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I was feeling a wee bit miserable this morning with some of the news, and i then came across one of my favourite,smiling,happy people talking about something i really have no knowledge about.....i just love how this happy enthusiasm is contagious and I'm now all set. Thank you Andrew. David
Owner of the Chora 806 and 826, Aria 906 and 948. People have called me ridiculous for liking the Choras more (806 vs 906). The 826 and 948 arent comparable for obvious reasons so Ill leave that out. The Choras are brighter speakers, but in a very classy way. The sharp highs are not like other speakers with boosted treble, the Choras get bright because of the lifted off axis response paired to a rather linear on axis response. This makes the highs bearable and very spacious. Think of the Choras as Dalis, you can use the Chora with zero toe in and that should douse the excessive treble at your MLP for a more neutral response, the Arias need a little toe in. It is also more dynamic than the Aria, which I love. Mids are more forward on the Choras, they bring the singer out into the room while keeping other things a step or 2 back. The Arias are warmer with the flax cones, giving the impression of being overdamped. Bass is tighter on the Arias and they seem to go a wee bit lower but that dont matter to me because Im running subs. Subs are a must, even for the 948s if you want full range. Now I heard the Vestia No.1s and No.4s recently and I like them more than my own Arias. The Vestias dont sound as overdamped as the Arias, most probably because of the slatefiber cones? *shrugs*. The top end of the Vestia is more refined too. This might be a con to some people and will sound less exciting next to the Aria and especially the Chora but I bet that the Vestias will measure better than the Choras and Arias objectively (we have enough spins of the Choras and Arias to know why they sound like what Andrew described). With every new release, it seems like Focal is taming its treble heading towards neutrality, take a look at the Chorus, Chora and now the Theva and Vestia. They are getting less bright, which can be a good thing because quite a few people are saying Focals are too bright. A step in the right direction for the company. One thing that the Aria have over the Chora and Vestia is the cabinet quality; the Arias look way classier too. No competition there. So now the current lineup is as so: Theva, Vestia, Aria, Kanta, Sopra and Utopia. The first 2 are using slatefiber cones, the middle 2 are using flax cones and the top 2 are using W cones. The bottom 3 are using Al/Mg tweeters and the top 3 are using beryllium tweeters. There is a pattern here and I guess this is what Focal wanted and aimed for. On a side note, Im not saying the flax is better than slatefiber, but it sure gives a warmer overdamped sound as we can hear from the Arias and Kantas. I personally like the slatefiber more. Since I cannot afford the big jump to the Kantas, I might switch the 948 for the Vestia No4. Some people might call that a bad move, but I like how the Vestia sounds more than the Aria, particularly in the mids. Wished there was a Chora 848 but that dont exist. People will go for Focals for the huge soundstage and imaging, detail retrival, transparency and clarity, speed, agility and definition in the bass. Deep bass isnt in Focal's dictionary, at least not in their lower lineups. Lol!
I’ve owned the Chorus 836V’s for about 8 years now, I power them with the Musical Fidelity M2si. I have no desire to upgrade. I think Focal is trying too hard to make a speaker line that is affordable.
Wow spot on comparison. I thought the same of the aria 906. Most people won't like them but someone looking for that dampened studio monitor sound will love them.
Wow Dude! That's the review I was looking for. I own 806's and 826's and was wondering how they compare to the Aria's and Vestia's. Now I have a pretty good idea. I'll stick with the Chora's for now. I love how percussive and energetic they are!
@@scottborenstein8291 I think Focal found so much success with the Chora's that they realized they should try to capture more of the lower end of hifi and so they split the line into two. The Theva's are basically Chora's with a smaller enclosure. Personally I was hoping for a Chora with more/tighter bass but it looks like I'm left in the dark!
@@bearclaw5115 the choras are great, especially the 826. Treat first reflection points on the side walls, floor and ceiling for the most neutral response. Since the peak of the bump is at 8khz, a thin absorbing material would suffice, no need for a 6 inch thick panel. If treatment isnt an option, lowering the treble knob on your amp would be great too since most treble controls are centered around 10khz. Zero toe in will also help, and as an added bonus, a larger soundtage!
These reviews continue to be the best on UA-cam. I'm getting interested in smaller speakers these days. I'm going to throw this out there, in case it sparks a video idea: I'm investigating wall and/or in-ceiling speakers for my family room Hi-Fi 2-channel, since I have multiple kids under 4 years old who would LOVE to poke a speaker cone if they can find or reach one. Most of what I find is home theater oriented, and I have no idea how to get good musical sound from wall/ceiling speakers, or if I should even try.
We have four sets of speakers and three amplifiers, two of which are Classe D. Focal Chora 816 light wood, Dali Fazon F 5, Dali Spektor 6 Dali Zensor 5. Piega tmicro 6 (sold) yes, I know it's a bit much, and we switch regularly. We were real Dali Fans, but now that we have discovered Focal, it will not be long before we start selling all Dali's. and that says something. As I mentioned before, perfectly balanced sound and especially broad spectrum where the speaker disappears as it were. Dali certainly doesn't have that or far too little. Amplifiers are Primare i25 Prisma Silver, Denon Dra800H Silver, Denon Ceol N11 White. Primare and de Ceol are both Classe D, dra800 AB. the first two sound better than the dra800, the latter consumes more energy than the first two. the dra800 all Eco modes are off, speaker/levels are both set to 12DB+, only then does the dra800 sound good, everything is set to save energy by default, it sounds really bad. Consumption with eco off 37 Watt per hour. Class D consumption around 16 Watt Ceol, and Primare 20 Watt. Primare is a great amp, lots of power, very good open details in the sound, certainly doesn't sound analytical or sterile as some claim. This class D (NOT DIGITAL) as many also claim at NAD, it is an energy efficient circuit 90% efficient with energy. Circuit is above the AB as far as I'm concerned, perfect sound as the artist intended, or what you like, that's what you like :). The great thing is that despite the few components in the device, it could give the feeling that it can never sound perfect. I thought so too, the opposite is true. Nice side effect energy efficient, future proof. upgrade possible, but very expensive for an upgrade for a dac more than € 900 Primare, Nad around € 500, not cheap either.
Interesting and helpful review, thank you. But the one thing that stood out from the review is the different camera angles!! Yes I noticed. You two are the benchmark of audio review production quality! But to be honest it feels you got into a pump it out Thursday/Sunday routine... wash, rinse, repeat routine. Please..Please don't take this as a negative criticism... I can only imagine the enormous effort and work that never shows up on camera.. just saying I loved the slight angle changes keep it fresh for yourselves..thank you for everything you do!
In case anyone is interested. The focal aria line is on sale. I've wanted the Focal 906 for some time but haven't quite pulled the trigger. You can pick up the 906 for the starting price of $998 to $1318. The finish determines the price point. "What's Hifi" gives them five stars and they come highly recommended by many audiophiles.
Dear Andrew and Kristi, following a review from you regarding Focal speakers. Which told you that everything was just right and it sounds perfect. We are now the happy owners of Focal Chora 816 light wood, and your story is exactly right, the soundstage is excellent, tight bass, perfect mids. The sound is comparable to the old school Philips fb800 series, Philips stood for perfect balanced sound, which I now fortunately find back at Focal. If I had discovered this brand earlier, it would have saved me thousands of euros. I think my long search is now coming to an end. what a delight. Thanks again for your perfect advice 👍.
I feel like we’re starting to have a problem with market over saturation, which in return will cause consumer fatigue and loss of sales ultimately. When you have 3 different lines of speakers from the same manufacturer that are within a couple of hundred bucks of each other, besides the rest of the market there as well, it’s a problem. I love the approach B&W has, one bottom line, the middle line starts where bottom tops out or slightly below that, then the top line starts where the middle tops out. It makes sense. This to me doesn’t. It’s awesome to have a solid option, but it’s becoming more and more difficult to make a choice in this market. Great review guys! Hope everyone is enjoying their day! P.S. dear Focal - stop putting a million words on the front of the speakers. I don’t care what marketing bs you named your speakers with. I just want them to look pretty. Thank you.
Amen. Too many lines. And too many words. My Kanta look slightly cheap because of all the wording (in different fonts nonetheless). I don't need it to tell me there's a Beryllium speaker, I know that. Made in France... yeah, but... put it at the back? Looks much more premium that way.
@@bearclaw5115 consumers do care. Because when you have that many lines of product, that are practically identical in most ways aside for tiny differences all at different price points, it makes it harder to make a decision, it also oversaturates the market and causes consumer fatigue. Instead of having 3-4 great options, you have 20 options, even if they are all great, that’s just too many to choose from and make an educated decision.
@@ArthaxtaDaVince777 The Aria lineup hasn't change since it was introduced in 2014. I would hope a newer speaker line for about the same price could compete to beat that. The Aria is also the last speaker in their lineup not using new naming scheme like Kanta #1 or Sopra #1. I don't think they're going to kill the Aria line, but I do think they're going to be upgraded soon-ish and hit somewhere in the current $6,000 price gap between Aria and Kanta.
I guess you gotta keep the product line moving. I have the Aria 906 and adore them so not in the market but always interesting to see what brands do to extend their lines. Thanks for the review.
I recently auditioned both the Vestia 1 and the Sonus Faber Sonetto II. The Sonetto probably had more high end detail, but also seemed brighter than the Vestia. It became fatiguing after a while. The Vestias were mellower, very enjoyable, and good at all volume levels. I rarely listen at 80dB or above. The bass was adequate but I wouldn't mind a bit more. For bass in a bookshelf the Dynaudio Heritage Special is the best I've heard, they are in a class of their own.
I own a pair of Chorus 706 since a few years, paired with a marantz pm6006. These combination produces a very precise and elegant sound. But I would never pair the focals with bright sounding amps.
I think with many things enthusiast, you get to a certain quality and performance level where you begin to just split hairs besides what options are also available. For the price, quality and options you get its really hard for me to beat Klipsch The Fives, Sevens, Nines for my multipurpose uses.
Great review,i especially like the focus on which speaker works good close to the front-back wall. And i am interested for the future and too see how much you need to spend on a bookshelf speaker and get a similar reaction as with the kef r11😌
Good review. As a former chora owner everything under the Sopra is pretty meh and everything up to and over is pretty good but way over priced in the US.
Good afternoon guys, I hope you guys are doing great today for me. I would have to agree with Kristi Klipsch would win this one for me. The only thing I don't like about Klipsch are the finishes so I'd have to agree with you on that one. Andrew, it's one of those things where they need to step their color game up and give you something a little bit more. Pizzazz.. but there's just something about that horn loaded speaker that I love and I don't think I could ever turn back. And as far as the focal all you did was touch it and you still can't get the fingerprint off. I don't know if I could deal with that. 😅 Nice video guys! Enjoy the rest of your day
@@gavriushka yeah I constantly wipe my piano black speakers down because the the hair from the animals and everything like that dust it just drives me insane as well
Nice review guys. FOCAL makes greet powered speakers widely used as reference studio monitors in studios across the world. I would love to hear your take on how they perform as audiophile option. Especially Shape and/or Solo series range.
i had a chance at a dealer's, to A/B the Aria Evo X 1 with this Vestia 1. the tweeter gave very good quality sound for the price. the bass/midrange however, you will be disappointed with if you are familiar with the Aria. In comparison, it is muddied. Was considering getting them to have the option to A/B or A&B, but the difference was too noticeable. I cannot step down to the Vestia since I own Aria 926. For someone starting out, the Vestia's treble, imaging is incredibly good for the price. They would be an acceptable starter speaker until you can get the funds together for Aria speakers.
Very good in-depth review to get a sense about Vestia. It goes with my experience with Aria vs Chorus. So I decided on Chorus. And I agree with a subwoofer addition.
"The new pioneer 805" subtle foreshadowing. Hey looking forward to that. But with the new 3 products from the three, can you guys also test with dirac live bass control. I know you guys do dirac already, but these new ones have the bass addon upgrade, and also available. So your take on that would be nice
The Chora bookshelfs I have demo in a big hifi audio store , my experience was not good , they suffered separation problem the same as the b&w 707 s2, my go to would be polk r200 for the money-but they need/love powerful amp , my nad t758 just perfect for most speakers Thank you.
You guys are my favorite reviewers offering intelligent, honest, credible & well produced reviews with some fun factors too! But I have to ask/comment that the majority of new bookshelf speakers are not breaking with new or intriguing levels of performance. I think manufacturers need to innovate and expand the drivers size or amounts to keep things interesting e.g. going 3 way with either concentric drivers of even a 3"mid so that bass isn't the main void in them. Ex. like Polk (LSiM), newer with Wharfedale Evo 4.2, Elac Uni-fi and NHT C3 to name a few that provide a fuller sound and more range. I just can't see buying these no bass, thin mids bookies anymore unless they go at least into the mid 40hz range. Don't get me wrong many of them look sexy but those babies ain't got" back" lol
Would be great if you got in to reviewing some home audio studio equipment. There are a lot of folks now setting up home recording through Interfaces, DAW’s, Mics, and Monitors, etc. Your thoughts and expertise would be great there as well. 👍🏻
Believe it or not my "studio" has shrunk down to a laptop and (maybe) headphones on my kitchen island --yes, I do all the editing and post production of these videos on a laptop in my kitchen. While I've spent a lot of time in studios for both music and movie post production, I'm not sure I'm the best person to cover the topic seeing as how I don't have a home studio anymore.
The big thing at the moment (May 2023) is that in the UK, you can buy the Aria line for much less than the Vestia line of speakers, with the Aria 906 being around £50 cheaper than the Vestia No 1. But that is nothing compared with the Aria 926 and 936. With cheapest I have seen the 926 being £1199, which is a steal compared with the Vestia no2 which is £1799. It gets even more impressive, with the Aria K2 926 going for £1499 and the Aria K2 936 going to £1999, which again is much cheaper than the Vestia no3 and no4 by £400 and £600 respectively. So at the moment, if you can find the right deal, you can get an absolute bargain and I would say the Aria's look for more impressive than the Vestia.
We're not that lucky in the US. Staying Brand New, the Vestia #1 is $1,199 while the Aria 906 can be found new at $1,756. Most Focals in the US are hideously overpriced in the US compared to Europe. Even with shipping, I can save over $2,000 ordering a pair of Kanta #1 from Europe compared to buying them at a US dealer.
I listened to it to replace my beloved Focal Chora 806 bookshelves.... After that I've seen that it would be an upgrade to them, the ligh wood finish is very-very nice... But as I have a marantz 40n, I thought I could do better. Than I made a mistake an auditioned - with my own amplifier - a new speaker from a new vendor, Revival Audio. I ended up with the Atalante 3 pair. Of course, the price was much higher :D around 2200-2300 euros :) and it's very different experience as the Focal tends to expose the highs and mid highs and pushes the vocal and guitar and other strings to my face, the Atalantes are more neutral, the voice is moved backward - comparing to the Focal style - and they have bass response for sure.... But I chose them eventually because: I found them more balanced and better sounding than other balanced speakers and this is my main point - to me, the Vestias were not a big step forward in a small room (22 m2, typical Central European living room size) and seemed similar.
I recently purchased a pair of Focal Aria 926 and man do they sound great. However, I always thought they sounded a bit " lean " lack of body or warmth in the mids. Would adding a subwoofer make a noticeable in that regard ? Thank for the great video.
Adding a sub to flesh out the speaker's bottom end and take them down into the 20Hz region will also result in the sensation of more midrange weight or heft so long as you set up the subwoofer correctly and don't let it overpower the mids.
Hi Andrew! Thank you for a nice review. I didn't expect a video today. That was a plus! I have a few questions for you. How do you feel about the fiber cones in these speakers? Do you find that paper or fiber woven cones sound different as opposed to - for instance - the cones on the R200s or M16? Which do you prefer and why?
Treble dropping off that much starting at around 1500kh seems really odd, It’s maybe just more confusing than helpful to do in room measurements; that might be because of your floor etc? Or how many mic measurements do you take usually
In my opinion, if a loudspeaker cannot reproduce all types of music equally, then there is something wrong with it. Even my first pair of speakers i bought in 1965, the Goodmans Axiom 201 full range 12 inch drivers, which were installed in home made boxes, could handle all types of music effortlessly. Today, it is all about colouration, to appeal to certain types of listeners.
I listened to the Aria K2 936 and the Vestia N° 2 a few weeks ago. A few days earlier I listened to the Snonus Faber Lumina 3. Both Focal and Sonus Faber with the same amplifier: Marantz Model 40N. TO ME the Sonus Fabers sound much much better. Focal was a bit of a disappointment. I probably had too high expectations of the Focals, which have been my (wet) dream since I was a kid. I'm almost sure I'll buy the Sonetto 5.
@@MrBravo143First of all, apologies for my bad English. The sound between Vestia and Aria K2 is similar, in the K2 it is a little more "precise" and detailed. For me the difference in sound is too small compared to the price delta. Vestias have better value for money. I would never spend 4k on K2. Sonus Faber is warmer, fuller, more detailed and precise and the soundstage is bigger... I really liked those speakers, especially for the price (I'm not saying they are cheap). These are just my 2cents, I'm no expert and I'm not saying the Focals sound bad, I'm just saying I didn't like them, so if there's any Focal fans, pity me!
@@who83 You might try a set of Aria 906s with the flax woofer. While not as warm as a Dynaudio or other soft dome tweeter, the flax driver does give you a bit more warmth compared to the cold precision of the K2.
I don't understand where these new lines fall. Above the Chora but below the Aria? It just makes things a bit confusing. Maybe I just prefer it when speaker manufacturers have a lineups that follow the "good, better, best" philosophy.
Though there is already Kanta, Sopra and Utopia. Clearly, Focal needs more lines than that because it starts at expensive and reaches to "are you insane", and there are differences (though listening in different rooms with different amps, the Sopras weren't miles above the Kanta... to me at least). But I suppose with a company like Focal, 5 lines would be fine? Budget, affordable, midrange, expensive and 1-percenter.
@@kadajawi2 I think Focal screwed things up when they got rid of the 100X Electra series and replaced it with 2 lines: Kanta and Sopra. That was the beginning of adding too many lines.
The Aria is the only line Focal currently has that uses the old numbering system. With Arias also on sale, I'm thinking the Aria replacement is coming "soon" (the Aria line dates to 2014) and will probably get moved up into the $3K range for bookshelves so there's not $6,000 gap in their speaker lineup.
We can't always compare every speaker to every other speaker I'm afraid. I do my best to come up with comparisons that I hope are helpful and relatable.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I have tried a lot of different placements. Straight, at a slight angle, at a greater angle and directly to my ears. It was about 2.5-3 meters from my listening position, at Norstone Stylum 2 stands, 30 cm between front wall and back of the speakers. It was run by Pioneer VSX-LX305 with Dirac calibration (using included microphone) and without calibration. Fatigue was there. Few songs and my head was pulsing. So I have returned them and I bought Amphion Argon3S. A lot warmer speakers. What I have noticed was that the Focal had better instrument separation, but the bubble where music sounded good was very small. Middle seat on a sofa is my main listening position and on the seat next to it (about 60 cm) mids and highs were muffled. On the other hand Amphion has a worse separation of instruments, but these boxes do not tire me at all and the music sounds good anywhere on the couch 🤗 I'd like to take the opportunity to say thank you for your and Kristi's work 🥰 I'm a FOMO guy and without you I would waste money on too expensive audio equipment. Thanks to your reviews I bought Pioneer VSX-LX305 receiver, pair of Kanto YU passive for surround, pair of Kanto YU6 for my home office setup and pair of Kanto YU6 for my friend's birthday. This speakers/receiver sounds G R E A T enough to let me stop searching for something better. Probably I will add miniDSP 2x4 HD to my HO setup and out of curiosity, I will go to showroom to listen to Polk R700. And THAT'S IT! Besos from Poland Ludwik
Be very afraid of kittens muahahaha. In all seriousness, if you stand mount, make sure they are secured to stands so when kitty gets bigger they won't accidentally tip the speakers and get hurt.
@@stailor1 You'd probably be fine mixing Arias since the tweeter is the same on all of them, but the K2 was always either special order or out of stock where I'm at.
I have the Vestia N4….the tweeter is terrible. No midrange and harsh highs. Just unbearable. Wharfedale Lintons at 1/3rd the price are super smooth but don’t lack any clarity!! Bass of the Focals is badass though!
Thank you for the great review, as always. I've been considering the focal aria 948s on sale for around €2k. Would you recommend going for the vestia no.4s instead for around €2.6k. Are there other speakers i should be considering around the €2k price range? Polk r700, QA Concept 50s, and kef R7s all fall within this range. The sonus faber lumina 5 can be had for €2.6k also. Thank you in advance!
I have not heard the No.4s so take my advice with a grain of salt, but based on my experience with the tonality of Aria speakers and now what I'm hearing from the new Vestia line, I don't think there is a big leap in performance from Vestia to Aria --definitely not one that warrants the cost.
@@UsmanDar92 From the sounds of his review, the flax woofers in the regular Aria line have a bit more warmth to them than the K2 or Slatefiber drivers. The Aria also has more bass punch than the Choras, but you'll never get bass boom with any Focal speaker.
@@UsmanDar92 they definitely have some punch, especially with bass oriented music, also kick drums and double bass sound very accurate, but its not very loud compared to other speakers. Its just there to provide a bit of warmth.
I’m a bit underwhelmed with the design. It feels old and dated, and just taking what was aria and just put the driver from the chora. The white is nice, but the rest of the livery just feels dated a bit. I think it’s time to remove the Aria line and just improve what is the Theva line into a higher aria sound level and keep the Chora series for budget audio.
I'm wondering what the Aria replacement will be since it's unchanged since 2014, it's the only speaker with the older numbering system, and there would be a massive gap (in the US) between the $1,200 Vestia and the $8,000 Kanta.
You all need to review the best-kept secret🤫 and the real giant killers on the market ! All New Qualio Audio IQ Loudspeakers designed by Cube Audio ! 😇🤔🤫🤫
Had to google that speaker as I had no heard of it before. First, do you represent them or have any affiliation with the brand? If so, please edit your comment and disclose that. Second, what in your opinion makes them so special that you think we should put them on our radar?
Admittedly, this is a more "affordable" line for them. As you move upmarket the posts change. But I have seen nicer posts at this price with other manufacturers but I've also seen way worse.
It never fails. I put off buying something and when I finally pull the trigger their replacement comes out shortly (weeks) there after. Picked up the Aria 948 earlier this year at full retail price. I had been looking at them since there were under $3000 and I got them at $3200. Then what I got go on sale at $600 off each, plus Focal releases "new" models. /facepalm
And the Flax woofers on the Aria are some of the warmest that Focal has made. Eventually, I'm going up to the Kanta and stop because the K2 and W woofers, while more accurate, are also cooler and clinical.
I think they've done a review on one model previously, but would love to see more. Huge DynAudio fan, but have moved to an apartment recently and looking to get a smaller/tighter system - and Andrew is making me think there are significantly better performing speakers, for comparable or better money :|
@@aceofspades6667 I don't know where I'd get to demo ATC but I do want to hear them. I like the Dynaudio bass but I feel like the sacrifice with that bass response is that they tap out earlier than other bookies without that kind of sound. I had a pair on a JC5 and I found their limit earlier than I expected. But they were... Special 😜
I’m not going to lie, I think the two new speakers lines are way to similar style wise and everytime I see them I’m constantly confused which is which, I think there should have been more of a drastic difference between how they both look.
@@erics.4113 Yep. The Aria is the only line using the old numbering system and have been on the market since 2014. They've also been giving serious discounts on the Arias all year.
Crutchfield really complicates the bookshelf speaker market in the $800 - $1,600 segment when you consider how many of their speakers are either "on sale", marked down on price as "open box" or "scratch and dent". The Focal Vestias new are $1,200 pair. ...no scratch and dent or open box pricing yet. In the Revel line, you have the M16 at $990/pair new or....$690/pair on sale in white (the better looking of the two finishes)...they're older speakers that still hold up, and at $690, they're very good deal. You also have the M105 - $1,490 scratch and dent pricing. ....or better yet, the M106 (these are ridiculously fabulous) at $1,566 with scratch and dent pricing. Now that.... is a definite steal. Sonus Faber Lumina 1 and Lumina 2 ($1,000 - $1,300 respectively new) Polk Audio R200 $1,322/pair scratch and dent pricing Even the Polk Audio L200 is $1,210/pair scratch and dent Elac Carina BS243.4 is $1,000/pair on sale, and $807/pair as scratch and dent KEF R3 (non-meta) are $1,535/pair (walnut color option) on outlet savings (read on closeout sale) - the black option is $1,400/pair on outlet savings (read on closeout sale) - OHHH! These are really good - almost bought these. Martin Logan Motian XT B100 - $1,365/pair scratch and dent Wharfedale EVO4.2 - $1,000/pair on sale My goodness, the list just goes on and on in this price bracket... and they're all very good speakers. Thanks for another solid review.
Yikes! The prices really blew up since 2019. We’re looking at basic MDF cabinets with $10~$20 drivers and a $15 crossover. The parts in the Vestia line are recycled from older models. Why not get a pair of Triangle BR03 for $400? The engineering behind that speaker is rock solid. Yeah the parts are cheap but so is the price. Or splurge $2k for something exceptional with good quality components ?
@@user-xg6zz8qs3q - MDF has been used in speaker cabinet design for ages. Our 2003 $1,800/pair Polk LSi15 speakers were made with MDF covered in a "wood veneer". ...if a speaker is covered in a wood veneer - it's highly probable the speaker is made with MDF. ...and the those Polks sounded great, if not a bit rolled off. ...kinda felt like a "game changer" for Polk that's influenced their upper speaker designs ever since. The little $900/pair Revel M16 - sound better than the Polk LSi15 in my space - livelier, more detailed, with great vocals and a much wider soundstage for both movies and music - and both the LSi and M16 speakeres made use of a sub. So the $20 drivers and $15 crossovers kick ass when done right. ..."cheap parts is a weird blanket statement, but ok"... The soapbox design of the Bro3 leaves a lot to be desired visually, full of resonance, and there's a definitive bump in the highs - making them fatiguing for many listeners who want something a bit more smooth. Bright abrasive sparkle doesn't mean they're more detailed, but Triangle LOVES their "sparkle"... And why not? A lot of speaker buyers gravitate to bright speakers - if engineering sparkley highs is "rock solid", then have at it. There are a ton of better sounding speakers out there, with better visual design, that cost a bit more to a LOT more, even if the parts are cheap.
Great review. I demo’s these alongside the Monitor Audio. On the NAD C 700 I preferred these to the MA. But on the AudioLab 7000a the Monitor Audio won hands down, which is why I bought them.
Nope. Aria is being refreshed at CES and are planned to be out in February. Vestia tweeter with flax woofers and improved crossover being the main hardware changes.
As someone who sold Klipsch for over a decade at the time of Chorus lls and KG 5.2s, there are MUCH better offerings than Klipsch. When Paul Klipsch passed, the company became more about the bottom line than the passion of music reproduction. A company who deserves more recognition than Klipsch and directly competes in horn design is JBL!
Afraid I have to disagree about Klipsch being run by people who don't care or are only about $$$. When Samsung bought Harman a lot of the folks that made Harman famous in hifi circles also left or have stepped back, so it's not as if the two companies are that different now. All that said, there are definitely still people who work for Klipsch and Harman that care very deeply about sound and sound quality.
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I was feeling a wee bit miserable this morning with some of the news, and i then came across one of my favourite,smiling,happy people talking about something i really have no knowledge about.....i just love how this happy enthusiasm is contagious and I'm now all set.
Thank you Andrew.
David
The Q Acoustics Concept 30 needs to enter the arena
Owner of the Chora 806 and 826, Aria 906 and 948. People have called me ridiculous for liking the Choras more (806 vs 906). The 826 and 948 arent comparable for obvious reasons so Ill leave that out. The Choras are brighter speakers, but in a very classy way. The sharp highs are not like other speakers with boosted treble, the Choras get bright because of the lifted off axis response paired to a rather linear on axis response. This makes the highs bearable and very spacious. Think of the Choras as Dalis, you can use the Chora with zero toe in and that should douse the excessive treble at your MLP for a more neutral response, the Arias need a little toe in. It is also more dynamic than the Aria, which I love. Mids are more forward on the Choras, they bring the singer out into the room while keeping other things a step or 2 back. The Arias are warmer with the flax cones, giving the impression of being overdamped. Bass is tighter on the Arias and they seem to go a wee bit lower but that dont matter to me because Im running subs. Subs are a must, even for the 948s if you want full range.
Now I heard the Vestia No.1s and No.4s recently and I like them more than my own Arias. The Vestias dont sound as overdamped as the Arias, most probably because of the slatefiber cones? *shrugs*. The top end of the Vestia is more refined too. This might be a con to some people and will sound less exciting next to the Aria and especially the Chora but I bet that the Vestias will measure better than the Choras and Arias objectively (we have enough spins of the Choras and Arias to know why they sound like what Andrew described). With every new release, it seems like Focal is taming its treble heading towards neutrality, take a look at the Chorus, Chora and now the Theva and Vestia. They are getting less bright, which can be a good thing because quite a few people are saying Focals are too bright. A step in the right direction for the company. One thing that the Aria have over the Chora and Vestia is the cabinet quality; the Arias look way classier too. No competition there.
So now the current lineup is as so: Theva, Vestia, Aria, Kanta, Sopra and Utopia. The first 2 are using slatefiber cones, the middle 2 are using flax cones and the top 2 are using W cones. The bottom 3 are using Al/Mg tweeters and the top 3 are using beryllium tweeters. There is a pattern here and I guess this is what Focal wanted and aimed for. On a side note, Im not saying the flax is better than slatefiber, but it sure gives a warmer overdamped sound as we can hear from the Arias and Kantas. I personally like the slatefiber more. Since I cannot afford the big jump to the Kantas, I might switch the 948 for the Vestia No4. Some people might call that a bad move, but I like how the Vestia sounds more than the Aria, particularly in the mids. Wished there was a Chora 848 but that dont exist.
People will go for Focals for the huge soundstage and imaging, detail retrival, transparency and clarity, speed, agility and definition in the bass. Deep bass isnt in Focal's dictionary, at least not in their lower lineups. Lol!
I’ve owned the Chorus 836V’s for about 8 years now, I power them with the Musical Fidelity M2si. I have no desire to upgrade. I think Focal is trying too hard to make a speaker line that is affordable.
Wow spot on comparison. I thought the same of the aria 906. Most people won't like them but someone looking for that dampened studio monitor sound will love them.
Wow Dude! That's the review I was looking for. I own 806's and 826's and was wondering how they compare to the Aria's and Vestia's. Now I have a pretty good idea. I'll stick with the Chora's for now. I love how percussive and energetic they are!
@@scottborenstein8291 I think Focal found so much success with the Chora's that they realized they should try to capture more of the lower end of hifi and so they split the line into two. The Theva's are basically Chora's with a smaller enclosure. Personally I was hoping for a Chora with more/tighter bass but it looks like I'm left in the dark!
@@bearclaw5115 the choras are great, especially the 826. Treat first reflection points on the side walls, floor and ceiling for the most neutral response. Since the peak of the bump is at 8khz, a thin absorbing material would suffice, no need for a 6 inch thick panel. If treatment isnt an option, lowering the treble knob on your amp would be great too since most treble controls are centered around 10khz. Zero toe in will also help, and as an added bonus, a larger soundtage!
These reviews continue to be the best on UA-cam. I'm getting interested in smaller speakers these days. I'm going to throw this out there, in case it sparks a video idea: I'm investigating wall and/or in-ceiling speakers for my family room Hi-Fi 2-channel, since I have multiple kids under 4 years old who would LOVE to poke a speaker cone if they can find or reach one. Most of what I find is home theater oriented, and I have no idea how to get good musical sound from wall/ceiling speakers, or if I should even try.
Aria is a nice speaker. Detailed and warm.
We have four sets of speakers and three amplifiers, two of which are Classe D. Focal Chora 816 light wood, Dali Fazon F 5, Dali Spektor 6 Dali Zensor 5. Piega tmicro 6 (sold) yes, I know it's a bit much, and we switch regularly. We were real Dali Fans, but now that we have discovered Focal, it will not be long before we start selling all Dali's. and that says something. As I mentioned before, perfectly balanced sound and especially broad spectrum where the speaker disappears as it were. Dali certainly doesn't have that or far too little. Amplifiers are Primare i25 Prisma Silver, Denon Dra800H Silver, Denon Ceol N11 White. Primare and de Ceol are both Classe D, dra800 AB. the first two sound better than the dra800, the latter consumes more energy than the first two. the dra800 all Eco modes are off, speaker/levels are both set to 12DB+, only then does the dra800 sound good, everything is set to save energy by default, it sounds really bad. Consumption with eco off 37 Watt per hour. Class D consumption around 16 Watt Ceol, and Primare 20 Watt. Primare is a great amp, lots of power, very good open details in the sound, certainly doesn't sound analytical or sterile as some claim. This class D (NOT DIGITAL) as many also claim at NAD, it is an energy efficient circuit 90% efficient with energy. Circuit is above the AB as far as I'm concerned, perfect sound as the artist intended, or what you like, that's what you like :). The great thing is that despite the few components in the device, it could give the feeling that it can never sound perfect. I thought so too, the opposite is true. Nice side effect energy efficient, future proof. upgrade possible, but very expensive for an upgrade for a dac more than € 900 Primare, Nad around € 500, not cheap either.
Interesting and helpful review, thank you. But the one thing that stood out from the review is the different camera angles!! Yes I noticed. You two are the benchmark of audio review production quality! But to be honest it feels you got into a pump it out Thursday/Sunday routine... wash, rinse, repeat routine. Please..Please don't take this as a negative criticism... I can only imagine the enormous effort and work that never shows up on camera.. just saying I loved the slight angle changes keep it fresh for yourselves..thank you for everything you do!
In case anyone is interested. The focal aria line is on sale. I've wanted the Focal 906 for some time but haven't quite pulled the trigger. You can pick up the 906 for the starting price of $998 to $1318. The finish determines the price point. "What's Hifi" gives them five stars and they come highly recommended by many audiophiles.
Dear Andrew and Kristi, following a review from you regarding Focal speakers. Which told you that everything was just right and it sounds perfect. We are now the happy owners of Focal Chora 816 light wood, and your story is exactly right, the soundstage is excellent, tight bass, perfect mids. The sound is comparable to the old school Philips fb800 series, Philips stood for perfect balanced sound, which I now fortunately find back at Focal. If I had discovered this brand earlier, it would have saved me thousands of euros. I think my long search is now coming to an end. what a delight. Thanks again for your perfect advice 👍.
Always awesome hearing y’all’s take on things.
I feel like we’re starting to have a problem with market over saturation, which in return will cause consumer fatigue and loss of sales ultimately. When you have 3 different lines of speakers from the same manufacturer that are within a couple of hundred bucks of each other, besides the rest of the market there as well, it’s a problem. I love the approach B&W has, one bottom line, the middle line starts where bottom tops out or slightly below that, then the top line starts where the middle tops out. It makes sense. This to me doesn’t. It’s awesome to have a solid option, but it’s becoming more and more difficult to make a choice in this market.
Great review guys! Hope everyone is enjoying their day!
P.S. dear Focal - stop putting a million words on the front of the speakers. I don’t care what marketing bs you named your speakers with. I just want them to look pretty. Thank you.
Amen. Too many lines. And too many words. My Kanta look slightly cheap because of all the wording (in different fonts nonetheless). I don't need it to tell me there's a Beryllium speaker, I know that. Made in France... yeah, but... put it at the back? Looks much more premium that way.
Who cares how many lines a manufacturer has. Don't you like to have options at a given price point? Also, I bet the Aria's disappear.
@@bearclaw5115 consumers do care. Because when you have that many lines of product, that are practically identical in most ways aside for tiny differences all at different price points, it makes it harder to make a decision, it also oversaturates the market and causes consumer fatigue. Instead of having 3-4 great options, you have 20 options, even if they are all great, that’s just too many to choose from and make an educated decision.
Yeah its a big problem. Especially when 948 owners are now preferring the vestia no. 4
@@ArthaxtaDaVince777 The Aria lineup hasn't change since it was introduced in 2014. I would hope a newer speaker line for about the same price could compete to beat that. The Aria is also the last speaker in their lineup not using new naming scheme like Kanta #1 or Sopra #1. I don't think they're going to kill the Aria line, but I do think they're going to be upgraded soon-ish and hit somewhere in the current $6,000 price gap between Aria and Kanta.
I guess you gotta keep the product line moving. I have the Aria 906 and adore them so not in the market but always interesting to see what brands do to extend their lines. Thanks for the review.
I recently auditioned both the Vestia 1 and the Sonus Faber Sonetto II. The Sonetto probably had more high end detail, but also seemed brighter than the Vestia. It became fatiguing after a while. The Vestias were mellower, very enjoyable, and good at all volume levels. I rarely listen at 80dB or above. The bass was adequate but I wouldn't mind a bit more. For bass in a bookshelf the Dynaudio Heritage Special is the best I've heard, they are in a class of their own.
I own a pair of Chorus 706 since a few years, paired with a marantz pm6006. These combination produces a very precise and elegant sound.
But I would never pair the focals with bright sounding amps.
Danke!
Thank you for your support once again! We really appreciate it!
You're dearly welcome!
I think with many things enthusiast, you get to a certain quality and performance level where you begin to just split hairs besides what options are also available. For the price, quality and options you get its really hard for me to beat Klipsch The Fives, Sevens, Nines for my multipurpose uses.
Man what a cool job, reviewing all these amazing pieces of equipment 🙌
Very nice review, thank you for the video guys!
Thanks!
This living room interior is IMPECCABLE. It's slightly awkward to see speakers getting upstaged by the home they're in! 😂
Thanks! I appreciate the compliment on our living room but maybe Focal doesn't appreciate being upstaged 😂
Vestia or Bestia in Spanish is : Beast in English.
Great review,i especially like the focus on which speaker works good close to the front-back wall. And i am interested for the future and too see how much you need to spend on a bookshelf speaker and get a similar reaction as with the kef r11😌
Good review. As a former chora owner everything under the Sopra is pretty meh and everything up to and over is pretty good but way over priced in the US.
absolutely right..............only the W sandwich woofers and beryllium tweeters were any good..........
Evening Andrew & Kristi👍
Morning KJ! Appreciate you tuning in.
Thanks for joining us, KJ!
Good afternoon guys, I hope you guys are doing great today for me. I would have to agree with Kristi Klipsch would win this one for me. The only thing I don't like about Klipsch are the finishes so I'd have to agree with you on that one. Andrew, it's one of those things where they need to step their color game up and give you something a little bit more. Pizzazz.. but there's just something about that horn loaded speaker that I love and I don't think I could ever turn back. And as far as the focal all you did was touch it and you still can't get the fingerprint off. I don't know if I could deal with that. 😅 Nice video guys! Enjoy the rest of your day
Thanks for watching, Nick! Enjoy yours as well :)
I agree.. especially on the finger print side of things. I’ve got “piano black” Martin Logan’s, and it drives me freaking nuts.
@@gavriushka yeah I constantly wipe my piano black speakers down because the the hair from the animals and everything like that dust it just drives me insane as well
@@KristiWright The pleasure is all mine
You DO know I grew up in a farm house. My feelings are sooo shattered!!
Are you considering a Sopra No 1 review? I'll be asking this questions after every review until I die.
Nice review guys.
FOCAL makes greet powered speakers widely used as reference studio monitors in studios across the world. I would love to hear your take on how they perform as audiophile option. Especially Shape and/or Solo series range.
I have Alpha 65 evos. They are excellent
i had a chance at a dealer's, to A/B the Aria Evo X 1 with this Vestia 1. the tweeter gave very good quality sound for the price. the bass/midrange however, you will be disappointed with if you are familiar with the Aria. In comparison, it is muddied. Was considering getting them to have the option to A/B or A&B, but the difference was too noticeable. I cannot step down to the Vestia since I own Aria 926. For someone starting out, the Vestia's treble, imaging is incredibly good for the price. They would be an acceptable starter speaker until you can get the funds together for Aria speakers.
Been waiting for this one.
Hope you find it helpful. Thanks for watching!
There is a store that has some of the Chora’s for $750 Canadian or about $560 US. I think I might just go with them
I would love you adding the Sonus Faber sonetto 1 or 2 in your book shelves comparisons, or maybe a review on their own? Thank you
Very good in-depth review to get a sense about Vestia. It goes with my experience with Aria vs Chorus. So I decided on Chorus. And I agree with a subwoofer addition.
Good afternoon!
Hi Roy! Thanks for joining us.
"The new pioneer 805" subtle foreshadowing. Hey looking forward to that.
But with the new 3 products from the three, can you guys also test with dirac live bass control. I know you guys do dirac already, but these new ones have the bass addon upgrade, and also available. So your take on that would be nice
Noted! Thanks for tuning in!
Iv got the aria 926 in white and they go brilliantly with a rel s5...
The Chora bookshelfs I have demo in a big hifi audio store , my experience was not good , they suffered separation problem the same as the b&w 707 s2, my go to would be polk r200 for the money-but they need/love powerful amp , my nad t758 just perfect for most speakers Thank you.
Vesta do seem to be a step up from Chora
@@andrewbrazier9664 but it's below aria which is not much more expensive
@@wadimek116 Yes, creates that "upgrade path" You'd need to listen to then side by side if you can afford either as sound is personal preference 👍🙂
You guys are my favorite reviewers offering intelligent, honest, credible & well produced reviews with some fun factors too! But I have to ask/comment that the majority of new bookshelf speakers are not breaking with new or intriguing levels of performance. I think manufacturers need to innovate and expand the drivers size or amounts to keep things interesting e.g. going 3 way with either concentric drivers of even a 3"mid so that bass isn't the main void in them. Ex. like Polk (LSiM), newer with Wharfedale Evo 4.2, Elac Uni-fi and NHT C3 to name a few that provide a fuller sound and more range. I just can't see buying these no bass, thin mids bookies anymore unless they go at least into the mid 40hz range. Don't get me wrong many of them look sexy but those babies ain't got" back" lol
Love the new couch.
We've had this couch for a while, we just brought it in from another room to mix things up.
Remember Andrew - ( from a married man ) - you don't need Google - your wife knows everything!!🤣🤣🤣
Love your input Kristi!
Appreciate you watching through to the very end of our videos so as not to miss out on her contributions.
Thoughts on creating a chart where you both rank your preferences of speakers n amps? or even combos.....
Are there plans to review the Sopras as well?
Great review. Can you comment on how they compare to the KEF Q350 bookshelf speakers? Thanks!
Would be great if you got in to reviewing some home audio studio equipment. There are a lot of folks now setting up home recording through Interfaces, DAW’s, Mics, and Monitors, etc. Your thoughts and expertise would be great there as well. 👍🏻
Believe it or not my "studio" has shrunk down to a laptop and (maybe) headphones on my kitchen island --yes, I do all the editing and post production of these videos on a laptop in my kitchen. While I've spent a lot of time in studios for both music and movie post production, I'm not sure I'm the best person to cover the topic seeing as how I don't have a home studio anymore.
Understood, bummer though since you’re such a wealth of knowledge with audio equipment. But I get it! Keep up the good work! 😊👍🏻
The big thing at the moment (May 2023) is that in the UK, you can buy the Aria line for much less than the Vestia line of speakers, with the Aria 906 being around £50 cheaper than the Vestia No 1.
But that is nothing compared with the Aria 926 and 936. With cheapest I have seen the 926 being £1199, which is a steal compared with the Vestia no2 which is £1799. It gets even more impressive, with the Aria K2 926 going for £1499 and the Aria K2 936 going to £1999, which again is much cheaper than the Vestia no3 and no4 by £400 and £600 respectively.
So at the moment, if you can find the right deal, you can get an absolute bargain and I would say the Aria's look for more impressive than the Vestia.
We're not that lucky in the US. Staying Brand New, the Vestia #1 is $1,199 while the Aria 906 can be found new at $1,756. Most Focals in the US are hideously overpriced in the US compared to Europe. Even with shipping, I can save over $2,000 ordering a pair of Kanta #1 from Europe compared to buying them at a US dealer.
I listened to it to replace my beloved Focal Chora 806 bookshelves.... After that I've seen that it would be an upgrade to them, the ligh wood finish is very-very nice... But as I have a marantz 40n, I thought I could do better. Than I made a mistake an auditioned - with my own amplifier - a new speaker from a new vendor, Revival Audio. I ended up with the Atalante 3 pair. Of course, the price was much higher :D around 2200-2300 euros :) and it's very different experience as the Focal tends to expose the highs and mid highs and pushes the vocal and guitar and other strings to my face, the Atalantes are more neutral, the voice is moved backward - comparing to the Focal style - and they have bass response for sure.... But I chose them eventually because: I found them more balanced and better sounding than other balanced speakers and this is my main point - to me, the Vestias were not a big step forward in a small room (22 m2, typical Central European living room size) and seemed similar.
I recently purchased a pair of Focal Aria 926 and man do they sound great. However, I always thought they sounded a bit " lean " lack of body or warmth in the mids. Would adding a subwoofer make a noticeable in that regard ? Thank for the great video.
Adding a sub to flesh out the speaker's bottom end and take them down into the 20Hz region will also result in the sensation of more midrange weight or heft so long as you set up the subwoofer correctly and don't let it overpower the mids.
Great video. Please review the Vestia N.2
Today I have compared the Focal Vestia 2 with the new Qacoustic 5050 with 2 different amplification and the Focal play another league!great speakers
Hi Andrew! Thank you for a nice review. I didn't expect a video today. That was a plus! I have a few questions for you. How do you feel about the fiber cones in these speakers? Do you find that paper or fiber woven cones sound different as opposed to - for instance - the cones on the R200s or M16? Which do you prefer and why?
Love the couch guys
Another great review. Kristi, what do you use to display great art on your TV?
It's an App on our AppleTV.
Thanks for another fair review. Keep it up.
Thanks!
Treble dropping off that much starting at around 1500kh seems really odd, It’s maybe just more confusing than helpful to do in room measurements; that might be because of your floor etc? Or how many mic measurements do you take usually
In my opinion, if a loudspeaker cannot reproduce all types of music equally, then there is something wrong with it. Even my first pair of speakers i bought in 1965, the Goodmans Axiom 201 full range 12 inch drivers, which were installed in home made boxes, could handle all types of music effortlessly. Today, it is all about colouration, to appeal to certain types of listeners.
I listened to the Aria K2 936 and the Vestia N° 2 a few weeks ago. A few days earlier I listened to the Snonus Faber Lumina 3. Both Focal and Sonus Faber with the same amplifier: Marantz Model 40N. TO ME the Sonus Fabers sound much much better. Focal was a bit of a disappointment. I probably had too high expectations of the Focals, which have been my (wet) dream since I was a kid. I'm almost sure I'll buy the Sonetto 5.
How's the sound between Vestia and Aria? What's better with Lumina 3?
@@MrBravo143First of all, apologies for my bad English.
The sound between Vestia and Aria K2 is similar, in the K2 it is a little more "precise" and detailed. For me the difference in sound is too small compared to the price delta. Vestias have better value for money. I would never spend 4k on K2.
Sonus Faber is warmer, fuller, more detailed and precise and the soundstage is bigger... I really liked those speakers, especially for the price (I'm not saying they are cheap).
These are just my 2cents, I'm no expert and I'm not saying the Focals sound bad, I'm just saying I didn't like them, so if there's any Focal fans, pity me!
@@who83 Thanks mate
@@who83 You might try a set of Aria 906s with the flax woofer. While not as warm as a Dynaudio or other soft dome tweeter, the flax driver does give you a bit more warmth compared to the cold precision of the K2.
@@MrBravo143 You are welcome
I’d be curious on how this new Vestia line compares with the new KEF Q Series line? 😎
Are these speakers an upgrade from my Wharefedales 12.1 Diamonds?
LOVE the channel. LOVE you guys. Keep it up! (wondering what happened to the Roksan Attessa in the "reference gear" section...?)
We had to return it following the end of our loan period so technically we are no longer using it for evaluations. It's still a GREAT amp.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you Andrew
how would you compare the vestia 1 to maybe the jbl hdi 1600 ? for overall spl's ?
I don't understand where these new lines fall. Above the Chora but below the Aria? It just makes things a bit confusing. Maybe I just prefer it when speaker manufacturers have a lineups that follow the "good, better, best" philosophy.
I completely agree, I too believe in the good, better best philosophy of product design.
Though there is already Kanta, Sopra and Utopia. Clearly, Focal needs more lines than that because it starts at expensive and reaches to "are you insane", and there are differences (though listening in different rooms with different amps, the Sopras weren't miles above the Kanta... to me at least). But I suppose with a company like Focal, 5 lines would be fine? Budget, affordable, midrange, expensive and 1-percenter.
@@kadajawi2 I think Focal screwed things up when they got rid of the 100X Electra series and replaced it with 2 lines: Kanta and Sopra. That was the beginning of adding too many lines.
@@dajikbatarang1 So so... the price gap between those is quite big.
The Aria is the only line Focal currently has that uses the old numbering system. With Arias also on sale, I'm thinking the Aria replacement is coming "soon" (the Aria line dates to 2014) and will probably get moved up into the $3K range for bookshelves so there's not $6,000 gap in their speaker lineup.
I heard these and the Arias, the new SVS Evolution wipes the floor with them.
I’m surprised there was no comparison to the Monitor Audio Silver 100s. Looks like a nice speaker but not for me…
We can't always compare every speaker to every other speaker I'm afraid. I do my best to come up with comparisons that I hope are helpful and relatable.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Of course. And your videos are always thorough.
which one is better focal vestia no.2 or sonus faber lumina 5?
Thanks for the review.
I bought Aria 906 and return them after few days. For me Focal is to bright
Did you have them pointed directly at you or straight ahead? I suppose it doesn't matter if you already returned them, but I am curious.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews
I have tried a lot of different placements. Straight, at a slight angle, at a greater angle and directly to my ears. It was about 2.5-3 meters from my listening position, at Norstone Stylum 2 stands, 30 cm between front wall and back of the speakers. It was run by Pioneer VSX-LX305 with Dirac calibration (using included microphone) and without calibration. Fatigue was there. Few songs and my head was pulsing. So I have returned them and I bought Amphion Argon3S. A lot warmer speakers.
What I have noticed was that the Focal had better instrument separation, but the bubble where music sounded good was very small. Middle seat on a sofa is my main listening position and on the seat next to it (about 60 cm) mids and highs were muffled. On the other hand Amphion has a worse separation of instruments, but these boxes do not tire me at all and the music sounds good anywhere on the couch 🤗
I'd like to take the opportunity to say thank you for your and Kristi's work 🥰 I'm a FOMO guy and without you I would waste money on too expensive audio equipment. Thanks to your reviews I bought Pioneer VSX-LX305 receiver, pair of Kanto YU passive for surround, pair of Kanto YU6 for my home office setup and pair of Kanto YU6 for my friend's birthday. This speakers/receiver sounds G R E A T enough to let me stop searching for something better. Probably I will add miniDSP 2x4 HD to my HO setup and out of curiosity, I will go to showroom to listen to Polk R700. And THAT'S IT!
Besos from Poland
Ludwik
Based on this review, I think I would prefer the Vestia and not the chora. I find bright treble to be fatiguing
The components used in these speakers were what focal actually use for there car speakers just so you know 😢
I have a baby 7 month old kitten. How afraid should i be to have a speaker with leatherette around one?
Be very afraid of kittens muahahaha. In all seriousness, if you stand mount, make sure they are secured to stands so when kitty gets bigger they won't accidentally tip the speakers and get hurt.
If you could get focal aria k2 series for same price as the focal vestiva is it a no brainer??
Yep. No brainer. The tweeter in the Vestia is a minor upgrade over the Aria K2, but the K2 will have more of a midbass punch to it.
@@danielhenderson8316 can’t seem to find the complete k2 5.1 set anywhere :/ probably end up getting the vestia
@@stailor1 You'd probably be fine mixing Arias since the tweeter is the same on all of them, but the K2 was always either special order or out of stock where I'm at.
Choose aria 10/10 times. It might have less bass but quality is higher
Thanks!
Thanks for tuning in!
I have the Vestia N4….the tweeter is terrible. No midrange and harsh highs. Just unbearable. Wharfedale Lintons at 1/3rd the price are super smooth but don’t lack any clarity!! Bass of the Focals is badass though!
Andrew, you guys seemed a little less in love with the Lumina 2 in this comparison. Is your Italian honeymoon over?
Thank you for the great review, as always. I've been considering the focal aria 948s on sale for around €2k. Would you recommend going for the vestia no.4s instead for around €2.6k. Are there other speakers i should be considering around the €2k price range? Polk r700, QA Concept 50s, and kef R7s all fall within this range. The sonus faber lumina 5 can be had for €2.6k also. Thank you in advance!
I have not heard the No.4s so take my advice with a grain of salt, but based on my experience with the tonality of Aria speakers and now what I'm hearing from the new Vestia line, I don't think there is a big leap in performance from Vestia to Aria --definitely not one that warrants the cost.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Much appreciated!
@@UsmanDar92 From the sounds of his review, the flax woofers in the regular Aria line have a bit more warmth to them than the K2 or Slatefiber drivers. The Aria also has more bass punch than the Choras, but you'll never get bass boom with any Focal speaker.
@danielhenderson8316 thank you for your input! Do you not reckon the 948s would have some low-end punch since they're rated to go as low as 37hz?
@@UsmanDar92 they definitely have some punch, especially with bass oriented music, also kick drums and double bass sound very accurate, but its not very loud compared to other speakers. Its just there to provide a bit of warmth.
I’m a bit underwhelmed with the design. It feels old and dated, and just taking what was aria and just put the driver from the chora. The white is nice, but the rest of the livery just feels dated a bit.
I think it’s time to remove the Aria line and just improve what is the Theva line into a higher aria sound level and keep the Chora series for budget audio.
I think the Theva is replacing the Chora line
I'm wondering what the Aria replacement will be since it's unchanged since 2014, it's the only speaker with the older numbering system, and there would be a massive gap (in the US) between the $1,200 Vestia and the $8,000 Kanta.
I would love to see your opinion on dynaudio!
You all need to review the best-kept secret🤫 and the real giant killers on the market !
All New Qualio Audio IQ Loudspeakers designed by Cube Audio ! 😇🤔🤫🤫
Had to google that speaker as I had no heard of it before. First, do you represent them or have any affiliation with the brand? If so, please edit your comment and disclose that. Second, what in your opinion makes them so special that you think we should put them on our radar?
🤗👍😎🙋♂️Question of the day …IMHHO … more proof that it’s the best time to be an audio phile💚💚💚
100% and the PERFECT take away from today's video!
One thing I dont like about Focal is the cheap binding posts on the back. Not cool.
Admittedly, this is a more "affordable" line for them. As you move upmarket the posts change. But I have seen nicer posts at this price with other manufacturers but I've also seen way worse.
It never fails. I put off buying something and when I finally pull the trigger their replacement comes out shortly (weeks) there after. Picked up the Aria 948 earlier this year at full retail price. I had been looking at them since there were under $3000 and I got them at $3200. Then what I got go on sale at $600 off each, plus Focal releases "new" models. /facepalm
If you want the latest, get the latest. If you want the best deal, buy on close out and only on close out!
Don't fret the Aria 948 purchase, they're fantastic. And theva and vestia are not Aria level
And the Flax woofers on the Aria are some of the warmest that Focal has made. Eventually, I'm going up to the Kanta and stop because the K2 and W woofers, while more accurate, are also cooler and clinical.
Hi, will we see a review of the Klipsch RP-1000SW subwoofer?
What are your views on dynaudio
I think they've done a review on one model previously, but would love to see more.
Huge DynAudio fan, but have moved to an apartment recently and looking to get a smaller/tighter system - and Andrew is making me think there are significantly better performing speakers, for comparable or better money :|
@@robedward1324 have you heard Special 40s? For a small space at moderate listening levels it would be hard for me to look over them.
@@erics.4113 take a peak at the ATC scm 19 v2 .. it will give the special 40s all they can handle and then some.
@@aceofspades6667 I don't know where I'd get to demo ATC but I do want to hear them. I like the Dynaudio bass but I feel like the sacrifice with that bass response is that they tap out earlier than other bookies without that kind of sound. I had a pair on a JC5 and I found their limit earlier than I expected. But they were... Special 😜
Dynaudio require way too much power and/or current to get their best.
can you please review Buchardt S400 mkII
Focal ❤👍👏
2:10 Look at that, white grills. Take notes Arendal ;)
You should know that Hertz is not a plural word. It's a name, so you should say 1 Hertz, or 1 kiloHertz, etc., not 1 Hert.
Love the channel though!
Ooof. That Hertz.
I’m not going to lie, I think the two new speakers lines are way to similar style wise and everytime I see them I’m constantly confused which is which, I think there should have been more of a drastic difference between how they both look.
100% agree, they needed to be different in look, performance and price.
I'm guessing Focal has a roadmap to replace Aria, and once we see that new design language, the Vestia will make more sense.
@@erics.4113 Yep. The Aria is the only line using the old numbering system and have been on the market since 2014. They've also been giving serious discounts on the Arias all year.
Hey there. Quiet day at work… stacks of paperwork.. i can sneak this review in I believe
We won't tell anyone. Hope you enjoy the video --albeit at a lower volume 😉
Thanks for joining us!
😍that living room
Thank you, we mixed it up a bit this week for something just a little different.
Hope you guys get to review the acoustic energy ae100 mk2 and compare them to the focals
Crutchfield really complicates the bookshelf speaker market in the $800 - $1,600 segment when you consider how many of their speakers are either "on sale", marked down on price as "open box" or "scratch and dent".
The Focal Vestias new are $1,200 pair. ...no scratch and dent or open box pricing yet.
In the Revel line, you have the M16 at $990/pair new or....$690/pair on sale in white (the better looking of the two finishes)...they're older speakers that still hold up, and at $690, they're very good deal.
You also have the M105 - $1,490 scratch and dent pricing. ....or better yet, the M106 (these are ridiculously fabulous) at $1,566 with scratch and dent pricing. Now that.... is a definite steal.
Sonus Faber Lumina 1 and Lumina 2 ($1,000 - $1,300 respectively new)
Polk Audio R200 $1,322/pair scratch and dent pricing
Even the Polk Audio L200 is $1,210/pair scratch and dent
Elac Carina BS243.4 is $1,000/pair on sale, and $807/pair as scratch and dent
KEF R3 (non-meta) are $1,535/pair (walnut color option) on outlet savings (read on closeout sale) - the black option is $1,400/pair on outlet savings (read on closeout sale) - OHHH! These are really good - almost bought these.
Martin Logan Motian XT B100 - $1,365/pair scratch and dent
Wharfedale EVO4.2 - $1,000/pair on sale
My goodness, the list just goes on and on in this price bracket... and they're all very good speakers.
Thanks for another solid review.
Yikes! The prices really blew up since 2019. We’re looking at basic MDF cabinets with $10~$20 drivers and a $15 crossover. The parts in the Vestia line are recycled from older models. Why not get a pair of Triangle BR03 for $400? The engineering behind that speaker is rock solid. Yeah the parts are cheap but so is the price. Or splurge $2k for something exceptional with good quality components ?
@@user-xg6zz8qs3q - MDF has been used in speaker cabinet design for ages. Our 2003 $1,800/pair Polk LSi15 speakers were made with MDF covered in a "wood veneer". ...if a speaker is covered in a wood veneer - it's highly probable the speaker is made with MDF. ...and the those Polks sounded great, if not a bit rolled off. ...kinda felt like a "game changer" for Polk that's influenced their upper speaker designs ever since.
The little $900/pair Revel M16 - sound better than the Polk LSi15 in my space - livelier, more detailed, with great vocals and a much wider soundstage for both movies and music - and both the LSi and M16 speakeres made use of a sub. So the $20 drivers and $15 crossovers kick ass when done right. ..."cheap parts is a weird blanket statement, but ok"...
The soapbox design of the Bro3 leaves a lot to be desired visually, full of resonance, and there's a definitive bump in the highs - making them fatiguing for many listeners who want something a bit more smooth. Bright abrasive sparkle doesn't mean they're more detailed, but Triangle LOVES their "sparkle"... And why not? A lot of speaker buyers gravitate to bright speakers - if engineering sparkley highs is "rock solid", then have at it.
There are a ton of better sounding speakers out there, with better visual design, that cost a bit more to a LOT more, even if the parts are cheap.
Fabriqué en France. Cocorico !
❤
👌
The new Focal speakers are just like the old ones….😂😂😂
It looks unfinished... diy inspired???
Haven't heard you test NHT speakers
Hello from Hong Kong ～～
Morning!
Hi!
That looks like Ansel Adam's on the wall
Great review. I demo’s these alongside the Monitor Audio. On the NAD C 700 I preferred these to the MA. But on the AudioLab 7000a the Monitor Audio won hands down, which is why I bought them.
I don't care for my Chora 806's on my Audiolab 6000a. These speakers need an amp with body, not a precise clean amp.
Rebranded aria
Maybe?
yes
Nope. Aria is being refreshed at CES and are planned to be out in February. Vestia tweeter with flax woofers and improved crossover being the main hardware changes.
As someone who sold Klipsch for over a decade at the time of Chorus lls and KG 5.2s, there are MUCH better offerings than Klipsch. When Paul Klipsch passed, the company became more about the bottom line than the passion of music reproduction. A company who deserves more recognition than Klipsch and directly competes in horn design is JBL!
Afraid I have to disagree about Klipsch being run by people who don't care or are only about $$$. When Samsung bought Harman a lot of the folks that made Harman famous in hifi circles also left or have stepped back, so it's not as if the two companies are that different now. All that said, there are definitely still people who work for Klipsch and Harman that care very deeply about sound and sound quality.