focals are a very polarizing speaker--people seem to either love 'em or hate 'em. i agree with aball that their models are hit and miss, though they all have that magnificent tweeter. what's curious is that (to my purely subjective ears) their sound quality doesn't seem especially price-dependent--some of the lower cost models sound better than their pricier ones. i own an older pair of cobalt monitors, which i preferred to the pricier profile/electra. i also recently heard the $50k utopia maestros at a dealer showroom and was surprisingly unmoved--fantastic soundstage and detail, but a really wooly, uncomfortable-sounding low end. on the other hand, the very modestly-priced chorus line are getting rave reviews. go figure.
Focal-JM Labs speakers
I'm considering a pair of Focal 800 series speakers. The 816's to be exact. Can anyway shed any light on these and the brand? There is a step up from these, is it worth the extra $500.00? I was told that Wilson Speakers get some of their components from JM Labs for their speakers...is this true?
I will be using these with either a Mac or Bryston 4b amp, and am also considering a VTL pre-amp, if any of this is relevant to anyway out there :)
Thanks in advance.
I will be using these with either a Mac or Bryston 4b amp, and am also considering a VTL pre-amp, if any of this is relevant to anyway out there :)
Thanks in advance.