I'm taking the plunge tomorrow and going for a pair of Focal Twin6 Be. Obviously if I hate them they be going back. I didn't see any point in "trying" them because what are you REALLY going to find out about them with a 5min demo. I was going to look at the ADAM S3a too but they will sap up too much budget and I want some more API550 & an 1176.

I'm wanting a monitor that will give me a good representation of what's happening down low (40hz'ish) with a good accurate Mid bass too, but most importantly a monitor that will translate well. ie assuming the room is good can I trust what I hear with a pair of Twins?

Ordering tomorrow so this is your last chance to put me off or tell me to go for it!

Cheers

Steve

I have the twins with a sub. The go really low. AT first they will sound so details it will be like someone cranked the 12 k knob on a neve eq. But they really sound good. Hasd them 6 months. I like them with my ns 10's and avantones. Sold BM 15a's. Would never look back. I don't know you at all but whever I look at a monitor change I ask myself...ok... how much of me will it fix.... I'm not TLA....lol
Tim

Cheers Tim
Are the deep lows ok without the sub?

Do you mean they are rather bright sounding ?

I use mine without a sub and love them to death!! My product references great on the street and I have a lot of fun working on them with minimal fatigue.

Peace.

Cheers Fletch, but I though you used the SM8s?

When I got new monitors, I demoed for about an hour, at different stores. Listening through a vide range of music.

Also, often stores, and dealers will let you try monitors at home, comparing different brands (lending them over the weekend or something). This was offered to me with genelecs for example.

Obviously, you can return them if you don't like them, but why not do a proper demo at the store, and compare them to other brands?

I personally like klein & hummel and adams better, I feel the focals were a bit top heavy for me.

Still breaking mine in but so far I love them to death.

I think the lows are more than adequate although if I was in a much bigger room I might opt for the sub.

Cheers for the reply.
Out of interest, what did you upgrade from?

I love mine (w/o subs) and they are great.

Congrats and welcome to the family....."once you get in, there is no getting out"

Dumb ass thick question, but does anyone know what they call those thick, square pad things you place your monitors on? Does anyone know what I mean?

Auralex Mopads?

War

Easy, go for it.
Excellent product at right price point.
We wait for review

Just bought a set two weeks ago with the sub.



We decided to replace our Mackie H824's with these puppies.


What an incredible difference... These sound so true and so well defined.


We're listening to a buch of stuff on them and you can hear every single little element in the mix.



Highly recommend!!


J.

I have Twin 6's without a sub, in my room they handle the low end so clearly I don't feel a need for it

That's the fellows! Cheers

Mackie's

oh god, vast improvement then heh

I have been also playing with the tempting Focal Twin idea, but what takes me a bit aback are the comments about rather "strong" top end from some users here. It is also mentioned in the SOS review:
"There's also lots of high-end detail, though to my ears the beryllium tweeters sound a bit 'scratchy' — something I've also noticed with certain other monitors that use titanium tweeters."

I know, it is a matter of taste, but personally I would incline to something with rather soft, silky top end (aluminium tweakers ?). Any alternatives in this direction ?

You are describing the sound of a ribbon tweeter for sure also. I've not used Focals though so I don't know if they are scratchy or bright.

Also wanted to add that monitors are seriously the #1 most personal preference choice you can make in a studio. To each person there is nothing "subjective" about it really...you either get work done on them and can tolerate them for long periods of time mixing or tracking, or you don't. Microphones? Sure you can find a use for any mic. Speakers? They need to feed one specific need on a constant basis that you can tolerate (or if you're lucky, downright enjoy). Having said that, where there's smoke there's fire and if the majority of people are enjoying their Focals then that tells me they are worth checking out...!

War

Any of the major recording mags reviewed these yet? Definitely plenty of hype on the boards here but surprised I haven't seen any 'official' reviews.

Yes, SOS made a review in the April issue (I just quoted a bit from it above)

ABSOLUTELY

Why do you think I am so happy!

Never EVER pay any attention to a SOS review. Half the reviewers have no idea what they're on about and the half that do dare not say anything against a product for fear of jeopardising advertising revenue!

I've been intimately familiar with products that they've reviewed and they've said the exact opposite to what I know is true. Their reviews are ok guidance for products in the Low End forum (e.g. Behringer gear) or for people with little experience, although some reviews may be miss-leading for them too!
Some of their reviews read like: "I don't know what I'm really listening for, but I guess someone that did would use phrases like this..."
Most of the reviewers are like music critics, no idea how to write or compose a song so "we'll kinda sound like we do!"

"Yes I found this compressor very..... but it was good at .... although the mid where a bit forward..." Bollocks! Their typing that for the sake of a review. You could take them out of the room change the review unit for a different brand and they wouldn't know the difference if you put the same face plate on the comp!

Sorry I'll get off my soap box now. Some reviews are good but there are many that really annoy me.

It's funny what a SOS review can do to someone in doubt.

Me, I still can't make up my mind to get the Twins or Adam S2a... (the money to get them will be in, in about 2 months). The price is the same here... The s2a's are 2 way, so less accurate bass... but perhaps this is a good thing for my room/style (I mix a lot for tv, make 70ies type funk music, but never clubby).
I've heard both, but in different rooms, different times. Both seemed very nice, both with plenty of bass for me to mix. Tsja. Getting monitors can drive a man crazy, until he just gets them.

I think I'll get the s2a's.
I think I'll get the Focals.
I think I'll get the s2a's.
I think I'll get the Focals.

love,
M.

Point to mention here, the Focal comes with a LF and HF control on the back. Like Jason mention in his post, we upgraded from the Mackies 824 and we made them work, but lot's of time and media wasted because they did not translate very good. No tracking or mixing have been done on the Twins yet, but I ran tons of all types of music thru them and the clarity is there along with proper balance. You can really hear not so good mixes, almost like they ran out of money after tracking. We will be posting or findings once we mix. Meanwhile, loving just listening my Focal Twins.

The Focal Twins are 2 way also.

The Focals are not like the S3a's in which each woofer handles a different freq area (low mids/mids). The Focal's have each woofer emitting the same.

FYI.

Yeah but it's also good to balance out hype created by people selling the gear as well. It's funny seeing people who've never even heard a pair of Focals now recommending them to others based solely on this type of forum advertising.

Nope your wrong about that, it does behave like the S3a's from Focals web site:

Product overview

The Twin6 Be is an active, 3 way, professional nearfield/midfield speaker (3 built-in amplifiers - 2x150 +100W rms), comprised of two 6.5 inch (16.5cm) “W” cone sandwich composite drivers, loaded by two large section laminar bass ports and a Focal inverted dome pure Beryllium tweeter.

Both 6.5” drivers handle low frequencies but only one of the two (selectable) is passing lo-mid frequencies.

Yep, He is wrong tutt