Focus Audio Classic

No one out there has ever heard the classic series???

For those of you out there that like the signatures. what other speaker has the same virtues of subtle warmth, detail, sound-stage, amazing mids and of course excellent musicality?

Any input at all would be appreciated. Good or bad.

Hello Guys,

Thanks for your input. I acually spoke on the telephone to the guy with the FC-70s. He is looking to upgrade and spend about $4000 USD on some new speakers.

I saw them for sale on an online add. He is acually only about 3 hours drive from me. I am going to arange a listen in a few weeks. I just wanted some other peoples input before hand.

I did email a few dealers for input too.

Thanks again for your help guys.

Have any of you guys ever managed to take a listen to any of the classic series?

While I would love to buy some sigs, I think the classic range is a little more realistic for me (but still a strech). The three professional reviews I have found for the FA classics were not that good. I am hopping that it was just there amplifcation was not up to par. What are you guys using, what do you find works well? Would my Bryston 3B be up to the task?

Thanks for you guys help.
Nick,

P.S. I do live in Canada so I can get a pair for a realitively good price.
My wife would rather I take the money by a new dining room set to replace and our smaller one. But truth be told, I would happily eat sitting on the floor listening to some 688's. :)

Hello Philnyc,

Here is a question for you seeing as you are a Focus Audio dealer and a Blue Circle dealer. The Blue Circle CS integrated has always peaked my interest seeing as it is very afordable and has great sonics from what I have from other people. However that fact that it is only 50 watts has always been a bit of a turn off. I know that 50 watts can go a long way, however it aslo can only go SO far before it runs out.

That being said, what do you think about this little guy. How does he sound? How would you compare it to my current amplification (Linn Pretek and an older Bryston 3B). My current amplification does pretty well, its sins are sins of ommision. There is lots of things it could do better, but only one thing that it does badly. Its bass can be a little tubby, that was a common complant with the older brystons up until the ST series.

Does this amp have the power to drive a pair of Focus Audio's. Say a pair of 688's or say some FC-70's? Do you know if it is Class A or AB? really I am just wondering how it sounds and does it have the guts to diliver slam when required? There are no Blue Circle dealers close to me so it would be one of those order whithout hearing items.

Thanks
Nick

Thank Phil,

Just out of curiosity, what speakers or speaker brands would you mate with CS integrated? I am looking for something that sounds good, is very engaging, non fatiguing but it must still be true to the music. To me the music is what it's about. I am just trying to get closer to it, and feel what the artist really put into the album and wanted me to hear. I don't want my gear making things up. Or be stuck either side of the music spectrum, not to analytical and cold nor to warm and mushy. I guess I want to have the best reference quality system I can afford. Something more in the middle and little on the warm side if anything.

Currently I find my system a little harsh and etched. I am blaming my speakers for most of it, thus this thread, however I know my amplification needs and upgrade too.

Currently my room is 10x12, but once I have children (no plans yet) my system will move into the main room. 14x21 and will probably be set up along the 21 foot wall giving putting me about 10 feet back from the speakers.

Thanks and again. Everyones help here is appreciated.

Cheers
Nick

Thanks for your help Phil,

I am currently using a Rega Planet 2000, however in the future I would like to upgrade it to something in the $3000-$4000 canadian range. Players I would start off considering would be a Wadia 302, Sim Nova, Audio Note, Linn Genki/Ikemi, Naim 3.5.

Like I said above, I just want to be closer to the music with a good system. I am only 22 now and by the time I am 25 I will probably have kids. So I trying hard to get as much upgrading done as possible before hand, I really only have time and money to upgrade each component 1 more time.

Some other speakers I like are were considering were PMCs, Totems and maybe even some Reference 3A's Duclets or Dicappo's.

The PMC's are designed with Bryston Amps in mind, so the upgrade path there would be a B60 or there new B100 that is coming out soon. The B100 will put a bunch of B60's on the used market.

With the totems they would like a Sim I-3 or Pilinius (<- spelling?) or maybe even a CS integrated if I got the Staff or Rainmaker.

Then if I am REALLY lucky some used Focus Audio's with a integrated. I am liking the sounds (and price) of the CS. It costs new what the other integrated costs used.

Money is a major obstacle right now and I have to work very hard for every dollar I can save. I am newly married I just bought our first home and I am trying to renovate, so the cheaper I can do things the better. However on the flip side I don't want to be disappointed in 5 years. It's quite a conundrum.

I would love it if I could trade some of my services in exchange for an audio product. I am a very talented graphic designer/web developer. I work for on the best design firms in British Columbia ( http://www.driven.ca ). If you take a look on our portfolio, I have had my fingers in pretty much everything you see there. Both in the design end and coding. I think they look pretty awesome, except for were a few clients insisted on some changes which compromised design (however the customer is always right). The web are not my only talents, I come from a print background. I can easily do catalogs, brochures, advertisements, letterhead, etc... whatever there imagination could desire.

I have seriously considered contacting Blue Circle and Focus audio or another company to exchange services for product. It would be mutually beneficial as it would save both of us a lot of money. I am not some two bit design hobbyist, I take what I do very seriously. Both of their websites need help.

The Blue circle site has good content, however it just looks awful and is poorly designed in terms on functionality. It needs to be re-vamped and the navigation needs to more balanced, it just feels clunky. There current design has a solid base, it just needs an overhaul. Kinda like stripping a car down an rebuilding it. It's a lot of work, but in the end the two are not even comparable. What once was a beater car can now be a award winning beauty. Not all websites are worth saving, however I believe the Blue Circle site is.

The Focus Audio site looks nice IF you have a large enough screen, which most people don't (about 39% percent of people are still use 800x600). There are also lots of spelling errors and bad grammar. The site does not have much content and is a burden to navigate because it is all in shockwave. Since the site is using shockwave and frames it makes it impossible to bookmark what you are looking at. The "photos and stuff" page needs help too, the PDF files are to big, and the photos should come in LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH res.

I wish people would learn that good clean HTML or PHP or ASP is the way to go. All the other stuff is like adding tone controls to an amp; they are just frills and gimmicks which detract in the long run. There is no substitute to good clean balanced design and functionality.

Nuf said. End of rant of the day, and my plea too.

Also feel free to comment on my system and let me know if you see any gross errors in matching. Or if you feel one upgrade path will leave my feeling happier long term. I truly appreciated everyones help.

Peace-
Nick