Focal Aria 926 stereo speaker setup experience
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- Van den Hul "The Second" Interconnect Cables
Signal cable speaker cable
Onix A55 integrated amp
Accuphase C222
Accuphase P266
Pioneer VX1021k receiver
Cary Audio AIOS all in one integrated amp
Also used Marantz SC11S1 and Mcintosh MC2100 (this sounded great)
I've had the 926's for 4 years, absolutely love them, they sound great across all genre's of music, excellent clarity! Low volume, high volume, these are wonderful speakers. I've used 4 different power amps with them, and yes, they do sound better with >100w and higher quality amps, but I think that is normal, no? Based on my experience with this speaker, they paired well with the XTC A2-300 power amp (~$500), but if your budget allows, they do sound slightly better with the NAD C275 BEE (~$1400).
I also have the 926 speakers and I love them, especially when the bass opened up. They have a pleasant detailed sound with a great front to back detail.
I have the 926 with Kimber Kables with a Adcom 555 200 watt amp and NAD preamp. It sounds unbelievable. Detailed, not harsh at at at 95 Db. Great depth front to back and is amazing
Thanks for the content.
I have the 926's paired with a A11 Tribute and the sound is fantastic with no hint of harshness, my listening level is only 65-75db though :-)
Very insightful video! My experience with Focal (948) and the relation between harshness and volume is the opposite as yours: the more I turn the volume up, the less harshness I get. With loud volume, the bass increases exponentially, bass needs power since woofers need power to move air. Please keep posting your findings 👍
That is great info you shared. What you say makes a lot of sense! What amp are you using ?
I have been using BC Acoustique EX332D (120w) and Roksan K3 (140w). I also tried an AVR Yamaha, but depth of sound, especially on the low frequencies, had nothing to do
I think u have focal aria 948 speakers, just I bought pair of Focal Aria 948, plz can u recommend a power Amp to my speakers? I have no ideas about the amplifier.... thank you
Thank you Thomas , I have learned so much from you , When i started my channel i didn't know the Language used by many audiophile reviewers I had my own way of describing the sound signature 😆, Thanks so much you and Sean both have been a joy to watch, I would really enjoy one day to have you all on my channel and set back and just tune in and tune out to some good ole PINK FLOYD playback !!
Thanks and keep up the good work with your channel. You have so much passion.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thomas ended up getting a Sansui G-8000 powerful !!
I have the 926 (piano gloss white). None of the Aria line are going to give you a strong bottom end. I decided to save some bucks and go with the 926 seeing as how I am going to use a pair of subs to fill in the bottom end. Pairing these up to a Bryston B135³ using Kimber. More than pleased with the sound on a range of music styles.
You can get really strong bottom end with the Arias, you just have to pair them with a very powerful amp thats capable of a 2ohm load. But nothing replaces a couple of subs. These are in general a bit light on bass compared to other floorstanders, but these have real quick and tight bass.
I bet if you went with something higher end it would drive them fine, Hegel, Moon, Naim. I Had SDA 1C speakers which were notoriously difficult to drive. People would say you needed minimum 200 WPC to get them to sound right. I used all kinds of amps on them, a big Yamaha receiver (125wpc) , a high end Yamaha power amp( 240 wpc), multiple Rotel power amps (160 wpc, 120 wpc), a high end hybrid tube amp (100 wpc), a vintage Marantz monster receiver(135 wpc). I was selling the the SDA because I was never totally satisfied until I demoed them with my 65 wpc Hegel. I was shocked how good they sounded. Not just the upper bands, but the bass! Finally these speakers opened up in a way I never thought possible. That little Hegel seem to drive them effortlessly, and the SDAs are only 88db. It's all about quality power in my opinion. I have had this kind of experience few other times now. Luxman was another manufacturer that opened my eyes in this way.
Yes, it's not just the watt but good quality watt. I had the Hegel 300 at one point and it was very smooth.
These speakers sound really good, I’ll listen to $30k to $60k speakers and there’s not much of a difference when compared to these🤔🤔
I am on the verge of getting a pair or 926. My current setup is Krell S300i with Audioquest Gibraltar Speaker cables - Hegel cd 2 and cambridge cxn v2 both with Cardas neutral reference interconnect. Speakers are Audio Spectrum Artemis (Seas drivers and tweeters).
Question is , Amp should drive them pretty easy but i listen a lot of rock music, should i look elsewhere? I had Focal Utopia (setup was only sq) in my car and used to love them, is the 926 going to sound very harsh?
Thank you!
Hello,
Does a good amplifier with onley 50 watt , like the Arcam sa 10 a good match with the focal 926 Aria ?.
It looks that the Amplifiere is warm sounded.
Maybe less chance of sounding harsh?
I have a set of the Focal 926 and have enjoyed them, but have never been wowed by them. I'll try a higher powered amp, perhaps a Mcintosh, to see if I can get more out of them.
And pair it with a sub.
Have you tried to pair with any of the naim amplifier + Naim NAC A5 speaker cables? Currently, naim and focal are both recommending Naim Uniti Atom with Focal Aria 926.
Sorry, I never tried it so I would not know.
I'm confused about that recommendation. I'm reading Aria 926 needs powerful amplifier (like Rotel 1572).
@@zustroy I have an Atom and auditioned these 926s, Quad S4 and Piega Classic 5.0 with it, all three were easily driven by the atom, with the Piegas and these sounding very nice with it. It is true that smaller 906 seemed to give more sound pressure for a given volume setting but there was no problem achieving orchestra levels of sound or room-filling bass extension, and I noted the sound stage was exceptional.
I mean, they would recommend it wouldn't they? But actually, it does work excellently anyhow from my experience.
Thomas, I know it was too the delight of you and the guy that brought the cable regarding the change in sound that cables can make and it is truly a shame that we still have these argument with people over cables not making a difference. I own mostly Audioquest and use the Niagara(which is discontinued) a silver cable being connected to my turntable and phono preamp and I can recall a time that I was evaluating a phono cartridges some years ago and last week, that by changing to King Cobra, also Audioquest that the sound changed from bright to balanced depending on the components and phono preamp used, I have three and the best of the three is the Audio Research PH8.
Cables can be too bright, or muddy or too much bass depending on the system, which you proved in your own testing between your amp and receiver and I have proven in my own testing. You are blessed enough to have friends that you can both bounce things off of and that have the equipment that you are able to either borrow and hear, so that you know the differences. I have a dealer, that has become a friend and I too can go into the shop and borrow any piece of equipment to listen too, including cables so I too know there is a difference. You must also try equipment in your own Acoustical environment, which you do, Thomas. Most people that argue the cable thing don't have these options, so it's much easier to say there is no differences or they will say that they are Engineers and based off of their training there are no differences.
Paul Mcgowen from PS Audio, who is the CEO of PS Audio, has said that he tried a pair of Audioquest WEL cables in his Infinity RS System and he said it was a huge difference. Mcgowen said that it doesn't make since from an Engineer prospective, but it was apparent to him and all of his staff that has listened. I own all Audio Research Equipment. You are so right about System Synergy and there is cable capacitance. Keep trying other things Thomas and good luck with your Focal and keep the thought provoking content coming. We can all benefit from your experiences if we keep an open mind.
Hey Sid, I really appreciate your comments. One of the thing i look forward to when making these videos is productive conversation. I am a big fan of Paul Mcgowen and have listened to all his videos. I also enjoy Steve Guttenberg videos. I am so lucky my friends are also really into audio so we get a chance to lend each other stuff. Tonight, I just dropped off my recently acquired Monitor Audio GX300 to my friend, we are crazy like that. Not long ago, another friend lend me his $3000 power cable! Now I will never spend that kind of money on power cables but it's fun to try stuff like that. I have to make a video on it one day.I went thru a few audioquest speaker cable myself but nothing high end. My other friend recently picked up an audioquest diamond USB cable, although I am tempted to make a video on my experience with different USB cables, I know it such a sensitve topic so that is why I am not doing one. The science just does not make sense but I do hear a difference. Oh well.
I own the Audioquest Diamond USB cable, so enough said Thomas, enough said.
sid vicious That's why you fail 100 % the blind test. Grow up.
I wanted to ask you a question to see what you think: Do you think the Focal Aria 926 would go well with the Cambridge Audio CXA81 amplifier?
Thank you.
I have got rather negative experience with Focals 926. Powered by moderate 100W Atoll IN100 integrated they sounded harsh and at the same time they produced very poor bass. Well, mids were forward and lively but it was not enough for comfortable listening. I really had a feeling that only an amp with enormous power and grip could make them sing. Hegel H90 could do nothing and up the ladder I won't go. After that I traded them for Sonus Faber Venere and now I can really enjoy my music.
Yup, the problem is the top end with these speakers. Not for everyone. Sonus faber? Definitely a good choice.
948s atoll amp sounds great.
I auditioned the Sonus Faber and actually think the focals are better and $700 less expensive.
I understand that where you audition speakers and the equipment have alot to do with your perception of good bad or indifferent, where I auditioned them they were hooked to a $25k 1000 watt pair of mono blocks, yeahway out of what I would spend! But thankfully when I got them home and just ran them without paying attention too much, about two weeks, I put them in their final home and they sound great. My wife thinks my home built speakers look and sound better, thanks babe!
You are a professional reviewer Thomas, can you post a focal Aria 948 review in future ?
TOOOOOBES!!! I've got a PrimaLuna Prologue 5 coming in less than a week to drive my GoldenEar Triton 2+s, I'll keep you posted.
I really want to try Prima Luna, let me know.
@@ThomasAndStereo So what about PrimaLuna and Focal 926? It's play good?
@@Kirwish5 ????
Kirwish5 I’ve heard prima on focal and ya great
Hello mr.Thomas 2x30 class a tube amp is capable for drive them? As long as you have tube amps also as i saw from your videos. Thanks in regards.
Since professional measurement devices are more sensitive than the human ear we should be able to measure a 30% drop in "harshness" aka distortion or an elevated frequency response.
NewYorkBlack I don't know how measurement works. I don't think the higher frequency it goes, the brighter it is. My canton right now and pioneer s3ex before goes really high on paper but are dark speakers when it comes to the top end
@@ThomasAndStereo PSB is like that too. DARK, like audeze LCD-4.
How long you waited before making tweaks? Sometimes you have to let your ears adjust to the sound.
@Thomas and Stereo thank you for always doing an excellent job!! Have you heard the Focal 936 K2? How do they compare to the 936 with Flax cones? Wondering if the K2's are an upgrade. Thanks
why would you use 3K cables with 2K speakers? same question with 5# cables..
Sir is pleasure to meet you, I like your reviews very much because you are very honest on them. Sir I have a question I wonder if you recommend the Focal Aria 948 with the McIntosh MC452, Thank you very much, Luis
has it occured the idea that perhaps the harshness went away after the speaker was "broken in" and run for a number of hours and little or nothing to do with cables or amps?
Well, forsure break in helps but I was AB testing continuously the amps and cables.
Hey Thomas- Have you heard the Aria 936? Any thoughts? What do you think of the overall performance of the Flax drivers? Thanks
I never heard those. I can appreciate Flax drivers but I find them way way way more impressive in the Kanta series. Check out my video on it.
I own a set of 936's and absolutely love them
Hello Thomas,
How close or how different is Aria 926 to Kanta n2? Is it safe to say Kanta is less bright but has more bass than 926? This is based off your review clips on both models.
Its a world of difference. Not comparable when we talk about bass. The Kanta has some serious bass. The top end, the Kanta is less bright but it is still bright though so make sure you are ok with the sound.
Thanks for the reply as always!
Do you think Signal cable would be a good match for 1028 also? Im on Audioquest Type 4 at the moment, nut not too happy with quality of highs. Thanks!
What is bothering you? Not sparkle enough? Too harsh or bright? Audioquest, from the few I have owned are usually bright. Depending what is the problem with the highs, I would probably look at another solution like changing amp or preamp. Usually, cable help like 2 to 5% and I usually use it to solve the problem when it is just a bit off but not when it's way off. The signal cable is what I call an entry level cable so it does smooth out the top but of course, at a price when you do that.
@@ThomasAndStereo thanks for reply! Just need those 5% you said (and also finding new amp/preamp would take looong time on limited market where I live now - Dublin/Ireland. My current amp - Audio Analogue Puccini Anniversary - is on the warm side, so focals are not bright, just "open". Maybe some Pass power + tube preamp one day). I would like to get little bit more clarity, without adding more top end. Or if I can say, little bit more of natural/smoother sound. Signal Ultra also has a decent price.
By far the smoothest speaker cable i tried was Straightwire, but that was long time ago and waiting for one to come up on 2nd hand market. Not sure if it would be maybe too smooth though, you don't want to go too much to that side of sound ...
The regular signal cable is although smooth, it might roll off a bit the details. That's why it's a budget cable. I never tried the silver one though and am curious.
Hello Thomas, If you had to choose between Focal Aria 948 and Klipsch Cornwall IV, which one would you choose? Thanks.
I never heard the Cornwall so I would not know but for sure they sound very different. So usually people would not choose between those 2 speakers.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks
I was considering these or the 936. All of the equipment matching almost scares me away about the Focal. I am really leaning towards Revel F206 or the F208. Any opinion on these?? Thanks
I never hear Revel before so hard to comment. The only problem with focal is the bright top end, if you like that kind of sound, then it's really no problem.
Did you have a chance to test drive your 926 to the Bel Canto amps (pictures in background). If so, what were your impressions? I have 926 and a Bel Canto c5i and find the same impression of ‘lightness’ especially for the bass. Will be testing on my NAD 315bee and Marantz SR5013 soon. May need to think about other ‘warm’ amp options down the road...
Yes, I now have the 936 and it has the same lightness. I think that is just the way it is. What you gain is speed and I did try it with other warmer amps. When I do an AB test against the Focal Kanta, there is more punch. So I think your best solution is to get a sub to get that extra punch.
@@ThomasAndStereo Fully agree, will be pursuing a sub 'complement' soon. Thanks for the thoughts!
How is Quad S and Z tower speaker series ?
Hi, I had aria 906 and 706 in my home for demo and felt a little harshness in 706 but it wasn't runned in and aria was. But overall sound was better with chorus 706. So I boought it but walnut version - I had black version at demo. Walnut version was harsh at all. I have naim nait 5si and cd5si and naim naca5 4m as recommended from naim. It is excellent sounding system, so good that my wife didn't allow me to try any other speaker and we all now thar female are much sensitive regarding harshness.
Thanks for sharing, I heard the Naim with the Focal Kanta at the audio show a few days ago and it was not harsh. Infact I was so impressed by it. I never heard the 706 but am sure it sounds fine.
Thomas & Stereo no problem. By the way I think that Aria and Chorus range share the same tweeter so they probably suffer from the same issues regarding harshness.
Thomas & Stereo my new findings regarding focal speakers is the current and positioning. I think that your and mine tv is the big big problem for stereo. When I cover my tv with a simple cotton blanket it is almost unbeliveable difference. The next thing that improved the sound towards the music alot is plugging the separates directly to wall. The third is rule of thumb in postioinig the speakers in ratio at least 4:3 (in favour of side wall in my case). Focal gives recommendations about postioning and it is worth to experiment. Fourth - 1st reflection must be diffracted if you listen very close as I assume you do watching your room. Focal require that aria 926 has to be around 3m appart from each other and that is utterly important for every Focal speaker that I heard. Focal will give you a good sound even if it is not properly placed but if it is it will give you beautiful music if you give it some time. Of course there is a time for burn in period. Although it is said that it takes only 30h, I found it much longer for full breaking in. Regarding cables - copper is the best solution. You don't post a position of your speakers, run in period so I wonder if that's the part of the problem. I read some reports from Bristol audio show about harshness of aria at the presentation but I had it at my place and, for me, it was almost too sweet. It had a different problem when it came to loud - got all messed up. But now, with all that experience I would give it another try and I certainly will when I will upgrade. For you, I would stronly suggest to set Focal speakers at least 2,5m appart. And try to cover the tv with a blanket to see if there's a difference. I would dearly want to know your observation reagarding tv cover...
How is this Aria 926 vs Kanta no.2?
This might sound like a silly question but I recently just bought some Aria 948 tower speakers in the one I was about to hook them up with my speaker cables that I have with banana plugs on them I noticed in the back of these speakers brand new they have these little red and black little plastic caps that are blocking the inserts of the terminals to plug your cable straight down going into the terminal I tried popping them out and I can't have tried everything that's really in there do you have any advice how to pop those little plastic caps out so I can plug my speaker cables into it ?
I also see another way I can do it I don't have to take the caps out I can slide my banana plug cables underneath there's a little hole I can slide it through at the bottom and then just tighten the bolt at the top to tighten onto the speakerbut will I lose sound quality plugging my cables into it that way versus me taking the little caps out and put in my speakers directly inside? I hope you can understand this is a really silly question but I don't know how else to describe it but they're just not coming out so I decided just to plug my banana cables directly into the little holes underneath for now but it bugs me..
Ah, it was a pain to take out those Red and black caps. I remember I double check online if they actually do come out. Yes they do. I had to use an exacto and had to be careful not to cut myself. You might damage those caps but once you remove them, you don't really need those. Check the manual, I remember it was mentioned in the manual they do come out and they had to put it in because of some kind of law.
@@ThomasAndStereo but if I don't take out the little red and black caps at the top of the binding post at the far bottom there are also little circle holes where I can put my cables through as well they still have the bananaplugs on them but I was still able to put it through and then I just passed a little knot on top to tighten down to hold my cables into placeI'm playing music without issues do you think I'm going to lose sound quality doing it this way than plugging it directly in the top because I don't think so but what's your opinion? I tried a knife everything they just are not coming out for me. the only thing I can think about is getting a super small screw and then drilling it in to the tip of the cap and then popping it out
@Thomas & Stereo Thank you for the nice video. Given the tough time you have had pairing the 926s with amplifiers and me wanting to avoid the same given my limited time and resources, would you be able to recommend an integrated amplifier under USD 2000 that would work best with the Aria 926s. I ask this since I am getting a good deal on the 926s but with a limited budget I would not want to spend a lot on the amplifier since this will be my first hi-fi system.
I would go for something warm, maybe check out Hegel. I would not go for something neutral.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thank you for your prompt response. I will check out the Hegels. As I see from their website, their entry level integrated offering is the H90 which retails for about USD 2000.
@@cpmalhotra I have the 926 for 2 weeks now and sounds excellent, my opinion of course, with Denon avr-x3700h. The cable I use is Monoprice 14awg. Let me know if I could send you some sound clips if that would help. Also, after listening to "Angel" from Thomas' friend $300k setup in his other video, I realize I need some subwoofer. Will get one eventually but doesn't mean 926 has no bass as I'm comparing to the $300k setup.
@@quattr03 Thank you for your kind response. I went ahead and bought the 926s with a Cambridge Audio CXA81 with Audioquest cables since these both were more readily available in Pune India where I am located. Needless to say they sound great and I am really enjoying them since this is my first HiFi setup. Also, till now, I have not felt the need for a subwoofer since I probably do not listen to very bass-heavy music. Would be glad to listen to the sound clips !
Hi Thomas.
I currently own a pair of Dali Opticon 6 paired with an Arcam SR250 AVR.
How would you rate the Focal 926 compared to the Dali's. Also, would you say the Arcam SR250 is a good match for the Focals.
I use Van-Damme speaker cable... Open to suggestions on my cable choice.
Thanks Thomas.
Mike.
Hi Mike, I really don't know the Dali so I can't comment on the comparison. I always tell people to only worry about cables at the very end. Meaning I would use it to fine tune or fix a problem with cables. As long you get the foundation right, that is the most important. Arcam, I don't have any experience but find out if it has a warm sound.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks for taking the time to reply mate. I appreciate it.. 👍
Оптикон резкий и не берет также глубоко, как Ария. Ария позволяет получить звук оптикона, но оптикон никогда не сделает звук ария. (Rus)
Hi Thomas. I will follow your recommendation about the speakers cable. Could you please tell which SignalCable did you use? I cannot see if they are the Classic (13 AWG) or the Ultra (10 AWG). Many thanks
It was the ultra. I got mine for $100cdn used. The cable itself was not enough for me, i needed the interconnect too. What speaker cable are u using now?
I have two sets, one Medium price (110€): Ricable 4mm2 speaker cable and WireWorld luna 7 RCA; and a Cheap one (35€): Hamma 2.5mm2 and Kabel Direct RCA. Funny enough, I prefer the Cheap one! For speaker cable I have learnt that thinner is better. The 4mm (10awg) transports more treble, being the 2.5mm (13 awg) much smoother. For the interconnects is no so evident, the WireWorld are more refined and detailed, but also brighter and less lively, so I ended up using the cheap ones. I am going to try Chord Clearway for speakers and Chord C-Line for interconnects
If you want smooth, transparent basic cable is roll off and can lessen the brightness. I would say it is less bright than the signal cable. I would say the reason you prefer the cheaper cable is because of less clarity which make it sound less harsh. The more expensive the cable, the more clarity. Its too bad i sold my transparent cable. www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649359312-pair-transparent-music-link-speaker-cable/
I have a 926 connected to a Marantz PM14 S1 SE and an Audioquest rocket 44. Focal Aria 926 are great ... I don't think they are bright, I find them to be quite warm sounding ...
Thomas, Happy Holidays !!! Which is better between Focal Aria 948 speakers and Kef R11 for 2.0 stereo. Thanks
Sorry, I only heard the R11 but it was in a store. The bass was crazy strong so you better have the room for it!
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks, much appreciated.
Thomas I’m actually considering the 926 with my prima Luna integrated dialogue HP. I’m actually changing out the 2 primary of the 6 preamp tubes to tone down the top end and using Brimar 12au7’s. I was concerned of the harshness that I have heard of also from the 926. How was the bottom and on the 926 compared to a 936 if you had to have a chance to hear them? Also how about a rough comparison to the Elac uni b5s... cheers
I never heard the 936 but if I were to compare the 836, the 836 with 3 of it's woofer have more punch and a bigger sound stage. If I were to go with that logic, I would say 936 will have the same property. The ELAC and uni b5 is completely 100% different sound. Completely different philosophy. If I were to compare, 926 is more like a cd music while ELAC is vinyl. Of course the 926 is way superior but without the right equipment, it can sound too bright. The elac however, you can listen to very long time without listening fatigue with any amp. It does not have the refinement , bass or detail as the 926, hence the 7 time price difference.
Don, did you end up getting the 926 or 936? How did it pair with your primaluna? I'm considering the same.
Ok not sure how these ever sound harsh they are actually on the warmer sound. Overall fantastic speaker at $2300 price I got for piano black. Definitely not klipsch or B&W harsh at all. Using a moderately rated AU-717 and AU-919 rated at 85 and 100 watts respectively. After about two weeks, I actually prefer them without my subwoofwer. I have an older NHT 12 250 watts RMS and SVS SB3000 860 watts rms. Of course more bass if you do use them, but I found for music I am not missing anything. Still I give edge to my home built speakersfor overall sound.
Nice, good match with your amp then.
Hello Thomas, what is your honest opinion on Focal's Aria 948 speakers? Are they good and value for money? Are they good with Bass? Thanks.
I had the 936v. I would say this. The tweeter really calls attention to itself. Some will consider this 'refined' while others will find it 'fatiguing'. Bass is quick and agile but does not have a lot of weight. The Focal Kanta on the other hand has both. I never heard the 948 so I don't know.
@@ThomasAndStereo What is model Kanta that you recommend?
@@richarddegannes2928 I only heard the Kanta 2.
Correct me if I am wrong: those speakers to get to 88db they need about 1W of rms power. So how is it the 50w amp is not enough to power these speakers at 1W to full resolution? Also I would like to ask you, how can you hear a difference between two different speaker cables when my oscilloscope is not seeing any difference under any load on any arbitrary waveform simulation. Aren’t audible frequencies all under 20000 hz hence unaffected by the quality of the speaker cable, unless off course cable is not bottlenecking the current.
These speakers are actually 92 db. For sure 50w can get it to 92 db. But that is not my point. The point of my channel is all about real life experience as oppose to staring at numbers and reading up specs on the internet. I had this same conversation with my buddies at the beginning where all I care was speaker efficiency and watts did not matter. I have gone thru 30 power amps in the last 2 years and experience had changed my mind. (which has once again changed due to the Montreal audio show)
ruclips.net/video/JzvXKASdPlo/видео.html
Now to answer your question regarding you cannot measure any difference, I don't know. If I knew, speaker companies would be paying me millions of dollars to show them. I look at data a bit differently. The question I would be asking myself is if I hear a difference and if measuring frequency (or whatever I am measuring ) is not showing me the difference, then perhaps I need to measure something else. To approach it in reverse manner ( I cannot measure a difference, therefore I should not hear a difference , but even if I hear a difference, I should pretend there is none) is not my style.
Oh, check out Paul Mcgowan channel where he explores the topic of having high power amps. Does not really answer your question but it's food for thought.
ruclips.net/video/w4QKZXiUjhA/видео.html
Thomas & Stereo Thank you for your reply but that doesn’t say anything from a scientific point of view. Paul sells overpriced audio gear for living so his opinion is heavily influenced by that fact. Speakers that have efficiency of 92db at 1w don’t need 100w amp to sound great at 92db. Even cheap 20w amp that is implemented correctly and has linear response on all frequencies and volumes will sound just as good as any of Paul’s amps. I’ll take my emotiva a100 class ab stereo amp against any of Paul’s class ab amps and you won’t be able to tell the difference at all on a blind test driving those speakers. Paul can also use his $4000 speaker cables vs my $30 pure copper cables and it won’t improve the sound of his system. My point is, save money and invest in great speakers since that is what really matters in audio, the point where the electricity is converted into a mechanical motion that generates waves that your ears perceive as sound. Amplifier and especially cables do not improve sound much at normal listening volumes of 80-90db if any. A god linear dac will also improve sound if you listen music from the digital domain.
When I started my whole audio journey, I also thought to spend most on speakers which is what Paul thinks too. However, I am not so sure anymore as I now believe each component play a big factor in the overall sound, speaker would take a big chunk of it forsure. I remember my first good speaker was the Atlantic Technology AT-1. It was the most expensive equipment in my stereo chain and I was driving it with my Yamaha AS801 and then the Yaqin 10 tube integrated amp. I always thought it was mediocre at best. Eventually I put the speaker away. Just before I sold it, I plugged it to my then upgraded Cambridge 851W (class XD and it has its own issues) and 851E , it was a world apart and at that instant, I was wondering why did I bother buying other speakers when this one sounded so good. I owned the Emotiva XPA-5 Power amp gen1 &
Emotiva UPA2 power amp as well their dac. As good as they sounded, they don't sound as good as my other amp which I had for direct AB comparison. There is a lack of refinement. I understand when you way I will not be able to pass a blind test because sometimes the difference is very subtle and sometimes it's very big. After going thru 30 amps, I can tell you, there is a difference. For example, there is a reason why people say there is the mcintosh sound just like people saying there is the british sound when it comes to speakers.
Now, I am not trying to spark a back and forth debate because nothing I say will change your mind and I am 100% sure that you believe in what you say based on your experience. I think it would be best if we simply agree to disagree.
Thomas & Stereo Agreed. My last point is: I am yet to hear a good sounding hi fi system made out of mediocre speakers and high end amp and cables. However, I am almost always blown away by the sound of great sounding balanced speakers and cheaper consumer amps and copper audio cables at normal listening levels. That said you can not make up for the mechanical limitations of the speaker itself, regardless of what cables or amp you use.
Hi Thomas! Thanks for your nice review. I have a pair of Focal Chora 806 in white cream. They are great speakers but a bit too much forward with mids in my place. I paired it with an Class D smsl amp. i would like to pair them with a more laidback amp ( kind of v curve) for now and i'm ready to upgrade. I was thinking about the denon pma 600 which is laidback but maybe too much. Which amps do you recommend in order to get a less forward and less mid tone sound in the 400-600 euros range without loosing to much the clean tigh bass. even if i have a subwoofer to compensate a bit. Denon, Yamaha, Cambridge, others? small tube amp? a softer Dac? Nemo propaganda told me that you're the V curve man!!!Thank you so much for your reply. Musically.
If hyour budget is around there...maybe the Sabah A30a I have reviewed.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thank a lot for your reply!!! I would like to avoid FDA amp cause i already have a SMSL and i would like to have a less forward and live presentation. Especially in the mids (1 to 4-5 khz) because my Focal 806 are famous for being too generous on that part. I'm looking for a v curse type of sound to tame them. Maybe the Sabaj A30 that you reviewed or a nice little tube amp with tone controls and sub out. Do you know Taga Harmony? What do you think? Thanks a lot for giving me some advices before buying. Musically
@@piktosonik7669 Yeah for class AB, there are not many choices in terms of integrated amp. Check out my review of the BC acoustics. Now that is a V curve especially with loudness button on.
hi sir is great to see this tuto about Focal Speakers, just I bought pair of Focal Aria 948, plz can u recommend a power Amp to my speakers? I have no ideas about the amplifier....
I like Hegel with bright speakers. They have power and they are warm sounding.
thank you sir
Csab tnx a lot.....
Thomas Would it be possible to compare this Focal with dynaudio focus 160 in terms of sound quality? That would be interesting.
These are way brighter than the Focus 160. I personally find they both have their strength. I mght choose the focal over the focus because I like tower speakers as they have more bass
@@ThomasAndStereo so Focal is more detailed compare to Focus 160?
A true audiophile 😃
Thanks!
I recently bought the B&W 603 s2, but I found if harsh and lacking in bass.
Seller indicated me the Focal Aria 948 and Dali Opticon 8 mk2.
I am really uncertain about which one to choose.
Almost impossible to find dealers with demo units in here.
Amp is Hegel H390.
From what I was told, the new Hegel amps are more revealing unlike the other smoother sounding Hegel. I would expect the 948 have the same clarity but with a stronger bass, it might tame the brightness
@@ThomasAndStereo thanks, Thomas.
Have you listened to Dali’s ?
Some say they are revealing and not aggressive. The trick is: there is only one representative in Brazil.
A Opticon 8 that retails abroad for 4,5k USD would cost 56k Reais.
The Focal 948 that retails for 6k USD would cost me around 42k Reais.
I wonder if Dalis, which model is unavailable for demo, would be that much better for the final price, bigger than Focal, in opposite to retail price abroad.
I am not going to argue whether or not the Focals tend to be bright. That debate can be dependant on multiple factors.
Bright to me, is something like proac and Klipsch. Proac, because the bookshelfs have very little bass to spectrally balance the top. klipsch, because they are unrefined and have a cheap, nasty tweeter coming through a $5.00 crossover.
Focals (starting with the chora 806). and up take a while to break in. I have some focals with a sub, and no regrets.
I tired of the Burchardt/vandersteen/ harbeth/dynaudio speaker types that smooth out the top to the point of polite and often boring.
I have a fine DAC, Fine high powered solid state front end and proper room treatment and size for the bookshelf speakers I have.
Listening to Yo-yo ma /Goat rodeo sessions and Zuill Bailey playing Bach cello:
I'm getting that initial attack of the bow and strings lost on soft voice speakers.
Listening to Mile Davis:
The trumpet shines and his drummers (Philly Jo Jones, Tony, etc) all have crisp, and shimmering cymbals with a more true to life energy than I got from Dynaudio, Vandersteen or others.
Nojima plays Liszt:
each piano key has proper tone and definition. Not a smoothed-away attack.
I will not downplay the other brands, because I enjoy them also for different reasons.
FWIW: I use only low capacitance belden ic's and cables. No special effects filters for me. I also have a well-tuned sealed sub for spectral balance.
I feel that I am harnessing the "bright". in the right way.
Yes, some of my friends hate the focal brightness but when they come to my home and listen, they are shock at how I can make them not sound 'bright'.
@@ThomasAndStereo "Bright" can= accuracy. I am sick and tired of the high end types trying to sell me something that has a rolled off, polite or tamed treble. That isn't FIDELITY to me. That makes cymbals sound like they have tape on them. Boring, and unrealistic- but hey...it's the audiophile "norm." Buying a speaker like focal, then making is sound laid back via cables/various electronics/eq is pointless. IF I wanted that sound, I'd buy a polite speaker. People are too easily "offended". by the slightest bit of brightness, in any context.
FWIW- As soon as I got my Focal Aria 906 (mated to a 15" sub). suddenly everyone wants me to buy something else. Focal doesn't fit "THEIR" taste.
"Hey...have you considered...."
Dynaudio?
Vandersteen?
PSB?
Harbeth?
Buchardt?
Yes, and many more. All fine speakers! But all have a polite top, the opposite of what I want.
Listening to "Denon hi-fi strings" and it's awesome!
I like the Aria so much, I ordered Focal's Clear headphones.
ditto, what he said
Do you think the Aria 926 is worth the premium over the Chora 826?
It has a different sound, not one is better than the other.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks for the feedback. Never bought high end speakers before and trying to decide between the two for my movie/music setup. Never heard them in person before so just trying to go by the reviews
@@ThomasAndStereo hi thomas. can you mention how different it is?
How do you feel about those Monitor Audio Gold 300 vs these 926? I work for a dealer of both so I can get them at a discount. I've been listening to the 926 everyday after work. And they're pretty good. But I think I'm more into ribbons personally.
I have the GX300 and never heard the Gold 300. The GX300 is definitely a bit better than the 926 but both are a pain to find the right amp to drive it. Right now, I am driving my GX300 with an Audio research Dac7, LS16 and classe CAM200 monoblocs and sounds great with the Gx300. I wished I was able to hear this with the 926 but I have already sold it.
Ive got these speakers! I got them in 2014
How is the bass?
@@ArthaxtaDaVince777 Sounds Good to me, but currently not able to really appreciate it / them as I live with my dad and he doesn't like the same volume as I do - so I rarely use my hifi at all.
@@ArthaxtaDaVince777 I'm using a (60w) Naim amp, and the equivalent naim CD ?XS 2?
@@CheekyFest Thats too bad, I'd be tearing those speakers apart with rock from the 70s. Have you tried them with classic rock?
what amps are you using to test them
It is in the description.
Thomas - can you tell me if you were able to get the speaker plugs/ caps to insert banana plugs into these speakers? Just got my Aria 926 pair yesterday, but I'm unable to remove those binding post caps.
Yes, you mean the little red and black cap? Yeah, I needed to use a screw driver to pick those thing out.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks for the reply. Yes, I do mean those red black caps. They're pretty tightly installed on my units. I used various little screwdrivers, but no luck yet. I'll give it another shot tonight.
@@ketan23 I think I need to use an exacto knife just to get a bit of opening.
Thank you for such reviews Sir! I would like to ask for help with sub. I have pair of these Aria 926 - very satisfied with the sound, clearness, mids, highs - all fits perfectly my ears, except the bass (room is cca 45m2, open). I'm not a fan of boomy sound of today, no rap or dance, but still - it's kinda "small", like hidden somewhere, when you expect kick - it's just not comming and you wait and wait. So thinking about getting a sub to improve the lows. Found few, which I hope could make it for me. SVS SB2000 Pro, BK Elec P12-300SB-PR or REL HT/1205. What do you think? Any idea, anyone? Thank you!
Check out my REL T7i review. Maybe the T9i?
Maybe your amplifier is weak
45m2 are too many for 926 to fill them ...
I considered the 936 as well but chose the 926 because I am using stereo subs and neither the 936 or 926 will give good low end on thier own. Using a Bryston B135³
Hi Thomas, Hi everyone, do you think Marantz PM8005 will be a good combo with the Focal Aria 926? Thank you :)
I would not know as I never spend time with any Marantz AV amp. If Marantz are warm sounding as it's known for, then in theory, it can be.
Try using Vacuum tube amplifier to drive thease speakers!
The same idea comes to my mind too as I heard of Thomas' suggestion of using warm machine to drive these Focal. I am curious about what would it sounds if I use Balance Audio Vk-56 tube power amplifier pair with my Musical Fidelity M3si as the pre-amp to drive it. It should sound nice I guess.
opex wells I have heard Focal Sopra 2 with The balanced audio VK-56, it was fantastic!
@@audiolover5344, I love the VK-56se, but kind of expensive, working hard to save money to buy one.
What exactly is difference between bright and warm speaker. What are the pros and cons of each.
ruclips.net/video/R1gKoTEiawE/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/9d9mGLq4aAQ/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/hiJ-D8WwTR8/видео.html
6:45 Jumpscare warning!
holy molly
Almost gave me a heart attack
FOCAL BEST!
what was the few reasons you've sold your focal 926?
Well, my own reference speaker is higher level than this one (Titan Earthquake Tigris). I bought the 926 at a good price for fun because one of the speaker had slight comestic damage, I bought it just to test it and never intended to keep it. I even sold my focal 1028. I prefer soft dome tweeter so I am looking for speakers in those direction.
is there any advice in regards to my set up. I've only had it for 3 weeks but my focal 926 sounds very flat with my marantz 6012. The cables I have chord clearway with banana plugs
Ok, so we know 926 are anything but flat. The cables you have are fine, they are more than entry level. So the problem I am guessing is there is not enough high and low. What I would do is make the adjustment in your marantz receiver. I know audiophile think the tone control or equalizer is the devil but I would go in and push the bass to the max before distortion is too much. Next, put your speakers next to the wall. Now if you start seeing they not sounding flat, then at least it will give you a direction where you would work on to improve the sound. If anything, maybe this is your solution. ruclips.net/video/94Nr6JR_Whg/видео.html
Thomas & Stereo thanks for the advice, I'll try it out. Enjoying the uploads
let me know your finding, if there is no improvement, sadly, you have to either try a better speaker cable or a better power amp. Your receiver is really nice, I wish I have one like yours.
Where do you buy and sell your used gear?
canuckaudiomart.com
canuck audio mart
Dear Thomas, I owe you an apology. I have focal speakers chorus 706 which share the same tweeter with aria range and recently I had to setup my system again. I turn the volume up and I heard what you were talking about. I assume that would hear better on more revealing system than mine. Then I remeber that What hi fi? Mag tested aria 906 and it said that it needs some 30 minutes to warm up before serious listening. I try that method and everything sat on the right place for me. I will try to re run-in the speakers for loud listening in next few weeks and I will send you my findings. I suspect that cooling fluid that is inside tweeter needs to take its shape and I didn't run my speakers very loud continuously for very long periods so I hope that it will take new shape because it is like memory foam. Otherwise warm up time remains. Will see.
No need to apologize! Let me know what you find, really curious too.
@@ThomasAndStereo Hi, again. After many many hours of experimenting with a postition and room acoustic I have almost certain that harshness is thebproduct of room reflections. I put bookshelf anf fill it with books to create uneven refelction area, then I put a carpet in front of the speakers and where floor reflection occur. Even before that I delt with side wall reflection. Only thing I didn't do is to treat ceiling reflection so my result is lack of harshness and gain of warmth that lower detail resolution on low level listening but it is very pleasant at normal levels of loudness. So I conclude that my room was the problem. And now I realized limits of my speakers much better.
You need a new mic. Too much sibilance...
Speaker cable nor interconnects costing more than 10$ per foot don't make any difference! And the Focal Aria 926 is a great speaker which sounds like the amazing Aria 906 only with better lower end and punch. My Aria 926 is connected to ICEPOWER 125ASX2 monoblock (BTL) and a NAD C658 preamp-DAC with Dirac Live EQ. I only use Amazon basic cables and the sound is amazing... Maybe you should check your ears...
I have upgraded the mic since this is an old video. One of my subscriber dropped by and he thought his amazon basic interconnects were more than enough, until he borrowed my cables and brought it home to try.Your setup seems very good with the monoblocs and NAD. I am sure you are getting pretty good sound with it.
@@ThomasAndStereo
Well, maybe I'm the one who should have his ears checked because I did borrow high end interconnects and spks cables to test, and I swear I could not tell any difference whatsoever! But maybe its because my speaker cables are only 2 feet long (the two ICEpower monoblocks are placed on top of each 926 speakers, with isolation). The interconnects are 3 feet long. I'm now considering switching to balanced connections since both the NAD and ICEPOWER BTL support it. But I doubt if there will be any audible difference...
@@ebarbie5016 The reason you could not tell a difference is because there is no difference. Most cables sound 'the same' and that is why I always tell people don't bother with cables unless it's to solve a specific problem. Spend the money on something else. The difference in my case is I have experience with cables so I know how to choose cables that are significantly different, enough that passing a blind test is not hard. Else, there is no point changing cables if one cannot pass a blind test.
For XLR and RCA, my experience tells me that if you are using the same brand and the the same level, for short distance run, there is no significant difference. HOWEVER, I have come across some amps that it made a world of difference. For example, CLASSE amps.
Hello Friend, your expert adv on emit30 Dynaudio compared to this speaker. Running on Arcam 850 receiver, blue ray oppo.
Sorry I never tried the Emit 30 but I would guess it will be less bright.
@@ThomasAndStereo thank you Thomas, any possibility to review any speaker of Emit family. There is no one eho had DC one this. Thank you
Maybe sometime in the future if they send me one to review.
Thank you for reply
Hi Thomas. Thanks for doing the great reviews, really enjoying them and your audio journey. I decided to buy the Focal Aria 936 as there is an offer I can't pass on it. Was thinking which amp to use. After lot of research: Musical Fidelity A5/M5/M6 and as you suggested Hegel H160 looks good. Probably going to get the H160.
1 - Have you heard this combo from the time you released the video?
2 - Any experience with Musical Fidelity?
3 - Most importantly - what cable to get for Focal 368 + Hegel H160?
Thanks very much.
Thanks! I would say deal with the cable at the end.I had the Musical fidelity SACD and it was really good. Never tried their amp. My friend now has the H190 and he loves it, he say even better than all my setup. He borrowed mine to AB test them.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks Thomas :)
@@ThomasAndStereo Have actually one more question. If huge soundstage is important to me with imaging and also bass. But not accurate representation. Would you chose Buchardt S400 or Focal 439 for music + home theater (70/30) without additional subwoofer?
@@0234682 I can't find any info on the Focal 439. The S400 has a big sound stage, good bass but as I mention in the video, instrument separation can be improved. It's a speaker that focuses on giving high energy, which is typical in 'horn' speakers. If imaging is more important to you than energy, then S300 is a better choice. If you are saying the 936, I always prefer full tower over bookshelf especially when bass is needed.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks for the reply :) I was so tired that day that I completely messed up the number. Yes, I was talking about the 936. I don't even know where the 439 came from. Hats down. Watched you new videos and it's awesome to see your honesty every time - you admire the high end gear, but you admit where is the playground for your wallet and try to play there. Also loved when you talked about which speakers you liked the most, but it made no sense to have them as they were just too expensive. Good luck on your audio journey ;)
I have the Focal 926.
My source is a CD/Pre-Amp combo called the Musical Fidelity CD Pre-24: www.stereophile.com/cdplayers/715/index.html.
I have this connected to my power amp which is the Musical Fidelity A3 CR Dual Mono Power Amplifier: www.musicalfidelity.com/uploads/manuals/English/a3crpow_eng.pdf
My speaker cable is Chord Odyssey with a JPS Ultraconductor interconnects ($300).
I found this setup to have too much high-frequency detail. It was tiring listening to it over long periods and I didn't enjoy it as much as I should. I then saw your video's and thought I'd try the Van Den Hul D-102 interconnects ($190) I've had in a cupboard for years - even though they are not as expensive as the JPS.
Wow! What a difference. It toned down the high frequencies and put more emphasis on the mid-range - especially the vocals. The pianos and guitars sounded very real rather than reproduced. So thanks for the advice Thomas!
I also tried the Van Den Hul 'The First' ($275) but even though they are a more expensive cable than the D-102, I didn't like the sound as it was similar to the JPS. Too much emphasis on the higher frequencies rather than the mid-range.
So if any Music Fidelity owners read this try Van Den Hul D-102 (avoid the fancy carbon ones and stick to the D-102).
Thanks for sharing, I had the musical fidelity SACD and it was amazing. I just got the musical fidelity A5 and to be honest, I do find it having too much clarity and it is not a perfect match with focal speakers. Only way to get it working fine is play with interconnects , I am still in the testing stage with it. I am really happy my video helped :)
I tried 1 silver cable and it was harsh, never again.
Silver cable tends to tilt up the treble, it all depends on system synergy. On some systems it sounds harsh and some just right.
Its not bright, but it is more revealing. Every amp that have long signal path, tubes amps, r2r dacs just roll of highs and upper mids. It might sound pleasant with flawed speakers, but it is not neutral or transparent sound.
I used to own Focal but never buy again. I dont like the low-end on Focal. Its just not there. KEF, Dali, B&W, Dynaudio, ProAc, all sound better to me.
エリック you have to use it for at least 20hrs and then the speakers start delivering
I am reading your comment while listening on my 936s and thinking the exact opposite!
At a more serious tone you buy focals for the mid range and the clean bass, highs are aqurate and that has it cost on bad recordings . If you want quantity over quality go klipsch or something similar but even then you will need subwoofers to go cover the 20-35 Hz range.
@@ndis1977 This is not subjective and depends on what you want from a speaker. If I go with Dali, Dynaudio or Totem-no subwoofer needed. You can like Focal-its fine. But this is a Hobby, not a religion.
@@borlach321 didn't implied otherwise. ProAc d40 is also on my wish list. Besides focals I own elacs, wharfdales and klipsch speakers and used to own kefs, harbeth, Bose and many others.
While not loving every speaker the same technology on our age has evolved so much that is safe to say that the number of bad speakers is almost infinite lower than the 70s or the 80s. Enjoy what you like :)