Studio Monitors I 2017

STUDIO MONITORS I 2017

These few words embody the philosophy of Focal Professional, the professional universe of Focal, the French manufacturer of acoustic loudspeakers and transducers. From their very beginning on the drawing board in Research & Development at Focal, our professional monitors are designed to deliver one thing, at any cost: the absolute acoustic truth.

Founded in 1979, Focal is today comprised of two geographically separated facilities. The cabinet factory, in Bourbon-Lancy, ensures a custom-tailored production that favours manual labour for the most complex and precise work. The second facility is Focal’s headquarters which are based in Saint-Etienne. It combines the R&D LISTEN TO laboratory, production and administrative departments on a 17 500m2 site, where more than 200 people work on a common goal: the absolute finest sound.

Focal established itself as an innovation leader in the pursuit of a unique principle: total YOUR MUSIC, control of development and production. This enables the company to constantly progress, while being sure there’s perfect control during the manufacturing process. Focal has registered many patents, such as the 'W' composite sandwich cone or the pure Beryllium inverted dome tweeter. These exclusive technologies have brought major NOT TO YOUR progress to the professional audio world in terms of neutrality, definition and precision in reproduced sound.

It’s fundamental for a sound engineer to entirely trust what he or she hears, either in music production, postproduction or broadcast.

Our products are designed from the start to be SPEAKERS! professional tools that exactly reproduce the sound signal, without improving or damaging it. Focal Professional monitors guarantee the reproduction of all the micro-details, the precise staging of instruments and voices, with no coloration or distortion. These basic elements allow the engineer to directly access the source equipment and electronics and ensure optimum transfer quality onto public audio equipment. EXCLUSIVE TECHNOLOGY

Focal Professional monitors reveal the a flexible surface. The inverted dome directly parameters: lightness, rigidity and damping. To slightest details and ensure a better transfer radiates into the air, with maximum efficiency, this day, only one material permits a joining of quality than other monitors. How do they which is translated by an extremely precise these parameters: Beryllium. For domes with achieve this? soundstage. The dome’s response curve is identical masses, Beryllium is seven times more > 'W' composite sandwich cone mounting. clearly more linear than that of any positive rigid than Titanium or Aluminum, the latter two Inverted dome tweeter dome. It provides better space dispersion well known for their rigidity. This results in a The inverted dome tweeter - a Focal hallmark - is and very low directivity, contrary to ribbon sound wave propagation three times faster 'W' composite sandwich cone that obtained with Aramid fibres. perhaps the perfect transducer. This design per- tweeters. than Titanium and two and a half times The 'W' composite sandwich cone permits The cone structure is more homogeneous and mits very high-efficiency, precision and energy. faster than Aluminum. In the end, the linearity total optimization of the frequency response its behavior in flex is much more superior. The inverted dome tweeter offers unequalled of the frequency response curve, the acoustic curve, thanks to the total control of three key The particular advantage of the inverted dome dynamics, enabling sound engineers to very transparency and the impulse response of the parameters: lightness, rigidity and damping. These unique characteristics of lightness and tweeter is the optimization of the mechanical precisely control compression. The image pre- Beryllium tweeter are maximized and offer At Focal, the letter 'W' means Glass/Glass, rigidity provide control of the signal transmis- coupling between the voice coil and the dome. cision (height, width and depth) is outstanding near-perfect sound. as it usually has two sheets of woven glass sion speed inside the material. Adjusting the The voice coil is fixed at mid-height on the and makes the positioning of each element tissue that are 'sandwiched' onto the structural thickness of the structural foam allows a very dome and uniformly moves the cone entire very easy, as well as allows one to exactly foam core. precise control of the 'W' cone’s damping. The surface. The positive dome is only joined at its assess the reverb tails. variation of the number of glass fibre sheets edge, causing it to be inactive beyond 16kHz for The glass tissue benefits from the incredibly and the thickness of the central foam can easily Beryllium fine weaving of very long fibres. This choice optimize the cone’s behaviour according to the Due to its incredible rigidity, Beryllium repre- offers a mass and a size clearly inferior to those desired frequency range. When listening, the sents the ultimate material for a tweeter in Aramid fibers or other Kevlar fabrics, which sound of the 'W' cone is entirely transparent, > 'W' composite sandwich cone. dome. Focal, after two years of research and generate coloration in the midrange. It’s also has an excellent phase response and has a very development, produced a world first: a pure important to note that the molecular bond low distortion rate (rigidity 20 times higher Beryllium inverted dome, able to cover more between the resin and the glass is greater than than Kevlar or Aramid fibre). than five octaves (1000Hz-40kHz). > Titanium

> Aluminum > Interferometry analysis. You may ask yourself why do we strive for an > Beryllium extended response at 40kHz, if the human ear can only hear up to 20kHz? If you can extend frequency response, you will improve the per- ception of transients and other micro details. As well, the linearity of the speaker’s response > Comparison of Beryllium with Titanium and Aluminum. Beryllium is the curve is mainly a function of three opposite lightest, the most resistant and has the highest sound speed. SM9 MONITORS 01 Nec plus ultra!

Focal Professional monitors feature the best Discover the new Focal monitors : Shape. of Focal’s technology to meet the needs of The three monitors, all made in France, professionals. For the best music creation. integrate five innovations to maximise On the top of the range, the SM9 Monitoring acoustic transparency. Designed to meet System is born from a simple idea: create the needs of nearfield monitoring, Shape the most dynamic, sonically transparent monitors combine an ingenuous design and and accurate monitoring system ever built. numerous settings optimised for the acous- SM9 feature the nec plus ultra of Focal tics of small listening rooms. drivers. The now famous pure Beryllium Featuring renowned Focal technologies, SM6 inverted dome tweeter has been improved Alpha line has been developed to ensure Keep focus and mix on! with help from the latest Focal technologies. excellent sonic coherence regardless of the Its linearity and ability to reveal micro-infor- listening environment. Alpha redefines the mation is unprecedented. brand’s entry-level products, making Focal 02 SM6 line was designed to meet the standards Professional sound widely accessible. of the most demanding engineers. These monitors are referenced in their price range owing to their extreme neutrality, their precise stereophonic imaging, and their ability to resolve the most minute sonic details, while their hybrid amplifiers deliver SPL levels to suit all musical styles. SHAPE 03 Beyond the curve!

ALPHA 04 Reveal your music! SM9 Nec plus ultra!

The SM9 was born out of a simple idea: • TV sets The 8' (20cm) 'W' cone bass driver and the create the most sonically transparent • Computers 11" (27cm) 'W' cone passive radiator permit monitoring system ever built. The SM9 • Cars to extend the frequency response to 30Hz, features a frequency response from 30Hz • iPod® docks or any multimedia system without any decay effect nor distortion. Bass to 40kHz with a SPL max of 116dB. This This monitor also permits to check the is then reproduced with unparalleled clean monitoring speaker establishes itself as midrange register, very hard to equalize and punch, with no cone distortions, giving the a reference thanks to the precision of the balance in terms of sound level compared to engineer the confidence to make the best stereo image, its capacity to reproduce each the other information contained in the audio decisions over the entire bass register. of the micro-details of the audio signal, as signal. well as unconditional respect of the original Custom-made amplification dynamics. The 'nec plus ultra' of Focal drivers The all-new, all-analog amplifiers developed The SM9 line is a sheer product of Focal specifically for the SM9 demonstrate the Two monitors in one! technology and innovation. unwillingness to compromise. 600W of One of the major SM9 innovations lies in The new pure Beryllium inverted dome class AB amplification drives the SM9 on the fact of offering 2 monitoring speakers tweeter, specially developed for the SM9 line, three separate channels, respectively 400W in only one and unique cabinet. The activa- offers unprecedented linearity and ability to (woofer), 100W (midrange) and 100W tion of this monitor is made by setting off the reveal micro-information. This is due to an (tweeter). These new amplifiers are halfway FOCUS mode on the side panel. The 2-way entirely new magnet structure that achieves between class A and class AB in regards monitor (Beryllium tweeter + 61/2" (16.5cm) a mind-boggling 2.1 Tesla of magnetic flux. to the bias current. This choice perfectly 'W' woofer) offers a frequency response This has a profound effect on the tweeter’s respects the dynamics contained in the from 90Hz to 20kHz, permitting to check the ability to reproduce micro-dynamics, which original audio signal, guarantee of extremely mix transfer quality on systems with limited helps the engineer to dial-in compression precise adjustment of the compression ratio, frequency response in the bass frequencies and reverb. attack and release settings. such as: The new 61/2" (16.5cm) 'W' composite sandwich cone midrange driver benefits from Input stage: flexibility in all-analog world great damping characteristics. The derived Six detended knobs situated on the back Impulse Response is simply the best of its panel allow the engineer or the acoustician class. Midrange and mid-bass frequencies to compensate for some room anomalies are then reproduced without any masking and optimize the monitor response in the effect, ensuring perfect neutrality. room (see specifications). For studios with optimum acoustic condition, the engineer can bypass these adjustments (except for the low-pass filter) by activating the DIRECT switch on the inside side panel and thus ensure a direct signal between the input and the amplification stages. > SM9. 01 PAGE 11 SM9 Performances • Frequency response - 3-way mode 30Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB) > SM9. 40Hz - 20kHz (+/-1dB) - 2-way mode (Focus) 90Hz - 20kHz (+/-3dB) • Maximum SPL - 3-way mode 116dB SPL (peak @ 1m) - 2-way mode (Focus) 106dB SPL (peak @ 1m) Best Studio Monitor for 100 pro audio magazines. Electronic section • Analog input - Type / Impedance Electronically balanced/10kOhms - Connector XLR - Sensitivity Adjustable, +4dBu or -10dBV

• Bass 400W, class AB • Midrange 100W, class AB • Treble 100W, class AB • Power supply - Local supply 230V (3.15A fuse) 115V (6.3A fuse) - Connection IEC inlet and detachable power cord • User controls - Rear panel Input sensitivity selector (+4dBu/-10dBV) High-pass crossover (full range, 45, 60, 90Hz @ -6dB) Low frequency shelving (+/-3dB from 30 to 250Hz per step of 0.5dB) High frequency shelving (+/-3dB from 4.5 to 40kHz per step of 0.5dB) Low frequency EQ (+/-3dB per step of 0.5dB @ 50Hz, Q factor = 2) Low-mid frequency EQ (+/-3dB per step of 0.5dB @ 160Hz, Q factor = 1) Mid frequency EQ (+/-3dB per step of 0.5dB @ 1kHz, Q factor = 0.6) - Side panel Stand By / On switch Direct switch Focus switch • Indicators Power On, clipping and default on front panel LED

Transducers • Passive radiator 11WPP52, 11" (27cm) Focal 'W' composite sandwich cone piston, extra wide inverted surround radiator • Subwoofer 8W7571, 8" (20cm) Focal 'W' composite sandwich cone driver • Midrange 6W0452, 61/2" (16.5cm) Focal 'W' composite sandwich cone driver • Tweeter TB872, 1" (25mm) pure Beryllium inverted dome tweeter

Cabinet • Construction 0.88" (22mm) and 1.2" (30mm) panels with internal braces

• Finish Black natural veneering top and bottom > SM9. panels, Black body • Dimensions (HxLxD) 12.8"x19.6"x15.6" (320x490x390mm) • Weight 77lbs (35kg) They have chosen Focal

OPIUO (DJ) www.opiuo.com STEVE OUIMETTE ("Guitar hero®") - www.steveouimette.com " For me, one of the most important things is the quality of sound. About 6 months ago, I was introduced to some Focal speakers, from a friend of mine. I haven’t looked "I needed self-powered monitors and wanted a set that didn’t require a subwoofer, a back, I got a pair of SM9s. Now I feel like I’m in the music instead of hearing this thing monitor that had a natural top to bottom, but no hyped frequencies. I definitely get kind of coming towards me. I can hear absolutely everything and that’s kind of one enough low end with the Focals – the balance with the Focal Professional monitors thing I’ve never experienced is to be in the music and be part of it... The Focal thing is perfect! With the Focal Professional monitors you can hear everything. is really taking my music to the next level. It has changed my life. " "

NATHAN CHAPMAN (Taylor Swift producer) - www.nathanchapman.com STUDIO EL PIE (Alejandro Sanz, Luis Miguel ...) - www.estudioelpie.com " The first time I heard the Focal Solo6 Be studio monitors I was beyond impressed. They were true and accurate and at the same time didn't sound 'boring' like other We love the flat frequency response at different levels of sound pressure. The Twin6 Be monitors I have used. Focal monitors are my top choice. Taylor Swift's 'Fearless' " are the perfect balance between the warmth of the legendary monitors and the album is the biggest selling album of 2009 with over 3 million copies sold, the precision of the modern ones. only album to win the Grammy for 'Album of the Year' and 'Country Album of the Year'. " "

KEN "POOCH" VAN DRUTEN DIEGO TORRES (Sound engineer - "Live From The Roxy" Slash, Kiss, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, System of a Down, Smashing Pumpkins - Eminem - 3 nominations to Grammy Awards) (Singer and composer) - www.diegotorres.com www.poochresume.evilentertainment.net " My story with Focal started many years ago, where I discovered them for the " I actually own several types of high-end speakers. I still use them for reference, but I first time in a studio. When I was working in the United States, among a pile of mix on the Focal Solo6 Be now. This was the first time I used Solo6 Be for a project monitors, there appeared a set of Focals. I really liked the audio they produced, it came out spectacularly. I was really impressed by these speakers. What I found and the way they sounded. Some time later, I found myself working in another most interesting with the Solo6 Be was the amount of time I could spend mixing studio, in this case at a colleague’s, Andreas Calamaro, and was able to work without getting fatigued. I found the Solo6 Be to be very accurate while traveling to on a daily basis with those Focals. And that is how I felt in love with them, other reference speakers. What you put into the Solo6 Be, you get out: very accurate. in a certain way, with the audio which... which Focal provides. I spent the entire I have played the Slash mixes for many people and they are great - and of course give pre-production for my last album, more or less in that studio, so I was able to enjoy me all the credit. They don't know that my secret weapon was the Solo6s. I love my and appreciate them from day-to-day. new Focal Solo6 Be and you will have to pry them from my cold dead hands in order to take them away from me... " " SM6 Keep focus and mix on!

The SM6 line was created for studios in Twin6 Be with a 1" tweeter, a 5" woofer, and an 8" search of monitors that reveal all informa- The Twin6 Be represents the only necessary subwoofer. Yet, switching to FOCUS mode tion in the audio spectrum, without any mas- solution for recording, mixing and maste- reconfigures Trio6 Be in two-way monitor. king effect. It integrates the best of Focal ring. The image precision, treble definition as technologies ('W' composite sandwich cone, well as midrange neutrality are at the heart Sub6 pure Beryllium inverted dome tweeter) and of its reputation. The excellent articulation The Sub6 is a large volume cabinet design, offers an unprecedented performance/cost of the bass and midbass registers, even equipped with an 11" (27cm) woofer and a ratio. The Solo6 Be, Twin6 Be and Trio6 Be at very high sound levels, makes it an rear laminar port. This configuration gua- monitors stand out in this segment due to unavoidable reference for engineers who rantees bass linearity whatever the intended their unparalleled transparency, degree of require absolute transparency. Furthermore, SPL. The control board is extremely versa- definition and precise sound image. The the design of the Twin6 Be permits a high tile, with connectivity which allows a 2.1, 2.2 Solo6 Be and Twin6 Be convey a midbass and SPL while at the same time offering a stable and multichannel use via the L/R inputs and bass, which are always controlled for extre- tonal balance. One of the two 61/2" (16.5cm) outputs and the LFE. The numerous settings mely precise measurement of compression. woofers works in large band (midrange– such as the high-pass crossover dedicated Trio6 Be represents the archetype of bass) whereas the other reproduces from 40 to monitors, the adjustable phase and level precision, neutrality, dynamics. Moreover, to 150Hz. This creates a bass that preserves control provide optimum coupling with the FOCUS versatility provides engineers the all the signal dynamics, without any masking Solo6 Be and the Twin6 Be monitors. time and security to evaluate their mixes effect in the midrange, thereby keeping all And finally, a small, but important point: on two reference systems under identical its neutrality and transparency. Additional the footswitch input. It enables one to conditions. control of the bass register is accomplished connect a pedal to deactivate the subwoofer by fine-tuning on the control plate on the and the high-pass crossovers on the outputs Solo6 Be back of the Twin6 Be in order to obtain a that supply the monitors. This simplifies and The Solo6 Be monitor will surprise you in the perfect mirror configuration with its mate. greatly improves control during the different very first minutes you spend with it, partly The Twin6 Be can be installed vertically or stages in monitoring. due to its size/extended bass response horizontally to respond to the space requi- (40Hz-40kHz (+/- 2dB)). The 61/2" (16.5cm) rements of each studio. 'W' composite sandwich mid-woofer combines neutrality in the midrange, fullness Trio6 Be in the midbass register and bass control. The Trio6 Be was designed to meet the Its compactness and the choice of a large standards of the most demanding engineers. front laminar port guarantee easy integra- This dual monitor is the new reference in its tion in studios that need a near field monitor price range owing to its extreme neutrality, without any acoustic compromise. The its precise stereophonic imaging, and its user settings on the back of the Solo6 Be, ability to resolve the most minute sonic combined with its compactness, make it details, while its Class G amplifiers deliver easy to carry and to adjust according to the SPL levels to suit all musical styles. Essen- 02 acoustics of each studio. tially, the Trio6 Be is a three-way speaker TRIO6 Be

Two monitors in one! way (250Hz – 2.5kHz) configurations. The limited frequency response, such as TVs, Essentially, the Trio6 Be is a three-way speaker 8" subwoofer, also designed specifically PCs, cars, and portable speaker systems. with a 1" tweeter, a 5" woofer, and an 8" for Trio6 Be with a 'W' composite sandwich The frequency response curve of the subwoofer. Yet, the innovative Trio6 Be cone, is complemented by its large port two-way configuration is identical, though supplies two speakers in a single cabinet: integrated into the front baffle, making it less extended, to its three-way curve, a two-way monitor and a three-way monitor. easy to position the monitor near the front allowing for a perfect comparison that wall without saturating the ports and main- preserves the stereo image. Focusing on this Three-way reference monitoring system taining excellent low-frequency linearity. critical middle frequency range facilitates a The TB872 pure Beryllium inverted dome When utilised to its full potential, the Beryllium good mix and enables the engineer to ensure tweeter in the Trio6 Be is the same tweeter tweeter reaches up to 40kHz and the 8" that the levels are just right. A footswitch trickled down from the renowned Focal subwoofer extends low frequencies down to (not included) activates this configuration flagship SM9 monitor. Its exclusive technology 35Hz. This offers engineers complete control remotely from the listening position. provides numerous advantages, including of the audio signal. Its large front port gua- wide dispersion, amazing frequency response ranties consistent performance regardless of Rotating baffle linearity, quick dynamics, and unrivaled SPL levels. It also allows a positioning closed Trio6 Be may be used vertically or impulse response. The woofer utilises the to a wall without wall boost effect, allowing horizontally to optimise positioning thanks Focal 'W' composite sandwich cone in a 5" an easy integration even in small rooms. to an adjustable aluminum baffle housing the woofer designed specifically for the Trio6 Be woofer and tweeter. This rotating baffle is and installed in an isolated chamber within Two-way monitor capable of rotating 360° in 90° increments, the cabinet that prevents the sympathe- As a two-way speaker, Trio6 Be employs making it one of the most versatile speakers tic activation of its other speakers while only the 5" woofer and the tweeter, limiting to position. optimising its acoustic performance. Two frequencies to between 90Hz and 20kHz. front-facing ports provide bass reflex, This configuration provides the perfect enabling the woofer to perform identically compromise when checking the quality in both two-way (90Hz – 2.5kHz) and three- of the mix for playback systems with Solo6 Be Twin6 Be Trio6 Be Sub6 Performances Performances • Frequency response 40Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB) 40Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB) 3-way mode 35Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB) • Frequency response 30Hz - 250Hz (+/-3dB) - - 2-way mode 90Hz - 20kHz (+/-3dB) • Maximum SPL 116dB SPL (peak @ 1m) (Focus) • Maximum SPL 113dB SPL (peak @ 1m) 115dB SPL (peak @ 1m) 3-way mode 115dB SPL (peak @ 1m) - - 2-way mode 105dB SPL (peak @ 1m) Electronic section (Focus) • Inputs - Type / Impedance Right, left, LFE - Connector Electronic section Electronically balanced/10k Ω XLR 3 points socket • Inputs - Type/Impedance Electronically balanced/ Electronically balanced/ Electronically balanced/ - Sensitivity Adjustable, + 4dBu or -10dBV - Connector 10k Ω XLR 10k Ω XLR 10K Ω XLR - Sensitivity Adjustable, +4dBu or -10dBV Adjustable, +4dBu or -10dBV Adjustable, +4dBu or -10dBv • Outputs (towards - Type / Impedance Right, left speakers) - Connector Electronically balanced/50 Ω • Bass - - 200W RMS, class G XLR 3 points plug • Bass / Midrange 150W RMS, BASH® technology 2x150W RMS, BASH® technology - • Bass / Midrange 350W RMS, BASH® technology • Midrange - - 150W RMS, class G • Treble • Treble 100W RMS, class AB 100W RMS, class AB 100W RMS, class AB • Power supply - Local supply 230V (1.6A fuse rating) 230V (2A fuse) 230V (class T fuse 1.6A fuse rating) • Signal internal treat- - Subwoofer section Mono right/left summation 115V (3.5A fuse rating) 115V (4A fuse) 115V (class T fuse 3.5 A fuse rating) ment and functions LFE + mono low-pass 24dB/octave - Connection IEC inlet and detachable power cord IEC inlet and detachable power cord IEC inlet and detachable power cord Phase adjustment Polarity selection switch • User controls and Low frequency shelving Midrange driver selector (right/left) Low frequency shelving Switch high-pass filter, indicators (+/-3dB from 40 to 150Hz) Low frequency shelving (+/-3dB from 35 to 250Hz) - Speaker section cut-off frequency selection High frequency shelving (+/-3dB from 40 to 150Hz) High frequency shelving 24dB/ octave (+/-3dB from 5 to 40kHz) High frequency shelving (+/-3dB from 4.5 to 40kHz) Adjustable tweeter and woofer levels (+/-3dB from 5 to 40kHz) EQ low-mid frequencies • Power supply - Local supply 230V (1.6A fuse) or 115V (3.15A fuse) by potentiometers On/off switch, voltage selector (+/-3dB at 160Hz, Q factor = 1) Removable CEI supply wire On/off switch, voltage selector FOCUS input / FOCUS output - Connection IEC inlet and detachable power cord On/off switch, voltage selector • User controls and Adjustable subwoofer level • Light indicator Power On LED Power On LED Focus mode on, audio clipping and indicators Low-pass cut-off frequency setting protection indicated by LED on front panel Phase adjustment Polarity adjustment Subwoofer switch (mute) Transducers 2.1 'Bypass' (external remote control) • Subwoofer 8W64701 High-pass frequency selection 8" Focal driver with 'W' composite Releasable high-pass sandwich cone • Light indicator Power On LED • Woofer 6W4370B, 61/2" (16.5cm) Focal 'W' 6W4370B, two 61/2" (16.5cm) Focal 'W' - Subwoofer switch (mute) composite sandwich cone drivers composite sandwich cone drivers Released high-pass • Midrange 5W04701 5" Focal driver with 'W' composite sandwich cone • Treble TB871, 1" Focal pure Beryllium TB871, 1" Focal pure Beryllium TB872, Transducers inverted dome tweeter inverted dome tweeter 1" Focal pure Beryllium inverted • Woofer 11W7670, 11" (27cm) Focal dome tweeter 'W' composite sandwich cone driver • Shielding Integral through cancellation Integral through cancellation magnets/ magnets/cans or by magnet design cans or by magnet design

Cabinetwork Cabinetwork • Construction 71/2" (19mm) MDF panels 71/2" (19mm) MDF panels 71/2" (19mm) & 0.86" (22mm) reinforced panels • Construction 71/2" (19mm) MDF panels

• Finish Dark Red natural veneering side Dark Red natural veneering side panels, Dark Red natural veneering side panels, • Finish Dark Red natural veneering side panels, Black body Black body Black body panels, Black body 15/16 9/16 5/16 • Dimensions (HxLxD) 13"x97/16"x117/16" 913/16"x1911/16"x133/8" 201/2"x1015/16"x143/16" • Dimensions (HxLxD) 14 "x13 "x17 " (330x240x290mm) (250x500x340mm) (520x278x360mm) (380x344x440mm) • Weight 24.2lbs (11kg) 30.8lbs (14kg) 44lbs (20kg) • Weight 50.7lbs (23kg) > TRIO6 Be. They have chosen Focal

FAB DUPONT (Sound engineer - Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Nat King Cole, …) - www.fluxstudios.net After trying just about any near field monitor available to me for years, both cheap CHEMICAL BROTHERS "and expensive, and many, many days spent wondering why I had to work so hard www.thechemicalbrothers.com to get consistent results from my mixes, I stumbled upon the Focal speaker line We've been searching for a midfield speaker to compliment our monitoring system and never looked back. I now mix on a pair of Solo6 Be, and the other two rooms "at Rowlands Audio Research for a while now. We've tried all the competition and the at FLUX Studios have Twin6 Be. Besides the phenomenal translation from studio to only ones that truly delivered what we needed were the Focal SM9's. They are the real world, which other monitors lacked, the sheer absence of distortion allows us to perfect bridge between our main monitors and the nearfields. work very long hours without getting tired or loosing perspective. We work faster, better and with less recalls than we did before we switched to the Focal system. " There is no way back. "

ARMAND AMAR DAVID KUTCH (Composer - Home, Amen, Indigènes) - www.armandamar.com (Mastering engineer - Alicia Keys, Natasha Bedingfield, Al Green Erykah Badu, Estelle, Outkast, John Legend, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber...) The SM9 equip the composing room as well as the mixing and sound editing studios in 5.1. www.themasteringpalace.com "Which seduced us the most and convinced us to choose these monitors: Forget all about my gear and toys, the most critical element in my studio is my ∙ The precision in the entire spectrum but also in high and low frequencies. "loudspeakers... To me, there’s no better nearfield loudspeaker than the Solo6 Be, ∙ Comfortable at both low and high volume. whatever the prices of other monitors. ∙ A very good space sensation and a good stereo image rendering. " ∙ An impressive transiants rendering. "

JEFF JULIANO (Sound engineer - James Blunt, John Butler…) - www.jeffjuliano.net The Twin6 Be monitors are the best that I’ve used in terms of studio-to-consumer "listening translation. They really translate: what I hear in the studio is what the outside ANTOINE CLAMARAN world hears, in my experience. The Twin6 Be is the first powered monitor that I’ve (DJ : Gold, Back again, ... ) - www.antoineclamaran.com heard that you don’t have to be afraid of hearing in the mid-range. You get the mids really kicking and it’s fine. Listening back to mixes I’ve done on the NS10s through After trying various brands, Focal SM9s finally met all my expectations. Very precise the Focal Professional, it kind of scares me because I hear top-end distortion that "and perfectly balanced over the whole audio spectrum, they enable me to produce I wasn’t hearing in the NS10s, I was so used to using them, I thought I knew them. with very high quality control. With the Focal Professional there wasn’t a learning curve, it actually spooked me at first. " " SHAPE Beyond the curve!

Focal’s commitment to provide innovative monitoring solutions has led it to completely rethink its approach to nearfield studio monitors, as demonstrated by the new Shape line with its double passive radiators and the new cones for the woofers and tweeters. The three monitors, Shape 40, Shape 50, Shape 65, are all made in France and integrate five innovations to maximise acoustic transparency. Designed to meet the needs of nearfield monitoring, Shape monitors combine an ingenuous design and numerous settings optimised for the acoustics of small listening rooms.

These work tools distinguish themselves through their wide and extremely precise stereo image. The bass register is articulated and controlled. The lower mid-range and mid-range benefit from extreme neutrality, and without any masking effects, making equalisation of these essential registers much > SHAPE 65. easier. Finally, the new tweeter is what’s at the source of the very high definition. It efficiently reveals any hissing, and it’s also very precise in the very high-end. > SHAPE 65

> SHAPE 50

SHAPE 40 SHAPE 50 SHAPE 65 > SHAPE 40 Shape 40 is the most compact studio monitor Shape 50 is the versatile monitoring loud Shape 65 is the reference of the Shape line. in the Focal Professional line, and the perfect speaker par excellence. This monitor can Although it’s dedicated to nearfield moni- 03 solution for nearfield monitoring. These be used from 30" away (80cm), and it has toring, this monitor enables extraordinary monitors can be used from 23" away (60cm), very extended low end frequency response monitoring quality, in the lowest to the and they have astonishingly extended low end (50Hz) considering its compact design. highest frequencies. Simply a must, this frequency response. Whether you have a room Thanks to this design and to the numerous monitor will express its full potential from a of less than 107ft2 (10m2), or an installation settings, this monitor is ideal for rooms listening distance of 3" away (1m). where compactness is paramount, Shape 40 measuring less than 130ft2 (12m2). is the perfect solution. SHAPE TECHNOLOGIES

Flax sandwich cone Developing speaker driver cone technologies is part of Focal’s core expertise. The Flax sandwich cones used for the woofers on Shape loudspeakers are composed of two materials: glass fibres and flax fibres. A layer of flax fibres is sandwiched between two layers of glass fibres. Glass fibre cones were also used on the 'W' composite sandwich cone of the SM6 and SM9 series, and are revered for their high rigidity considering their light weight. The soul of the sandwich cone needs to provide good damping while being as light as possible. Flax fibres are twice as light as glass fibres as they’re 'M'-shaped aluminum/magnesium inverted hollow. What’s more, they also have very low elasticity. This consequently dome tweeter increases the speaker driver’s Young’s modulus when in excursion, an essen- Aluminum has the advantage of having very high tial property to ensure a piston-like action even in the very low end. Finally, rigidity, whereas the combination of addition of it is 80% composed of cellulose which gives it excellent damping. So, it was magnesium increases the damping of the dome. only natural for us to choose this material. This new technology has proven to At the same time, the 'M' shape of the inverted be a considerable improvement over the Polyglass cone in terms of weight, dome has two major advantages. Its directivity rigidity and damping. is even less that of the inverted dome tweeter, allowing for more flexibility in terms of listening position. Mechanically speaking, the 'M' shape gives the dome much more rigidity, while reducing Glass fibre 0.04mm distortion even more. The Poron® suspension provides a more linear frequency response curve below 6kHz, improving crossover with the woofer. The magnetic component has also been optimised thanks to a voice coil with a Kapton® Flax 0.4mm frame which significantly reduces the Foucault current, and consequently, distortion. Finally, the horn housing the tweeter has been designed to Glass fibre 0.04mm provide equal horizontal and vertical directivity.

> SHAPE 50. System SHAPE 40 SHAPE 50 SHAPE 65 • Frequency response (+/-3dB) 60Hz - 35kHz 50Hz - 35kHz 40Hz - 35kHz 102dB SPL 106dB SPL 109dB SPL • Maximum SPL (musical signal) (peak @ 1m) (peak @ 1m) (peak @ 1m)

Electronic section

• Inputs/ Type XLR: balanced 10kOhms Impedance Connectors RCA: unbalanced 10kOhms with sensitivity compensation

• Midrange and low frequency amplifier 25W, class AB 60W, class AB 80W, class AB

• High frequency amplifier 25W, class AB 25W, class AB 25W, class AB

• Automatic Standby on After approximately 30 minutes with no signal standby Standby off Signal detection > 3 mV

220-240V 220-240V (T500mAL / 220-240V (T800mAL / (T1AL / 250V fuse) • Electrical Voltages 250V fuse) or 100-120V 250V fuse) or 100-120V or 100-120V supply (T1.6AL / 250V fuse) (T1.6AL / 250V fuse) (T2AL / 250V fuse) Connection IEC plug and detachable power cord Adjustable, Full range / High pass filter Adjustable, Full rangee 45/60/90Hz 80Hz Bass Adjustable, +/-6dB (0 - 250Hz) Midrange/bass • Settings Adjustable, +/-3dB (160Hz, Q=1)

High (4.5 - 35kHz) Adjustable, +/-3dB

Power On/Power Off On/off switch on rear panel • Standby consumption < 0.5W • Displays and controls LED for power on/off and standby

Transducers 10cm (4") 13cm (5") 16.5cm (61/2") • Woofer Flax Cone Flax Cone Flax Cone • Tweeter 25mm (1") 'M' profile Aluminum-magnesium

Cabinet • Construction 0.5" (12mm) MDF 0.6" (15mm) MDF • Finish Vinyl, real walnut and black painting • Dimensions with four rubber feet 257 x 161 x 200mm 312 x 191 x 242mm 355 x 218 x 285mm (HxWxD) (10.1 x 6.3 x 7.9") (12.3 x 7.5 x 9,5") (14 x 8.6 x 11.2") • Weight 5kg (16.1lb) 6.5kg (20.7lb) 8.5kg (28.2lb)

> SHAPE 40. ALPHA Reveal your Music!

The Alpha range is specifically designed for the music production industry. Right from the early stages of R&D, particular attention was paid to ensure the studio monitors could be integrated into very diverse environments, both in terms of size and acoustic quality. The versatility of the studio monitors was reinforced by the capability of each loudspeaker to reveal the slightest details of the mix for all styles of music. Alpha features Focal technologies such as the Aluminum inverted dome tweeter and the Polyglass cone woofer, resulting in a very precise and wide sound stage. The bass frequencies are always controlled and the midrange frequencies are characterised by remarkable neutrality. As regards the double AB amplification, it ensures the dynamics are respected and allows for high SPL levels, giving endless pos- sibilities. Finally, the bass reflex design with large double front ports enable the studio monitor to be installed near a wall whilst ensuring maximum stability of the tonal balance.

Aluminum inverted dome tweeter 2 constantly active XLR and RCA inputs Low directivity: keeps the same sound Connect up to 2 audio sources. throughout the room.

ALPHA 50 ALPHA 65 ALPHA 80 04 Alpha 50, the most compact of the line, is Alpha 65 is equipped with a 1" (25mm) tweeter Alpha 80, the flagship of the line, is equipped Polyglass cone Adjustable bass and treble levels equipped with a 1" (25mm) tweeter and a 5" and a 61/2" (16.5cm) woofer. It features a 35W with a 1" (25mm) tweeter and an 8" (21cm) Damping and rigidity: neutrality, no distortion. Optimal acoustic integration. (13cm) woofer. It features a 20W amplifier for amplifier for the tweeter and a 70W amplifier woofer. It features a 40W amplifier for the the tweeter and a 35W amplifier for the woo- for the woofer, and has a frequency response tweeter and a 100W amplifier for the woofer, fer, and has a frequency response of 45Hz to of 40Hz to 22kHz (+/-3dB). This model per- and has a frequency response of 35Hz to 22kHz (+/-3dB). It is perfectly adapted for forms just as well with instrumental music as 22kHz (+/-3dB). This model is particularly ideal Large front port confined spaces. with electronic music, and is characterised by for producing music which is rich in bass or Tonal balance is identical at low and high volumes. Automatic standby mode Reduced power consumption. its great versatility. which requires high power reserves. Low sensitivity to the effect of walls. ALPHA 50 ALPHA 65 ALPHA 80 Performances

• Frequency response (+/- 3dB) 45Hz - 22kHz 40Hz - 22kHz 35Hz - 22kHz

• Maximum SPL 103dB SPL (peak @ 1m) 106dB SPL (peak @ 1m) 109dB SPL (peak @ 1m)

Electronic section

• Input - XLR : balanced 10kOhms - XLR : balanced 10kOhms - XLR : balanced 10kOhms - Type /Impedance - RCA : unbalanced 10kOhms - RCA : unbalanced 10kOhms - RCA : unbalanced 10kOhms - Connectors with sensitivity compensation with sensitivity compensation with sensitivity compensation

• LF amplifier stage 35W, class AB 70W, class AB 100W, class AB • HF amplifier stage 20W, class AB 35W, class AB 40W, class AB

• Auto Standby Mode - Standby - After about 30 minutes - After about 30 minutes - After about 30 minutes without using the monitor without using the monitor without using the monitor - Desactivation of standby - By signal detection >3mV - By signal detection >3mV - By signal detection >3mV

220-240V 220-240V 220-240V • Power supply (fuse T500mAL / 250V) (fuse T800mAL / 250V) (fuse T1.6AL / 250V) - Mains voltage or 100-120V ou 100-120V ou 100-120V - THE VOLTAGE CAN NOT BE MODIFIED (fuse T1AL / 250V) (fuse T1.6AL / 250V) (fuse T3.15AL / 250V)

- Connection IEC inlet and detachable power cord IEC inlet and detachable power cord IEC inlet and detachable power cord

• User controls - Sensitivity Adjustable, 0 or +6dB Adjustable, 0 or +6dB Adjustable, 0 or +6dB - LF shelving (0 - 300Hz) Adjustable, +/-6dB Adjustable, +/-6dB Adjustable, +/-6dB - HF shelving (4.5 - 22kHz) Adjustable, +/-3dB Adjustable, +/-3dB Adjustable, +/-3dB - Power ON / OFF Power ON/OFF switch on rear panel Power ON/OFF switch on rear panel Power ON/OFF switch on rear panel

• Standby mode power consumption < 0.5W < 0.5W < 0.5W

• Indicators Power ON/OFF LED - Standby LED Power ON/OFF LED - Standby LED Power ON/OFF LED - Standby LED

Transducers

5" (13cm) drive unit 6.5" (16.5cm) drive unit 8" (21cm) drive unit • Woofer Polyglass cone Polyglass cone Polyglass cone

1" (25mm) drive unit 1" (25mm) drive unit 1" (25mm) drive unit • Tweeter Aluminum inverted dome Aluminum inverted dome Aluminum inverted dome

Cabinet

• Construction 0.6" (15mm) MDF 0.6" (15mm) MDF 0.6" (15mm) MDF

• Finish Vinyl and Black painting Vinyl and Black painting Vinyl and Black painting

12.3"x8.7"x10.2" 13.7"x9.9"x12.2" 15.6"x11.3"x13.7" • Dimensions with 4 rubber pads (HxWxD) (313x220x258mm) (348x252x309mm) (397x287x348mm)

• Weight 16.1lbs (7.3kg) 20.7lbs (9.4kg) 28.2lbs (12.8kg) SPIRIT PROFESSIONAL Mix check!

The Spirit Professional headphones are the The frequency of use and the length of reproduction which respects the original direct result of Focal’s historical expertise in time they are used for are two of the most dynamics of the audio signal without distor- the design of high-performance transducers. important aspects to take into account when tion, preventing auditory fatigue. In line with the monitoring loudspeakers, designing professional headphones. The neutrality of tonal balance combined with the Spirit Professional headphones ensure The optimisation of the comfort of the the remarkably high-definition enable the high-quality control of monitoring activities headphones was essential. Thus, the choice to reproduction of all audio signals, even at the without exception, freeing professionals from use memory foam for the ear-pieces and the lowest of listening volumes. the acoustic constraints related to the size of headband ensures a perfect fit regardless Finally, work on the acoustical load of the their workstation. of user’s morphology. Moreover, the large transducers has resulted in articulated bass ear-pieces guarantee a remarkable insulation, worthy of open-style headphones, but with Design: comfort and simplicity whilst reducing the pressure level. the advantages of insulation. The circum-aural design of the Spirit Professional Finally, the Black Textured finish gives the The low-impedance OFC coiled cable (13ft/4m) headphones was chosen to optimize the headphones a simplistic look and as well as a enhances the transparency of sound, an acoustic coupling to the ear. This monitoring shock- and scratch-resistant quality. important concept for the brand. tool for professional recording studios is also suitable for broadcasting or home studios, Acoustics: neutrality and transparency for where the noise level is much higher. This is total control the reason why these closed-type headphones The close attention paid to the design of the were the obvious solution. Mylar/Titanium alloy drivers ensures sound

• Impedance 32 Ohms

• Sensitivity 102dB SPL/1 mW @ 1kHz

• THD <0,3%/1kHz/100dB SPL

• Frequency response 5Hz - 22kHz

Matched 19/16" (40mm) • Driver Mylar/Titanium

• Weight 0.6lbs (280g)

> Black Textured finish.

Due to constant technological advances, Focal-JMlab® reserves its rightto modifyprices andspecifications withoutnotice. Focal® isaregistered trademarks ofFocal-JMlab®. Non-bindingpictures. Photos L’Atelier Sylvain Madelon.SCAB170119/2 -PC1083 Focal-JMlab ® -BP374 -108,ruedel’Avenir -42353 LaTalaudière cedex -France -+33(0)477 435 700

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EXP - GB March 2017 EXP - GB January 2017