I love this kind of videos with factory tours. It makes you appreciate those products even more after you see how much work it takes to create them. Super interesting!
Good to see you got out of town, seeing this helps me understand my appreciation for my 936 aria. They do indeed get better with age and paying for this amount of detail is well worth it. Safe travels John.
John, this is a hypnotic video. Really well done. Thanks for sharing. High end speakers like these are pieces of art in and of themselves. Absolutely lovely. Would love to hear Focal describe why they choose to use wood materials. Part science, part art.
John, thank you for this video....what a pleasure and revelation to see Focal’s two operations....especially by a recent owner of the Kanta No.2 in piano black. I’m extremely happy with my purchase and enjoyed seeing this.
A speaker is only worth how much the box is worth (if you are an unknown maker). And there is no way anyone would pay 200 grand for those big boxes (without the drivers). But that's what a new maker would face. Focal have a reputation and you pay for their experience, way more than the boxes.
There is something so satisfying about watching craftsmen (and women) working with their hands to create a thing of beauty. I’ll see Focal speakers differently now. There’s French soul in those speakers. Great video and music selection BTW.
Thanks for sharing John. I did a similar tour at Bowers & Wilkins' factory in Worthing UK last year. It's amazing to see all the technology and craftsmanship that goes into making these wonderful products.
Loved the tour, John! Would love to know your take on the Aria, Kanta, and Utopia lines of speakers as well as their their Listen, Clear, Elear, Eligia, Stellia, and Utopia headphones.
When I was in the piano business, had a chance to tour the Kawai, Yamaha, Schimmel and Bosendorfer factories. The tour here reminded me especially of the Bosendorfer factory - small individual work areas with insane degrees of individual detail.
A very enjoyable video John about the French speaker company Focal. The music goes very well with this video. Focal do make some pretty high end speakers that look like a work of art in my eyes but they also make ones that we the general consumer can comfortably afford.
Former Aria 936 owner. Great speakers, great dynamics and very responsive to equipment changes in your system, including cables. Careful matching definitely required though and better suited to acoustically dry rooms.
It was reassuring to see how much attention and detail that’s invested into their speakers. All the manual labour was surprisingly refreshing if I may say so. BTW, my tastebuds are still imagining the scrumptious baguette and the croissants you share at the start. 😜
I own a pair of the 906 and 936 (towers) and after 2 decades of listening to many, many speakers, these are my favorites in their price class. paired with Anthem amps and preamps.
Focal hands down makes some of the best Car Audio and Studio Monitors. In the home speaker space there is much more competition that has similar or better sounding speakers. I've owned many focals over the years.
What a fantastic trip! travel to France, Visit Focal manufacturing process, sample French Coffee, WOW! Great insight in to just how much hand labor goes in to manufacturing high quality speakers. There is just no substitute for for hand made items like that. I am not sure there is a machine process that can end up with such a high quality product. That was a fun process to see, but Im kinda in to things like that :-)
Beautiful looking speakers. I have a Naim Muso QB 2 who’s speakers are tuned by Focal I believe. If they are anything to go by, Focal speakers are pretty damn good !
So you’re not allowed to see assembly of tweeters? Maybe that’s why I’ve been waiting over three months and have been advised March 2020 (5 months) for replacement tweeters for my Maestro Utopias with current beryllium model tweeters that go in all the utopia range! Absolute disgrace.
Next time I would go German made...:) Canton 1K or Odeon Audio No. 28/SE would both be a nice upgrade, besides being less expensive. I've found a lot of the Focal products to be overpriced for what you get.
I had a pair of sonus faber olympica iii's. Meh. ...not for me. I looked at some focal, but never got to audition any. The quality of them is outstanding.Great video demonstrating their build skills. To listen to them in a shop is utterly pointless. Ended up with a pair of TAD me1. Probably the last pair of speakers I will ever buy. They are quite special.
Technically, Naim and Focal JMLab Merged under a new holding company called Vervent Audio Group, who are mainly Focal investors. TL;DR : Naim is part of Focal.
No, Naim is part of Focal - just kidding. To be correct: In 2011, Focal-JMlab merged with Naim Audio Limited. The new holding company, Vervent Audio Group, owns and manages the two brands. However, both brands remain independent with their own specific philosophies and their own respective ranges and products.
Love the Sopras and above. The Spectral are quite good as well. They could not pay me enough to listen again to the Kantas. The tin sound is excruciating.
David Rivera you might want to get your ears checked. I have a pair of focal Kanta 2 and “tin sound” is not how I would describe those speakers. Care to explain?
Yeah, well I feel you bro. I could only afford the 5.1 dome system and not the flax system one . Saving 4 the Electra be series ,now it's gone. I do have their Clear headphones :)...
Interesting Video, but Oh boy, that sound track was so annoying. Just dreadful and so distracting. Sorry, but had to hit the mute button. I couldn't focal!
skypjuh says a guy who: 1) is an internet expert, 2) probably doesn’t know much French (because it is much less complicated than English), and 3) probably doesn’t know much about industrial production (because 2 hours by truck is much less complicated than most supply chain logistics in HiFi).
I love this kind of videos with factory tours. It makes you appreciate those products even more after you see how much work it takes to create them. Super interesting!
Good to see you got out of town, seeing this helps me understand my appreciation for my 936 aria. They do indeed get better with age and paying for this amount of detail is well worth it. Safe travels John.
One of the reasons I watch your videos is the outstanding sound production quality. UA-cam never sounded better!
John, this is a hypnotic video. Really well done. Thanks for sharing. High end speakers like these are pieces of art in and of themselves. Absolutely lovely. Would love to hear Focal describe why they choose to use wood materials. Part science, part art.
John, thank you for this video....what a pleasure and revelation to see Focal’s two operations....especially by a recent owner of the Kanta No.2 in piano black. I’m extremely happy with my purchase and enjoyed seeing this.
Loved seeing the coffee and bread as much as the factory. Pretty cool stuff! Thanks for all your efforts!!
i’d like to see more of these production videos thanks for your efforts John
Easy to see why they end up being so pricey. Thanks for the tour 👍
A speaker is only worth how much the box is worth (if you are an unknown maker). And there is no way anyone would pay 200 grand for those big boxes (without the drivers). But that's what a new maker would face. Focal have a reputation and you pay for their experience, way more than the boxes.
Many thanks for the factory tour! I've been enjoying my Electra 906's for many years... appreciate seeing where they were made.
There is something so satisfying about watching craftsmen (and women) working with their hands to create a thing of beauty. I’ll see Focal speakers differently now. There’s French soul in those speakers. Great video and music selection BTW.
I am loving my focal chorus 705's sound as well as finish.
Well shot, great music. You have created something special here. Focal seems like the ultimate cool now.
Made me want to go give my Chorus 706’s a gentle hug. Thanks for the awesome video John!
I'm extremely jealous!
I want a Focal shirt.
Thanks John!
me too!
Owner of Nait XS2 and Focal Chorus 706, very pleased with my system as newcomer to HiFi world.
Congratulations, that’s a very nice start
Thanks for sharing John. I did a similar tour at Bowers & Wilkins' factory in Worthing UK last year. It's amazing to see all the technology and craftsmanship that goes into making these wonderful products.
Im disgusted. I lived in Brighton for 14 years and was not aware they were just down the road. Oh well.
Loved the tour, John! Would love to know your take on the Aria, Kanta, and Utopia lines of speakers as well as their their Listen, Clear, Elear, Eligia, Stellia, and Utopia headphones.
When I was in the piano business, had a chance to tour the Kawai, Yamaha, Schimmel and Bosendorfer factories. The tour here reminded me especially of the Bosendorfer factory - small individual work areas with insane degrees of individual detail.
What an absolute treat John thank you :)
Thanks for the tour. I'm a happy owner of Focal Aria 936 speakers.
Bob Belas would love to hear what you are driving them with. Just got my 936. Looking for some electronics
@@harishkrishnamurthy5610 anything with massive power that is capable of handling a 2 ohm load. You can forget about cute 100w amps.
A very enjoyable video John about the French speaker company Focal. The music goes very well with this video. Focal do make some pretty high end speakers that look like a work of art in my eyes but they also make ones that we the general consumer can comfortably afford.
Thanks a lot John for the trip to France to see the 2 Focal plants. I plan one day to do it in person. Cheers !
Very nice John - thank you for sharing this tour.
Former Aria 936 owner. Great speakers, great dynamics and very responsive to equipment changes in your system, including cables. Careful matching definitely required though and better suited to acoustically dry rooms.
Sopra 2 owner, glad to pay a little more for this kind of craftsmanship yet they still feel like a bargain.
It was reassuring to see how much attention and detail that’s invested into their speakers. All the manual labour was surprisingly refreshing if I may say so. BTW, my tastebuds are still imagining the scrumptious baguette and the croissants you share at the start. 😜
Love my focal aria 936. Made in France was definitely a criteria when buying. Good to know I can help sustain jobs here.
Excellent speakers
Excellent trax to accompany the video
Thanks for the visit
Owner of Focal Aria 900s monitors; love the clean sound!
I own a pair of the 906 and 936 (towers) and after 2 decades of listening to many, many speakers, these are my favorites in their price class. paired with Anthem amps and preamps.
Some serious industrial artistry.
Focal hands down makes some of the best Car Audio and Studio Monitors. In the home speaker space there is much more competition that has similar or better sounding speakers. I've owned many focals over the years.
What a fantastic trip! travel to France, Visit Focal manufacturing process, sample French Coffee, WOW! Great insight in to just how much hand labor goes in to manufacturing high quality speakers. There is just no substitute for for hand made items like that. I am not sure there is a machine process that can end up with such a high quality product. That was a fun process to see, but Im kinda in to things like that :-)
Thanks for introducing me to Brendon Möller. I like it
Thanks John. Would love to see the tale of two B&W factories next
Thanks for sharing. I'm looking at getting the Chora 716 at a great deal. Can't wait to get them and listen to them
I like behind the scenes films and great music. Thanks.
I like to visit the factory too. I own the Mezzo Utopia and Solo 6 BE. I love Focal speakers.
Love my new addition of Kanta 1 and Elegia. I’m amazed how much labor went into making and finishing cabinets. Wonder how they QA it.
Wonderful video. Now ai want to buy some Focals!
Beautiful looking speakers. I have a Naim Muso QB 2 who’s speakers are tuned by Focal I believe. If they are anything to go by, Focal speakers are pretty damn good !
Great, been curious about this company Thanks
Own the 716 and 706. I love them.
Ascending - Brendon Moeller
Great track!
I do like the Focal 'sound'
Wow! Thank you
Beautiful 👌
Great job!
Can't decide if it worries or impresses me how much of it is hand-done... Mostly worries, if I'm honest. But if it works, it works!
Now thats a video. 😇
This is how i like it!
Thanks, John!
Own a pair of Focal Elegia headphones. They are absolutely phenomenal headphones
if elegia priced 1000 $ is absolutely phenomenal, then I guess stellia which is 3k usd, must be phenomenal x 3!!!!
Elegia is crap vs Stellia
Just received my 948’s... can’t wait to get them installed & broken in
The track is f...ing good.
So cool! i wonder what kind of rigs those workers have at home?
Amazing video and a nice music to watch it!
Impressive. I used to own a pair or 836V. Miss them.
Excellent! Please show the same about the Focal headphoes and the PMC speakers (UK).
have a top of line full FOCAL system in my 2001 Jaguar - great idea to show us their factory!!
Oh and nice background music selection!!
So you’re not allowed to see assembly of tweeters? Maybe that’s why I’ve been waiting over three months and have been advised March 2020 (5 months) for replacement tweeters for my Maestro Utopias with current beryllium model tweeters that go in all the utopia range! Absolute disgrace.
Next time I would go German made...:) Canton 1K or Odeon Audio No. 28/SE would both be a nice upgrade, besides being less expensive. I've found a lot of the Focal products to be overpriced for what you get.
Good, it would be interesting if you could now pop over to Arcugnano, Vicenza, Italy and do the Manufacture Sonus Faber?
Hypnotic
I had a pair of sonus faber olympica iii's. Meh. ...not for me. I looked at some focal, but never got to audition any. The quality of them is outstanding.Great video demonstrating their build skills. To listen to them in a shop is utterly pointless. Ended up with a pair of TAD me1. Probably the last pair of speakers I will ever buy. They are quite special.
Focal is amazing brand! Could you please review Sopra 2?
Nice 👍
Like my Focal model 615 mini tower. They sound even better with the Schiit Loki EQ.
Did they send you back with anything to review? :p
Nice vidéo, thks
Are the automotive speakers made in Saint Étienne as well?
Wish I could have seen a little more from the second factory.
Lovely.
Tell them to put a full grill cover on the Aria 806 ci vu plait. Thanks.
The French breakfast comprises Gauloises sans filtre too.
I have the Electra 1028be finished in white and they are incredible quality, power them with a naim supernait 1
They have amazing finishes on those speakers but I see red is not among the colour choices.
I made my two towers out of some focal speakers a buddy didn't use in a car, well see how they sound haha. Not their expensive line though.
Cool Adam audio best works
It's part of Naim :)
Technically, Naim and Focal JMLab Merged under a new holding company called Vervent Audio Group, who are mainly Focal investors.
TL;DR : Naim is part of Focal.
No, Naim is part of Focal - just kidding. To be correct: In 2011, Focal-JMlab merged with Naim Audio Limited. The new holding company, Vervent Audio Group, owns and manages the two brands. However, both brands remain independent with their own specific philosophies and their own respective ranges and products.
love the french themed intro music
Wonderful -I have clients in this region.
Saint Etienne ! 🇫🇷😉
And the music is from?
I was to fast with my question! Sorry for that.
It's in the description - Music: Brendon Möller - Ascending music.apple.com/us/album/ascending-ep/1441435258
Read the description
It says in the description
Love the Sopras and above. The Spectral are quite good as well.
They could not pay me enough to listen again to the Kantas. The tin sound is excruciating.
David Rivera you might want to get your ears checked. I have a pair of focal Kanta 2 and “tin sound” is not how I would describe those speakers. Care to explain?
drool
Focal peasant owner who can only afford has their Sibs and Bird reporting in..
Yeah, well I feel you bro. I could only afford the 5.1 dome system and not the flax system one .
Saving 4 the Electra be series ,now it's gone.
I do have their Clear headphones :)...
Interesting Video, but Oh boy, that sound track was so annoying. Just dreadful and so distracting. Sorry, but had to hit the mute button. I couldn't focal!
New to this channel I guess? I had the opposite reaction to yours lol re: the soundtrack
Transport between two factories is like the french language: needlessly complicated
skypjuh says a guy who: 1) is an internet expert, 2) probably doesn’t know much French (because it is much less complicated than English), and 3) probably doesn’t know much about industrial production (because 2 hours by truck is much less complicated than most supply chain logistics in HiFi).
i want them