Focal Aria 906 Speaker Review

[nathan]

Apologies for moderately similar cross posting. I'm trying to decide between these and the Elac DBR-62 for use in a living room (largely untreated) paired with an SVS sub.

For stereo listening, just me, I suspect either speaker would totally fill the bill. I could move my seat and or the speakers to an idea position, etc.

But at some point we'll be upgrading to a surround system. At that point, the surround (and maybe center) speakers will be in-wall, and our seating position will likely be further away. In terms of output the Focal seem to have greater sensitivity, which is a nod in their favor. But what would really push them over the top would be if Focal has an in-wall speaker that is roughly equivalent.....which they don't seem to have, right?

Elac doesn't do any better in this regard. So that may be a wash.....though Focal in general has a wide variety of in wall speakers versus Elac having very few...

What am I forgetting to think about?

 

[BYRTT]

I created the RePhase filter today and will be testing it from now on.

View attachment 99044

Think not that we can tweak Aria 960 to absolut same levels of your nice Genelec 8030C but we can give it a try can't we ..

Priotize in settings below is a smooth sound power as it looks Genelec do their best for 8341A & 8030C, setting cost a string of 27 PEQs so to help a bit i set them 27x PEQ string into Rephase v1.4.3 and saved a settings file attached below, spinorama is per CEA/CTA 2034-ANSI at 2 meter distance so imagine setting is best used in farfield..

Animation below toggles raw anechoic for Aria 906 verse Rephase settings-file..

 

[daftcombo]

Thank you @BYRTT .

I forgot to update you and @Maiky76 on this subject:
I've tried @Maiky76 's PEQ (see RePhase filter above). It brought more details into the music but made the speaker sound too bright. I was listening on-axis and should also try off-axis, without or with few toe-in.
Perhaps a dropping house curve should be associated with that EQ.

 

[Elnoni5]

Apologies for moderately similar cross posting. I'm trying to decide between these and the Elac DBR-62 for use in a living room (largely untreated) paired with an SVS sub.

For stereo listening, just me, I suspect either speaker would totally fill the bill. I could move my seat and or the speakers to an idea position, etc.

But at some point we'll be upgrading to a surround system. At that point, the surround (and maybe center) speakers will be in-wall, and our seating position will likely be further away. In terms of output the Focal seem to have greater sensitivity, which is a nod in their favor. But what would really push them over the top would be if Focal has an in-wall speaker that is roughly equivalent.....which they don't seem to have, right?

Elac doesn't do any better in this regard. So that may be a wash.....though Focal in general has a wide variety of in wall speakers versus Elac having very few...

What am I forgetting to think about?

I’ve just bought the 906’s with the 300iw6 in wall speaker which has size matching dome and tweeter. The 300iw6 is turned horizontally and has an adjustable tweeter so you can direct the sound towards you. They blend very well in appearance and sound. For rears, I’m using the focal flax dome speakers. Please see my installation attached pic for reference. I had to set the centre high in order to avoid more diy but this is mitigated slightly with the adjustable tweeter

 

[daftcombo]

I’ve just bought the 906’s with the 300iw6 in wall speaker which has size matching dome and tweeter. The 300iw6 is turned horizontally and has an adjustable tweeter so you can direct the sound towards you. They blend very well in appearance and sound. For rears, I’m using the focal flax dome speakers. Please see my installation attached pic for reference. I had to set the centre high in order to avoid more diy but this is mitigated slightly with the adjustable tweeter
View attachment 107574

Nice, but I can't help thinking that a pair of KH310 would fit very wll in those lateral spaces.

 

[nathan]

I’ve just bought the 906’s with the 300iw6 in wall speaker which has size matching dome and tweeter. The 300iw6 is turned horizontally and has an adjustable tweeter so you can direct the sound towards you. They blend very well in appearance and sound. For rears, I’m using the focal flax dome speakers. Please see my installation attached pic for reference. I had to set the centre high in order to avoid more diy but this is mitigated slightly with the adjustable tweeter
View attachment 107574

That's a very nice use. Did you get the optional back can (backer box) for the IW speaker? That seems to be the key to getting controlled and specific performance out of them (known and optimized amount of air for the back wave of the speaker).

 

[Elnoni5]

That's a very nice use. Did you get the optional back can (backer box) for the IW speaker? That seems to be the key to getting controlled and specific performance out of them (known and optimized amount of air for the back wave of the speaker).

No I haven’t but I don’t find that it particularly needs it

 

[nathan]

Fair enough! Thanks for the idea.

What do you think of the idea of using the 300iw6 INSTEAD of the 906's for the left and right as well?

I realize in your space that would place them in a cavity so that's not an option for your space, but if it was a flat wall?

 

[Maiky76]

Thank you @BYRTT .

I forgot to update you and @Maiky76 on this subject:
I've tried @Maiky76 's PEQ (see RePhase filter above). It brought more details into the music but made the speaker sound too bright. I was listening on-axis and should also try off-axis, without or with few toe-in.
Perhaps a dropping house curve should be associated with that EQ.

hi,

Did you get a chance to try listening off-axis 10/15deg toe-in with the axis crossing in front of the listening position?
from the data it should smooth-out the peaks and make the axis closer to the LW which was designed to be flatter.

 

[Head_Unit]

Edit: adding the impedance graph:

What the heck is that weird bobble at 20 Hz? And then a bit of funniness at 30 Hz? The only time I recall seeing something like that was some coworkers measuring giant woofers by hanging them on a chain (uh, fellas, you are hanging a mass, that means a resonance!).

 

[Elnoni5]

Fair enough! Thanks for the idea.

What do you think of the idea of using the 300iw6 INSTEAD of the 906's for the left and right as well?

I realize in your space that would place them in a cavity so that's not an option for your space, but if it was a flat wall?

I seriously feel that you won’t have a problem using the 300iw6 as l/r speakers. They have practically the same specs and frequency response as the 906. From hearing it as a centre speaker, there does not seem to be a discernible difference in perceived sound. Of course, it’s Dirac calibrated which tries to make all the speakers as balanced and cohesive within your room as possible. If space dictated, I wouldn’t hesitate in using a full set of 300iw6. There is also the option of using the 300iwlcr6 which is larger should it be more appealing

 

[nathan]

Thanks. Good to know. Almost twice the price so one would really have to want an all "in wall" setup...but good to have that option.

 

[Jigitz]

Hey Everyone, lots of great information in this thread. I’m working on integrating a JL Audio Dominions D110 to my 906’s I gotta say the 906’s sound great. I have kef R11s and I ALMOST like these better.

Anyways, there is so much out there about setting up a sub it really is overwhelming. I am trying to find the best crossover point. Some articles say +5/10 hz above the lowest frequency and others say to take the low frequency, double it, and set it there. If I am reading correctly the 906’s go to 57hz. So should I set my crossover to ~70hz or closer to 100hz? I have an issue in my room where the sub is in the corner so I already have to lower the gain quite a bit to get the boomieness to go away. Also I am playing around with the phase degrees and am trying to see if there is a some good reading out there on the subject so I make sure I set it correctly. Any help is greatly appreciated.

For reference I am using the line level input of the JL D110 and am connected to my Marantz PM8006.

 

[dfuller]

Hey Everyone, lots of great information in this thread. I’m working on integrating a JL Audio Dominions D110 to my 906’s I gotta say the 906’s sound great. I have kef R11s and I ALMOST like these better.

Anyways, there is so much out there about setting up a sub it really is overwhelming. I am trying to find the best crossover point. Some articles say +5/10 hz above the lowest frequency and others say to take the low frequency, double it, and set it there. If I am reading correctly the 906’s go to 57hz. So should I set my crossover to ~70hz or closer to 100hz? I have an issue in my room where the sub is in the corner so I already have to lower the gain quite a bit to get the boomieness to go away. Also I am playing around with the phase degrees and am trying to see if there is a some good reading out there on the subject so I make sure I set it correctly. Any help is greatly appreciated.

For reference I am using the line level input of the JL D110 and am connected to my Marantz PM8006.

I would cross over a bit above the bottom limits of the speaker, probably with these I'd suggest maybe 70-80hz. That should seriously clean up the low end distortion too.

 

[trivium]

what house curve would you guys use with REQ for these? would you just make a flat line?

 

[richard12511]

what house curve would you guys use with REQ for these? would you just make a flat line?

My general approach (at least when you have a neutral speaker like this) is to pick a curve that closely matches the in room measured response of the speaker. Try to draw a straightish downward sloping "average" line over the measurements that's in the middle of all the wiggles. It can be tough at bass frequencies(since the wiggles will be large), but just do your best. Have you taken in room measurements yet?

 

[Desmo]

I’ve just bought the 906’s with the 300iw6 in wall speaker which has size matching dome and tweeter. The 300iw6 is turned horizontally and has an adjustable tweeter so you can direct the sound towards you. They blend very well in appearance and sound. For rears, I’m using the focal flax dome speakers. Please see my installation attached pic for reference. I had to set the centre high in order to avoid more diy but this is mitigated slightly with the adjustable tweeter
View attachment 107574

Nice setup! But I can't help thinking your setup would benefit from a speaker stand
to raise the tweeter to ear level and give them some room to breathe.

Something like this:

https://isoacoustics.com/isoacoustics-products/pro-audio-musical-instrument-products/

 

[trivium]

My general approach (at least when you have a neutral speaker like this) is to pick a curve that closely matches the in room measured response of the speaker. Try to draw a straightish downward sloping "average" line over the measurements that's in the middle of all the wiggles. It can be tough at bass frequencies(since the wiggles will be large), but just do your best. Have you taken in room measurements yet?

With my ipad and the Q150's yes, however im still waiting for the focal speakers to show up and i just got my my new toy (Mini dsp Mic) so im yet to play around with it.
So downwards slope, basically how amir has it?

 

[richard12511]

With my ipad and the Q150's yes, however im still waiting for the focal speakers to show up and i just got my my new toy (Mini dsp Mic) so im yet to play around with it.
So downwards slope, basically how amir has it?

Yeah downard slope is generally what you want, as that's what will sound most neutral. How much slope depends on how far you sit and how reflective your room is at high frequencies, how directive your speakers are at high frequencies, as well as how much room gain you're getting(and like) in the bass.

Attached is an example of a curve I've used for my Genelecs in a fairly absorptive room at ~3.5m.

 

[trivium]

Yeah downard slope is generally what you want, as that's what will sound most neutral. How much slope depends on how far you sit and how reflective your room is at high frequencies, how directive your speakers are at high frequencies, as well as how much room gain you're getting(and like) in the bass.

Attached is an example of a curve I've used for my Genelecs in a fairly absorptive room at ~3.5m.

Looks like I figured it, it’s not perfectly flat but much better it also helped integrate my sub. The sub is seamless now. I have first reflections treated aswell as a 24” spot directly behind each speaker. The reverb and clarity was unbearable before I added those, primarily because the rooms furniture is exercise equipment. It looks like the Q150s are a little rolled off from what I’m used to and prefer (Hifiman 400i). I’m hoping the focal 906 are better. On a side note I’m not a fan of the harmon curve, just too much bass so REW really took care of that midbass bloat.

just out of curiosity the text file that REW spits out, can it be used on Android or any other platform than windows?