No love for Legacy Audio

I have Focus SEs in walnut and one speaker has bubbling veneer on three sides, the speaker is under warranty, but I come to realize now I pay for shipping to fix what clearly is a manufacturing defect.  This may be normal in the industry (not smart enough to know) but unexpected and disappointing on many levels.  New speaker with bubbling veneer on three sides?  How does that leave the factory?  And now I have to pay to ship this beast.  $300, maybe more?  It makes me think the lack of love for Legacy may be based on actual customer experience.  

I chicken out every time. Last year I nearly pulled the trigger on a black ash Aeris trade in when a pair of kef blades came up 15 minutes from my house for the same price. I'll own a pair some day but I think my 3500 cu/ft room is too small for the aeris, and they are the speakers that interest me.

I have a pair Steve, where are you located?

@hickamore My Focus (original) have tremendous bass and slam.  I have a custom built listening room with built in activated carbon bass traps in all walls and the room was designed for 6 12" woofers.  They can shake the room with bass depending on the recording (like George Wright-Hot Pipes), using only an EAR 890 70 watt tube amp.  I have much experience listening to subs in friends homes.  However, three friends own Signature IIIs (and I do in my living room) and another two Focus.  The new Focus models use twice the magnet weight which may slow down the bass.  Those cheaper, lighter bass drivers of the original Focus move air faster and punchier.  

@backdoor Okay, there are several comments about Legacy speakers which are either wrong or unusual. As a 20 year owner of the original Focus and Signature IIIs (2 rooms), they are NOT designed for corner placement with sharp angles direction to the listener. My 3 friends with Sig IIIs and 2 with Focuses have them 8’ to 9’ apart (mine are 8’ center to center) slightly towed in (2 straight ahead). One uses it for monitoring (Better Records). They are highly accurate speakers, not the ultimate in resolution, quite coherent for a 7 driver, 4.5 crossover system. They are used bargains, easy to drive, even with a 35 watt 8 ohms (20hz-20Khz)/50 watt 4 ohms Yamaha CR620 receiver.

My issue with the Focus is their flat front baffle (as well as Harbeths) which keep the sound emanating from the box; hence, the speakers don’t disappear. Also, the second problem (worse for me) is the single person optimal seating. My friends who have Von Schweikert speakers have incredible seating and disappearing speakers with all the attributes of the Legacy lower end speakers but at significantly higher cost. I intend to replace my Focus with the ultimate speaker for my listening room being the Ultra 7. Possibly Marten Parker Quintet 2 or VS Ultra 55 passive (I considered the VS VR9 SE Mk2 but it is too huge for my 20’ X 15’ X 10’ room and weighs 600 lbs each). I’m also going to audition the Aequo Audio Adamantis.

I suggest you pull your speakers out at least 2’, possibly 3’ from the wall to give it air and spaciousness. The bass needs room (this is so unlike my friend’s VS VR35 export which is designed to be placed against or with 1’ of the rear wall). Also, they would be in front of your equipment stand. Try angling them slightly (I mean from 1/4" to 2" max).

@kota is correct that room treatment would greatly improve your enjoyment. Even my living room system which is open on one side and windowed doors on the other, has front and rear thick tufted wall treatments (decorative). The Sig IIIs have that rear tweeter and disappear better.

I hope I’ve helped you. 2 pair of Hallographs would also help immensely but are costly, 2 in the front wall corners and two in the middle between you and the speakers angled toward the speakers.

As a former commercial real estate appraiser with 17 studio appraisals, I saw two pairs of Focuses used in studios for the benefit of rock musician playback and one pair in a recent photo of a large professional studio.  All pointing straight forward and not near any walls.