Getting ACTIVE: Focal Alpha 65 EVO Monitors
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- Опубліковано 31 лип 2024
- The Audiophiliac goes deep with the Focal Alpha 65 EVO.
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I like this direction Steve! More studio monitors for us musicians, and those otherwise interested, please! 🎶🤘
It's interesting to see you review this speaker. About 11/2 my present neighbor moved in next door. Out in the counrty. He converted the back part of the garage into a recording studio. When he finally had it all set up these were the speakers he has in his set up.
Fun that you are reviewing powered speakers. I am a huge fan as they can be a cost effective way of getting ideal synergy between speakers and amplifiers.
Thanks Steve, I've been waiting for your take on Get Back. Looking forward to it.
The "Pay-Off" after 9 hours is worth it! Wow, this was so well done.
The Genelec looks like an old timey drive-in theater speaker.
Hey. Just seen get back before this video. Half 2 and part 3 today. As you say,interesting to see all things around the making. But the fun begins when they give up the project and get into the studio. Pure pleasure =) so you have the best in front of u.
Audiophiliac in the world of pro audio. I approve it! :)
That was a sweet Viewer system. Seriously considering the Genelec monitors for my DJ setup. I'm glad you did the comparison; that was useful info'. Thanks.
Love the Viewers system of the day..! Thanks Steve…
Yay, Steve! I may never hear one of these, or any other pro monitors, but I like to be exposed to your thinking and your impressions of the whole wide world of audio. Keep up the good work, and, please, give our best to Mrs. A.
Thanks Chris!
Like your videos. So glad to hear from a professional reviewer that he also find a lot of (pop?) recordings terribly harsh. You make my day with this observation! Better not spend a lot of money at audiophile equipment (as to some extend I did) because it results in disliking a great number of recordings… But the good news is that there are some really excellent recordings as well.
Just buy a Dynaudio, master tweeter builders. Their tweeters can ride out most bumpy recordings.
Great video thank you. Your point about putting the speakers away from a wall is a good one. I’d just add that with rear ported speakers it is even more important. If you think about the wavelengths of lower frequencies, say 20 hz for example, that’s a one meter long wavelength. Surely then with a rear ported speaker you should have at least one metre clearance to avoid standing waves.
I just bought these on your rec. never had studio monitors. like you said they sound fantastic or terrible depending on the recording + it doesn’t gloss over scratchy vinyl. that said, the 65 sounds great in my small philly room, hopefully not annoying the other residents. tons of clarity for the $, good call!
France!! WE COME FROM FRANCE!! Best SNL skit!
General design reminds me of the popular KRK monitors. I wasnt so hot about Focal until I caught their factory tour video, these guys do it ALL in house! Transducer production to the cabinets, to BURN IN! They burn all of thier products in at the facotry! Awesome!
Hello Steve. Big Beatles fan here. I had COVID (not too badly) and sat and watched the whole documentary in two gos. Just fascinating hearing the songs in early versions and evolving. Anyway, am in the market for monitors and wanted to bring Kali Audio to your attention. They make a budget three-way speaker which are close competitors of the Focals and would love to here your thoughts on the in-8's and whether the three-way design makes a difference.
Listening to this on Focal Alpha 80's.
Very honest review and comparison.
Great idea to review studio monitors! :-)
The highlight for me in the first Get Back film is how happy the gentlemen is playing the hammer in the first take of Maxwell's Silver Hammer. Watch his face and tell me he is not thinking, "I am playing with the Beatles! Holy..."
Thanks Steve! I was wondering how the Evo’s sound. I have the prior model of Alpha 65’s which has class ab amplifiers and am quite happy with them however like you said if the recording isn’t good these speakers will let you know. I may have to check out the Genelec line up one day however I’m still enjoying the rp600m’s with Nad d3045 and SVS micro 3000. (Sound familiar?)
I prefer those old alpha 65's to these new Evo range. I've been trying to find them but all the stores only seem to have the new Evo. Let me know if you're getting rid 👍🏿
Hey Steven I think you once said Cornwalls were good at noticing changes to system . Do you think the same would happen with the Forte IV? Built a system using rp-600m which I enjoy very much. With your reviews and others I'm having a blast!!! Plus a great listening space. Thank you
Whereas powered monitors have been around for many years, I'm glad someone, like yourself, has chosen to take notice. Since pro monitors seem to all have built-in Amplifiers, they are not very attractive to audiophiles who prefer to pick and match amplifiers and speakers individually. I, on the other hand, live in both worlds listening for professional reasons, as well as for pleasure. Pro monitors perform a specific duty as a tool to facilitate recording and mix decisions. The advantage of on-board amplification is that the parameters of amp to each speaker driver can more accurately and efficiently be implimented. I first encountered bi-amped and tri-amped monitors back in 1969, designed and built by Thomas Hidley specifically for main monitoring in guaranteed recording studio control rooms. While a powered monitor has an advantage for pro work, NO speaker will operate well in a poor acoustic environment. These smaller designs will allow better placement in small spaces as near-field monitors, facilitating being further from side and front walls. Good for studios, not so much for the living room.., but not out of the question either.
It's like everything, you also have crazy expensive proacs, ATC, augspurger and even more esoteric studio monitors brands that works with external amplifiers. It depends of the price point
@@alexandre7634 Careful design over price are the deciding factor in monitors for recording and mixing., not to mention the accidents (Yamaha NS10s come to mind).
@@bentaylor3984 in general, the main monitors in studios like larrabee or capitol are also crazy expensive, I'm not talking about references but the mains
@@alexandre7634 If you own a professional studio like Larrabee, Record Plant or Capital etc, with professionally designed control rooms and studios, you're going to want monitors to match the rooms. That does cost money. Once you build the rooms properly, you're not likely to want to skimp on monitors. Those monitor need to be tuned and matched to the space for professional results. Trickling down to smaller console mounted reference, or mix monitors, powered speakers become useful as many have small incremental adjustments to facilitate accuracy at that location. Their size, and versatility often makes transporting them to other location much easier.
Certainly nowhere near the level of the Genelecs or the Focals, but I recently bought a Kali Audio LP-8 v2 [2nd Wave] and love them!
Check out the smaller brother, the 6.
Erin has done some recent testing on Kalis
I have a pair of these. I like them. For this price range, this was my choice, couldn t find better ones ;)
I would have thought if you put the dust caps on the tweeters should help calm down balance then out. really speakers like that like a good quality valve preamp to drive them something like the KR audio p135.
you should try the tannoy gold series 8 monitor coaxial driver
very good for the money about $209 each, ab amplification tone gain.
another fantastic studio monitors should look at is a 3-way monitor
is the kali sudio in-8 2nd wave,
a USA company very highly regarded speaker about £350 each
I find myself wondering about the pre-amp that you used for this setup, Steve. Please consider enlightening us!
@@keplermission4947 Preamps definitely matter. The Pass HPA-1 is definitely a fantastic one despite being their cheapest!
really sweet home viewer set up wow
Please pretty please, do review the new Adams T7A, I've listened to the review from others but I so love the spin you put on it :)
I wonder what Steve used as other equipment for the review, a topping DAC with balance outputs? a preamp with balanced ouputs? The Jays Audio CD player has no volume pod.
🙄🤤love his Shirts..👍
Nice, one more good baby speaker. btw your reviewed Genelec model is not part of the pro studio series, but the more affordable home desktop systems
It’s almost exactly the same as the equivalent pro monitor, they claim they don’t sound any different.
Can I connect these to TA20 tube amp its is 8ohm minimum. I can't understand the ...10kohm
I recommend trying out Neumann KH 120. Really cool active studio monitors that sound great, as long as you’re listening to a decent mix.
Hey Steve, have you ever come across Sonodyne Speakers? If yes, would love to hear your take on them.
Can you tell how the tweeter self-noise is compared to the Genelecs?
You should get recording studio gear and review it. We would love it
I've fallen for my old, used powered monitors. Inexpensive pair, MIC, Behringer B3030A. 6,75" woofer, ribbon tweeter. After big pair, I hear they are smaller. But after a good night sleep, they sound great, articulate, with more volume decent low end - and no fatigue on ears after 12 hours of moderate volume listening, UA-cam or TV.
Are Alpha 65 evo suitable for listening to music / watching movies? In silent conditions, is the hiss / noise floor audible at a distance of 1 meter?
what goes around ... Steve , Ya remember back in the day EPI ( a new company ) made very good mid price spks with ' inverted dome' tweeters..... AR of course invented domes a decade before or so. ps - yes to tone controls. and ... Beatle redone discs - concerning the sound ( note Led zeppelin mention ) are the new products a + or actually too revealing of early recording technology at Apple ?
I wish all tweeters were an innie. It would make them less tempting for toddlers to jam their fingers into them!
can I connect the Focal Sub One to the EVO 50????
Powered speakers take the decision about choice of amplification out of the hands of the audiophile. Could this be a problem?
I am trying to decide between the Focal Evo 65s or the Adam Audio T8Vs.
Steve please do a video review of Dynaudio Special 40’s!
Can you put links to the music you mention in the details? Thanks!
I have a pair of Focal Chorus V speakers attached to my Pioneer SX 780. Am now debating whether or not to hook up a subwoofer.
The new "Let It Be" vinyl sounds pretty good, btw. In some ways better than my original pressing, in other ways different not necessarily worse, but different.
If you want more bass, add a sub. If you want better sound get a better amp. For example, an Atoll
IN50 Signature
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac oh wow, I'm very glad that you recommend this amazing and sweet sounding amplifier. I have got the Atoll IN 50 SE by myself and I love this device.
Would these speakers sound good using vinyl as a source? What phono preamp with volume control would you recommend?
... You always deserve it, Steve.
"Your commitment is assured"
I sent my 65 EVO’s back. The sound was rich, lush and warm and the fit and finish was impeccable but….upper mid range has this little sharp spot around 3kHz. Electric guitars and mid range piano key strikes were a bit piercing. After about 30 minutes I would get annoyed and start turning the volume down and messing with the tone controls trying to smooth it out. Eventually it got on my last nerve. I hate that because these are really nice speakers.
Not knowing the first thing about any of this, but somehow having this in my feed for the last few weeks, i'm getting really curious about how some speakers make "bad recordings" sound better? What makes a speaker a truth-teller, or a harshness-smoother?
That's a very, very good question :-)
One way you can make a cr*p record sound good is by listening through gear that is not resolving enough to reveal the flaws, or that is veiled by design.
Use transparent, resolving, revealing gear. The kind that some people call "clinical" or "analytical" (and not "musical" enough. :-)
Vintage gear had switches for "pop filters" and "rumble filters". What did they do? They chopped away the highs (where snaps, crackles and pops lived) and the lower bass (where the sound of bad bearings in turntables OR records 'lived')
Open, honest and above board.
But High Fidelity is about reproducing sound "as is", not about veiling the flaws.
Maybe if more people noticed those flaws and objected to them the record reviews would mention the fact. Poor quality may even (shock, horror) lead to lower sales!
Recording outfits would try to clean up their act or be exposed to public shame. Musicians would impose clauses concerning quality, there might even be... Lawsuits?! ...If poor quality led to stained reputation and lower revenue streams?.
Manufacturers are not responsible for the bad recordings. But they do opt in a few cases to sell "fun" instead of "art". To sell presumed "happiness" instead of "audio", the "audio" that "audio-philes" crave. That's up to you to decide.
In the meantime, use the most revealing gear you can find, and if a recording is of poor quality don't hesitate to mention it in public fora.
Maybe the rotten apples in the recording industry can be shamed or worried into honesty and quality.
Try if possible a focal solo 6be, they are interesting studio monitor’s
The Genelec G & F Series are similar to their professional products but are oriented to the general market. So definitely different objectives.
Genelec says the pro and consumer speakers, model for model, sound the same.
Wow. Some extra money on the side with basically the same product. Smart. Lol. I guess this is "trickle down" at work.
Would be nice to some also better Active Monitors in this reviews (2k€ upwards). Unity Audio, Neumann, ATC, PSI Audio :-)
Huge majority of FOCAL products are made in France. Wonderful stuff!
Are they not made in China?
@@preservemaui2874 made in saint ETIENNE near Lyon ….France
@@preservemaui2874
My pair of Evo 65s say made in China. Only some of the parts are made by Focal France.
That Genelec looks like a flintstones speaker vs the focals which looks like a Ferrari.
Ah man!
May I ask how you connected them to a streamer? Which model? I’m not familiar with XLR connects
The XLR inputs don’t sound better or different, don’t sweat it. I used a preamplifier connected to a bluesound node 2i streamer
The XLR inputs don’t sound better or different, don’t sweat it. I used a preamplifier connected to a bluesound node 2i streamer
The XLR inputs don’t sound better or different, don’t sweat it. I used a preamplifier connected to a bluesound node 2i streamer
I believe that the G-3 was made for home listening.
Genelec tells me it sounds the same as their equivalent pro model
Seems like Steve put a lot of thought into this beautiful system. I am thinking about upgrading from the 3.6 R’s It’s a 3.7’s.
Maybe, but I would recommend upgrading the rest of your system before change speakers. Amplifier, unless you already have a really good one that’s the place to start.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac right now I am still using my audio research VT 100 mark three that has just been inspected fully and had a complete tube change. It seems to be a good pairing to my ears. My preamps are PASS phono and linestage and the rest of my sources are of high quality as well. I just switched over from RCA to Synergistic Research Foundations with XLR connectors and will be buying the Foundation speaker cables within a few months. I wanted to correct the deficiencies in the 3.6R’s to a full ribbon model but that can wait since the sound is very enjoyable and present.
I saw a Focal factory tour video, wherein they talked about how their budget line of studio monitors are manufactured in their manufacturing facility in France and that they outsourced their materials from China, to keep the production cost down( & yet, on the rear of the cabinet, it states they are designed in France & made in China?) WTF!?
You basically said that the speakers were truthful, warts and all. This is unlike some monitors that are polite on top and smooth away realism. IE: rather than "fatiguing" , cymbals for example sound distant with tape on the edges. Duller than life. You seem to favor "polite". over vivid. "fatiguing" is often how people describe any music with a realistic treble.
Design look side darts 'borrowed' from Borreson 01 model.
Focal Alpha Evo 50 VS Adam Audio T5V?
Im a PsyTrance artist producer.
I'll be very thankful to get a professional opinion - which should i buy?
What about Tannoy Golds?
The previous alpha were made in china but this ones I read that they were developed and manufactured in France. So incase some one was wondering.
It’s always so cute when audiophiles discover studio monitors. Wait until he hears PMC, ATC or even Adam.
And he’ll cream his pants if he ever gets his hands on barefoot
I'll never forget the first time I heard the Focal Solo6 Be. Raw music files on a MacBook Pro. 10" JL subwoofer. That was 10 years ago. It's like hearing the truth for the first time!
Yea, but they still talk about ,,truth,, and the best when they reviewed all this passive ,,hifi,, stuff. But never heard a pair of ATC or Neumann Speaker
ATC demos at Axpona...
I too come from the pro side and enjoy hearing about others experiencing ATC and other top tier pro offerings for the first time.
Or indeed Focal SM or Trios. The Evos are ok at best
@@vtkzATC have passive hifi speakers btw, have done for decades.
Call me rebellious against the audiophile way, but bass, midrange, and treble controls are very helpful to me.
The two actives you've covered recently have both been class D. time you review an A?B powered speaker. How about Accoustic Energy AE1 it sells here in Britain for about £1000 a pair so, probably in US, in between the Focal and Genelec.
..🤔thats 400 bucks Speaker yours spends the Pound..ok ??
Why Led Zep, not one record was recorded with acceptable levels of sound quality
Steve im a bit confused here as i think u feel in a trap, comparing the sweetness of the two speakers against each other while forgetting that the less sounding better might have been the better speakers as they're meant to sound bad at times accordingly with the recording your playing? So basically it more depends on the record and source your playing or choosing rather than how they sound?
I know it is hard to give sound examples. But please try 😉
Stay hungry... Kali In8 monitor would be interesting...
Genelec looks like a canteen
Focal Evo line seems to be entry level compared to their Shape line.
I think the future of audio is in active speakers, if audiophiles can stop being stuck in the past, and get over the stigma of choosing their own amp and speakers, and matching them will nilly hit and miss, instead of letting the design engineers do that work for them. After all, an active crossover can correct driver anomolies easily that a passive corossover never can
It’s interesting, when you say it’s the future. Active audiophile speakers have been around for a very long time now, Meridian has made nothing but active speakers for 25 or 30 years. So they’ve been here, but with minimal success in the audiophile market. Just because you believe active speakers are the answer. well other people feel differently.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Active rules the world of monitoring in recording studios, like the Genelacs you reviewed recently, where accurate sound is most important for a properly balanced mix
The best of both worlds is active via a standalone DSP crossover. You get extra levels of control by being able to mix and match different amps for each bandpass/driver and access to advanced equalization and signal path delays, and you escape the manufacturer's arbitrary passive crossover design which is a far more significant tonal influence than amp choice IMO. Coils and caps between amp and drivers are not your best friends. Oh, and you get to tailor the sound to YOUR satisfaction while giving yourself a priceless education in speaker voicing and critical listening. Been there done that, and couldn't be happier.
@@naturalverities How does one acquire an ‘active DSP crossover,’ is it part of another, larger, product like an integrated amp or streamer, does it stand alone?
@@jeremiahchamberlin4499 hi! Some are pro audio components called crossovers (some are analog) or speaker managers (e.g. Behringer and DBX) or can be home/car audio accessories such as Mini DSP and Dayton (which I have an am very happy with). My system is 4 bandpass and I use an older 7.1 AVR with discrete analog inputs as a 7 channel power amp (7th channel is L+R summed for a sub). Everyone who hears it is blown away by the dynamics and uncanny realism.
“Subscribe for a month, then cancel”, I just might do it. Steve giving it to the Mouse. You should too.
"Did you know that Focal makes pro monitors?" Actually, I didn't know they make consumer/home/audiophile monitors. No worries; we all come to this from different angles. ;-)
Adam A7V review please. A lot of hype but….
Steve, you have in FRANCE a guy who sale a pair of FOCAL GRAND UTOPIA 2 at 20,000euro....A DREAM.... you can buy them on line, hire a driver and truck, to le havre, ship in container.... between 2000,3000 euro more... just my 0.02euro. BTW, I live in France. Sincerely. Christian
Does it make anyone else cranky that Focal pricing in Europe is about half of what it is in the states? I understand the cost to import and also distributor markup but it seems excessive.
I just checked the price in the UK, 655 pounds per pair versus $900 in the US. So they’re not twice as expensive in the US.
Sorry I should have been more specific. Check out the Aria 948’s. www.homecinesolutions.fr/p/17035-focal-aria-948-dark-ebony
@@joeoberle3237 I like the 948's especially on a MacIntosh amp. Wish they weren't $6k a pair! Same as the Aria 936 K2 (like but haven't heard).
@@johnclark3067 They are half price in France! That’s why I am cranky. lol
There are real French speakers Made in France…Jmr, Kora, Diptyque , Pierre-Étienne LÉON …
9:58 “If you want that neutral studio monitor type sound which is not really the audiophile sound”. Dear Steve, I think you audiophile reviewers have got it all wrong. About this topic on future planned videos on my channel.
Go for it!
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Kudos to you indeed to reply and encourage🙂 First of all, thanks for all you do, I’ve learned so much from you. In comparison, when I criticize Mr perfect / objectivist Amir at “Science” Audio “Review” he doesn’t care to respond (one example is a clear-cut question I wrote to him regarding his recent Genelec review). Steve, I’m exploring the evolution of so-called Hi-Reality Machines. As a hint to one of my planned topics, we have to start discussing “Audiophile” versus “Audiorealism”. Professor Edgar Choueiri at Princeton and people in VR and AR research have grasped it and are on the right track. Regards, Babak, Hi-Reality Sensorium
your shirt looks like the cover of Mickey Hart's "planet drum" lp album.
With all the talk of monitor speakers not coloring the sound in anyway, why is it that we still get so many garbage releases with regard to the sound quality.
Even with great monitors getting a good mix that translates well to many different audio systems and environments requires a lot of engineering skill. The ability of engineers varies. The performance and recording also plays an essential role. Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, and there are some things you can't polish.
@@charleshuguley9903 makes things very difficult for buyers like myself who have high quality audio systems. It’s like buying a pig in a pokeWhen you purchase a CD unless you are really knowledgeable about the different releases, etc.
@@stimpy1226 Kind of how it it is with anything. There are so many factors that contribute to good recorded music. You may appreciate one aspect and not another. Many people like Bob Dylan's basement tapes. No one would say that they're well recorded. General high quality is probably the exception, not the rule.
@@charleshuguley9903 I am very careful with what I purchased now and have no problem returning CDs that stink. I have a few favorite labels that oh my go to’s like MapleShade and quite a few acoustic jazz recordings that sounds pretty amazing. I’ve got well over 2000 CDs in my collection already not to mention my vinyl records.
I saw the first episode of get back and I thought it was kind of boring after a while. I know that Paul said that Yoko Ono was an issue because John was including her In their sessions but I never noticed Paul get upset with her at all. She actually lookd like she was helping them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a big Yoko fan.
there was a time that audiophile products at their best endeavored to be truth tellers. either you're wrong about your characterization of audiophile speakers, or you're basically saying audiophilia is a sad shadow of its former self. and pro monitors never sounded particularly good, nor did most of the most-often-used ones ever tell much of the truth. the key word was (and is) "translation'"-- how does the mixed sound translate to a variety of settings. you don't need the truth for that. you just need to know how what you hear translates.
I thought active speakers were the devil because you can't stuff a giant passive crossover in there and you can't pick an amplifier. Which is it?
I want to build a pair of giant active speakers someday. Price will probably spiral out of control!
I really don't care for the aesthetic appearance of the Genelec at all. What say the rest of you?
Not a problem, these companies make consumer versions, at least some of them do.
Might be kind of cool if you have a "steampunk" theme going on.
Looks ugly and cheap.
I like the fact that’s it’s not another shoebox. The raw finish is interesting too. The whole aesthetic stands out with out sticking out.
Wow, the woofer on these Alpha EVO thingies surely look recycled. And not in a good way. Sadly, I had a chance to listen to some of these Alpha EVOs in a super well treated pro-audio dealer's studio monitor demo room. The woofer worked okay, but not memorably good. The mids were sort of missing (as this is only a 2-way design), and the highs form the crazy-looking twitter were but ear-shatttering shrills. I cannot belive why anyone would purchase these after listening to them first? My suggestion: skip Focal's entry-level Alpha EVO product line-up entirely, and you may have a much better experience with this peculiar French make.
Ahhh,
Made in China,
NOPE.