Focal Solo6 Be Review (Studio Monitor)

[amirm]

Beryllium is fragile and toxic at the same time.

Actually the person said the motivation was the super strong magnet in the tweeter. People had had metal objects in their hand get sucked right into the tweeter!

 

[amirm]

 

[voodooless]

Actually the person said the motivation was the super strong magnet in the tweeter. People had had metal objects in their hand get sucked right into the tweeter!

… which might break the diaphragm and release toxins.

 

[respice finem]

Actually the person said the motivation was the super strong magnet in the tweeter. People had had metal objects in their hand get sucked right into the tweeter!

This is absolutely plausible, neodymium magnets are not toys. In some cases, speakers are sold with grilles for the tweeter and bass/midrange, even without beryllium and such. https://www.thomann.de/cz/neumann_kh_120_a.htm

 

[ralph]

I'm really curious how Focal floor standers would do in a review, how they would measure. I've recently listened to a Focal Kanta No2 at my local dealer, this and anything lower in price, would be great to see measurements for and of course listening tests. @amirm, any chance that this will happen? And thankyou for this review!

 

[respice finem]

… which might break the diaphragm and release toxins.

Or (less so with the inverted Focal dome, but with "normal" domes) tempt the user to get the dome back to shape with the "kiss method"...

 

[voodooless]

This is absolutely plausible, neodymium magnets are not toys. In some cases, speakers are sold with grilles for the tweeter and bass/midrange, even without beryllium and such. https://www.thomann.de/cz/neumann_kh_120_a.htm

Just about all metal done tweeters have grilles. They are all very fragile.

 

[voodooless]

Does anyone know of these are real beryllium domes, or just dampend on aluminum?

Real beryllium should have a resonances at 30 kHz and over. In #18, we can see that the resonance is just past 20 kHz, in @amirm’s measurements none is to be seen. That is rather curious.

 

[NYfan2]

As a Focal fan for many years (I still own a pair of JMlab DB24) it is good to read this review.
Will be interesting if Armir can measure the Kanta or Utopia series.

 

[AudioJester]

I'm really curious how Focal floor standers would do in a review, how they would measure. I've recently listened to a Focal Kanta No2 at my local dealer, this and anything lower in price, would be great to see measurements for and of course listening tests. @amirm, any chance that this will happen? And thankyou for this review!

Stereophile has measured this speaker

 

[LTig]

Sorry, off-topic funny question. Is this a technique that could be implemented relatively easlily for a hot-running DIY class AB amp? Like replacing the power supply for the output stage with a class D chip amp that is sourcing DC plus a low-pass filtered version of the audio signal on top, something along those lines?

I think this should work. Set the gain of the class D amp identical to that of the class AB amp and add some DC to its input signal.

However a simple low pass does not work because it would slow down the response of the class D amp to fast impulses. You'll need a filter with a very fast rise time and a very slow release time.

 

[FeddyLost]

think this should work. Set the gain of the class D amp identical to that of the class AB amp and add some DC to its input signal.

Classic description of BASH suppose that "class D" pwm modulation according to input signal applied to power rails with few volts addition. Like tracing voltage power supply.
And between those rails typical class AB is powering speaker.

 

[shal]

… which might break the diaphragm and release toxins.

Yes,
In their documentation , you will have this kind of sentence :

• If the dome is broken in any way
giving rise to loose particles of
Beryllium, they should be carefully
collected with the use of a supplied
adhesive tape and sealed in a zip-
top bag to be returned with the
tweeter.

 

[Francis Vaughan]

Whenever a beryllium tweeter is discussed there is inevitable handwringing about the toxicity of the metal. No doubt it is a pretty nasty element, but the level of fear sometimes encountered is somewhat over the top.

Beryllium is a pretty amazing metal. Lighter than aluminium and stronger then steel. It is a significant step up from titanium. As an airborne powder it is fiendish. Otherwise not so much. A beryllium tweeter very little risk.
Don’t grind your tweeter into a powder.

This Is a very comprehensive guide.

a quick summary from it is this:

Beryllium can enter your body if you breathe air, eat food, or drink water containing it. Beryllium will not enter your body from skin contact with the metal unless the skin is scraped or cut and beryllium particles become imbedded in the wound. Only a small amount of beryllium may enter your body if your skin comes into contact with a beryllium salt dissolved in water. When you breathe air containing beryllium, beryllium particles can be deposited in the lungs. The beryllium that you breathe in slowly dissolves in the lungs and moves slowly into the bloodstream. Some of the beryllium deposited in the lungs can be moved to the mouth and then swallowed; the rest can remain in your lungs for a long time. If you eat food or drink water that contains beryllium, less than 1% passes from your stomach and intestines into the bloodstream. Therefore, most of the beryllium that you swallow leaves your body through the feces without entering the bloodstream. The small amount of beryllium that moves from the lungs, stomach, and intestines into the bloodstream is carried by the blood to the kidneys. Beryllium leaves the kidneys by the urine. Some beryllium can also be carried by the blood to the liver and bones where it may remain for long periods. If you swallow beryllium, beryllium leaves the body in a few days. However, if you inhale beryllium, it may take months to years before your body rids itself of beryllium. This is because it takes a long time before all the beryllium in the lungs enters the bloodstream.

 

[Rja4000]

Now we need a review of these monsters
View attachment 144793

Well, yes, but each would require 4 measurement sets : one with trebble/medium assembly in vertical, one in horizontal, both using 3 ways, then the same in 2 ways mode...

 

[Rja4000]

I'm really curious how Focal floor standers would do in a review, how they would measure. I've recently listened to a Focal Kanta No2 at my local dealer, this and anything lower in price, would be great to see measurements for and of course listening tests. @amirm, any chance that this will happen? And thankyou for this review!

Well, yes, but don't expect me to ship my Aria 948 from Belgium to Amir and back :-S
On top of it, Amir would hate it: they are heavy.

 

[VintageFlanker]

On top of it, Amir would hate it: they are heavy.

Come on. There are much heavier Focal towers.

 

[daftcombo]

I'm amazed at the low bass distortion at 96 dB.

 

[VintageFlanker]

I'm amazed at the low bass distortion at 96 dB.

Same here. This seems to be a much better fit than Genelec for someone looking for midfield/high SPLs.

 

[Geert]

I've been using focal drivers in PA speaker builds since more than 30 years ago. These guys have some knowledge in house.