Focal Scala or Diablos with subs?

Hey Elviukai
I have seen that on a number of threads on the site that you have a lot of experience with the Focal speakers.
I've just started a new thread about my Diablos & wether to add subs or trade in for Scalas.
Any input would be really appreciated.
Thanks heaps
michael =)

Hi Michael, I assume its this thread? OK I will try to help a bit(still not now- need more info). But I havesome questions(never ask question on A'gon from elviukai- you will not get answer but more questions on return :) ) -

1)What kind of room(frequency response) do you have? Diablos are detailed in rooms which have tendency to absorb 150-400hz(this way 2-4khz shows up and character becomes more lean and detailed) , in other rooms they are quite "juicy" and even have excess of 400Hz- sound is liquid and well "spread in room" (good for choirs or small string quartets) I listen diablo with Ayre and pass Labs and with boths amps they are "liquid and juicy"

in 4x4 room you will likely to have a room mode arround 60-70hz, could be as high as +7-10db . in neutrall room Diablo goes strong up to 70-65Hz and then drops like stone. Sonus fabers doesnt do that, and some dynaudio monitors even have "thump" at 40hz. the good news that diablo can be integrated with subwoofer quite easy with measuring qeuipment/ears. if you have only ears it can take years to do this, so best to help with special cd tones- "learn" your room. Drop me mail and I will sent cd record which will halp determine if you have some room modes. Diablo with CORECTLY integrated sub can be heaven for most music genres (I think there is member who prefer diablo with subs over Grande EM) . But only ears will not help this. If sub integrated poor it will add soem excitement but no in long term listening then better turn off.

If you room have some resonant mode Scala will not work (and forget about Maestro, even in perfect 4x4 room it will have huge bass thump which will blow your socks off. the funny thing that maestro can be listened from 2meter with perfect soundstage projection and tonal balance, scala can not, Diabalo- more or less can)

2) What king of music do you listen? Diablo plays very nice on medium to low volumes, but on higher it starts to scream a bit on not so perfect records(smetimes even on good recoreds). Scala like some juice,and in HT mode at higher level Scala will win over diablo+sub easily. not because Scala will paly lower(it wont, even oposite), but because it will play louder, do not compress transients. if you listen for large orchestra , wind band, pink floyd or music like this on natural listening levels Scala will be better. BUTnot with 35w amp.

actualy its quite a tought situation here, and I am afraid that further advices can be only after you listen to special tones and draw each tone on paper with realite loudness schange scales. knowing this we can moove further. hope this helps, and sorry for typo(if any) quick typing on small laptop-neve read what I am typed.

Greets

OK, If your father can do folowing measurements-
1) from 1 meter on tweter axis left
2)same but right
3)from listneing position right
4)same but left
5) both speakers from listening position

its important that sub would be switched off during those measurements.

I know diablos frequency quite well in 4 rooms , so it will be easy to see

As for midrange- midrange resolution comes diferently in Diablo and Scala. Diablo have most of it midrange resolution going from tweeter (that sparkle snap you hear on fast records) Scala most of its reolution in midrnage have from its midrange driver (Maestro- something between those two) . Plus that Scala behavour is more civilized than Diablo.

Placing Diablo on subs makes more harm than goood in your case(xover point is low) uncless its the only place in room where sub outputs are linear.When you father will be after Diablo he can heltp you with sub placement. turn of diablo, set sub aoutpu as high as possible (up to 300hz) mesaure sub from 10-20cm as reference , then keep microphone fixed and make some sub moovements and making meausrements, until you find region 30-80hz smooth without major peak/dip. of course you can adjust diablo+sub by ear.signal tones to be flat ( dues low fr. wawes canceliation with diferent phases) , but this way i described here are much better form origin.

having Diablo mesurement in your room will make green or red light for Scalas. Then comes personal preferencies.

Ok will wait for measurements, if there sharp dip at 150hz ther ewill be a bump in lower octave, I am quite sure about that (acoustical physisc)

So far better investment in sonic would be not second sub but placement and smoothing 150hz. Diablo is not watt puppies- those are the racers, some stereo subs( even not speaking about single sub) can not cacth them.

Of course better sub would not hurt either. :) But first and most matter-placement on room problems solving plan would be best.

About diablo placement on subs- you will get some vibrations from sub , sonic will suffer(imaging in first place) placement speakers on sub would be more benefit that harm only if sub works up to 120-150hz. Diablo have quite strong uppr bass so sub need to work only up to 60-70hz.