Monitor Audio vs Focal?

[radamel]

I will say the new Kanta's look bloody amazing. As in, good enough that you almost don't have to care how they sound. (There was a time I never thought that way but I've grown into an A-D-U-L-T unfortunately).

I will say that Monitor Audio doesn't get all the credit it deserves. Because their designs are utilitarian and they have a lot of models they can often get overlooked for others that have a bit more pizzazz or something "Fresher" feeling. A good example was a few years' back when Robert Deutsch reviewed the Platinum 300 Mk 2 and basically said they smoked the brand new Wilson Sabrina's he was using as his reference for a few months. In the very next issue the Sabrina's won loudspeaker of the year award. (?????)

Whatever the price point, it's worth listening to the Monitors and seeing what you think honestly.

Unless of course you want something that looks good. Then get the Kanta's and FTW.

I think you're spot on about Monitor Audio.
If some people who think that all MAs sound harsh actually listened without prejudice they could understand that their opinion is outdated.

 

[pjdowns]

Really awfull
Not able to hold a tune
Boom boom
Why people pay premium is beyond me

I feel real sorry for the staff (if any left) they are forced to demo brilliant electronics with such speakers

What a lot of codswallop. Have you ever thought that it might be the speakers that are brilliant and the electronics that are lacking?

Focal make fine sounding speakers and if you match them with the right components they can sound fantastic and well beyond their intrinsic value.

 

[pjdowns]

Listened to a few different Focals, all shrill to me. Although in the same family as Naim it's really a match made in hell, as Hifinut said previously paint stripper comes to mind.

What components did you hear them with just out of curiosity? If Naim I’d agree entirely.

 

[Paul Burke]

What a lot of codswallop. Have you ever thought that it might be the speakers that are brilliant and the electronics that are lacking?

Focal make fine sounding speakers and if you match them with the right components they can sound fantastic and well beyond their intrinsic value.

Agree completely. Heard focals sounding very good. Heard them sounding terrible too. Focals are not voiced with naim or any other nonsense people like to believe just because they’re financially linked

 

[pjdowns]

Agree completely. Heard focals sounding very good. Heard them sounding terrible too. Focals are not voiced with naim or any other nonsense people like to believe just because they’re financially linked

Agree, although I believe the later models, such as the Sopra and Kanta have been designed to work along with Naim components. The earlier models like the Electra range really don't work well with Naim, as I can confirm owning a pair of 1028Be.

 

[pjdowns]

I liked some of the Monitor Audio models from the 90's up to about the model with the gold metal dome tweaters. I have always found the later models that I have heard to sound a bit too Hifi for me, with little depth or substance.

 

[Minio]

A lot of speakers can sound awful with the wrong sort of amp from my experience.
Some more quality amps can make cheaper speakers sound quite excellent.

And don’t forget the source either.

 

[shrink]

my only experience with focal is a little higher up the range (1007, 1037, 1028) but my impression of them (having owned 1007) is that they have a generous upper bass, warm but detailed midband and very open treble. Never bright, but very open. They probably aren't the most accurate monitor out there, but what they do well is make music sound like music. They bring body, depth and texture to the show.

I have also owned a fair bit of monitor audio and they strike a more balanced approach to these ears. Midband more neutral and treble a little more dry and less sparkly. They are (as the name may suggest) far more like monitors in their presentation. That said, with anything from a neutral amp to something on the warm side of neutral, the most ive ever enjoyed my hifi was on the back of monitor audio speakers.

Both are great, but amp matching will matter

edit:

combos that worked well for me:

-bel canto + focal (the focals brought a richness and musicality to the quite dry bel canto amps)
-Musical fidelity and meridian amps with Monitor audios speakers (the richer smoother amps brought out the musicality in the MA speakers).

Perhaps that helps

 

[radamel]

I liked some of the Monitor Audio models from the 90's up to about the model with the gold metal dome tweaters. I have always found the later models that I have heard to sound a bit too Hifi for me, with little depth or substance.

Have you heard the Platinum II series?

If so, what other components did you hear them with?

Cheers.

 

[daren_p]

I have had the 906 for years. They are warm and refined with good bass. They also image exellent and disappear. If anybody finds these shrill they have very bad room acoustics.
You are welcome to have a listen if near Bolton

Not shrill in my case but while possibly impressive on a quick listen, fatiguing with some listening time for me. What are you driving them with? They did not work well with either a Brio R (not refined enough on the top end & being on the thin side not good for the 906's) or Nuprime IDA-8 (better top end refinement & fuller sound, a component that's on the warm side of neutral but still not a sound I liked with the 906's). Tried them in two room's, neither with acoustic issues (one a dedicated listening room). Just not a sound I liked.

I think you're spot on about Monitor Audio.
If some people who think that all MAs sound harsh actually listened without prejudice they could understand that their opinion is outdated.

Some of their models say going back about 10 years now were possibly tipped up in the upper end (rep from MA confirmed this to be the case) & also likely got a bad rap because for eg the silver series performed very well for their cost & commonly got paired with gear that wasn't up to driving them properly, ie HT receiver. The most recent series from MA are definitely not bright & well worth a listen.

Agree completely. Heard focals sounding very good. Heard them sounding terrible too. Focals are not voiced with naim or any other nonsense people like to believe just because they’re financially linked

I would say since Naim & Focal have been together this is no longer the case & they likely are now voiced together. Older Focals & Naim were typically a terrible match, but the newer series such as Sopra & Kanta work much better together & is not an uncommon pairing now. From what I have heard the newer series are less "in your face" compared to previous models.

 

[Hayche]

Not shrill in my case but while possibly impressive on a quick listen, fatiguing with some listening time for me. What are you driving them with? They did not work well with either a Brio R (not refined enough on the top end & being on the thin side not good for the 906's) or Nuprime IDA-8 (better top end refinement & fuller sound, a component that's on the warm side of neutral but still not a sound I liked with the 906's). Tried them in two room's, neither with acoustic issues (one a dedicated listening room). Just not a sound I liked.

Running them with a leema elements integrated. I too did not like them with the brio, to much warmth not enough top end I could barely listen too a song without nodding off. I learnt that you really need to sit in the equilateral triangle with them and face the listener otherwise they are unbalanced . They remind me of sennheiser hd600 with much better bass. I run a bk xls200 to fill the bottom end out also.

 

[daren_p]

Running them with a leema elements integrated. I too did not like them with the brio, to much warmth not enough top end I could barely listen too a song without nodding off. I learnt that you really need to sit in the equilateral triangle with them and face the listener otherwise they are unbalanced . They remind me of sennheiser hd600 with much better bass. I run a bk xls200 to fill the bottom end out also.

Interesting how we hear differently/different point of reference &/or room impact. With the Brio, in my room they were too thin & the top end was harsh/unrefined, they become fatiguing in a very short time. I too used one of my xls200 to fill the bottom, which was an improvement overall but still lacking to my taste. I would assume you are probably using them in a much smaller room, mine were in a ~13x32' room , in the middle of the long wall?

 

[Hayche]

I would assume you are probably using them in a much smaller room, mine were in a ~13x32' room , in the middle of the long wall?

Spot on yes . Room is more like 13x15'. 9' ceilings. I have had smaller speakers in this room which all sounded harsh. The focal seem to be just about the minimum cabinet size for the room.