French Speakers?


For sale on this site are a pair of JM Focal Cobalt 806S speakers. I'm interested...but French speakers? Sacre bleu! My demise as an audiophile began in 1992 with a subscription to Stereophile. I remember the great review of the Grand Utopia. But, French speakers? Favorable reviews are had online for the 806S's. An aggressive, bright treble is noted. That's my preference in a speaker, however (one person's "bright" and "hot" is another person's "detailed" and "precise"). Of course, it's all about the midrange as far as speakers and sound reproduction are concerned.
My crux question is this: my musical tastes are rock, pop and female vocals. Has anyone listened to these speakers and does he or she believe they would be appropriate pour moi?
llanger

Showing 1 response by tiltedhalos

I can't speak directly to the 806S speakers, but I have the 806V speakers that replaced them (also up for sale. :). They are exceptional speakers, and have some of the best clarity I've heard anywhere near their price range. That said, I agree with Phasecorrect that they may be a little lean for primarily rock/pop. They sound amazing for jazz, vocals, instrumental, some electronic music, folk, home theater, etc... but rock/pop isn't really their strongest area, IMHO. Of course, for mostly rock/pop, I tend to prefer a warmer sound, even if it's not as detailed.

I know some people at this price point will swear by the Focals as the best speakers available on a budget, depending on their tastes. I read some of those reviews before I picked these up. All depends on personal taste.

But I would give high praise to the Focals for using "trickle-down" technologies from their four-, five, and six-figure speakers to create speakers that are really exceptional for their class.