today i got my brand new Focal Electra 1038BE , need some help for the rest

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I found out seconds after I posted. Have not spent enough time on their new website yet, do they have a seal one like the JL? The new 15" ones are looking good to me. I hope we are still on topic, in the sense that Focal Electra series do need a sub or two to do their best.

I think most current models are sealed subs. The 18.3 & 15.3 have passive radiators, but I believe all other current models (18.0, 18.0C, 15.0) are sealed.

My F18.0 are sealed. But of course, according to Ridikas, sealed subs are just bad, bad, bad.

Oh, yeah, the OP needs subs, so we are giving him options.

What about the F18.0C, which is 20" x 20" x 18.5", the same size as the F15.0.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Yeah, the F18.0 unpowered is $1900 delivered. I think the 18.3 unpowered is $2700 delivered. I even got free grilles for buying dual F18.0.

Nope. According to the web site $2995 + $150 for the grill.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Nope. According to the web site $2995 + $150 for the grill.

The powered F18.0 is $2995, but the unpowered F18.0 is $1895. Yes, grilles are $150 each, but Nathan gave me free magnetic grilles for buying dual subs.

18.0 Options and Pricing

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think most current models are sealed subs. The 18.3 & 15.3 have passive radiators, but I believe all other current models (18.0, 18.0C, 15.0) are sealed.

My F18.0 are sealed. But of course, according to Ridikas, sealed subs are just bad, bad, bad.

Oh, yeah, the OP needs subs, so we are giving him options.

What about the F18.0C, which is 20" x 20" x 18.5", the same size as the F15.0.

Correction: the F18.1 is ported.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Nope. According to the web site $2995 + $150 for the grill.

Sorry, I misread your post.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

PENG, you should get this F18.0C for $1650 delivered in Canada.

If you buy two, Nathan may throw in some grilles.

 

[KEW]

The powered F18.0 is $2995, but the unpowered F18.0 is $1895. Yes, grilles are $150 each, but Nathan gave me free magnetic grilles for buying dual subs.

18.0 Options and Pricing

I was thinking "$1100 for an amp, they are gouging people" but I see it is a 2400 Watt amp (RMS, not peak power)!!
What are you using to power yours?
Must be one hell of a driver to be able to mate a 2400W amp with it!
They don't seem to cut corners.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I was thinking "$1100 for an amp, they are gouging people" but I see it is a 2400 Watt amp (RMS, not peak power)!!
What are you using to power yours?
Must be one hell of a driver to be able to mate a 2400W amp with it!
They don't seem to cut corners.

I am using the ATI AT3002 to power the dual F18.0.

Before that I was using the AT2004. I can't tell the difference. Both sounded great to me.

Perhaps in much, much bigger rooms, folks might need that kind of power. But I think in rooms smaller than 20' x 20' x 10", I just don't see it.

You could also get a $500 Crown XLS2500 and bridge it for 2400 watts RMS/4 ohms if you need 2400watts. But again, I just don't see it unless the room is very large.

Or a $300 XLS1000 with 1100 Watts RMS bridged. I just don't see the actual need for more than 1,000 watts RMS.

That's one reason I prefer unpowered subs. A $300 1,100 Watts RMS Amp should be fine for just about any room. If it's not enough, then you need more subs.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I was thinking "$1100 for an amp, they are gouging people" but I see it is a 2400 Watt amp (RMS, not peak power)!!
What are you using to power yours?
Must be one hell of a driver to be able to mate a 2400W amp with it!
They don't seem to cut corners.

It's not that simple, IMO. The Funk amp, like that in my Velodyne, includes some very sophisticated DSP functions. Without them I could never get my in-room frequency response as flat as I have now. For example, I use a maximum, high-Q (narrow) cut at 50Hz to help quell a room mode. ATDG may find something similar and wish he had DSP once he gets a measurement system.

As for the big watts, these sealed systems use equalization to get flat frequency response down low, and with the remarkable xmax these drivers can attain it means even small boxes like the 18.0 can have strong 20Hz response - if you have the watts. My take is for music 110db at 20Hz just doesn't happen. Maybe in movies.

 

[jostenmeat]

^Can the XLS series support any type of EQ software? My XTi amp for my passive sub supports HiQnet Band Manager, and it can do a whole lot of things, all kinds of filters with variable Q, etc. I just plug a mini USB from laptop into the port in the back of the amp, and I can store up to 20 presets.

Word of warning: the display and blue power light are bright as all heck. Cuckoo bright.

 

[PENG]

PENG, you should get this F18.0C for $1650 delivered in Canada.

If you buy two, Nathan may throw in some grilles.

That's exactly the one I had in mind and stared at its picture for a minute. It probably can color match my rosewood KEFs. I am still thinking JL at the moment though for its adjustability. In my R900 set up, I am using a pair of vintage Marantz so there is no Audyssey to dial in the sub, unless I swap the Marantz out with my old 3805. I probably have to think this through for a few more months and may end up paying more then due to the price increase you talked about.

 

[PENG]

Oh, well, at least my Revel, B&W, KEF, and TAD get dual F18.0. I'm happy.

Did you short change your poor little Focal 826, what did you give them?

 

[Irvrobinson]

^Can the XLS series support any type of EQ software? My XTi amp for my passive sub supports HiQnet Band Manager, and it can do a whole lot of things, all kinds of filters with variable Q, etc. I just plug a mini USB from laptop into the port in the back of the amp, and I can store up to 20 presets.

Word of warning: the display and blue power light are bright as all heck. Cuckoo bright.

Good question. I'm unfamiliar with these Crown amps. I know they have a DSP, but I don't know if they can do what the Funk or Velodyne amps do, EQ-wise.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Did you short change your poor little Focal 826, what did you give them?

I gave the Focal four Velodyne SC-600IF 10" ported unpowered subs (powered by the 4Ch in the ATI AT2004 amp). Yes, these Velodyne are not as awesome as the Funk 18.0. But I think they still pretty good.

The Orions get dual RBH SX-1010N (biamp by 4Ch of the ATI AT6012).

 

[KEW]

It's not that simple, IMO. The Funk amp, like that in my Velodyne, includes some very sophisticated DSP functions. Without them I could never get my in-room frequency response as flat as I have now. For example, I use a maximum, high-Q (narrow) cut at 50Hz to help quell a room mode. ATDG may find something similar and wish he had DSP once he gets a measurement system.

As for the big watts, these sealed systems use equalization to get flat frequency response down low, and with the remarkable xmax these drivers can attain it means even small boxes like the 18.0 can have strong 20Hz response - if you have the watts. My take is for music 110db at 20Hz just doesn't happen. Maybe in movies.

Do you do anything to compensate for the DSP delay (a matter of milliseconds)?

 

[Irvrobinson]

Do you do anything to compensate for the DSP delay (a matter of milliseconds)?

No, and I've never noticed an issue. Humans are relatively insensitive to delays at low frequencies, and I would guess the only place you would have a chance to hear it would be in an anechoic chamber. In a typical room at low frequencies you're hearing a huge collection of delayed room modes.