What can you tell me about Focus Audio?

A few reviews for your reading pleasure:

http://www.soundstage.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124:focus-audio-prestige-fp50-loudspeakers&catid=55:full-length-reviews&Itemid=4
http://www.goodsound.com/equipment/focus_fs8.htm
http://www.ultraaudio.com/equipment/focus_fp90.htm
http://www.ultraaudio.com/equipment/focus_master_3.htm
http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/focusaudio_master_25.htm
http://www.soundstageav.com/onhifi/20060315.htm
http://www.avguide.com/review/focus-audio-fs-78se-loudspeaker
http://www.avguide.com/review/focus-audio-master-3-loudspeaker

I owned a pair of FC6's - the entry model bookshelf. Uses a high quality ring tweeter which is very nice. Otherwise I found them fairly ordinary.

If you buy them plan to keep them, they are almost impossible to sell used given they are not well known.

Manufactured by a chinese guy in Toronto.

To close the loop, I bought the FP80se.

Congrats Dhoff01...enjoy them in good health!

Thanks Cmalak. Been breaking them in since they arrived on Wed. I need to get some sleep.. ;-)

Though I'm late to this thread, I've heard them on various occasions, and have always been more than impressed. Since my experience is that finding a good loudspeaker is so very difficult, that's high praise.

Thanks Trelja. I can't tell you how frustrating it was trying to find the right pair for me...

Please keep me in the loop as you develop your impressions of the FP80se. I am down to a few researched speakers for audition myself, among them, this particular Focus model. I would like to a/b audition along with Dynaudio's Focus 360s. Hope you're enjoying them!

Mbump - I'm more than happy to. I've only put about 30 hours on them so far, but I was impressed with them out of the box. Voicing is spectacular, the bass is fast and punchy, but the highs are a little harsh at the moment. It uses a scanspeak revelator ring tweeter that is known for being detailed and smooth (as it was when I demoed them) so I expect it will start to open up after another 100 or so hours. I'll keep you informed.

On a side note (and feel free to ignore any of this), I noticed your system and saw that you face some of the same limitations that I do. You have a much wider room, but your listening position is simlar to mine - I sit about 10 feet away from the speakers, which sit 3 1/2' out from the wall. Looks like you'll be a little closer, actually. Since I sit rather close and do not enjoy much space behind me, I shied away from larger floorstanders like the FP88se (presently in production - uses 2 7" drivers instead of the 2 5 1/2" used in the 80se) and the PSB Synchrony 1s. I worried that it would be too much speaker for my room, and I didn't want a muddy bass even if it did reach way down low. Just something to think about when your listening to the 360s.

Also, I did audition the 220s along with a pair of Contour surrounds. I thought the high end of the FA that I demoed to be much smoother that either of the Dynaudios with sacrificing any transparency. I really was unimpressed with the Dynaudios - they just lacked that "wow" factor that I was looking for when listening to speakers. Of course, the 360s are a different animal, and everyone listens with their own set of ears, so it could've just been my own acquired tastes. Just something to consider.

Good luck on your quest!

I had a brief experience with a set of Focus Audio speakers 4 years ago when I was auditioning a Croft twinstar 3 amplifier. The Croft stack was hooked up to the FA fs8 floorstander, IIRC. The drum solo piece I used in one of my test tracks: "For Roy (Haynes)" by Jay Boehmer, was jaw dropping. The speed, dynamic and transient response was simply amazing. It is one of the most memorable sound I've experienced. Great speakers .... congrats!

We've been very impressed with the Focus Audio speakers. They really do deserve more attention. Some people may not consider them because they haven't heard much about their speakers. That's unfortunate. We have their speakers in a number of demo systems from the Classic series up to the Prestige series. I find them very hard to beat at their respective price points. Congrats Dhoff01, you'll love your FP80SE, especially once you get them fully broken in.

Disclosure: as you may have guessed, yes we are a Focus Audio dealer.

You are correct in that my sweet spot is 11'5" at the triangle, w/ the back wall (untreated) directly behind me. Ears are right at the mids height, so I must say that my current Ospreys are about as dailed-in as can be and sound very nice, though I'm certain would be even nicer soundstage pulled a bit more away from the wall. I will indeed watch with great interest as your FP80SE's break in. Sounds like you made a very well-researched choice, and a similar path which I am currently following. I've been able to listen to the 360s along side the 220IIs at a salon in St. Louis (as well as the Sapphires, though beautiful, too much for my room!). Agreed in that I was at all impressed with the 220IIs. The PSB Synchrony 1s were under consideration, so I'm very interested on your mention above. Also on the short list are the ProAc Response 2.5 and the Audio Physiks Virgo V. Like for you, the room is the key, and not to overwhelm, so we'll see. Very impressed thus far however with all I'm hearing about Focus Audio!
Congratulations, and Happy Listening ~!

As an update, I've logged just over 200 hours on the FAs, and I must admit that the change has been rather dramatic. As I mentioned above, there was a bit of harshness on the upper frequencies when I first started listening to them. The highs now are open and airy without a hint of edge - very pleased, indeed.

Suffice to say, I couldn't be happier with these speakers.