably less. There are very clever people out there, designing quality speakers for various companies. I don't get Focal pricing. According to independent reviews there are better speakers to be had for a lot less money. I note, the front panel is made from plastic and the cabinet from MBF.
It would be nice to get a close up of the tweeter and driver.
Would love to hear and see what Kevin thinks about pairing the Primaluna EVO 400 integrated with a pair of Kanta 2s. Seriously flirting with this idea.
awesome
There is a reason why Beryllium tweeters usually have a screen or other barrier on the driver, Beryllium is deadly toxic. Best step lightly around that dome. Don't recomend you handle it either. ;)
Berylium dust is lethal if inhaled, that's why the factory worker was wearing a space suit. So don't step on that dome.
Are focal speakers not a bit bright , maybe I’m wrong
Correction. Yamaha used Beryllium tweeters and mid-range domes in the 70s! NS-1000s. I don't know how pure? But I've read it's radioactive!! 😱
But, I want these Focals!👍 Or their Sopra 2!! SMH
Would really love for you to have played them !!!
You really ought to order some of Dali’s rubicon range it’s incredible. It doesn’t seem you’ve heard of them from the way you talk about focals in-house drivers
is this the Dark grey with Walnut-? Please confirm the exact color. Great video Kevin
Very nice, thanks! Were´nt you going to review the Focal Sopra first?
Yeah i would like to see that too.
minute 4:55: "The best material to make cones is actual paper, at least sonically..." That's what Amar Bose has been trying to explain all these years.
and that's where his knowledge of speaker design begins and unfortunately for the naive consumer, ends.
You're kidding, right?
And Yamaha
Curious to see when you're going to provide a video about the focal kanta3
What's the sound presentation? I'm after the sound , the looks is 2nd on my priority.
I remember in the 90s a rice paper single driver housed in a granite enclosure .
Do you think this kanta 2 can be a good match with my parasound combo ... a21 and p6? Thanks for your opinion. For now this combo work with my monitor audio silver 300. But I want to upgrade.
Hi Kevin,
Love your review of the Focal Kanta No.2
Hiw does this compare to sopra no2? I love the sopras but those are a bit to expensive.
possible to get a pair with one blue and other yellow ?
I would say not as then they are stuck with another odd pair to sell to maybe another unique character like yourself?
Charger fan?
Let’s just say that anything is possible if you have a lot of 💵 to throw around.😂
What would the kanta 3 compare to in the bowers and Wilkins line?
I love Kev he's so cool. I think he may just partake know and again?
Just saying.........
Any chance you could do a video on the Kanta 3’s?
What is a good cable for this speaker?
Would you prefer Kanta 2 or 3?
If beryllium is toxic why is Kevin throwing it in the air and dropping it on the floor?
What a pro
Fucking gorgeous speakers
It drives me crazy how he talks about *"I don't want to step on this expensive rare beryllium tweeter because it is so ..... blah blah"* x20 times but he NEVER picks it up off the floor. -.- on another note. first time I heard the focal shape 40 (pair) (bought the small version to test them) I was so in love with them I sold my KEF LS 50W nocturne edition and purchased a pair of shape 65s(pair), have the shape twins (pair) coming soon and the trio 6BE. Focal speakers are 100 times better than any of the HIFI competitors period.
For way less than that, you could get a pair of magnapan 3.7i that sound even better.
I know you are trying to advertise your speakers but these have NOTHING to do with the SOPRA 3 ... the SOPRA is a whole different league the sound is completely different!
The kanta 2 has lots of resonnances, sounds muddy in the mids and mushy overall ... the Sopra is clean, tight and you barely hear any "speaker coloration" sound.
That is one hell of a convincing pitch. But need to hear in proper setup.
Wat Dis I had the pleasure in a stereo store near me. They were incredible, lots of low end for small drivers and excellent imaging. Sounded like the music was coming from anywhere but the speakers.
So... did he stepped on it or not?
This speaker lacks bass. Am I wrong or is this just meant to be?
we don't care how hard material is made, we care how does it sound.
They will be ok if you don't play/push them too hard. They ain't gonna chuck out The Prodigy at 95dB..
So he is referring to the new line of Paradigm Persona line of speakers not being made pure beryllium...?
materion.com/products/beryllium-products/truextent-acoustic-beryllium
To continue my self dialogue, I've ended up with a pair of Kanta 2's in my living room. Busted the original max budget by 3 fold, but if my ,last speakers served me well for 20 years, I've rationalised this in an annual cost basis.
My final contenders were the Kanta 2's, 3 models of Opera (Seconda, Quinta and Callas Diva) and back within budget, the Monitor Audio Silver 300's.
Had the Callas Diva's been closer in price to the Kanta's, they may have won out. The Diva's have some back firing tweeters, that do give them quite astonishing room filling capabilities.
The Kanta's won out due that the final day of my auditioning, I took along CD's that I felt were harsh sounding. The Kanta's seemed to handle them best.
At home, I set them up according to Focal's advice, toes in towards the listener. That first day of listening was frustrating. I thought I'd made a huge mistake, Spent so much. Maybe I should have just gotten the MA's, or the perhaps more musical Operas.
I did recall when auditioning them, I did ask them to be toed in less, and aso read one review, where the reviewer expressed he felt they did not nee toe-in. So i set them to fire straight. Better ! Much better. Imaging improved, as did off center listening.
A day later, I am starting to really appreciate them. Bass is all there. What they will do, is they will reveal a bad recording, despite what I mentioned above during my final audition.
So I assume I'll continue to lose a bit of sleep over the nest day realising what I spent on speakers, and repeat that sleeplessness when the credit card bill arrives. But I also assume that these might be my final main room speakers. It may be the equipment that will need an upgrade, but so far happy with the match to my 20 year old Audiolab's.
This guy does the same act for every speaker he sells.
lol
How does it sound,sir? I hope you described the how it sound?
Not a word. Didn’t mention the price either- $9990 a pair?
This guy is a salesman first and foremost.
I auditioned those speakers. They actually sound better than they look. The sound is very captivating. In my opinion they are easy worth the asking price but they require good amp and source. Mids and bass are fantastic, tweeter is very revealing so the amp should match personal preferences. Audition before buying is recommended.
pick it up!! ha Nice speakers btw
You know, you can look this shit up
60zeller what?
adaboy4z someone was asking how much they cost, I was replying that you can look it up with out replying to a comment line for the answer.
wow you really, really love those speakers don't ya?
can't say i blame you
Well, he sells them. He's a salesman. And yes, you do have to be concerned with placement of speakers being too close to walls, etc. He's a salesman.
EACH
Kevin throws the Berilium on the floor...a guy whizzes past the door ( freaking out)
Beryllium tweeters? Paradigm says, hold my beer.
Then magico steps in and stomps on them both.
@kc2pih can you please expand on the cold and sterile hunks of cnc crap?
What speakers do you have?
I own a pair of magico S1MKII. I don't find them sterile. They present the music as it was recorded. This is similar to the approach of my abyss AB-1266 phi tc headphones. I am a musician and enjoy a realistic sound. The magicos portray a violin very realistically which many other speakers don't.
They are also made from a single piece of extruded aluminum. I consider the build quality to be incredible. Much better than many other speakers. The A3 has the best build quality in its price range (maybe not the best looking thoug). I upgraded to these from a pair of dynaudio c1 platinums and couldn't be happier.
I thought they were called focal but apparently they're called foCAL
LOL. You say Focal, he says Foe-CAL. Better call the whole thing off!
Per the Foe-Kal website his pronunciation is correct. Listening to Google translate, it sounds more like Foo-Kel.
I think I'll stick to Sennheiser headphones and Definitive Technology speakers.
Now I understand why you are talking to a single speaker. It comes as a single. It's so Damm perfect, you don't need to buy a pair. One is all you need. Magic. Amazing. New arrow in hi fi world.
Spred the word. You buy only one and lie it andrneeth the tv..
My bad!!
It's a center 🔊
Beryllium cost $800 / kg...Gold cost $48, 816 / Kg
Are they as good as Bose?
Every cone breaks, every cabinet resonates. It is about smart compronises. When Kevin is presenting something, he always uses superlatives. I like the enthusiasm but having some experience I do not believe everything he euphorically claims. The Focal are good but far from being as natural as a living voice, a harbeth, a deVore, a Fyne Audio, a Tannoy, a Spendor, some older Dynaudios.... Pretty damn good but not as effortless, elastic and organic sounding as the speakers mentioned above.
I wonder how much for a pair ?
I say around 10 grand
pair is 7500 euros
My local store has them for 5k a pair
If focal is using flax because they claim it possesses the same or similar sound characteristics as paper but without the claimed breakup inherent in paper . well, why would they then mask that sound and add mass by sandwiching the flax between layers of GLASS!..couldn't you do the same process with paper and get the same result!..doesn't make sense.
Vifa fixed this a decade ago with wood drivers.
Thy do it for a higher response in the driver cone as paper is the best it can rip easier and the flax gives the strength . That is how it was explained to me when I asked at a dealer.
@Derek Schroeder It's called an effin sandwich - materials science 101-
BUT there is a hellofelot more going on in a loudspeaker membrane....
you've got the skins + the core material - sandwich construction is used in many areas where strength & light weight is paramount - the flax used here provides a well damped core material... Focal have been using sandwich cones for at least 30 years & I believe they are regarded as one of the very few experts in this field ;-)
Go read the white paper. Go look up the poly-glass cone. The layers of fiberglass on the F cone or .04mm on each side. The F cone has vastly better tensile strength than paper or the W cone. It has better damping than the W cone. And it has better rigidity than paper. Might want to go look it up instead of drawing ridiculously uninformed conclusions next time.
@@sklay78 Added advantage is it's not nearly as labor intensive as their W cone, so it can be mass produced. We benefit from trickle down.
And he steps on it LOL 😀
Flax is a gimmik. If it was a breakthrough, everyone would use it. However, it is a great speaker despite this flax.
I own 3 pairs of focal..Focal and nothing else for me
Beryllium is v toxic!! I hope u washed your hands and didn't break that dome.
While I appreciate your points...and the sound they make, having heard one set...
I cannot stop wondering how long the things will last.
EVERY SINGLE device I have seen built by the French...has gone up in flames earlier than they should.
(Name a good French car.)
(French amplifier??) (Well, one that lasts, anyway...)
Italy makes some wild-performing cars. When they run.
Lets see how these stand the test of time.
Renault, Citröen, Peugeot, todos campeones del mundo de rally muchas veces, y campeones del mundo en F1,,,,Devialet, el amplificador más avanzado del mundo, y más que me dejo....Puede usted decir alguna marca Americana que haya ganado algún campeonato del mundo de rally, o de F1??? O algún amplificador mejor y más sofisticado que Devialet??? Bueno puede decir lo que quiera claro...jjejejjjejejje
Speakers vs. sports cars?
You can tell Kevin is moving towards being replaced altogether in these videos by his employees. That will be a sad day.
naming it number 2 was pretty dumb
So much talking, but does it play?
I auditioned Kanta for 1hr and yes cabinet resonates. Mind you, it is a very light weight cabinet. And sound is 70% cabinet and only 30% drivers. If Focal does not solve the cabinet problem, not only in Kanta, but in Sopras as well, their sales will slump. Scala v2 is an excellent speaker, but all these lower offerings are very bad
"And sound is 70% cabinet and only 30% drivers" - You are absolutely wrong. It's over 90% drivers and maybe 10% cabinets IF it's a badly designed and very resonant cabinet. Cabinets mostly serve to contain a specific volume of air in them and therefore offer a specific resistance to the driver movement, depending on design. Most good speakers have cabinets that don't resonant audibly and don't add much to the sound, in a negative sense. Yes you can knock on them when they're not playing and they will sound a bit "hollow", but they're pretty much dead as far as audible resonances go while playing music.
Kanta has top notch drivers and mechanisms around them, but can't compare side by side to one very old Kharma. Both Kharma and Kanta have Focal beryllium twiters, both have excellent woofers. But Kharma sounds significantly better than Kanta. Same top notch T-A electronics and source and Transparent cables were used in comparison, and 17 of all genre of music challenging speakers to their limits. The answer? Cabinet. That Kharma has pressed fibres and special polymer compounds for utmost control of resonances. Even almost half the size of Kanta, Kharma is almost twice that heavy.
moonlight if You can hear The cabinet resonate then these speakers must be white van.
"The single biggest cost with the speaker is probably the cabinet" - Danny Haikin, Bowers & Wilkins. Where these Kantas, Sopras, etc save money is their cabinets. Just listen, these cheap cabinets resonate big time, even on RUclips. Open two windows and listen a speaker with a decent cabinet (of course it is going to be more expensive - 70% of the speakers cost is cabinets) on one and listen Kanta on another. Switch back and forth and compare while you listen, huge difference.
Van Chobani, my dog tells me that in 9 months from now you gonna get yet another brother. Congratulations!