Focal - JM Lab Owner's Thread - Page 101

If we were changing amps and players all the time during the audition, it would make sense but we're using the same stuff unchanged, same volume level, even without moving the speaker stands. We sat in the same exact spot and ran the same exact track. So the only thing that could be faulty if any, is the 706 itself. But it didn't exhibit any obvious mechanical fault or flaw so if you believe in breaking in new speakers, that could be it. Believe me, I very much wanted to save $200 since I care not about the added cosmetics on the 806. The speakers are going to my office system anyway and will be paired with the Panny XR57.

Since I've read your response I've called the dealer back and said I may want to exchange the 806 back for a 706 but I'll decide after another audition. Luckily he's willing to let me choose the speakers and I'm gonna do it this Sunday. I'll let you know...

On a second note, my buddy went and bought the whole 5.1 set with the 700 floorstanders and all so we auditioned that setup as well. Their character is the same as the 706, somewhat a bit flat and not refined enough to be high end. So I really don't believe it's a problem with break in period. But let's see, he wanted to change them all to the 800's.

good question--i would assume so as teh ones on my 806v;s take bananas too--i used to have dipole/bipoles in the back (but not focal)but dont anymore so i cant say for sure...

Denophile, what made you chose the 806 as opposed to the 706? Thanks.

to be honest it was because i liked the color of the 806 that tweeter had in stock...no good reason--i had just gone in to get some back surrounds and they were there and since i use the back surrounds for movies only i didn't care to spend the extra 2.5k on the be series (esp when the choruses are so good)

i was curious about how the sound would be different...subsequent to getting them i did do a comparison to the 1027be's that is in this thread somewhere...

as for the 706 vs 806 really no good reason but to be honest i didn't spend hours comparing either, certainly not like the 806 vs 1027be. i had largely assumed that they would pretty much sound similar--but that was a comletely speculative guess so let your ears be the judge...if i had been contemplating geting a whole 800 or 700 series setup i would have spent more time making comparisons.,,

Ok I finally went ahead and got the 806V after another audition. The 706V does sound somewhat flat and thinner. The 806V isn't perfect sounding either (midrange too smooth) but it looks really nice, it would fit better in the office than the PSB B25 that's bulky and boxy. I still miss the PSB though. I think I might get that and have it repainted right away with metallic blue or white.

Well, my first couple days with the 706V's have been fairly good. They still need some breaking in (they're still a bit harsh compared to my 705Vs), but the midbass is definitely better, and they integrate much more smoothly with my sub when I'm running my music in 2.1. So far so good!

wonder anyone knows if the cc901 is shielded?

thanks in advance

I would say yes.
If you look at this page
http://uk.cinenow.com/products/2872-electra-cc901
It says Electromagnetic Shield
Electromagnetic shielding oui


Plus, you can see that my 901 is right below my TV and I have no issues.

Hello all,

I'm logged under a new name but I'm not new to this forum. I enjoy reading your posts and opinions from time to time. Hopefully since this a dedicated Jm Labs forum I'll get good advice from current users.

I'm looking for advice with purchasing an integrated amp for my 726V speakers for 2 channel listening. Currently my set-up is for HT with the 726V fronts, 706v rears and 700cc using an Outlaw 990/7500 combo and a Denon 3930ci which I have no complaints. I play cd's from the Denon thru the Outlaw bypass, but after hearing the 726V thru a dedicated stereo integrated amp, I convinced it's time for this upgrade. I plan to use an additonal set of speaker cables to the 726v from the integrated amp and disconnect the cables from the Outlaw when listening to 2 channel. Also I prefer not using the integrated amp as part of my HT system.

First of all, I have limited space in my HDTV unit for equipment. The open shelf in the unit where I plan for the amp will also occupy my cable box which leaves around 3-3/4" for the amp. This limits the selection of amps that can be used especially tube amps. I sort of narrowed down my selection to Naim 5i and Simaudio i-1 since I plan to spend between $1000-$1500 either used or new and these units were both highly rated in the TAS magazine. I haven't heard either thru the 726V but my dealer played the Simaudio i-3 thru the 726v which gave me the bug to upgrade. Since the i-3 is being replaced, my dealer would discount the price from $2600 to $1900. This is more than I wished to spend unless this unit is worth the extra investment.

Another consideration my brother suggested I use a separate stand next to my unit so I have a choice to buy a tube amp but I prefer not to unless it is necessary. He also suggested if I bought a used Naim 5i that I get a used Naim CD5i player also for a dedicated 2 channel system. He thinks these 2 units may sound better together than using the Denon 3930 player.

Hopefully someone in this forum has experience with this equipment and can give some critical advice or opinions.

Thanks, Ron

wow i love questions like this--i initially listened to my focals via a naim integrated and cdp and it was fantastic. that would be an outstanding option and the sim also did get incredible reviews in tas and I have no reason to suspect that wouldn;t be a great choice.

however in that price range i would be dying to try out a pathos integrated (which I have not yet heard but have on my list of things to do before my demise). if you have the opportunity I would highly recommend giving this a lo0k see (or listen-see). vincent also makes 2 hybrrid integrateds v226 and 236 in that price range if you like your music more euphonic.

speaking of euphonic as for tubes cayin makes some in that price range that are well reviewed as well as primaluna.

I have long since wanted to start a second tube or hybrid system--no funding currently given I just finished my ht/multichannel listening room.

as for the cdp--the one you have is fantastic--never heard it compared direct through the same system to the 3910 but I have a 5910 myself and love it--would expect the amp to make more of a difference but if you do end up going all naim id love to hear if you feel they sound different and if so how!

enjoy and let us know how it turns out

Denophile,

I returned to me dealer last night along with my brother to audition the Simaudio Moon 1-3 again and we were both blow away with the punch, detail and soundstage coming from this integrated amp. My dealer lowered the price down to $1800 and I jumped at it. After I set it up in my home, we were even more impressed with this amp. My JM Labs came to life!!!!!!!!!!! We couldn't believe the smoothness and clarity of the music. The soundstage expanded well into the room and at times you could swear the rear channels were on. It was actually this amp that I audition the JM Labs and was impressed by their soundstage and sound quality. The punch of the instruments and bass plus the detail are now alive in my living room

Way to go Ron. Sim and JM do go great together. Glad you were able to get it. You now have a system that should keep you happy for some time.
Deno, Pathos and JM are great together. I heard the big pathos with the 1027's and it sounded incredible. I am sure that the other amps and intigrated amps are also a great match.

AVS Posters,

I am a very new convert to the home theater concept. I recently purchased a 50 inch plasma display and after two months concluded I was missing out on half of the viewing experience (lack of full surround sound immersion). Prior to Tweeter closing it's doors, I picked up a Focal Dome 5.1 speaker system. I am now in the process of evaluating an AV receiver and not sure which product might best complement the Dome system. I am comfortable spending $750.00 - $1,200. I recognize the total audio experience is a personal one, however any suggestions for a complimentary receiver would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

I would have done the same thing for sure. So glad it made the focals come to life--no surprise here

Ron,

Welcome to the forum although I have since moved on with my all Naim kit. The guys and gals here are great and will help steer you in the right direction 99.99% of the time.

Once your SimAudio is broken in we will need a detailed review and some pics wouldn't hurt either.

What's up MikeDuke & Denophile?

Happy & Healthy New Year to everyone.

You sure? Damn I already sold my I-3 a long time ago. I thought the Sim was too thin and dry on the vocals. With a flat neutral speaker like the 806V, it's hard to imagine that it'll make it any better. In comparison the Onkyo 9755 mated with 806V IMO is bordering on acceptable midrange fullness.

Hello. I have not had the opportunity to listen to the Electra IW 1000 BE's yet but I was wondering what people's general opinions of these speakers were. I should state that I need to redo my speaker system to accomodate my new family room. (2 story ceiling/tile floors/acoustical nightmare)

My wife wants a clean set up since this area is visible from our kitchen. Up until recently I had been leaning towards a full Energy Veritas setup but we have been really pleased with the Chorus 807v/cc system that I built for my father. (Replaced an older Paradign speaker set that I always hated.)

Given how much we both liked the 807's I have begun to think about purchasing the Electra IW 1000 BE for myself and running either 2 or 3 of these (c/l/r) or (l/r). For the rears I will probably opt to go with the Profile IC 908 since the room is so high that the sound is going to be an issue.

I am open to opinions here as to what you would buy, but I should be clear that I am trying to have the best sound I can.

I will admit that I never heard the combo. But I have heard sim and it sounded good and there is a dealer who really likes the combo. But I know everyones mileage may vary. Don't get what I like. Get what sounds good to you. I have heard equipment that many people love and I walked away saying it was not for me.

Before I mated the I-3 with the 726v, I used the the Outlaw 990 pre/pro and 7500 amp for both 2 channel and for HT with the 706v in the rears and 700cc center. The sound was nice and warm but lacked punch and detail especially in the bass. When I first auditioned the 726v last year, it was hooked up thru the demo I-3 that I ended up buying. The sound quality was amazing and the detail was fantastic. But at the time I was more interested in a HT set-up than 2 channel. Recently I got the bug to upgrade to a dedicated 2 channel system where I got some ideas from the Absolute Sound magazine. My dealer suggested the I-3 since it also has a bypass that allows me to use the I-3 for the front channels during 5 channel operation, but it is controlled by the 990.

Getting back to Veda's comment, I can't imagine the I-3 being too thin and dry in vocals. The I-3 is quick and detailed from top to bottom. It is possible the 806v don't have the range on the floor standing 726v, also placement has a lot to do with sound quality. I have the 726v slightly toed-in, approximately 3 feet from the rear wall and 7 feet apart on a 13 feet wall. The sound stage is incredible and I hear much more detail and clarity than the Outlaw set-up.

I just got the Cary CAI-1 125W@8 ICE based integrated. At $1400 it's a no brainer. I can't wait to try it out on the 806V... Should be interesting to compare against the other awesome class d, the Onkyo A9755. Now I just need to justify the other purchase of the Cary Concept CD player to my wife...

Granted I got the Sim I-3 to replace the aging Krell KAV-300i that I've had for a while. Totally different character, which is probably why I thought it was too thin. Anyway, I'm into class d now as they are transparent and open without excessive brightness.

this is a very interesting topic--will be very interested to see how class d works with focal--could see it going either way.

hey scorpio! hope all is well. nice to see you are keeping up here--happy new year to you and yours! any news and retrospective comparisons now that you have had some time with the new gear.

All is great in Naim land. Since it is going so good, I plan on upgrading my integrated to the new Naim XS. This will be followed by a CD5X CDP and lastly a power supply for both by the end of the year.

Since this will be done in steps, I will be able to elaborate on the amp change first and so on and so on.

On a side note of HT, is it recommended to run 2 towers & a sub for movies only. Not ready for a full blown HT setup, but think the sub will help with some flicks.

The best combo I've heard with Focals has been Musical Fidelity stuff, in particular the 5.5 series integrated and player but that's quite over the top in terms of budget. The Onkyo 9755 is also good but still has a bit of edge on the upper midrange. I'm hoping the Cary which is far less bright will remedy that problem. Anyway, I'll update once I've done the comparison.

BTW, a warning to all Chorus 800 series owner: If you're using the cleaning cloth supplied with the speakers, make sure you wipe using the right side. I used the wrong side and made significant scratches on the black acryllic surface. I swear now they look brushed instead of mirror finished. Argh!

I was told that Focal used or uses Halcro amps at the factory with their speakers. They are Class D I think. Also, I have heard Focal speakers with Jeff Rowland amps that are class D and it sounded nice also. Now, that being said I also believe that they sound good with some Class A power. I have read that someone with Pass Labs and Focal said the combo was great. Pass Labs is rated class A up to a certain point in their amps. And while it is not the only reason it sounded great, the DartZeel amp I had in my setup is class A up to 20 watts. Also, some of the tube amps I have heard with them are probably a bit class A as well. What this tells me is that Focal likes quality power and will respond rather nicely to it.

I auditioned one of the ICE-based amps for a few weeks, comparing them directly with a borrowed Mark Levinson ML-9. In the end, I ended up returning the ICE amp and am still searching for an amp.

Basically, there was a subtle veil of the high-end. This was something I had heard about (supposedly a problem with all ICE amps) but wasn't sure I'd notice. Unfortunately, both my friend and I noticed. I also found the ML-9 had slightly tighter bass response.

I think the ICE amps are still very good value. I'm still thinking about going with one of them for the center and surround channels, since I'm not as picky about my movie watching, but purely from a psychological standpoint, I can't use them for 2-channel music. Since I "know" the veil is there, it bugs me

goldenbear, very interesting observation. I'm going to do the serious listening this weekend. If the Cary does have that high end veil, I'd probably return it if it's not that much better than the Onkyo. That would be a problem though as I'm at loss at what other Class D I can get around here that sounds better.

if you havent sen it check out the TAS review of class d amps-forget the exact date but it was probably like 6 mos ago--should be able to find it on their website. they seemed to think that some were markedly better than others in the high end--someetched others balanced others veiled. if I recall i think they liked a karma amp but some others didn't fare as well..

Denophile, for some reason why can't remember I don't consider Stereophile and TAS opinions as being bias-free. I believe TAS was the one who basically said all class d amps aren't worth looking at when looking for absolute sound quality. But of course they won't dare to bash an old high end company like Spectron that much. Yet, as manufacturing process improves, I don't think it's far off until class d bests the best of Class A with lower distortion. Frankly I just let my ears judge the SQ, but over and over again class d comes out ahead when comparing integrated amps below the $3000 mark. They simply less veiled than class a amps. For example The Cary CAI-1 sounds clearer and more dynamic than the Bryston B100SST. Of course it's also a matter of taste...