Best bookshelf speakers for 3D/Holographic imaging

[MGG]

I had an opportunity to audition Focal's Aria 906 alongside numerous other passive bookshelf speakers (KEF, JBL, Dali, Monitor Audio, Q Acoustics, AE...) in an acoustically good room and I can confirm @napilopez 's observations. Great speakers in my (very subjective) opinion.

 

[trivium]

I had an opportunity to audition Focal's Aria 906 alongside numerous other passive bookshelf speakers (KEF, JBL, Dali, Monitor Audio, Q Acoustics, AE...) in an acoustically good room and I can confirm @napilopez 's observations. Great speakers in my (very subjective) opinion.

I was listening last night to the 906s and a track came on with a really strange noise that came from the far right hand side of the room. It scared the crap out me because it was loud and I thought something happened to the house. It sounded like someone dragging a heavy chair across the floor upstairs. Once I realized it was the track I was blown away. Another track I was listening to was shooting percussion to the back of the room, it literally leaped from each speaker and almost sounded like it came from behind me. Stereo imaging is a beautiful thing, especially on these speakers.

 

[BluesDaddy]

I was listening last night to the 906s and a track came on with a really strange noise that came from the far right hand side of the room. It scared the crap out me because it was loud and I thought something happened to the house. It sounded like someone dragging a heavy chair across the floor upstairs. Once I realized it was the track I was blown away. Another track I was listening to was shooting percussion to the back of the room, it literally leaped from each speaker and almost sounded like it came from behind me. Stereo imaging is a beautiful thing, especially on these speakers.

This will happen to me listening to my BMRs. I would think one of the reasons the Focals are not more popular is that their price in the US are more than double what it is on the French site. For that you could buy the BMR and have money left over.

 

[trivium]

This will happen to me listening to my BMRs. I would think one of the reasons the Focals are not more popular is that their price in the US are more than double what it is on the French site. For that you could buy the BMR and have money left over.

A guy on Reddit wouldn’t consider buying from a France based website because he doesnt speak French and can’t navigate the website. I told him neither do but if it’s going to save me $1400 I’ll speak Russian for all I care lol. I think people are just lazy or unwilling to take the chance of importing them.

 

[Pearljam5000]

A guy on Reddit wouldn’t consider buying from a France based website because he doesnt speak French and can’t navigate the website. I told him neither do but if it’s going to save me $1400 I’ll speak Russian for all I care lol. I think people are just lazy or unwilling to take the chance of importing them.

What website is that?

 

[Steve Dallas]

Not sure if you have seen this site:

https://www.accessories4less.com/ma...way-bookshelf-speaker-piano-black-each/1.html

They are legitimate.

 

[trivium]

What website is that?

HomeCinéSolutions.fr

 

[trivium]

Not sure if you have seen this site:

https://www.accessories4less.com/ma...way-bookshelf-speaker-piano-black-each/1.html

They are legitimate.

Yea I have but i think costs more with the USD to CAD exchange. That would work out to ~$975 Canadian excluding shipping. Currently where the euro is i think it might actually cheaper for me to direct ship France to Canada. Hard to say though as the shipping from accessories for less should be cheaper which would offset it.

 

[BluesDaddy]

Yea I have but it costs more with the USD to CAD exchange. Currently where the euro is it’s actually cheaper for me to direct ship France to Canada.

US is still cheaper from the French site, at least when I checked it out, as well.

 

[trivium]

US is still cheaper from the French site, at least when I checked it out, as well.

Plus when you order from France they come smelling with cigarette smoke and packaged with a block of Comté

 

[richard12511]

...

Perhaps the inverted dome is responsible for much of this?

 

[napilopez]

This will happen to me listening to my BMRs. I would think one of the reasons the Focals are not more popular is that their price in the US are more than double what it is on the French site. For that you could buy the BMR and have money left over.

I do personally prefer the colors and boxy shape oft he Choras and the measurements are nearly identical to the Aria so those are the ones I recommend. But they'd certainly be a lot easier to recommend if they were priced in the states as they are in France!

Perhaps the inverted dome is responsible for much of this?

Yep, it's totally the shape of the tweeter. I called it 'm-shaped' but inverted dome describes more of the lineup; only some of the tweeters like the modern beryllium ones are m shaped(and these have wider still directivity). There are a few other inverted dome speakers out there, but they are on the whole surprisingly rare, which makes me think they are hard to make well.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I actually have them In my car(top photo)
And this the older Flax with non "M-shaped" (bottom) tweeter ( they always had the inverted dome. But the M-shaped is new in this line)

I do personally prefer the colors and boxy shape oft he Choras and the measurements are nearly identical to the Aria so those are the ones I recommend. But they'd certainly be a lot easier to recommend if they were priced in the states as they are in France!




Yep, it's totally the shape of the tweeter. I called it 'm-shaped' but inverted dome describes more of the lineup; only some of the tweeters like the modern beryllium ones are m shaped(and these have wider still directivity). There are a few other inverted dome speakers out there, but they are on the whole surprisingly rare, which makes me think they are hard to make well.

 

[richard12511]

I do personally prefer the colors and boxy shape oft he Choras and the measurements are nearly identical to the Aria so those are the ones I recommend. But they'd certainly be a lot easier to recommend if they were priced in the states as they are in France!




Yep, it's totally the shape of the tweeter. I called it 'm-shaped' but inverted dome describes more of the lineup; only some of the tweeters like the modern beryllium ones are m shaped(and these have wider still directivity). There are a few other inverted dome speakers out there, but they are on the whole surprisingly rare, which makes me think they are hard to make well.

Your explanation and preference for more constant directivity (D&D, Focal) over consistently narrowing directivity(Revel, KEF, Genelec) makes great sense to me.

The 8C is a great example, since it allows you to separate the dispersion width from the dispersion consistency to better understand what you actually prefer(constant vs narrowing, wide vs narrow). Side by side with the 8341a, you can see the 8C is considerably more constant off axis(did my best to align the scales)

 

[napilopez]

Your explanation and preference for more constant directivity (D&D, Focal) over consistently narrowing directivity(Revel, KEF, Genelec) makes great sense to me.

The 8C is a great example, since it allows you to separate the dispersion width from the dispersion consistency to better understand what you actually prefer(constant vs narrowing, wide vs narrow). Side by side with the 8341a, you can see the 8C is considerably more constant off axis(did my best to align the scales)

View attachment 112792

Yeah. It's a little hard to describe, but I feel like that off-axis tilt changes the feel of the room or ambiance around the music. I do feel that speakers like the KEF's have a 'warmer' soundstage,. whereas Constant directivity feels a little more transparent ('cold'). I know those aren't terms people normally associate with the soundstage, but they are essentially interacting with the room differently.

 

[Reed]

Yeah. I read that, which is part of why I called. They told me my power was marginal and my room was not suitable to allow them perform at their best, and they would rather not sell me a pair.

Ha, ha. I have MMGs in a 10x11’ dedicated room. Speakers are 3’ out from the front wall. Schiit Vidar provides power. Sounds great. I called the factory and got into the same discussion regarding the LRS an a small room. This after telling them I was successfully running MMGs. They don’t know how to set up in small rooms. There’s always a trade off. Maggies have almost no sidewall reflections but the front wall is critical. It’s a one person, one chair head in vice speaker that works great for me. I use an NAD C658 and the Dirac makes a huge difference. Also have a Rel sub. That said, I’m going to the storage unit to grab my Q100’s. I haven’t heard them high the new preamp and, you never know...

 

[trivium]

Does anyone know of any other speakers that use inverted domes? It looks like the focal kanto is like $8000 CDN for a pair which is ridiculous for bookshelf’s. Also based on this thread it’s safe to assume that the addicting soundstage these speakers put out is due to the fact that they are not as directional as some other speakers but have a much wider dispersion?

 

[lherrm]

Focal pro line : Alpha, Shape, SM6 speakers

 

[napilopez]

Does anyone know of any other speakers that use inverted domes? It looks like the focal kanto is like $8000 CDN for a pair which is ridiculous for bookshelf’s. Also based on this thread it’s safe to assume that the addicting soundstage these speakers put out is due to the fact that they are not as directional as some other speakers?

There's German Maestro, as @thewas once pointed out to me

 

[ArtfulDawdger]

Too late lol I just bought the arias following your instruction, came out to $1060 CDN. That’s a deal that’s far too good to pass up even if I hate them which I seriously doubt, I can resell them at a profit. I somehow convinced the wife to let me buy them, of which I will reimburse myself when my tax refund comes. I think when I mean presence and holographic sound it’s much more nuanced and subtle than what surrounds would provide. It becomes most evident when you reach that meditative state of euphoria through the music. To me it’s like art, it’s simply captivating how sound engineers and artists do it, surround sound channels just don’t have the same magical effect for some reason. Pretty excited, thanks! Now let’s hope the transaction/shipping goes smooth as I used PayPal.

Did you end up paying duties when they arrived? If so, how much?