Focal Electra 1038 BE

[WineOfTheVeins]

Does anyone own these? Or have demo experience with them? I've been circling around the high end speakers, and I keep back-tracking to these. They look gorgeous, and from my experience, Focal knows their stuff and makes a great product. I'm sure I could get a hell of a deal on a pair from my dealer.
The website doesn't show the specific details unless I'm blind. I'm curious to know the watts, sensitivity etc.
Whatcha think?

 

[everettT]

Unless your room is really bad, they should be a great upgrade over your current polks. They won't be as hot in the lower midrange as your used to, but have a IMHO really good vocal range.

 

[psbfan9]

They look gorgeous,
The website doesn't show the specific details unless I'm blind. I'm curious to know the watts, sensitivity etc.
Whatcha think?

https://www.focal.com/sites/www.focal.fr/files/shared/catalog/document/electra_1038_be-specification_sheet.pdf

Specs.

Type
3-way vented floor standing speaker
Drivers
Three 7" (18cm) "W" woofers
6
1/2
" (16.5cm) "W" midrange
1
1/4
" (27mm) pure Beryllium IAL
inverted dome tweeter
Frequency response (+/-3dB)
33Hz - 40kHz
Low frequency point (-6dB)
26Hz
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m)
93dB
Nominal impedance
8Ω
Minimum impedance
3.3Ω
Crossover frequency
230Hz / 2200Hz
Recommended amplifier power
40 - 400W
Dimensions (HxWxD)
49
3/16
x11
15/16
x15
3/4
"
(1 250x303x400mm)
Net weight
112.2lb (51kg

 

[WineOfTheVeins]

Unless your room is really bad, they should be a great upgrade over your current polks. They won't be as hot in the lower midrange as your used to, but have a IMHO really good vocal range.

Thanks. Do you have a pair? Vocal range is very important, but what exactly do you mean by not as hot in the lower midrange. Like less oomph on the mid-lows or less "in your face forward?"
Thanks for the specs PSB

 

[everettT]

Thanks. Do you have a pair? Vocal range is very important, but what exactly do you mean by not as hot in the lower midrange. Like less oomph on the mid-lows or less "in your face forward?"
Thanks for the specs PSB

I had the 1028be in house for about 1.5 years and really enjoyed them. As for hot, yes not as exaggerated in the lower mid bass band. I used dual Subs below 110hz so I never drove them with low bass except after first listening to them. They didn't have any issues running as full range with music.

 

[WineOfTheVeins]

It will be for stereo music anyway. So you think it'll need a sub if I listen to bass heavy songs? Seems a shame there's 3 drivers that handle that and it still doesn't have enough jam.

 

[2channel lover]

It will be for stereo music anyway. So you think it'll need a sub if I listen to bass heavy songs? Seems a shame there's 3 drivers that handle that and it still doesn't have enough jam.

Those look awesome...no experience with them personally, but the their rep seems pretty strong.

Bass...before I bought my new main speakers...I listened to a ton of floorstanders and several that had multiple bass drivers...a few examples...Revel F208, Monitor Audio Gold 300, and GoldenEar Triton 2...The revel has two 8" woofers...it's the only one of the 3 that clearly had more low end than the Salks I bought and they only have one 7.5 bass driver.

So...what I've learned, you can't automatically assume anything until you hear them.

 

[KenM10759]

I'm a little surprised that with three 7" bass drivers they spec the low end at 33hz +/- 3dB. I would have expected 30hz or lower.

I've never heard them and only seen in person the smaller bookshelf version. They do look very nice, but I am also more intrigued with what Salk gets out of their speakers. If the bass performance of Totem floor standing speakers is any indication, there's just not much correlation between driver size, cabinet size and bass output.

 

[slipperybidness]

Does anyone own these? Or have demo experience with them? I've been circling around the high end speakers, and I keep back-tracking to these. They look gorgeous, and from my experience, Focal knows their stuff and makes a great product. I'm sure I could get a hell of a deal on a pair from my dealer.
The website doesn't show the specific details unless I'm blind. I'm curious to know the watts, sensitivity etc.
Whatcha think?

I have heard the bookshelf speaker from this line at the RMAF a few years ago.

It was an amazing speaker! My first chance to hear any Focals was at that show, and each one that I heard was excellent, but most were well out of my price range.

I would personally purchase the BS model from this line without any hesitation!
Stellar performance, and my subjective listening really suggested that the cab on that BS was extremely inert.

 

[PENG]

If you can get a good deal on the 1038 Be, go for it and you won't regret. I don't think you need a sub in a not too large room, but with subs you can manage the bass better, otherwise the bass may or may not do very well depending on your room.

 

[2channel lover]

I'm a little surprised that with three 7" bass drivers they spec the low end at 33hz +/- 3dB. I would have expected 30hz or lower.

I've never heard them and only seen in person the smaller bookshelf version. They do look very nice, but I am also more intrigued with what Salk gets out of their speakers. If the bass performance of Totem floor standing speakers is any indication, there's just not much correlation between driver size, cabinet size and bass output.

It's baffling to some degree...I've heard the new B&W 804D3 extensively...this is the new version of my 20 yr old 804m...the D3 has two 6.5" woofers now instead of the one in my speaker...published freq range on the low end is 24Hz...the Revel F208 is stated 31Hz (both -/+ 3dB) yet the F208 was clearly the better low frequency speaker.

That said, your correlation thought runs counter to some info that I have been told. According to Jim Salk, cabinet size and specifically cabinet design has impact on bass output. The transmission line cabinets he uses tend to go a little lower than one might expect. My Salks with one 7.5" bass driver gets down to 33Hz (-3dB) somehow and it seems legit.

In a small room, I think I could live with the Salks 2.0, but after hearing them with the subs...nah, I won't go back.

 

[KenM10759]

It's baffling to some degree...I've heard the new B&W 804D3 extensively...this is the new version of my 20 yr old 804m...the D3 has two 6.5" woofers now instead of the one in my speaker...published freq range on the low end is 24Hz...the Revel F208 is stated 31Hz (both -/+ 3dB) yet the F208 was clearly the better low frequency speaker.

That said, your correlation thought runs counter to some info that I have been told. According to Jim Salk, cabinet size and specifically cabinet design has impact on bass output. The transmission line cabinets he uses tend to go a little lower than one might expect. My Salks with one 7.5" bass driver gets down to 33Hz (-3dB) somehow and it seems legit.

In a small room, I think I could live with the Salks 2.0, but after hearing them with the subs...nah, I won't go back.

You should hear the new Totem Tribe Tower. It's very small but hits down to 30hz (probably @ -6dB) with only two 4" drivers. The cabinet is 7" wide at the bottom but tapers to only about 3-1/2" wide at the top and stands 36" tall. It tapers in depth too. Their other speakers are just as good at getting more out of small boxes, better at it than anything I've heard.

https://totemacoustic.com/en/tribe-tower/specifications

 

[2channel lover]

You should hear the new Totem Tribe Tower. It's very small but hits down to 30hz (probably @ -6dB) with only two 4" drivers. The cabinet is 7" wide at the bottom but tapers to only about 3-1/2" wide at the top and stands 36" tall. It tapers in depth too. Their other speakers are just as good at getting more out of small boxes, better at it than anything I've heard.

https://totemacoustic.com/en/tribe-tower/specifications

Actually, I'm probably better off not hearing them anytime soon...after this past yr...I'm out of the speaker buying market for a while...a long while...lol.

FWIW...I've heard similar things about Philharmonic BMRs, really strong bass for a relatively small box.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

It will be for stereo music anyway. So you think it'll need a sub if I listen to bass heavy songs? Seems a shame there's 3 drivers that handle that and it still doesn't have enough jam.

I used dual 18" subs with my Revel Salon2 for bass heavy songs, so unless you get the Focal Grande Utopia, I think you will definitely need subs with the Focal 1038.

So if you are very much into deep powerful bass, you are going to want subwoofers unless the speakers already have real subwoofers like the RBH SVT Towers or similar "Towers of Power".

http://www.audioholics.com/recommended-systems/towers-of-power-a-look-at-the-best-super-speakers

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

It's baffling to some degree...I've heard the new B&W 804D3 extensively...this is the new version of my 20 yr old 804m...the D3 has two 6.5" woofers now instead of the one in my speaker...published freq range on the low end is 24Hz...the Revel F208 is stated 31Hz (both -/+ 3dB) yet the F208 was clearly the better low frequency speaker.

B&W lies about their specs just like DefTech, GoldenEar, and many other companies.

Revel don't lie about their specs.

 

[scwlw]

I spent a couple hours demoing a pair of 1028be speakers being driven by a peachtree nova 150 streaming hi rez. I have some experience in that price range and with most recent home speakers being VA beethovens, kef R 107/2, R105/3 Revel F52 and salon v1. I considered trading my salons for the 1028be when hearing them at their best, but when I started picking some of my old favorites that were less than good recordings they sounded pretty crappy! The price we pay I guess. Excellent imaging, transparency? you could hear a pin drop and know where it landed on the stage they were so good. Intimate like my beethovens and with better midrange. Bass is there as part of the music not a feature and I wouldn't ruin what these baby's do by muddying them up with a sub. there was a song by supertramp that starts with raining and it was quite an experience thru the focals...wish i knew the name of that 8-9 minute song.

My salons are BIG and do everything BIG, big bass, big soundstage, big pin dropping and the focals are the opposite in their presentation and it would be cool if I could afford both.

 

[WineOfTheVeins]

I tested out a set of 1038be today hooked up to a 300w Bryston. They sounded incredible. We also tried the Sopra no2s right after. I was expecting there to be a larger gap in the sound quality, there was some, but not $6000 worth.
The Focals are elegant on the highs, truly pure and crisp vocals (played Fleetwood Mac) and tested the bass on infected mushroom and I tried some Deadmau5 too. I was actually very impressed with the bass despite what I've heard. I heard the occasional crackle but it could have been the recording? It was playing hi-res off Tidal streamed through a tablet. There were a few acoustic panels In the room and a couch in the middle to test them. I am impressed with the Electras, and they look BEAUTIFUL in person. It was the dark walnut color, now I am a black fan through and through but I really admire that dark brown wood grain walnut color.
I'd buy them if the price was right. It's a bit purchase so I have to sit on it. $9000cdn taxes in out the door ($7250usd). Whatcha think?

 

[PENG]

I tested out a set of 1038be today hooked up to a 300w Bryston. They sounded incredible. We also tried the Sopra no2s right after. I was expecting there to be a larger gap in the sound quality, there was some, but not $6000 worth.
The Focals are elegant on the highs, truly pure and crisp vocals (played Fleetwood Mac) and tested the bass on infected mushroom and I tried some Deadmau5 too. I was actually very impressed with the bass despite what I've heard. I heard the occasional crackle but it could have been the recording? It was playing hi-res off Tidal streamed through a tablet. There were a few acoustic panels In the room and a couch in the middle to test them. I am impressed with the Electras, and they look BEAUTIFUL in person. It was the dark walnut color, now I am a black fan through and through but I really admire that dark brown wood grain walnut color.
I'd buy them if the price was right. It's a bit purchase so I have to sit on it. $9000cdn taxes in out the door ($7250usd). Whatcha think?

C$9000? That's a good deal if brand new with Focal warranty. I paid close to that for the 1028 Be a few years ago.

 

[Ponzio]

I bought a pair of 1027Be’s based on my demo of the 1038Be’s at Overture Audio in Wilmington, DE after an 8 month odyssey of traveling to almost all of the local B&M shops in a 50 mile radius around Philadelphia, PA area in 2013. Like you I was more interested in their musical capabilities than HT. No other brands came close for my tastes in that price range for a floor-stander (Dynaudio, Paradigm, Joseph Audio, Totem, Monitor Audio, KEF, RBH, Revel, PSB, etc.). Do they need a sub? Not really but it surely doesn’t hurt. They get down to 38Hz which is more than adequate unless you listening to a lot of rap/hip-hop or rock at ear-bleeding levels. I mated them with a single SVS PB12-NSD sub, the Focal CC1000Be center and a pair of PSB Image B4 for surrounds in a 5.1 set-up for home theater in my 20’x20’ living room and I have what I feel is the best of both worlds … just an amazing speaker.

Like the man said, u could hear a pin drop on the stage.

 

[KEW]

Just to throw it out there...
I have a pair of these:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Twin6Be?gclid=Cj0KCQiA4bzSBRDOARIsAHJ1UO4VAuS7wIaYrjKd5J7OJKinj9H-Jj-5rlFmYT5QcKKrFviN1s1fAiwaAh5HEALw_wcB

$3800/pr.
Or $3340 if you go with the demo's.

These are studio monitors (and very popular among recording engineers for the reasons scwlw described). I have not A-B'ed them directly against the Electras, but I did A-B both the Twin6 and the Electra against Paradigm Signature S-2 and felt they have a very similar sound signature.

You can undoubtedly find them through whatever Pro-audio websites you have in Canada.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/618517-i-love-beryllium-focal-twin6-review.html