Help choosing column speakers

[Des Esseintes]

Apologies. I might have misunderstood. This topic has a lot what I could call "BS". It's not your amp, lack of bi-amping, your amplifier or the fact that Focal is not hifi. Objective data (again Audiocholics measured Vestia N3) shows a good and even response and no issues related to speaker's impedance.

It is either how you perceive sound or a room that is difficult acoustics wise. EQ should remove most if not all of your issues.

No worries. I've been asking a ton of questions because I have a medical condition that prevents me from properly testing the speakers right now (I occasionally have negative pressure in my middle ear, which is a condition that comes and goes at random moments in time and is triggered by god knows what, even doctors are clueless, but basically it sometimes lasts days or weeks or months and makes any sound above/below certain thresholds in pitch and intensity painful, and feels like you're constantly on a plane that's about to land. Then slowly it goes back to normal.) Unfortunately I have had one such episode start on the day I received the speakers (correlation? coincidence? Who knows?).

Otherwise I would have run the tests and made up my mind myself without bombarding you all with questions. But thanks for taking the time to patiently answer each of my questions. I wish I knew more about acoustics and audio in general but educating oneself on the subject is not an easy thing to do.

 

[Rzezniq]

Yes, and there's a lot of misinformation and snake oil around. But you definitely don't need a monster amp to drive these.

 

[raindance]

Learn how to use REW and measure. Share the measurements here and we'll help you.

 

[Des Esseintes]

Learn how to use REW and measure. Share the measurements here and we'll help you.

It's too late for that unfortunately. I have to decide today and I won't have time to buy a microphone in order to use REW. But thanks for the offer.

I've been running tests switching back and forth between my B&W 685 bookshelf speakers and the Focals (same room, same amp), using the same track and the problem is with the trebble, not so much with the bass. I find it shrill and piercing no matter how much I fiddle around with EQ (well I mean unless I cut the entire higher spectrum but then it all sounds "amputated"). I have a physical reaction every time the horns get in the higher register, like my reccurrent tinnitus wakes up and goes crazy loud, making the small B&W much more pleasant to listen to and the Focals very tiring.

I had a hearing test today and while my hearing is above average for my age, there's no denying that given my condition, it's probably a matter of the wrong speakers for the very specific problem that I have, I'm in no way saying the Focals are intrinsically problematic. But I'm returning them (even though shipping will probably cost an arm and a leg).

 

[kyuu]

If you are still wanting to try some different speakers out, you may want to check out a pair of Ascilab now that they're available from Audiophonics (or they'll be available after July, anyway). Those should definitely not be overly bright, although given you have a medical condition it's hard to say absolutely for sure of course.