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Focal - JM Lab Owner's Thread - Page 183

post #5461 of 5759
1/2/13 at 6:31am
That's going to be a very nice system gsr. I heard the 1038's and 1028's in a store environment and I like the a lot. I use 1027Be's and a cc-1000be center with Chorus 705v's for surrounds. Your using 1038's with the center and also using the 1027's for sides and surrounds will be quite the setup. I also agree that it wouldn't hurt to contact Focal to see if they can do an "on demand" finish. Personally, I love the 1027's I spent some time over the holidays listening to music and watching movies and just when I think "I wonder it speaker A would be better", that all goes away. I am sure your ultimate system will be really good. Make sure you you keep us posted and post some pics if you can.
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post #5462 of 5759
1/2/13 at 8:11am
Thanks Mike. The 1027 S's are scheduled to arrive today. After living with my existing pair of Macassar 1027 S's in the front left/right locations for several days, I think I'll be better off going with the black finish when I purchase the 1038 Be's and the CC 1008 Be as my walnut Salamander Synergy cabinets will go better with the black finish. I'll probably end up getting the center speaker soon and then the 1038 Be's in a few months (or so) when my finances have had a chance to recover smile.gif.

I've taken pictures of all the B&W's and started to list them on Audiogon. Hopefully they'll move relatively quickly as they're currently taking up a chunk of space.
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post #5463 of 5759
1/2/13 at 8:31am
I am sure the black will look great. I think I bought one of the last CC1000's out there so I was limited in the finish. I got it in Macassar but my fronts are in Classic. It really does not bother me because from where I sit I can't see the difference and with the lights out you can' hardly see the speakers anyway. I just care that the front matches up perfectly. Your plan of getting the center then the 1038's should work out fine. Just a few questions. How big is your room(screen). What are you using to power them and what are you using for a sub(s).
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post #5464 of 5759
1/2/13 at 9:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIkeDuke View Post

I am sure the black will look great. I think I bought one of the last CC1000's out there so I was limited in the finish. I got it in Macassar but my fronts are in Classic. It really does not bother me because from where I sit I can't see the difference and with the lights out you can' hardly see the speakers anyway. I just care that the front matches up perfectly. Your plan of getting the center then the 1038's should work out fine. Just a few questions. How big is your room(screen). What are you using to power them and what are you using for a sub(s).
The room is approximately 16'x25' with a vaulted ceiling (~14' high). My display is a Mitsubishi 82" DLP RPTV. I'm using the AVP-A1HDCI surround sound processor with the matching Denon POA-A1HDCI 10 channel x 150 watts/channel amp. I'm bridging the amp for the front 3 speakers, so they each get 300 wpc. I've got a pair of Seaton Submersive HP subwoofers. Depending on how the 1038's get along with the Denon amp, I may switch amps in the future, but the Denon POA is a pretty darn nice amp - it replaced 3 Krell KAV-250a series amps (1 of which needed an expensive repair, of course ANY repair with Krell is crazy expensive, one of the reasons I decided to get rid of them and move to another option) and I don't feel I gave anything up making the switch.
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post #5465 of 5759
1/2/13 at 9:22am
That is some nice gear. The Denon stuff is top notch and I am sure the 82in TV looks great in that room. I have a single SubMersive HP so I know you have the bass covered. I like how the Focal and HP blend together, I don't think there should be any issue with the Electra series and Denon amp. Someone in Australia is using a Denon POA A1HD amp+Denon preamp .with a system that has 1027's and a CC1000be and he really likes the combo. I am using the Integra 80.2 and a pair of Bryston amps. When you have everything in order, it will be quite the setup. Do you have the room treated? If not, I highly recommend you at least think about it.
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post #5466 of 5759
1/2/13 at 12:18pm
Hello Focal owners!

My 2-channel stereo system is comprised of Diablo Utopia III speakers supported by Cary Audio flagship electronics. I'm considering a similar route with a 2.1 HT system. I'm looking at the Chorus W line and I'd like to start with the subwoofer. I'll add 826 W FL/FR speakers later once I buy a 7 channel amp (currently using active FL/FR speakers). I'll likely be going with the Cary Cinema 12 pre/pro.

Does anyone here have experience with the Chorus SW 800 W? I'd like to find one in stock at a dealer (floor model or new), so if anyone knows where to start with that search, then please let me know. Appreciated.
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post #5467 of 5759
1/2/13 at 3:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIkeDuke View Post

Someone in Australia is using a Denon POA A1HD amp+Denon preamp .with a system that has 1027's and a CC1000be and he really likes the combo.
Yeah, I've seen him post in the Denon AVP/POA thread.
Quote:
Do you have the room treated? If not, I highly recommend you at least think about it.
I don't currently, but it's something I've been giving some thought to. I can't go crazy with treatments, but could certainly put some in place. The trick, of course, is figuring out the correct things to get and where to put them biggrin.gif.

The 2 pairs of 1027 S's arrived about 4 hours ago on a pallet very nicely wrapped up for safe travel. I brought them inside right away and they've been warming up to room temperature since then. I hadn't realized that Focal had produced 2 versions of them - the pair I already owned has a flat black finish on the front and top, while the 2 new pairs have a glossy finish. I'm not disappointed, but I'm glad I hadn't planned to use them all together in the same room. The old pair of 1027 S's is back up in my home office (where I'm currently typing this) and it's nice to be able to listen to music up here again.
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post #5468 of 5759
1/4/13 at 12:55pm
So after a ton of research and changing my mind a few times. I went from getting the Chorus 814V's on A4L to getting 826V's and then last minute I decided to just pay the extra $600 and get the 826W's(just a minor budget change from the 814V's:-)). So now I have a pair of 826W's on the way and I'm super excited!! They are going to be paired with an CC800V, HSU VT-15H and the two Athena surrounds from my previous setup(for the time being). They will be powered by a Denon 3312CI. So now my question is, does the Denon have enough power for these guys or am I going to be sad and I need to get an Amp for the 826W's?

Thanks!!
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post #5469 of 5759
1/4/13 at 2:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmconner156 View Post

So after a ton of research and changing my mind a few times. I went from getting the Chorus 814V's on A4L to getting 826V's and then last minute I decided to just pay the extra $600 and get the 826W's(just a minor budget change from the 814V's:-)). So now I have a pair of 826W's on the way and I'm super excited!! They are going to be paired with an CC800V, HSU VT-15H and the two Athena surrounds from my previous setup(for the time being). They will be powered by a Denon 3312CI. So now my question is, does the Denon have enough power for these guys or am I going to be sad and I need to get an Amp for the 826W's?
Thanks!!

Unless you have a very large space or want to play very loud, the 3312 should power them with no problem. Enjoy your new 826W's and think about all the money you saved by not getting caught up in the upgrade cycle!
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post #5470 of 5759
1/4/13 at 2:29pm
Yup, that was the plan:-) Told my wife that if I get the good ones, we won't have to do this again for a very long time!!

Thanks!
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post #5471 of 5759
1/5/13 at 9:00am
Hi everyone smile.gif

Just like to remind everyone, that I'm new to the Focal world.

I decided to treat myself with some goodies this Xmas. For the past 5 years I used Logitech Z-5500 speakers set up for my home theater.

Now I purchased Focal Chorus speakers. I went for the : 2X 836V, CC800V, SW800V, and 2X 806V

And now I'm looking for a proper AVR receiver. I had my eyes set towards the Denon 2313. So what do you think? Will the Denon be able to mach up the speakers ? I'm kinda limited with funds right now, and the 2313 is somewhere within my top reach.

I'd like to add, that I'm planning to buy also the Denon DBT 1713 Blu-ray player later on.

Any opinions are appreciated smile.gif
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post #5472 of 5759
1/5/13 at 2:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfreedma View Post

Unless you have a very large space or want to play very loud, the 3312 should power them with no problem. Enjoy your new 826W's and think about all the money you saved by not getting caught up in the upgrade cycle!

Right, but he's after better sound quality and not volume. Look into Cary's 7 channel amp. Borrow one. You'll forget all about Denon.
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post #5473 of 5759
1/5/13 at 3:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SheepS View Post

Hi everyone smile.gif
... I had my eyes set towards the Denon 2313. So what do you think? Will the Denon be able to mach up the speakers ? I'm kinda limited with funds right now, and the 2313 is somewhere within my top reach.
I'd like to add, that I'm planning to buy also the Denon DBT 1713 Blu-ray player later on.
Any opinions are appreciated smile.gif

I initially powered my Chorus 700S series with a Denon 2805. It was descent, but when I had the money, I upgraded to Anthem separates. It was a nice improvement over the Denon 2805.
I don't have any experience with the Denon 2313, but I would guess it would follow the same idea - it will sound good but upgrading sometime in the future when funds permit will provide an improvement.
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post #5474 of 5759
1/5/13 at 6:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jh901 View Post

Right, but he's after better sound quality and not volume. Look into Cary's 7 channel amp. Borrow one. You'll forget all about Denon.

Unless he needs more power than the Denon can output, the Denon and the Cary will sound exactly the same. Not to mention that your recommendation of a $4000 amp to someone who just stretched to get 826w's makes little sense. If he had the extra $4k, far better to put it into the speakers.

Regardless of that, he specifically asked about power, not SQ
"So now my question is, does the Denon have enough power for these guys or am I going to be sad and I need to get an Amp for the 826W's?"
Edited by bfreedma - 1/5/13 at 7:05pm
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post #5475 of 5759
1/6/13 at 1:06am
My main concern is the fact, that the Focal advises its customers to buy amplifiers with sufficient power :

http://www.focal.com/en/home-audio-loudspeakers/choose-speakers/how-to-choose-an-amplifier.php

I heard the Denon 2313 on the Focals 726V and the maximum volume (Loudness) was sufficient for my home theater.

I need to figure something out, cause at the moment I have just the speakers and nothing to power them up with. smile.gif
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post #5476 of 5759
1/6/13 at 3:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SheepS View Post

My main concern is the fact, that the Focal advises its customers to buy amplifiers with sufficient power :
http://www.focal.com/en/home-audio-loudspeakers/choose-speakers/how-to-choose-an-amplifier.php
I heard the Denon 2313 on the Focals 726V and the maximum volume (Loudness) was sufficient for my home theater.
I need to figure something out, cause at the moment I have just the speakers and nothing to power them up with. smile.gif

I've ran several different receivers to my Focal 814v towers and 800cc center channel at reference level and the speakers sounded crystal clear with no distortion. I ran a Pioneer Elite SC-35, a Yamaha RX-A2000, an Onkyo 809 and a Denon 4810. As long as you're not trying to fill a giant theater-size room with sound, any decent, mid-level AVR will suffice.
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post #5477 of 5759
1/6/13 at 5:25am
I push a pair of 836v's with an Integra Dtr 50.2 and it does fine. I don't think you need a very expensive amp to make them sing. Maybe something on the used market will suffice and you can determine for yourself. I will say that Focal speakers experience very low ohm dips which is why they recommended an external amp.
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post #5478 of 5759
1/6/13 at 10:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SheepS View Post

Hi everyone smile.gif

Just like to remind everyone, that I'm new to the Focal world.

I decided to treat myself with some goodies this Xmas. For the past 5 years I used Logitech Z-5500 speakers set up for my home theater.

Now I purchased Focal Chorus speakers. I went for the : 2X 836V, CC800V, SW800V, and 2X 806V

And now I'm looking for a proper AVR receiver. I had my eyes set towards the Denon 2313. So what do you think? Will the Denon be able to mach up the speakers ? I'm kinda limited with funds right now, and the 2313 is somewhere within my top reach.

I'd like to add, that I'm planning to buy also the Denon DBT 1713 Blu-ray player later on.

Any opinions are appreciated smile.gif

That's a very nice speaker package! Congrautlations. If you must go the mid-level AVR route due to budget, I'd recommend the Onkyo 818. It has the latest Audyssey XT32 "room correction" technology, has 9.2 pre-outs so you can add a separate amp later, and it weighs 16 lbs. more than the Denon 2313, indicating a much more robust power supply. The Onkyo 818 was on sale for $679 before Christmas but the price has shot up since. Still, J&R has it advertised for $749 soI bet you could get it for the old price if you called them. My only concern with this receiver is that both Onkyo and Focal are on the bright side, but at this price point I don't think there is a better choice.
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post #5479 of 5759
1/6/13 at 12:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfreedma View Post

Unless he needs more power than the Denon can output, the Denon and the Cary will sound exactly the same. ?"

Oh my. I hope you aren't serious.
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post #5480 of 5759
1/6/13 at 1:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jh901 View Post

Oh my. I hope you aren't serious.

I'm serious. Do you have any objective evidence to support your position? The results of ABX tests between "Audiophile" amps and consumer AVRs are very consistent.
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post #5481 of 5759
1/7/13 at 7:31am
Thanks for the input guys. I'll take a look at Onkyo and probably in the end decide between the two.

I did some minor research and I found out, that Denon prices here in my country are much cheaper compared to Onkyo. So I'm kinda leaning towards denon.
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post #5482 of 5759
1/7/13 at 7:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gsr View Post

I don't currently, but it's something I've been giving some thought to. I can't go crazy with treatments, but could certainly put some in place. The trick, of course, is figuring out the correct things to get and where to put them biggrin.gif.
The 2 pairs of 1027 S's arrived about 4 hours ago on a pallet very nicely wrapped up for safe travel. I brought them inside right away and they've been warming up to room temperature since then. I hadn't realized that Focal had produced 2 versions of them - the pair I already owned has a flat black finish on the front and top, while the 2 new pairs have a glossy finish. I'm not disappointed, but I'm glad I hadn't planned to use them all together in the same room. The old pair of 1027 S's is back up in my home office (where I'm currently typing this) and it's nice to be able to listen to music up here again.
For treatments the main places you want to think about are the corners. A lot of bass just loves to collect in the corners of rooms. Also, the ceiling is a good place to think about as well. Above your main seating area is probably the best place to start. If you want my opinion I recommend you contact GIK acoustics. That's where I bought my treatments from and they were very helpful as well as not breaking the bank.
http://gikacoustics.com/
You can fill out their online form and someone will get back to you. You can even send the pictures of your room so they can see exactly what it looks like. I highly recommend them.
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post #5483 of 5759
1/7/13 at 9:45am
The first reflections on the side walls and on the floor are not too difficult to deal with. I use DIY 9" cylinder bass traps placed where the speakers reflection can be seen on the side wall (while seated in the listening position). Bass can be dealt with using 16" cylinder bass traps in the corners.

The most important factor is the speaker placement and location of the listening position. If this isn't right, then all of the room treatments and hi-end gear on earth won't mean a thing.

DIAMENT MONITORING

^Great tips here from the first CD mastering engineer for Atlantic Records (mid-80s).
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post #5484 of 5759
1/7/13 at 12:34pm
Definitely bass traps in corners and ceiling to wall mid points if you can do it. I like absorption at first reflection points on the sidewalls, and maybe the ceiling. Not so sure about the floor. A reflection from floor sounds pretty natural and you got to be careful not to kill too much energy. Another thing is if you use just an area rug you are not absorbing much mids and lows, so it's unbalanced absorbtion. It depends how dead or live you like your sound.
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post #5485 of 5759
1/7/13 at 3:16pm
My options for room treatments are somewhat limited as it's not my house (my brother and I share the house and my rent is dirt cheap, so it's a pretty good deal) and the room isn't a "dedicated" theater room, but more of a multi purpose family room. Though the landlord (aka my brother) enjoys my surround sound system, he's not agreeable to major room treatments and attaching anything to the ceiling definitely isn't an option. I can probably sneak in some bass traps and a small number of wall mounted panels (especially if they look like art or framed photos), but that's about it. The room has hardwood floors and we have a few oriental rugs in the room already that cover a pretty good percentage of the floor. Though it's not treated, the acoustics are decent. But these limitations and the lack of knowing what I'm doing (in regards to what to put where) have caused me to hold off on doing anything to this point. What I don't want to do is just purchase some random treatments and throw them around the room as I could very easily make the sound worse by doing so smile.gif. Regardless, any treatments are going to have to wait till I finish my speaker upgrade and the budget has a chance to recover.

The good news is that all of my old speakers appear to be sold (I've received / accepted offers on everything - just waiting for payment to arrive), so that will put some money right back into the budget. I should be getting the CC 1008 Be fairly soon.
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post #5486 of 5759
1/10/13 at 7:45am
Hi guys,

Happy news smile.gif I took the plunge and went for the Denon 2313 for my Focal speaker setup. I must admit, quite enough power for my needs at the moment.

So maybe in the future, when the "economical" situation improves I look for an upgrade...

Now i would have another question for you. Can someone tell me if the Chorus 700 series stand is compatible with th Chorus 806V speakers ?

Thanks for your help smile.gif
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post #5487 of 5759
1/10/13 at 8:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gsr View Post

My options for room treatments are somewhat limited as it's not my house (my brother and I share the house and my rent is dirt cheap, so it's a pretty good deal) and the room isn't a "dedicated" theater room, but more of a multi purpose family room. Though the landlord (aka my brother) enjoys my surround sound system, he's not agreeable to major room treatments and attaching anything to the ceiling definitely isn't an option. I can probably sneak in some bass traps and a small number of wall mounted panels (especially if they look like art or framed photos), but that's about it. The room has hardwood floors and we have a few oriental rugs in the room already that cover a pretty good percentage of the floor. Though it's not treated, the acoustics are decent. But these limitations and the lack of knowing what I'm doing (in regards to what to put where) have caused me to hold off on doing anything to this point. What I don't want to do is just purchase some random treatments and throw them around the room as I could very easily make the sound worse by doing so smile.gif. Regardless, any treatments are going to have to wait till I finish my speaker upgrade and the budget has a chance to recover.

The good news is that all of my old speakers appear to be sold (I've received / accepted offers on everything - just waiting for payment to arrive), so that will put some money right back into the budget. I should be getting the CC 1008 Be fairly soon.

" I can probably sneak in some bass traps and a small number of wall mounted panels (especially if they look like art or framed photos)"
I am not sure if you knew this, but GIK can do that. I think they have their own prints and style or you can send them your own picture and they will put that on the trap. Although that does add to the cost.
http://gikacoustics.com/product/gik-artpanel-acoustic-panels/
check out that page including all the pictures. Even if it's just a few of them. as long as you work on placing them right(which GIK can help you do), it will be a benefit to your room. I am telling you, they are very helpful and will guide you within what you are able to do.
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post #5488 of 5759
1/10/13 at 4:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIkeDuke View Post

" I can probably sneak in some bass traps and a small number of wall mounted panels (especially if they look like art or framed photos)"
I am not sure if you knew this, but GIK can do that. I think they have their own prints and style or you can send them your own picture and they will put that on the trap. Although that does add to the cost.
http://gikacoustics.com/product/gik-artpanel-acoustic-panels/
check out that page including all the pictures. Even if it's just a few of them. as long as you work on placing them right(which GIK can help you do), it will be a benefit to your room. I am telling you, they are very helpful and will guide you within what you are able to do.
Yeah, I was aware that some of the companies offer panels with artwork / pictures on them. After I finish the speaker upgrades and the budget has had a chance to recover again, I'll take a more serious look into this.
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post #5489 of 5759
1/14/13 at 1:44am
Hi

Recently i purchased Center speaker Focal 800CC, i paired it with ONKYO 818 and Focal 807V speakers, please suggest me how to configure it for best performance when watching movies, as full band speaker or 40Hz as suggested after Audessey calibration of the receiver .
Thanks

By the way, so far i don't feel much difference between this expansive Focal 800cc and my old Wharfedale Diamond 8 center.
Maybe i doing something wrong ?
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post #5490 of 5759
1/14/13 at 7:46am
Please the speaker at least 30cm in front of the rear wall for a start and then run Audyssey. After the calibration the only changes you should make are setting your speakers to "small" - assuming you have a sub - and perhaps changing the sub cross-over freq.

My CC800V is under the plasma but angled up so that it points at my head in the main listening position. Sounds great.
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