Focal Aria 906 Speaker Review

[delta76]

I wrote applicable, not acceptable . I was wondering if it is something like calibrated your TV, or I can simply apply the data provided blindy. Guess each speaker is subtly different?

Now what would be a good calibrated microphone for a beginner?

 

[Ageve]

I'm not sure what to make of it. On one hand he uses measurements to design his crossover to make things "sound better" but on the other hand he states that measurements will not reflect the improvement of sonic quality. Erm ....

Here are a few quotes from my discussion with him (M106 video):

We all know that things like resistors matter. There are a lot of audible differences that we have a hard time measuring and showing measurable differences.
...
Anytime you have ferromagnetic parts in the signal path (like sand cast resistors) they have a negative effect on the sound. If those are things you can't hear then you have other bottlenecks in your system.
...
People trust me because I tell them the truth, and because my recommendations have been good to them.
...
Our Clio [measurement] system is known to be one of the most accurate on the market.*
...
Anytime someone starts claiming that audible differences disappear when doing double blind listening comparisons confirms to me that they have never done anything like that.
...
And lastly, differences in cables are pretty easy to hear and are easily demonstrated with blind comparisons. We do them all the time and demonstrate those differences easily.
...
Regarding the M106. It is a cheaply made speaker loaded with cheesy parts. They won't hold a candle to our X-LS Encore basic kit (no upgrades) for $279 a pair.
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If you really think that the cables and connectors make no difference in how something sounds then you still have a lot to learn.
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Distortion numbers are little more than a catch phrase.
...
And raised tweeter levels doesn't give ... the perception of more detail. Not to a trained ear anyway. It just makes them louder.**


That's when I realized it's no use. The reason why he questioned distortion measurements, was the fact that the Revels have lower distortion than his DIY kit. Even though the distortion is quite a bit higher, they still sound "more detailed", in part because of expensive cables and binding posts that improves the sound in ways that can't be measured. Makes sense, doesnt it?

* The measurements in his videos have a lot of smoothing applied. I really hope he doesn't use them when designing his crossovers.

** His mod increased the tweeter level.

 

[ROOSKIE]

I wrote applicable, not acceptable . I was wondering if it is something like calibrated your TV, or I can simply apply the data provided blindy. Guess each speaker is subtly different?

Now what would be a good calibrated microphone for a beginner?

The anechoic data in the ASR spinorama is EQ'd with a different reason and approach vs using room correction.
You can not calibrate a room, it is not like at all like calibrating a TV.

Plus even when calibrating a TV there are various settings you may prefer and depending on the environmental conditions the calibration may vary.

But at any rate in room "correction" would not be a calibration and really ought to not be called "correction", either.

The R3 is already very well measuring and EQ may not apply in the sense it may be akin to micro managing an excellent employee.

Broad tone controls like a tilt, treble and bass are likely better along with PEQ/DSP for the bass/mid bass region (and lower mids in many cases) due to strong room and boundary influences.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

And lastly, differences in cables are pretty easy to hear and are easily demonstrated with blind comparisons.

Yes... especially since we are talking about really serious cable lengths ... like 20 - 30cm!

 

[ROOSKIE]

Yes... especially since we are talking about really serious cable lengths ... like 20 - 30cm!

And lastly, differences in cables are pretty easy to hear and are easily demonstrated with blind comparisons. We do them all the time and demonstrate those differences easily.

Actually, he may not be lying here as it is fairly easy to juice a Blind Test one way or another.
That is why the Double Blind exists.

Lots of folks would either intentionally or unintentionally telegraph/communicate information in a way that would skew the test.

Not saying everything has to be a double blind test but if Danny was running it I would be dubious of a simple blind test.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

Not saying everything has to be a double blind test but if Danny was running it I would be dubious of a simple blind test.

If we're talking about cables INSIDE two identical looking speakers, then I'd say it's pretty damn hard to fuck up such a test. Just get a 3rd person to place the speakers that is not involved in either switching or listening.

You're right of course, if the components are visible to the person testing/switching but not to the listener.

 

[Chromatischism]

The PIR shows some elevated trebble, in my room it was not present in the actual IR nor in my subjective assessment.

Not just the PIR; you can see the broad hump in the spin. I wouldn't call them bright, but most say analytical and revealing of bad recordings.

The R3 is already very well measuring and EQ may not apply in the sense it may be akin to micro managing an excellent employee.

I would take a broad shallow cut from the tweeter, and it takes it well because it's a coaxial speaker.

 

[Sister_Ray]

Summer sale has started at HomeCinéSolutions, currently only on the dark ebony version however. The price is €275 a piece.

Enceinte bibliothèque Focal Aria 906 dark ebony

L'Aria 906 en finition Dark Ebony est une exclusivité Homecinesolutions. Aria 900 marque une nouvelle étape dans l’histoire de Focal et un nouveau…

www.homecinesolutions.fr

 

[VintageFlanker]

The price is €275 a piece.

It's in fact 550€/pair, since you absolutely cannot buy a piece.
So it still is 100€ too expensive for Summer Sales. I would wait for another price drop that will certainly come in July.

 

[Overseas]

Best price I had on my local market was 660 euro per pair.

 

[delta76]

Best price I had on my local market was 660 euro per pair.

nothing beats Focal in France market (their home country).

 

[damirj79]

Summer sale has started at HomeCinéSolutions, currently only on the dark ebony version however. The price is €275 a piece.

Enceinte bibliothèque Focal Aria 906 dark ebony

L'Aria 906 en finition Dark Ebony est une exclusivité Homecinesolutions. Aria 900 marque une nouvelle étape dans l’histoire de Focal et un nouveau…

www.homecinesolutions.fr

This price is often offered from this retailer. If you are looking for even better price it may come in july or august, when the price was 225€ per piece or 450€ for a pair. Ebony finish is not so bad, white gloss for me is perfect, but it never gets so much discount..

 

[delta76]

This price is often offered from this retailer. If you are looking for even better price it may come in july or august, when the price was 225€ per piece or 450€ for a pair. Ebony finish is not so bad, white gloss for me is perfect, but it never gets so much discount..

the best price in the last year was during BF (225e as you said). Last year it went to 249e/piece during june and then 295e/piece. Of course we can't predict with high precision from past prices (we can somehow expect the range on sale periods though), but with the inflation going on, I doubt that it will get cheaper than last year.

On a separate matter, have anyone used 906 for Atmos - i.e. height speakers. I have 2 laying around for surround but might buy a few more for Atmos.

 

[thewas]

Does any of these low price Aria shops ship to EU? Might be tempted this summer to give it a try and compare with my narrower directivity LS50 Meta.

 

[delta76]

Does any of these low price Aria shops ship to EU? Might be tempted this summer to give it a try and compare with my narrower directivity LS50 Meta.

homecinesolutions and fnac do ship to EU. fnac has pretty "flat shipping rate" so if you are buying many stuffs at once it'll be cheaper. hcs shipping rate can be very expensive, but they do offer confidential prices which somehow offset that. hcs has great customer service - as I am told, fnac not so much (first hand experience).

 

[AudioSceptic]

View attachment 214212
the best price in the last year was during BF (225e as you said). Last year it went to 249e/piece during june and then 295e/piece. Of course we can't predict with high precision from past prices (we can somehow expect the range on sale periods though), but with the inflation going on, I doubt that it will get cheaper than last year.

On a separate matter, have anyone used 906 for Atmos - i.e. height speakers. I have 2 laying around for surround but might buy a few more for Atmos.

Off topic, but I'm curious: do you not have a € on your keyboard?

 

[delta76]

Off topic, but I'm curious: do you not have a € on your keyboard?

I'm not living in a eurozone country, and I am too lazy to copy and paste the euro sign

 

[VintageFlanker]

I'm not living in a eurozone country, and I am too lazy to copy and paste the euro sign

Alt Gr+E works pretty well, FYI.

 

[delta76]

Alt+E works pretty well, FYI.

I did try that but it just opens the edge menu .

well let's back to the main topic. It's a bit sad that the price of focal, aria line in particular, in US is quite absurd, they are not popular there. I asked same question regarding atmos on a home theatre group, but it seems nobody buys $2000/pair speakers for that.

 

[Overseas]

I found them excellent for TV, movies.