Focus Audio Classic

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

Maxxc,

I actually really like the VR4jr, but the VR2 (and VR1) to my ears just seem kind of bland to me. I've tried them both in my Blue Circle setup (BC3 preamp, BC28 amp), and I lose the richness and texture that I've gotten with a good number of other speakers.

Regarding a subwoofer, IMHO in a small room, it would be overkill. The FS688 has great bass extension (forget that it's a monitor, it reaches down to 40hz just fine with a good amp). To me, one of the greatest characteristics of the Focus Signature Series is how seamless it is through the frequency range. For rock and jazz, I would opt for an amp with more power before looking at a subwoofer. But as always, that's just my opinion... :-)

I've not yet had a customer using a sub with the 688 (that I know of), but I do have a potential customer who has been researching using a sub with the 788. Not sure if he's actually going to do it (he hasn't even placed his order for the 788 yet), but if he does and I hear the results, I'll be happy to share them with you.

Phil

I am using a sim audio I-5 intergrated with stellar results
My room is 14 x 16 and the sim makes the f688 absolutely sing in my system. The 70 WPC is very under rated in my opinion, I have hear 6000 (CDN) separates that could not reproduce the sound quality and speed of the I-5.(not to mention PRAT)
I have also heard the mark levenson and jeff rowland intergrated at, at lease twice the price and i would take the I-5 anyday

just my 2 cents
Jason

Thats what I kind of figured but wasn't sure. Yes I have heard the 688's at Tonys. Very large room 26 feet long almost as wide and with vaulted ceilings and opening up into other rooms. In otherwords a Supersize great room.

Bass was real good but no where near as deep sounding as in my room.

Your right about the amp too. The Jungson has just a touch of bloom in the bass region and digs considerably deeper then the Jolida and Cambridge Audio I previously used.

I guess when I get my Eastsound CD5 CDP from Andy at Sekei in a few weeks I'm done. Should be a real nice step up from the $350 Cambridge 300 player I'm using now.

Thanks again Phil

BW Maxx

Great stuff! The I5 is suppose to be exceptional. Did you see the Review of the I5 limited edition in UHF magazine?

I think they are only making 250 units. I know UHF was absolutely in love with this amp. They are going to be using it to replace one of the amps in one of their reference systems.

I've noticed alot of FA owners and even FA themselves when doing shows, tend to opt for quality SS rather then tubes. Real compliment to Focus Audio IMO. Unlike many highly resolving speakers you don't need to tame them, just pick an amp and CDP to allow them to live up to their potential.