Any Focal owners out there?

[Hubbard32]

Yes, My wife says the same about the tv, LOL. Will get a 75” some day.
Yes, those are JL e112’s. I also own the Aria 906 that I use for surround speakers. I’m working on getting 2 more to replace my old JBL surround rears. The Aria’s Flax Cones sound very nice.
Great match for Kantas.
Whats under your tv screen that won’t allow for your center speaker?

The equipment cabinet is below the 75" display. The KEF LS50 Meta's you see here will be replaced with the Focal's this week..

 

[Cjamrr]

Are those JBL s310’s or 312?

310’s

 

[Cjamrr]

The equipment cabinet is below the 75" display. The KEF LS50 Meta's you see here will be replaced with the Focal's this week..

View attachment 47207

Very nice. I likes it. The cabinet is awesome.
What about raising the tv up a bit for your new center speaker?

 

[Slevin19]

I have a pair of the 1028Be, I know at least another member who have the 1038 Be. They do have decent measurements, and I have no regrets so far.

I own the 1038Be speakers (Dogato Walnut finish) and supplement them with twin REL S510 subwoofers (I’ve found that well integrated subs improve soundstage). Very happy with it.

 

[adk highlander]

The equipment cabinet is below the 75" display. The KEF LS50 Meta's you see here will be replaced with the Focal's this week..

View attachment 47207

Nice setup. I am looking forward to seeing the new Focal's!

 

[Trell]

I have the Focal XS Book as PC speakers, which fits nicely beside my 27 inch monitor as the speakers are slim.

The small Focals are replaced with Genelec 8330A monitors along with a small Genelec 7350 subwoofer, which even has room correction. The small Focals did well for the 8 years I used them, but the new system is much better, but also much more expensive

 

[Hubbard32]

Nice setup. I am looking forward to seeing the new Focal's!

 

[CB22]

Heres my latest since last time I was on this thread.

Oh wow, V nice!

 

[Hubbard32]

system sounds amazing now... perhaps moving up to Sopra center channel some day, but for now I’m very happy with the set up Using the Focal Aria center. All surround speakers are KEF, and they merge very well with the Focal front three.
driving the L/C/R speakers with PS Audion M700 mono-blocks. The JL Audio Subs are perfect match with the Focals. The system sounds huge with your eyes closed. You would never guess I was using smaller speakers like these...
The Monolith HTP-1 processor is amazing as well, leveraging DIRAC with full bass management.

This hobby is insane......

(Sorry for the resolution.. this site doesn’t accept larger file sizes....)
[/QUOTE]

 

[Cjamrr]

View attachment 47829

system sounds amazing now... perhaps moving up to Sopra center channel some day, but for now I’m very happy with the set up Using the Focal Aria center. All surround speakers are KEF, and they merge very well with the Focal front three.
driving the L/C/R speakers with PS Audion M700 mono-blocks. The JL Audio Subs are perfect match with the Focals. The system sounds huge with your eyes closed. You would never guess I was using smaller speakers like these...
The Monolith HTP-1 processor is amazing as well, leveraging DIRAC with full bass management.

This hobby is insane......

(Sorry for the resolution.. this site doesn’t accept larger file sizes....)

[/QUOTE]
Very nice. It’s nice to see other Focal owners setups.

 

[Hubbard32]

Very nice. It’s nice to see other Focal owners setups.
[/QUOTE]
And the Center Channel has been upgraded to the Electra (aka, Sopra)...
Anyone looking for a lightly used Aria Center channel??

 

[mtrot]

Very nice. It’s nice to see other Focal owners setups.

And the Center Channel has been upgraded to the Electra (aka, Sopra)...
Anyone looking for a lightly used Aria Center channel??
[/QUOTE]
I'm considering picking up some Aria 936 or 948, so I might be interested the Aria CC if I get them. But, with the center channel being the most important, I may want a bigger one than the Aria, kind of like you!

BTW, does the sound of the center speaker seem weird with it sitting up so high?

 

[Hubbard32]

And the Center Channel has been upgraded to the Electra (aka, Sopra)...
Anyone looking for a lightly used Aria Center channel??

I'm considering picking up some Aria 936 or 948, so I might be interested the Aria CC if I get them. But, with the center channel being the most important, I may want a bigger one than the Aria, kind of like you!

BTW, does the sound of the center speaker seem weird with it sitting up so high?
[/QUOTE]
Nope, the center channel is angled down so its directed right at the listening position. The sense is that the sound is coming from the middle of the screen. Very happy with this upgrade, although the Aria was also very good, especially when you consider its about 1/3 the price..

 

[s2300gt]

How much better is the Aria cc than the Chrous cc? I have the Chrous 716, Chrous cc700, and the Chora 806, and I think they all have the same exact tweeter. I see the Arias have an inverted dome, with small divots around the perimeter - other than that they seem to be made of the same material and suspension. I’m just wondering if the tweeter or top end is pretty similar? And if the flax cone vs glass make a huge difference as well?

 

[Cjamrr]

How much better is the Aria cc than the Chrous cc? I have the Chrous 716, Chrous cc700, and the Chora 806, and I think they all have the same exact tweeter. I see the Arias have an inverted dome, with small divots around the perimeter - other than that they seem to be made of the same material and suspension. I’m just wondering if the tweeter or top end is pretty similar? And if the flax cone vs glass make a huge difference as well?

I own the chorus cc 700 center speaker which I fell in love with, that was my first focal I ever bought. Which was the start of a my rabbit hole. Then I upgraded to the kanta center speaker. Can’t vouch for the Arias center speaker, can’t go wrong with any of them. I still use the chorus for a different TV room surround set up.

 

[RP1]

After a long six months I just received my Kanta 2’s as well as the Kanta center channel. I’m breaking them in now. I haven’t run my room calibration on them yet but they sound amazing to me.

 

[Cjamrr]

After a long six months I just received my Kanta 2’s as well as the Kanta center channel. I’m breaking them in now. I haven’t run my room calibration on them yet but they sound amazing to me.

Thats great news. Congratulations. You are listening to great speakers. I just calibrated a few days ago for home theater using my front as large speakers at crossover at 40 Hz as well as 40 Hz for my center and surround speakers. I’m just playing around with the crossover settings. I’ve always had 7.2 at 80 Hz and all speakers set at small, with both Sub‘s at 120Hz. If you play around with it your crossover settings, let me know what you think of the different settings you go with and how you like it.

 

[RP1]

Thats great news. Congratulations. You are listening to great speakers. I just calibrated a few days ago for home theater using my front as large speakers at crossover at 40 Hz as well as 40 Hz for my center and surround speakers. I’m just playing around with the crossover settings. I’ve always had 7.2 at 80 Hz and all speakers set at small, with both Sub‘s at 120Hz. If you play around with it your crossover settings, let me know what you think of the different settings you go with and how you like it.

Thank you, I’m surprised at the amount of bass comes out of them and the clarity is crazy. I’m able to change my crossover setting on the fly. I’ll see what ARC sets them at and play around a bit and let you know. Overall these things are incredible, I’m no expert by any means but damn..

 

[Bart Schoorl]

Hi Peng. I did buy the Anthem MCA 325 amp and the Carver M-1.0t mk II amp and Focal Aria 906 for surround. Just walked out of a HT/audio shop 1 hr away from my hime and they were telling me I need better speaker wires and power cords to improve my sound system. $$$$$$

Hi there Cjamrr,

Perhaps a bit unexpected and relatively late, however I am curious.
If I understand correctly your audio set-up as presented by you in December 2018 was- and perhaps still is- that you had the Focal Aria 906 as surround speakers and you had them powered by an Anthem MCA 325 gen2 power amp. I am wondering; how is that working out for you? I actually have the intention the create the very same set-up. My reason for possible doubt in this regard however is the fact that the speakers are stated at a maximum power-drive of 120 watt, while the Anthem delivers 225 watt. I know that there is some margin to some extend, but I wonder if 225 watt is just not a bit too much.
Not really sure if you are still active at this forum but I really hope to get a short response from you.

Kind regards from the Netherlands,

Bart

 

[PENG]

My reason for possible doubt in this regard however is the fact that the speakers are stated at a maximum power-drive of 120 watt, while the Anthem delivers 225 watt. I know that there is some margin to some extend, but I wonder if 225 watt is just not a bit too much.

It is important to understand that the MCA225's output is specified as:

225 W, 8 ohm load, 400 W, 4 ohm load, 20-20,000 Hz, at <1% THD

It is also specified for 100 W, 8 ohm at much lower (say inaudible) distortions: 0.001% 1 kHz, 0.015% 20,000 Hz.

So you can see that it is not fixed at 225 W. In fact, any amplifiers, even if specified 1,000 W or more, will only "deliver" what your speakers would draw. In other words, it is up to you to set the volume level and your speakers to draw the current at that volume setting, and would vary according to the media contents you play.

Your Aria 906 will not be at risk at all as long as you don't turn the volume up to the point you can hear any hints of distortions, and when you do, turn it down. If you don't follow good practice, even a 100 W 8 ohms rated amp can, and will blow your speakers.