Focal Opinions?

[Bimmerman325i]

Hi all-

I found a guy selling Focal 165K3P (upgraded version if that matters) new in box sets on ebay for a screaming deal. I heard reports about fake Focals cropping up on ebay and such lately, and looking on Focal's French and US websites, they do not list this model. Can anyone verify that this is a legitimate Focal model?

The guy supposedly has ten of them to sell, all new in box, and for $700....which is far cheaper than I have found the same speakers for sale elsewhere, hence my fact checking. The same setup on woofersetc.com goes for $1200, which is way outside of my budget.

Link to auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

Furthermore, what are your opinions of Focal's higher end component stuff? Is it even possible to mount a 3 way system by simply cutting holes in the door trim without fabricating new enclosures?

[Mless5]

Hi all-



Furthermore, what are your opinions of Focal's higher end component stuff? Is it even possible to mount a 3 way system by simply cutting holes in the door trim without fabricating new enclosures?

You are setting up yourself for a failure here and $2000 component speakers will not save you here. Unless you are going for bragging rights.

I bet that I can put together a 2 way for $700 that will blow Focals away and will have money left for a subwoofer to complete the system.

[DrMcDave]

don't buy them, they are bright as hell and fatiquing to listen to for any long period of time unless you listen to techno/house/electronica only.

[smonkbmw]

don't buy them, they are bright as hell and fatiquing to listen to for any long period of time.....

+1. very harsh, almost mb quart harsh.

[Bimmerman325i]

Ouch. Thanks for the responses then, glad I didn't buy them.

@Mless5--- I wasn't talking about the Utopia Be ridiculously expensive stuff, more the speaker lines around $500-700. I'm still in research mode(and 3000 miles from my car), so I have plenty of time to look into more options-- what would you suggest?

Since finding this questionable ebay deal, I started researching some more and found out about the Hybrid Audio Clarus line- Components for around $500 that seem to be regarded as some of if not the best around. I am currently considering these as the basis of my setup, but plans change. I'm not looking for bragging rights so much as really good sound quality.

[Mless5]

Since finding this questionable ebay deal, I started researching some more and found out about the Hybrid Audio Clarus line- Components for around $500 that seem to be regarded as some of if not the best around. I am currently considering these as the basis of my setup, but plans change. I'm not looking for bragging rights so much as really good sound quality.

Great marketing on HATs side, but again, overpriced for what you get IMO.

What are you looking to achieve, what are your goals, what are you fabricating skills, what is your budget?

[StereoInstaller1]

Look, the reality is that ALL of that shit is made in China.

ALL of it, every fucking bit.

Even if the bastards say shit like 'Product of France, land of the fags", it is STILL made in China.

People who are not good enough liars to get into politics are generally either sell stereo crap, or are weather forecasters.

Do you really think some fucking 'design manager" or whoever (blame the sales guys first, right?) will build 10,000 units of an amp, woofer, speakers, whatever, and then NOT build 10,000 more with a "Hai-F-U" label on them? If they do the Hai FU, why not the "focal" label...go find a set of the entry level line of Focal from 1995...you can tell they are made by the fucking frogs (as they are likely blown) but sounded great (back before they blew up and all, of course).

So now, knowing in your heart that the fucking lying bastards (I should make clear here I am referring to the LEGIT dealers and brand names) who sell this crap are only after money and do not care about you, your speakers or anything else...think about this:

Why not sell your own stuff (made in China) AND the fake stuff (made in the same place by the same people, in China) so you can double your already incredible profit margins?

Just know that those same spiffy speakers are sold under a million different brand names. Those same drivers are made with a zillion names, although some look different, they are the same basic design.

Oh yeah, don't bother reading the spec sheet either, as they are almost always fiction.

Basically, what I am trying to tell you is that YOU have to be the judge. You need to learn to be "Brand Name Agnostic" (tm LFisher, 2001) so that you can decide if a product is worth a fuck or not.

For example: the Exile components in the front of my car. Who? Exile. Nice slick page, nice slick packaging. Good looking crossovers, decent quality circuit boards, bi-ampable and uses light bulbs for overpower/clipping protection on both the midrange and tweeter.

The tweeter has a nice silk soft dome, with excellent nitrile rubber suspension, slightly larger than average voice coil, and obviously will deal with a slightly lower crossover point, too.

Plus, I like how it looks.

The woofer is a nice looking cast aluminum basket, decently beefy motor structure, has a phase plug made of fucking ALUMINUM, not some bullshit plastic, and a very nice feeling cone with a nice nitrile rubber surround...plus it comes with 2 pair of woofer grilles!

So, for me, the Exile is a very likable product. I have found them to be clean, clear, handle great power, not get fatiguing, just all around terrific speaker.

Plus, they retail at only $350 a set, which means I get to make decent money selling them as long as I charge a decent price. Compared to the shit mentioned, I should sell them at $550, as these are better speakers with more features, better power handling and sound fucking terrific!

/rant

Luke

[lylefk]

Wow, that was really something!

[StereoInstaller1]

only 2 cups of coffee, too!

[Bimmerman325i]

Great marketing on HATs side, but again, overpriced for what you get IMO.

What are you looking to achieve, what are your goals, what are you fabricating skills, what is your budget?

Really? I haven't heard these speakers before, so I am only going off of what I can read about. There is a guy local to me who has these speakers, but again, I'm 3000 miles away at the moment.

I'm looking to get a really quality sounding system for a reasonable price. I don't really care about loudness or big bass. I want a system that will sound really good and lifelike, with tight bass, clear vocals and mids. I don't ever blast my music, so most dB for the watt (or most watts) isn't a primary concern. This system is going into my DD/track car, and I am planning on running a rear strut brace. I realize this highly compromises available sub space, so I have been looking into dual 8" infinite baffle subs mounted somewhere in the rear deck or a single 10" IB sub or in Luke's Zen brace box if that happens. Again, boom isn't a priority, but clean, tight, intelligible is. If I was closer to my car I could see if the 8" idea would work without running into the trunk springs, but....yea.

I have all year to save up, so I figure my budget for speakers, amps, installation bits, and what not to be around 1k, give or take a bit. Less would be even better, especially if I could work a sub into that 1k figure.

As for fab skills, I can work a good piece of wood, but fiberglass, CF, welding, etc eludes me.

(apologies, edited for room) Look, the reality is that ALL of that shit is made in China.

Oh yeah, don't bother reading the spec sheet either, as they are almost always fiction.

Basically, what I am trying to tell you is that YOU have to be the judge. You need to learn to be "Brand Name Agnostic" (tm LFisher, 2001) so that you can decide if a product is worth a fuck or not.

For example: the Exile components in the front of my car. Who? Exile. Nice slick page, nice slick packaging. Good looking crossovers, decent quality circuit boards, bi-ampable and uses light bulbs for overpower/clipping protection on both the midrange and tweeter.

The tweeter has a nice silk soft dome, with excellent nitrile rubber suspension, slightly larger than average voice coil, and obviously will deal with a slightly lower crossover point, too.

The woofer is a nice looking cast aluminum basket, decently beefy motor structure, has a phase plug made of fucking ALUMINUM, not some bullshit plastic, and a very nice feeling cone with a nice nitrile rubber surround...plus it comes with 2 pair of woofer grilles!

So, for me, the Exile is a very likable product. I have found them to be clean, clear, handle great power, not get fatiguing, just all around terrific speaker.

Plus, they retail at only $350 a set, which means I get to make decent money selling them as long as I charge a decent price. Compared to the shit mentioned, I should sell them at $550, as these are better speakers with more features, better power handling and sound fucking terrific!

Thanks for the input Luke. I am not concerned so much with brand or price as quality sound. I have read reviews of the HAT speakers in Car A&E, and they really liked them, but I have also read reviews that are not so generous.

Those Exiles do sound really interesting...how do they compare to a pair of Focals? Not to engender any wrath, but my Subaru has Focal Coaxes in it right now so it's really the only comparison I have. How do the Exiles handle music from Jazz to Classical to Hip Hop to Rock? How easy are they to fit in the stock kickpanel location?

Also, what would you recommend for a space limited sub install? Dual 8s in the rear deck or a single sub in the ski pass in an infinite baffle setup? Or in the Zen Box if that happens? Not looking for boom, but clear, tight, good bass.

Thanks!

[Mless5]

Forget IB, do a sealed box against skipass or one of Luke's boxes. You need something that will play relatively high since you go 5.25" on the ffront ~100ish hz crossover.

[smonkbmw]

sorry luke im still a Diamond Audio fan. Especially the Hex series. silk tweeters, massive crossovers, rubber surround, poly woofer in a cast basket WITH screw down into the cast basket connections on the woofer.

[Bimmerman325i]

Just to throw a wrench in the proceedings:

I found new CDT HD series on sale for hundreds of dollars off of list price, from woofersetc.com. Are these guys legit? What seems to me to be CDT's HD-642s (three way component) is going for $400 right now, with the two-way HD-62s and -62Z going for less, sub $300.

EDIT: I should mention, they also have the CDT ES-620, 620Z, and 600 component sets, that are at the same price point. Supposedly these are better than the HD series. These are only two ways, and since that would greatly simplify things, I am really looking at these ES or HD series. At the same price as the 3 ways ($399), I could get the ES 620Z setup, which seems to be their best model. Good/bad idea?

Since these are cheaper than the Hybrid or Exile setup, I would like your feedback on the speakers.

Has anyone used them? Likes/dislikes?

How would any of their speakers compare to the Hybrid Audio Clarus or Exile or Focals?

Is there an appreciable difference between the -62s and -62Zs? Are the 642s appreciably better than the mentioned CDT two ways, enough to justify the hassle of installing the midrange? FWIW, all three come with passive crossovers.

Also, if there is a point to spending $100 more to get the three way setup, where is a good/easy location to mount the 4" midrange without too much fabrication?

I really like the price of these, so if they are as good or nearly as good as the Clarus' or Exile I will probably go for them. Doing a quick search here, bf.c, and google shows they are highly regarded speakers, but actual feedback is always better.

[Mless5]

Well, if you are going 6.5/4/1, are you aware that it won't really drop into the kick panels? Personally I would not go for a 3 way. I have an active 2 way with headunit being the processor and I really like it. Passive crossovers just kill everything! At least in my case I can keep messing around with slope and frequency crossover until I dial it in just the way I want it... + individual levels a time alignment come in very handy.

And than, no hard feelings, but bmw e30 is no MB w140 in terms of noise levels, I don't think you will appreciate extra $400 you spend on speakers as much + if it is a track/DD I am sure it has stiffer suspension, lower tires etc.

[Bimmerman325i]

Well, if you are going 6.5/4/1, are you aware that it won't really drop into the kick panels? Personally I would not go for a 3 way. I have an active 2 way with headunit being the processor and I really like it. Passive crossovers just kill everything! At least in my case I can keep messing around with slope and frequency crossover until I dial it in just the way I want it... + individual levels a time alignment come in very handy.

And than, no hard feelings, but bmw e30 is no MB w140 in terms of noise levels, I don't think you will appreciate extra $400 you spend on speakers as much + if it is a track/DD I am sure it has stiffer suspension, lower tires etc.

Yes, I am- I read the threads on putting the 6.5s in the kicks and also door panels. I can stomach cutting up the car, just not fiberglass or really custom stuff. I am thinking along those same lines, that 2 way is better. Why no passive crossovers though?

No worries. It is a track/DD car, but I was planning on using some sound deadening to help with the acoustics. I will be doing a motor swap in the future, so the extra weight isnt too concerning.