Essential Install | Focal
Skilled technicians are involved throughout the manufacturing process
A new production area is dedicated to creating some of the company’s largest speakers
A favourite feature of the Utopia line is the ability to adjust, with a special key, the angle of the different drivers located on top of the main unit. This gives the products the ability to be tuned to the exact needs of any size and shape of room. Again, testing is a huge part of what goes on, in this area using a full anechoic chamber for when the cabinets and drivers have been married together. Another patented component on view in this area and used in many of the larger speakers, is the ‘power flower’ magnet assembly. Developed 20 years ago, the technology offers an innovative way of creating more power and control from the same size component of competing approaches. Focal uses an array of several double stacked ferrite rings, on a circular open pattern regularly distributed around the voice coil. The energy created is more powerful than a conventional magnet of the same size, but also delivers a cooling effect from the circulation of air in the space in between the magnet stacks. Another new part of the factory is the dedicated area creating the expanding headphone lines. Accuracy in the production here is very important and again any adhesive applied is done so with extreme accuracy and care. Focal innovations here include a voice coil which has no former, retaining its own shape and rigidity. This reduces weight and increases performance. The Utopia line also features unique open-backed full-range speaker drivers with pure beryllium ’M’-shaped domes.
Home cinema and integrated expansion
Wanting to offer the same high performance and innovation found in its ‘Classic Hi-Fi’ lines, Focal began its journey into home cinema over five years ago taking soundings from the industry on exactly what the market wanted. The company concluded that it needed to produce a high-performance, but easy to understand and focused range of products that could cope with lots of different demands from as few skews as possible. The Custom and Chorus products were the first to be produced, but these have now been replaced with new lines, the 100 Series, 300 Series and the Electra 1000 BE 2. All fully integrated with in-wall and in-celling options, the products can be finished with round or square grilles which can be painted to match décor.
The 100 Series represents the entry level option, the 300 its mid-priced option with the Electra offering the top end. All the ranges have been created to be able to deliver full home cinema or multi-room options all with Focal’s signature sound as all the speakers are based around the same drivers and technology used in the rest of the company’s products. This means that if users want to mix and match from the integrated and other lines, they can as the sound will marry. Innovations include the in-ceiling loudspeakers of the 100 Series featuring a compact design, with the speaker driver’s basket and chassis designed as a single unit. The 300 Series features other Focal technologies, such as its Flax cone and the aluminium-magnesium inverted dome tweeter, designed to provide audiophile sound quality. These products also provide the EQI system which stands for Easy Quick Install. Whether they’re used as in-ceiling or in-wall loudspeakers, they require no tools to install. Already available before the 100 and 300 series were introduced, the Electra lines will also be enhanced with new skews this year. Nicolas says, “So far the response has been really positive. Installers are already asking us to tackle other areas with other high-quality products too, so we are already looking at additions to the existing lines.” Focal is keen for installers to not just look at its integrated options but its classic Hi-Fi products too. Not only can they be matched with integrated lines, but the maker is keen to encourage installers to sell more twochannel systems arguing the client base is there, so why not? The recently introduced Kanta range is a particularly good option here, they look and sound fantastic. Andy Oattes, head of sales for Focal UK is also keen to underline some of the other advantages of working with the brand, not least the very attractive points of margin available on the integrated lines and access to the floorstanding products, which also deliver strong margin.
The utopian demonstration
Of course, Focal is going to have a screamingly good demo space. Witnessing the company’s Grand Utopia speakers working in concert with Naim’s Statement amplification (part of the same group now of course) is an awesome experience. Sound so good that it defies easy description, suffice to say that this set up must be amongst the best in the world. An extremely generous host, Nicolas allowed EI access to the Tidal feed delivering the audio to this awesome set up. Deciding to go with two extremes, Little Fluffy Clouds by the Orb and Dr Rock by Motorhead were selected. Detail and power on display to a quite staggering level. However, you expect a very end system to be able to do that, what perhaps impressed even more was the demo of the in-wall 300 Series. Remember this is the speaker which fits with no tools and, in this instance, was demonstrated in a simple stereo configuration with no sub. The 300 IW LCR 6 models demonstrated and delivered clear, warm, room filling audio that at this price point is very impressive (£799 inc. vat). A hugely gratifying trip this one, a real treat to see behind the scenes at a company which so clearly cares about quality. Focal 01722 426 600, a.oattes@focal-uk.com, focal.com
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20/07/2018 14:11