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.
LISTEN TO
YOUR MUSIC,
NOT TO YOUR
SPEAKERS!
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
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
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
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
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
slightest details and ensure a better transfer
quality than other monitors. How do they
achieve this?
Inverted dome tweeter
The inverted dome tweeter - a Focal hallmark - is
perhaps the perfect transducer. This design permits very high-efficiency, precision and energy.
The particular advantage of the inverted dome
tweeter is the optimization of the mechanical
coupling between the voice coil and the dome.
The voice coil is fixed at mid-height on the
dome and uniformly moves the cone entire
surface. The positive dome is only joined at its
edge, causing it to be inactive beyond 16kHz for
a flexible surface. The inverted dome directly
radiates into the air, with maximum efficiency,
which is translated by an extremely precise
soundstage. The dome’s response curve is
clearly more linear than that of any positive
dome. It provides better space dispersion
and very low directivity, contrary to ribbon
tweeters.
The inverted dome tweeter offers unequalled
dynamics, enabling sound engineers to very
precisely control compression. The image precision (height, width and depth) is outstanding
and makes the positioning of each element
very easy, as well as allows one to exactly
assess the reverb tails.
Beryllium
Due to its incredible rigidity, Beryllium represents the ultimate material for a tweeter
dome. Focal, after two years of research and
development, produced a world first: a pure
Beryllium inverted dome, able to cover more
than five octaves (1000Hz-40kHz).
You may ask yourself why do we strive for an
extended response at 40kHz, if the human ear
can only hear up to 20kHz? If you can extend
frequency response, you will improve the perception of transients and other micro details.
As well, the linearity of the speaker’s response
curve is mainly a function of three opposite
parameters: lightness, rigidity and damping. To
this day, only one material permits a joining of
these parameters: Beryllium. For domes with
identical masses, Beryllium is seven times more
rigid than Titanium or Aluminum, the latter two
well known for their rigidity. This results in a
sound wave propagation three times faster
than Titanium and two and a half times
faster than Aluminum. In the end, the linearity
of the frequency response curve, the acoustic
transparency and the impulse response of the
Beryllium tweeter are maximized and offer
near-perfect sound.
'W' composite sandwich cone
The 'W' composite sandwich cone permits
total optimization of the frequency response
curve, thanks to the total control of three key
parameters: lightness, rigidity and damping.
At Focal, the letter 'W' means Glass/Glass,
as it usually has two sheets of woven glass
tissue that are 'sandwiched' onto the structural
foam core.
The glass tissue benefits from the incredibly
fine weaving of very long fibres. This choice
offers a mass and a size clearly inferior to those
in Aramid fibers or other Kevlar fabrics, which
generate coloration in the midrange. It’s also
important to note that the molecular bond
between the resin and the glass is greater than
> Titanium
> Aluminum
> 'W' composite sandwich cone mounting.
> Interferometry analysis.
> Beryllium
> Comparison of Beryllium with Titanium and Aluminum. Beryllium is the
lightest, the most resistant and has the highest sound speed.
that obtained with Aramid fibres.
The cone structure is more homogeneous and
its behavior in flex is much more superior.
These unique characteristics of lightness and
rigidity provide control of the signal transmission speed inside the material. Adjusting the
thickness of the structural foam allows a very
precise control of the 'W' cone’s damping. The
variation of the number of glass fibre sheets
and the thickness of the central foam can easily
optimize the cone’s behaviour according to the
desired frequency range. When listening, the
sound of the 'W' cone is entirely transparent,
has an excellent phase response and has a very
low distortion rate (rigidity 20 times higher
than Kevlar or Aramid fibre).
> 'W' composite sandwich cone.
MONITORS
Focal Professional monitors feature the best
of Focal’s technology to meet the needs of
professionals. For the best music creation.
On the top of the range, the SM9 Monitoring
System is born from a simple idea: create
the most dynamic, sonically transparent
and accurate monitoring system ever built.
SM9 feature the nec plus ultra of Focal
drivers. The now famous pure Beryllium
inverted dome tweeter has been improved
with help from the latest Focal technologies.
Its linearity and ability to reveal micro-information is unprecedented.
SM6 line was designed to meet the standards
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.
Discover the new Focal monitors : Shape.
The three monitors, all made in France,
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.
Featuring renowned Focal technologies,
Alpha line has been developed to ensure
excellent sonic coherence regardless of the
listening environment. Alpha redefines the
brand’s entry-level products, making Focal
Professional sound widely accessible.
01
02
03
04
SM9
Nec plus ultra!
SM6
Keep focus and mix on!
SHAPE
Beyond the curve!
ALPHA
Reveal your music!
SM9
Nec plus ultra!
The SM9 was born out of a simple idea:
create the most sonically transparent
monitoring system ever built. The SM9
features a frequency response from 30Hz
to 40kHz with a SPL max of 116dB. This
monitoring speaker establishes itself as
a reference thanks to the precision of the
stereo image, its capacity to reproduce each
of the micro-details of the audio signal, as
well as unconditional respect of the original
dynamics.
Two monitors in one!
One of the major SM9 innovations lies in
the fact of offering 2 monitoring speakers
in only one and unique cabinet. The activation of this monitor is made by setting off the
FOCUS mode on the side panel. The 2-way
monitor (Beryllium tweeter + 61/2" (16.5cm)
'W' woofer) offers a frequency response
from 90Hz to 20kHz, permitting to check the
mix transfer quality on systems with limited
frequency response in the bass frequencies
such as:
• TV sets
• Computers
• Cars
• iPod® docks or any multimedia system
This monitor also permits to check the
midrange register, very hard to equalize and
balance in terms of sound level compared to
the other information contained in the audio
signal.
The 'nec plus ultra' of Focal drivers
The SM9 line is a sheer product of Focal
technology and innovation.
The new pure Beryllium inverted dome
tweeter, specially developed for the SM9 line,
offers unprecedented linearity and ability to
reveal micro-information. This is due to an
entirely new magnet structure that achieves
a mind-boggling 2.1 Tesla of magnetic flux.
This has a profound effect on the tweeter’s
ability to reproduce micro-dynamics, which
helps the engineer to dial-in compression
and reverb.
The new 6 1/2 " (16.5cm) 'W' composite
sandwich cone midrange driver benefits from
great damping characteristics. The derived
Impulse Response is simply the best of its
class. Midrange and mid-bass frequencies
are then reproduced without any masking
effect, ensuring perfect neutrality.
The 8' (20cm) 'W' cone bass driver and the
11" (27cm) 'W' cone passive radiator permit
to extend the frequency response to 30Hz,
without any decay effect nor distortion. Bass
is then reproduced with unparalleled clean
punch, with no cone distortions, giving the
engineer the confidence to make the best
decisions over the entire bass register.
Custom-made amplification
The all-new, all-analog amplifiers developed
specifically for the SM9 demonstrate the
unwillingness to compromise. 600W of
class AB amplification drives the SM9 on
three separate channels, respectively 400W
(woofer), 100W (midrange) and 100W
(tweeter). These new amplifiers are halfway
between class A and class AB in regards
to the bias current. This choice perfectly
respects the dynamics contained in the
original audio signal, guarantee of extremely
precise adjustment of the compression ratio,
attack and release settings.
Input stage: flexibility in all-analog world
Six detended knobs situated on the back
panel allow the engineer or the acoustician
to compensate for some room anomalies
and optimize the monitor response in the
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.
PAGE 11
SM9
Performances
• Frequency response
• Maximum SPL
- 3-way mode
30Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB)
40Hz - 20kHz (+/-1dB)
- 2-way mode (Focus)
90Hz - 20kHz (+/-3dB)
- 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
- Connector
- Sensitivity
• Bass
• Midrange
• Treble
• Power supply
- Local supply
- Rear panel
- Side panel
• Indicators
Electronically balanced/10kOhms
XLR
Adjustable, +4dBu or -10dBV
400W, class AB
100W, class AB
100W, class AB
- Connection
• User controls
> SM9.
230V (3.15A fuse)
115V (6.3A fuse)
IEC inlet and detachable power cord
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)
Stand By / On switch
Direct switch
Focus switch
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
panels, Black body
• Dimensions (HxLxD)
12.8"x19.6"x15.6" (320x490x390mm)
• Weight
77lbs (35kg)
> SM9.
They have chosen Focal
OPIUO
"
STEVE OUIMETTE
(DJ) www.opiuo.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
back, I got a pair of SM9s. Now I feel like I’m in the music instead of hearing this thing
kind of coming towards me. I can hear absolutely everything and that’s kind of one
thing I’ve never experienced is to be in the music and be part of it... The Focal thing
is really taking my music to the next level. It has changed my life.
"
("Guitar hero®") - www.steveouimette.com
I needed self-powered monitors and wanted a set that didn’t require a subwoofer, a
monitor that had a natural top to bottom, but no hyped frequencies. I definitely get
enough low end with the Focals – the balance with the Focal Professional monitors
is perfect! With the Focal Professional monitors you can hear everything.
"
"
NATHAN CHAPMAN
"
STUDIO EL PIE
(Taylor Swift producer) - www.nathanchapman.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
monitors I have used. Focal monitors are my top choice. Taylor Swift's 'Fearless'
album is the biggest selling album of 2009 with over 3 million copies sold, the
only album to win the Grammy for 'Album of the Year' and 'Country Album
of the Year'.
"
(Alejandro Sanz, Luis Miguel ...) - www.estudioelpie.com
We love the flat frequency response at different levels of sound pressure. The Twin6 Be
are the perfect balance between the warmth of the legendary monitors and the
precision of the modern ones.
"
"
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
My story with Focal started many years ago, where I discovered them for the
first time in a studio. When I was working in the United States, among a pile of
monitors, there appeared a set of Focals. I really liked the audio they produced,
and the way they sounded. Some time later, I found myself working in another
studio, in this case at a colleague’s, Andreas Calamaro, and was able to work
on a daily basis with those Focals. And that is how I felt in love with them,
in a certain way, with the audio which... which Focal provides. I spent the entire
pre-production for my last album, more or less in that studio, so I was able to enjoy
and appreciate them from day-to-day.
"
"
www.poochresume.evilentertainment.net
I actually own several types of high-end speakers. I still use them for reference, but I
mix on the Focal Solo6 Be now. This was the first time I used Solo6 Be for a project
it came out spectacularly. I was really impressed by these speakers. What I found
most interesting with the Solo6 Be was the amount of time I could spend mixing
without getting fatigued. I found the Solo6 Be to be very accurate while traveling to
other reference speakers. What you put into the Solo6 Be, you get out: very accurate.
I have played the Slash mixes for many people and they are great - and of course give
me all the credit. They don't know that my secret weapon was the Solo6s. I love my
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
search of monitors that reveal all information in the audio spectrum, without any masking effect. It integrates the best of Focal
technologies ('W' composite sandwich cone,
pure Beryllium inverted dome tweeter) and
offers an unprecedented performance/cost
ratio. The Solo6 Be, Twin6 Be and Trio6 Be
monitors stand out in this segment due to
their unparalleled transparency, degree of
definition and precise sound image. The
Solo6 Be and Twin6 Be convey a midbass and
bass, which are always controlled for extremely precise measurement of compression.
Trio6 Be represents the archetype of
precision, neutrality, dynamics. Moreover,
FOCUS versatility provides engineers the
time and security to evaluate their mixes
on two reference systems under identical
conditions.
Solo6 Be
The Solo6 Be monitor will surprise you in the
very first minutes you spend with it, partly
due to its size/extended bass response
(40Hz-40kHz (+/- 2dB)). The 61/2" (16.5cm)
'W' composite sandwich mid-woofer
combines neutrality in the midrange, fullness
in the midbass register and bass control.
Its compactness and the choice of a large
front laminar port guarantee easy integration in studios that need a near field monitor
without any acoustic compromise. The
user settings on the back of the Solo6 Be,
combined with its compactness, make it
easy to carry and to adjust according to the
acoustics of each studio.
Twin6 Be
The Twin6 Be represents the only necessary
solution for recording, mixing and mastering. The image precision, treble definition as
well as midrange neutrality are at the heart
of its reputation. The excellent articulation
of the bass and midbass registers, even
at very high sound levels, makes it an
unavoidable reference for engineers who
require absolute transparency. Furthermore,
the design of the Twin6 Be permits a high
SPL while at the same time offering a stable
tonal balance. One of the two 61/2" (16.5cm)
woofers works in large band (midrange–
bass) whereas the other reproduces from 40
to 150Hz. This creates a bass that preserves
all the signal dynamics, without any masking
effect in the midrange, thereby keeping all
its neutrality and transparency. Additional
control of the bass register is accomplished
by fine-tuning on the control plate on the
back of the Twin6 Be in order to obtain a
perfect mirror configuration with its mate.
The Twin6 Be can be installed vertically or
horizontally to respond to the space requirements of each studio.
Trio6 Be
The Trio6 Be was designed to meet the
standards of the most demanding engineers.
This dual monitor is the new reference in its
price range owing to its extreme neutrality,
its precise stereophonic imaging, and its
ability to resolve the most minute sonic
details, while its Class G amplifiers deliver
SPL levels to suit all musical styles. Essentially, the Trio6 Be is a three-way speaker
with a 1" tweeter, a 5" woofer, and an 8"
subwoofer. Yet, switching to FOCUS mode
reconfigures Trio6 Be in two-way monitor.
Sub6
The Sub6 is a large volume cabinet design,
equipped with an 11" (27cm) woofer and a
rear laminar port. This configuration guarantees bass linearity whatever the intended
SPL. The control board is extremely versatile, with connectivity which allows a 2.1, 2.2
and multichannel use via the L/R inputs and
outputs and the LFE. The numerous settings
such as the high-pass crossover dedicated
to monitors, the adjustable phase and level
control provide optimum coupling with the
Solo6 Be and the Twin6 Be monitors.
And finally, a small, but important point:
the footswitch input. It enables one to
connect a pedal to deactivate the subwoofer
and the high-pass crossovers on the outputs
that supply the monitors. This simplifies and
greatly improves control during the different
stages in monitoring.
TRIO6 Be
Two monitors in one!
Essentially, the Trio6 Be is a three-way speaker
with a 1" tweeter, a 5" woofer, and an 8"
subwoofer. Yet, the innovative Trio6 Be
supplies two speakers in a single cabinet:
a two-way monitor and a three-way monitor.
Three-way reference monitoring system
The TB872 pure Beryllium inverted dome
tweeter in the Trio6 Be is the same tweeter
trickled down from the renowned Focal
flagship SM9 monitor. Its exclusive technology
provides numerous advantages, including
wide dispersion, amazing frequency response
linearity, quick dynamics, and unrivaled
impulse response. The woofer utilises the
Focal 'W' composite sandwich cone in a 5"
woofer designed specifically for the Trio6 Be
and installed in an isolated chamber within
the cabinet that prevents the sympathetic activation of its other speakers while
optimising its acoustic performance. Two
front-facing ports provide bass reflex,
enabling the woofer to perform identically
in both two-way (90Hz – 2.5kHz) and three-
way (250Hz – 2.5kHz) configurations. The
8" subwoofer, also designed specifically
for Trio6 Be with a 'W' composite sandwich
cone, is complemented by its large port
integrated into the front baffle, making it
easy to position the monitor near the front
wall without saturating the ports and maintaining excellent low-frequency linearity.
When utilised to its full potential, the Beryllium
tweeter reaches up to 40kHz and the 8"
subwoofer extends low frequencies down to
35Hz. This offers engineers complete control
of the audio signal. Its large front port guaranties consistent performance regardless of
SPL levels. It also allows a positioning closed
to a wall without wall boost effect, allowing
an easy integration even in small rooms.
Two-way monitor
As a two-way speaker, Trio6 Be employs
only the 5" woofer and the tweeter, limiting
frequencies to between 90Hz and 20kHz.
This configuration provides the perfect
compromise when checking the quality
of the mix for playback systems with
limited frequency response, such as TVs,
PCs, cars, and portable speaker systems.
The frequency response curve of the
two-way configuration is identical, though
less extended, to its three-way curve,
allowing for a perfect comparison that
preserves the stereo image. Focusing on this
critical middle frequency range facilitates a
good mix and enables the engineer to ensure
that the levels are just right. A footswitch
(not included) activates this configuration
remotely from the listening position.
Rotating baffle
Tr i o 6 B e m ay b e u s e d ve r t i c a l l y o r
horizontally to optimise positioning thanks
to an adjustable aluminum baffle housing the
woofer and tweeter. This rotating baffle is
capable of rotating 360° in 90° increments,
making it one of the most versatile speakers
to position.
Solo6 Be
Twin6 Be
Trio6 Be
Sub6
40Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB)
40Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB)
3-way mode
35Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB)
• Frequency response
30Hz - 250Hz (+/-3dB)
-
-
2-way mode
(Focus)
90Hz - 20kHz (+/-3dB)
• Maximum SPL
116dB SPL (peak @ 1m)
113dB SPL (peak @ 1m)
115dB SPL (peak @ 1m)
3-way mode
115dB SPL (peak @ 1m)
-
-
2-way mode
(Focus)
105dB SPL (peak @ 1m)
Performances
Performances
• Frequency response
• Maximum SPL
Electronic section
• Inputs
Electronic section
• Inputs
- Type/Impedance
- Connector
- Sensitivity
• Bass
• Bass / Midrange
• Midrange
• Treble
• Power supply
- Local supply
- Connection
• User controls and
indicators
• Light indicator
Electronically balanced/
10k Ω XLR
Adjustable, +4dBu or -10dBV
Electronically balanced/
10k Ω XLR
Adjustable, +4dBu or -10dBV
Electronically balanced/
10K Ω XLR
Adjustable, +4dBu or -10dBv
150W RMS, BASH® technology
100W RMS, class AB
2x150W RMS, BASH® technology
100W RMS, class AB
200W RMS, class G
150W RMS, class G
100W RMS, class AB
230V (1.6A fuse rating)
115V (3.5A fuse rating)
IEC inlet and detachable power cord
230V (2A fuse)
115V (4A fuse)
IEC inlet and detachable power cord
230V (class T fuse 1.6A fuse rating)
115V (class T fuse 3.5 A fuse rating)
IEC inlet and detachable power cord
Low frequency shelving
(+/-3dB from 40 to 150Hz)
High frequency shelving
(+/-3dB from 5 to 40kHz)
Adjustable tweeter and woofer levels
by potentiometers
On/off switch, voltage selector
Midrange driver selector (right/left)
Low frequency shelving
(+/-3dB from 40 to 150Hz)
High frequency shelving
(+/-3dB from 5 to 40kHz)
On/off switch, voltage selector
Low frequency shelving
(+/-3dB from 35 to 250Hz)
High frequency shelving
(+/-3dB from 4.5 to 40kHz)
EQ low-mid frequencies
(+/-3dB at 160Hz, Q factor = 1)
FOCUS input / FOCUS output
On/off switch, voltage selector
Power On LED
Power On LED
Focus mode on, audio clipping and
protection indicated by LED on front panel
- Sensitivity
• Outputs (towards
speakers)
• Woofer
8W64701
8" Focal driver with 'W' composite
sandwich cone
6W4370B, 61/2" (16.5cm) Focal 'W'
composite sandwich cone drivers
6W4370B, two 61/2" (16.5cm) Focal 'W'
composite sandwich cone drivers
• Midrange
• Treble
• Signal internal treatment and functions
• Power supply
Right, left, LFE
Electronically balanced/10k Ω
XLR 3 points socket
Adjustable, + 4dBu or -10dBV
Right, left
Electronically balanced/50 Ω
XLR 3 points plug
350W RMS, BASH® technology
- Subwoofer section
- Speaker section
- Local supply
- Connection
Mono right/left summation
LFE + mono low-pass 24dB/octave
Phase adjustment
Polarity selection switch
Switch high-pass filter,
cut-off frequency selection
24dB/ octave
230V (1.6A fuse) or 115V (3.15A fuse)
Removable CEI supply wire
IEC inlet and detachable power cord
• User controls and
indicators
Adjustable subwoofer level
Low-pass cut-off frequency setting
Phase adjustment
Polarity adjustment
Subwoofer switch (mute)
2.1 'Bypass' (external remote control)
High-pass frequency selection
Releasable high-pass
• Light indicator
Power On LED
Subwoofer switch (mute)
Released high-pass
5W04701
5" Focal driver with 'W' composite
sandwich cone
TB871, 1" Focal pure Beryllium
inverted dome tweeter
TB871, 1" Focal pure Beryllium
inverted dome tweeter
Integral through cancellation
magnets/cans or by magnet design
Integral through cancellation magnets/
cans or by magnet design
• Construction
7 " (19mm) MDF panels
7 " (19mm) MDF panels
7 " (19mm) & 0.86" (22mm) reinforced panels
• Finish
Dark Red natural veneering side
panels, Black body
Dark Red natural veneering side panels,
Black body
Dark Red natural veneering side panels,
Black body
• Dimensions (HxLxD)
13"x97/16"x117/16"
(330x240x290mm)
913/16"x1911/16"x133/8"
(250x500x340mm)
201/2"x1015/16"x143/16"
(520x278x360mm)
• Weight
24.2lbs (11kg)
30.8lbs (14kg)
44lbs (20kg)
• Shielding
- Type / Impedance
- Connector
• Bass / Midrange
• Treble
Transducers
• Subwoofer
- Type / Impedance
- Connector
TB872,
1" Focal pure Beryllium inverted
dome tweeter
Transducers
• Woofer
11W7670, 11" (27cm) Focal
'W' composite sandwich cone driver
Cabinetwork
Cabinetwork
1/2
1/2
1/2
• Construction
71/2" (19mm) MDF panels
• Finish
Dark Red natural veneering side
panels, Black body
• Dimensions (HxLxD)
1415/16"x139/16"x175/16"
(380x344x440mm)
• 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
and expensive, and many, many days spent wondering why I had to work so hard
to get consistent results from my mixes, I stumbled upon the Focal speaker line
and never looked back. I now mix on a pair of Solo6 Be, and the other two rooms
at FLUX Studios have Twin6 Be. Besides the phenomenal translation from studio to
real world, which other monitors lacked, the sheer absence of distortion allows us to
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.
CHEMICAL BROTHERS
"
www.thechemicalbrothers.com
We've been searching for a midfield speaker to compliment our monitoring system
at Rowlands Audio Research for a while now. We've tried all the competition and the
only ones that truly delivered what we needed were the Focal SM9's. They are the
perfect bridge between our main monitors and the nearfields.
"
"
ARMAND AMAR
DAVID KUTCH
(Mastering engineer - Alicia Keys, Natasha Bedingfield, Al Green Erykah Badu, Estelle, Outkast, John Legend, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber...)
"
www.themasteringpalace.com
"
Forget all about my gear and toys, the most critical element in my studio is my
loudspeakers... To me, there’s no better nearfield loudspeaker than the Solo6 Be,
whatever the prices of other monitors.
"
(Composer - Home, Amen, Indigènes) - www.armandamar.com
The SM9 equip the composing room as well as the mixing and sound editing studios in 5.1.
Which seduced us the most and convinced us to choose these monitors:
∙ The precision in the entire spectrum but also in high and low frequencies.
∙ Comfortable at both low and high volume.
∙ 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
world hears, in my experience. The Twin6 Be is the first powered monitor that I’ve
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
the Focal Professional, it kind of scares me because I hear top-end distortion that
I wasn’t hearing in the NS10s, I was so used to using them, I thought I knew them.
With the Focal Professional there wasn’t a learning curve, it actually spooked
me at first.
"
ANTOINE CLAMARAN
"
(DJ : Gold, Back again, ... ) - www.antoineclamaran.com
After trying various brands, Focal SM9s finally met all my expectations. Very precise
and perfectly balanced over the whole audio spectrum, they enable me to produce
with very high quality control.
"
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
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.
03
> SHAPE 65
> SHAPE 50
SHAPE 40
Shape 40 is the most compact studio monitor
in the Focal Professional line, and the perfect
solution for nearfield monitoring. These
monitors can be used from 23" away (60cm),
and they have astonishingly extended low end
frequency response. Whether you have a room
of less than 107ft2 (10m2), or an installation
where compactness is paramount, Shape 40
is the perfect solution.
SHAPE 50
Shape 50 is the versatile monitoring loud
speaker par excellence. This monitor can
SHAPE 65
Shape 65 is the reference of the Shape line.
Although it’s dedicated to nearfield moni-
be used from 30" away (80cm), and it has
very extended low end frequency response
(50Hz) considering its compact design.
Thanks to this design and to the numerous
settings, this monitor is ideal for rooms
measuring less than 130ft2 (12m2).
toring, this monitor enables extraordinary
monitoring quality, in the lowest to the
highest frequencies. Simply a must, this
monitor will express its full potential from a
listening distance of 3" away (1m).
> SHAPE 40
SHAPE
TECHNOLOGIES
'M'-shaped aluminum/magnesium inverted
dome tweeter
Aluminum has the advantage of having very high
rigidity, whereas the combination of addition of
magnesium increases the damping of the dome.
At the same time, the 'M' shape of the inverted
dome has two major advantages. Its directivity
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
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®
frame which significantly reduces the Foucault
current, and consequently, distortion. Finally, the
horn housing the tweeter has been designed to
provide equal horizontal and vertical directivity.
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
hollow. What’s more, they also have very low elasticity. This consequently
increases the speaker driver’s Young’s modulus when in excursion, an essential property to ensure a piston-like action even in the very low end. Finally,
it is 80% composed of cellulose which gives it excellent damping. So, it was
only natural for us to choose this material. This new technology has proven to
be a considerable improvement over the Polyglass cone in terms of weight,
rigidity and damping.
Glass fibre 0.04mm
Flax 0.4mm
Glass fibre 0.04mm
> SHAPE 50.
System
SHAPE 40
SHAPE 50
SHAPE 65
• Frequency response (+/-3dB)
60Hz - 35kHz
50Hz - 35kHz
40Hz - 35kHz
• Maximum SPL (musical signal)
102dB SPL
(peak @ 1m)
106dB SPL
(peak @ 1m)
109dB SPL
(peak @ 1m)
Electronic section
• Inputs/
Impedance
Type
XLR: balanced 10kOhms
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
• Electrical
supply
Standby on
After approximately 30 minutes with no signal
Standby off
Signal detection > 3 mV
Voltages
220-240V (T500mAL /
250V fuse) or 100-120V
(T1.6AL / 250V fuse)
Connection
High pass filter
• Settings
220-240V (T800mAL /
250V fuse) or 100-120V
(T1.6AL / 250V fuse)
220-240V
(T1AL / 250V fuse)
or 100-120V
(T2AL / 250V fuse)
IEC plug and detachable power cord
Adjustable, Full range /
80Hz
Adjustable, Full rangee 45/60/90Hz
Bass
(0 - 250Hz)
Adjustable, +/-6dB
Midrange/bass
(160Hz, Q=1)
Adjustable, +/-3dB
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
• Woofer
13cm (5")
Flax Cone
10cm (4")
Flax Cone
• Tweeter
16.5cm (61/2")
Flax Cone
25mm (1") 'M' profile Aluminum-magnesium
Cabinet
• Construction
0.5" (12mm) MDF
• Finish
> SHAPE 40.
0.6" (15mm) MDF
Vinyl, real walnut and black painting
• Dimensions with four rubber feet
(HxWxD)
257 x 161 x 200mm
(10.1 x 6.3 x 7.9")
312 x 191 x 242mm
(12.3 x 7.5 x 9,5")
355 x 218 x 285mm
(14 x 8.6 x 11.2")
• Weight
5kg (16.1lb)
6.5kg (20.7lb)
8.5kg (28.2lb)
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 possibilities. 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.
04
ALPHA 50
ALPHA 65
ALPHA 80
Alpha 50, the most compact of the line, is
equipped with a 1" (25mm) tweeter and a 5"
(13cm) woofer. It features a 20W amplifier for
the tweeter and a 35W amplifier for the woofer, and has a frequency response of 45Hz to
22kHz (+/-3dB). It is perfectly adapted for
confined spaces.
Alpha 65 is equipped with a 1" (25mm) tweeter
and a 61/2" (16.5cm) woofer. It features a 35W
amplifier for the tweeter and a 70W amplifier
for the woofer, and has a frequency response
of 40Hz to 22kHz (+/-3dB). This model performs just as well with instrumental music as
with electronic music, and is characterised by
its great versatility.
Alpha 80, the flagship of the line, is equipped
with a 1" (25mm) tweeter and an 8" (21cm)
woofer. It features a 40W amplifier for the
tweeter and a 100W amplifier for the woofer,
and has a frequency response of 35Hz to
22kHz (+/-3dB). This model is particularly ideal
for producing music which is rich in bass or
which requires high power reserves.
Aluminum inverted dome tweeter
Low directivity: keeps the same sound
throughout the room.
2 constantly active XLR and RCA inputs
Connect up to 2 audio sources.
Polyglass cone
Damping and rigidity: neutrality, no distortion.
Adjustable bass and treble levels
Optimal acoustic integration.
Large front port
Tonal balance is identical at low and high volumes.
Low sensitivity to the effect of walls.
Automatic standby mode
Reduced power consumption.
ALPHA 50
ALPHA 65
ALPHA 80
• Frequency response (+/- 3dB)
45Hz - 22kHz
40Hz - 22kHz
35Hz - 22kHz
• Maximum SPL
103dB SPL (peak @ 1m)
106dB SPL (peak @ 1m)
109dB SPL (peak @ 1m)
• Input
- Type /Impedance
- Connectors
- XLR : balanced 10kOhms
- RCA : unbalanced 10kOhms
with sensitivity compensation
- XLR : balanced 10kOhms
- RCA : unbalanced 10kOhms
with sensitivity compensation
- XLR : balanced 10kOhms
- RCA : unbalanced 10kOhms
with sensitivity compensation
• LF amplifier stage
• HF amplifier stage
35W, class AB
20W, class AB
70W, class AB
35W, class AB
100W, class AB
40W, class AB
- After about 30 minutes
without using the monitor
- By signal detection >3mV
- After about 30 minutes
without using the monitor
- By signal detection >3mV
- After about 30 minutes
without using the monitor
- By signal detection >3mV
• Power supply
- Mains voltage
- THE VOLTAGE CAN NOT BE MODIFIED
220-240V
(fuse T500mAL / 250V)
or 100-120V
(fuse T1AL / 250V)
220-240V
(fuse T800mAL / 250V)
ou 100-120V
(fuse T1.6AL / 250V)
220-240V
(fuse T1.6AL / 250V)
ou 100-120V
(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
- LF shelving (0 - 300Hz)
- HF shelving (4.5 - 22kHz)
- Power ON / OFF
Adjustable, 0 or +6dB
Adjustable, +/-6dB
Adjustable, +/-3dB
Power ON/OFF switch on rear panel
Adjustable, 0 or +6dB
Adjustable, +/-6dB
Adjustable, +/-3dB
Power ON/OFF switch on rear panel
Adjustable, 0 or +6dB
Adjustable, +/-6dB
Adjustable, +/-3dB
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
• Woofer
5" (13cm) drive unit
Polyglass cone
6.5" (16.5cm) drive unit
Polyglass cone
8" (21cm) drive unit
Polyglass cone
• Tweeter
1" (25mm) drive unit
Aluminum inverted dome
1" (25mm) drive unit
Aluminum inverted dome
1" (25mm) drive unit
Aluminum inverted dome
• 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
• Dimensions with 4 rubber pads (HxWxD)
12.3"x8.7"x10.2"
(313x220x258mm)
13.7"x9.9"x12.2"
(348x252x309mm)
15.6"x11.3"x13.7"
(397x287x348mm)
• Weight
16.1lbs (7.3kg)
20.7lbs (9.4kg)
28.2lbs (12.8kg)
Performances
Electronic section
• Auto Standby Mode
- Standby
- Desactivation of standby
Transducers
Cabinet
SPIRIT PROFESSIONAL
Mix check!
The Spirit Professional headphones are the
direct result of Focal’s historical expertise in
the design of high-performance transducers.
In line with the monitoring loudspeakers,
the Spirit Professional headphones ensure
high-quality control of monitoring activities
without exception, freeing professionals from
the acoustic constraints related to the size of
their workstation.
Design: comfort and simplicity
The circum-aural design of the Spirit Professional
headphones was chosen to optimize the
acoustic coupling to the ear. This monitoring
tool for professional recording studios is also
suitable for broadcasting or home studios,
where the noise level is much higher. This is
the reason why these closed-type headphones
were the obvious solution.
• Impedance
32 Ohms
• Sensitivity
102dB SPL/1 mW @ 1kHz
• THD
<0,3%/1kHz/100dB SPL
• Frequency response
5Hz - 22kHz
• Driver
Matched 19/16" (40mm)
Mylar/Titanium
• Weight
0.6lbs (280g)
The frequency of use and the length of
time they are used for are two of the most
important aspects to take into account when
designing professional headphones.
The optimisation of the comfort of the
headphones was essential. Thus, the choice to
use memory foam for the ear-pieces and the
headband ensures a perfect fit regardless
of user’s morphology. Moreover, the large
ear-pieces guarantee a remarkable insulation,
whilst reducing the pressure level.
Finally, the Black Textured finish gives the
headphones a simplistic look and as well as a
shock- and scratch-resistant quality.
Acoustics: neutrality and transparency for
total control
The close attention paid to the design of the
Mylar/Titanium alloy drivers ensures sound
> Black Textured finish.
reproduction which respects the original
dynamics of the audio signal without distortion, preventing auditory fatigue.
The neutrality of tonal balance combined with
the remarkably high-definition enable the
reproduction of all audio signals, even at the
lowest of listening volumes.
Finally, work on the acoustical load of the
transducers has resulted in articulated bass
worthy of open-style headphones, but with
the advantages of insulation.
The low-impedance OFC coiled cable (13ft/4m)
enhances the transparency of sound, an
important concept for the brand.
January 2017
March 2017
EXP - GB
Focal® is a registered trademarks of Focal-JMlab®. Non-binding pictures. Photos L’Atelier Sylvain Madelon. SCAB170119/2 - PC1083
Due to constant technological advances, Focal-JMlab® reserves its right to modify prices and specifications without notice.
EXP - GB
studio monitors
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Focal-JMlab® - BP 374 - 108, rue de l’Avenir - 42353 La Talaudière cedex - France - +33 (0) 477 435 700
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