Ps. I wish all the best to you all in these tough times 1. Tweeters are aluminum and magnesium. Not beryllium. 2. When I say efficiency, I really mean sensitivity Adorama: adorama.rfvk.net/adPGZ Focal Chora 826: adorama.rfvk.net/LkgdZ Disclaimer/ Personal interest in my reviews - Please read "About" section on Patreon.com/nbts
Beryllium is way too expensive to put in an affordable speaker anyway. It's ultra light, ultra rigid and does not resonate like other metals. By using Magnesium and aluminum, they approximate those properties. It is more rigid than aluminum, yet not resonant, and that's a BIG deal for metal drivers.
No Berilyium', I believe jay. Not even Aria line, higher lines do. It's Alumium/mag inverted tweeter with Poron which is on the surround they use this from the Berilyium tweeter. I'm not sure if the cabinet is veneer.
Am I right in saying you’re wrong about the tweeter material? The focal website states that they are beryllium Edit. Nvm I further read into this and it derives from the beryllium lol
I just brought a pair few weeks ago, your reviews are spot on. This are my first Focal. I made a right choice, they're lively transparent full of details yet not bright at all, and they don't need toe in.
A quick tip after playing with placement. Ears should be exactly at tweeter height or in line with the tweeter' line of fire after taking into account the backward tilt and no toe in at all or just VERY slight if needed to anchor down center image. The most important thing is to get the ears on the same level, its crucial. Also, if you can, pull them out even though they have front ports, thats where the magic happens. And a couple of subs would greatly help too
@@AbsoluteFidelity Thank you for the tip! Sadly i find it a little bit too bright when my ears are in tweeter height :( i'm sitting a little bit below in my couch and find it more enjoyable. What do you think about the fact of pointing them outside to the room?
@@99boardwalk according to data, I would rather 'adjust' brightness by playing with horizontal axis than vertical axis. So ears have to be at tweeter height but you are free to toe in or toe out your speaker as much as you want without really affecting a change in tonality due to the wide dispersion characteristics of the Chora. As long as you can get a tight center image, you wont need to toe the speakers towards you. Is it possible for you to get a tight phantom center in your room with the speakers firing straight down the room? Its not possible for me to be at tweeter height with the slanted plinths, so I took it off. Works way better that way.
@@AbsoluteFidelity Thank you for the input! will experiment with it. Yeah, same, my couch is kind of really low and i'm not the tallest dude to begin with lol. Will have fun doing some tests with the horizontal axis.
After fiddling with these speakers I slowly evolved to your recommended placement toed out just a hair and can’t get over how different they sound . I really love these speakers especially after only paying clearance prices . 826 D double duty music / movies . Great channel
I still have these in my very large family room with a pair of REL T9x subs I switched to when these were made available. I don't find them bright at all but love the headphone like detail. I don't think ill ever let them go . I also have a Pair of Polk R700s I bought based on one of your reviews that I just orderd a pair of REL Classic 99s for . When I buy one of your reviewed items I find your description of what you hear to be accurate to that when I receive it . 👍
I have them for 2 months now.... impressive speakers, I'm extremely satisfied with the choice i made... every day! Very nice video and the description you made can't be more accurate.
@@luvmybeemer I KNOW that REL are the best sub's made. I use the T7i, with a pair of Buchardt Audio S400's, not that they need any Bass help, but a CLEAN SUB has it's place even within the best system. Use one for a month, then tale it out of the system,,,,, it want take you long before your hooking it back up! I'm talking Hi-Fidelity 2 Channel Stereo, not HOME THEATER!
Best review for me because is explaining what I was looking for - listening to low volume, quality of sound at low volume. Now I understand why Focal Chora 826 D Speakers are part of kit with surround that comes with central speaker as well as subwoffer which compensate for the lower frequencies.
First time visitor to your channel. I'm a fan of Focal and own a pair of their bookshelves. The purpose of any loudspeaker is to accurately reproduce sound, which in our context is musical recordings. Focal speakers do an outstanding job at doing that but what one hears when they listen to them is sound reproduction they probably aren't used to. You clearly stated this truth which I never hear from other reviewers. Moreover, in times past, the goal was to reproduce the effect of a live performance which is anything but "warm." It was nice to listen to a genuine informed review for a change.
"accurately reproduce sound" that is not an accurate statement for any speakers using bassreflex. that choice is a compromise to get more bass and sell more units.
Time alignment seeks to align the acoustic centers of drivers relative to the listener. This is achieved by positioning smaller drivers further back then woofers which have recessed acoustic centers. The goal is to align wave fronts such that their arrival occurs simultaneously for tones which are multiples of each other. For example, at 10 K tone from the tweeter and a 1K tone from a midrange driver should present every 10th wave simultaneously to the listening position.
I was under the understanding that physically time aligning the speakers moves the tweeter and possibly the midrange drivers further back than the bass or lower frequency drivers. Sound frequencies don't move through air at the same speed whereas higher frequencies move faster than lower frequencies as you described with the width of their sine waves. The point is they all arrive to the ear simultaneously again as you mentioned. Crossovers can also achieve this and is usually the avenue of the speaker designers. When you use a crossover, the capacitor creates a delay in the waveform driving the tweeter. I bet the tweeter is hot which can slightly be ameliorated with physical time alignment.
Thank you for another excellent Review. The Triangle BOREA BR09 are in the same price bracket, would love you to review the Triangle BOREA BR09 sometime this year.
Focal is known for the detail and open sound stage. I really love the so called “focal sound”. That’s very different of the muffled bassy sound of the some speakers.
Everything you said is what I experienced. I thought they were a bit light in the lower bass. I was upgrading from my focal chorus 806v bookshelves so wanted better bottom end. I went for Kanta 2 with qutest dac and musical fidelity m6si amp. I like my bass so have an svs sb4000. Keep up the good work 👍
Omg The Kanta 2 are l in a different PLANET, that is some upgrade from the 806v! Now you will have to upgrade your amp to match the Kanta! and on and on it goes.
Thanks for the review! As a fellow dealer, We can definitely confirm that Focal Chora 826 Speaker is a high-quality audio speaker known for its powerful sound and precise imaging. It has a sleek design and is perfect for music enthusiasts. The Focal Chora 826 Speaker features a 6.5-inch midrange driver, a 1-inch tweeter, and two 6.5-inch woofers for deep bass. It has a frequency response of 48Hz to 28kHz and a sensitivity of 91 dB. The speaker also has a sleek design with a choice of finishes and can be used in both stereo and home theater setups. And as a fellow dealer, We can definitely vouch for the quality of Viewsonic products. If you have any other questions about Viewsonic PX747-4K please feel free to ask!
Thanks for this Jay. I have been very curious about the Focal approach. I am into detail and am usually satisfied under 70db. I think this makes me a listener more consistent attributes making these Focal very successful in Korea. On the highs, I typically cannot hear up to 10k so these may be a very good match for me.
@Anthony Martino not a chance, their speakers are schizophrenic when it comes to their sound. They sound like 2 pairs of speakers coming at you at the same time. Terrible timing. Focal and Bowers excel with their timing and cohesiveness.
Hi Jay! Yours was the review that made me pull the trigger on the Focals... that said, one thing I didn't factor is was room acoustics - lots of exposed to wood, glass, etc. The result after adding a big rug, room correct is the top end being quite harsh at med - high volumes. Toe forward is deff better, still playing around but wanted to let you know!
Treat side wall, ceiling and floor 1st reflection points. Leave back wall and front wall untouched. According to data, there is a bump from 4khz - 10khz in the PIR (not on axis), so thick curtains will work great.
I just wanted to say you made a small mistake in the video. Only Kanta and up use the beryllium driver in the Focal line. Not that it doesn't work well also but the tweeter in the Chora line has a Aluminium/Magnesium inverted dome which is a little cheaper to make but still performs really well.
Very nice content, thank you so much,I’d like to get your opinion, now I have chorus 716s, considering to upgrade, to be honest I’m missing lower range(bass), I would probably use the sub to compensate that, but my integrated amp NAD c526bee has only two channels, do you think I can get more bass after upgrade? unfortunately it’s not an option to rent 726 for listening Thanks What do you have in a corners and on a wall behind the speakers? what kind of acoustic panels?
I just got a pair of 816…what can i say…detail detail and layer of details. i used to think bright is detail and vice versa but now see my mistake. The details exceed what my ls50 can deliver. I used to aim for warm speakers like from old sonus faber lines to spare my ear from fatigue but now i see what i have been missing out all these years.
Yep! Appalachian Spring by Orpheus had me in tears yesterday...that is no bullshit! The 826 can do things that are beyond comprehension for $2k. The devil is in the details! :)
Nice review, really! Do you think they are a huge upgrade from my Klipsch Rp-260f? I'll pair them (for the moment) with Marantz pm-6006.. Thank you all
got the 716S focals and they are insane value for money. I am definitely a focal fan, had mordaunts shorts before them and they literally sound like toys regardless of placements etc
How are they in comparison with Magnepans? I have a pair of .7’s on order but heard some vids of the Kanta No1’s and am super impressed with the detail and openness (Beryllium tweeters I’m assuming) etc. Those are a bit more than I want to spend though. I seemed to prefer the bookshelf’s over the towers etc.
Not very easy to find a review of these speakers, thanks for it. How will you rate these 826s against Klipsch RP 8000F especially when paired with Naim Unity ATOM.
I found the Theva I just heard is different than these . I don’t think they are better but different . If they are better it’s a few percentage better if any . I’m quite happy with these Chora 826D . Thank you for showing these to me as I wasn’t very familiar with the brand other than knowing their name . ❤👍
Hi Jay love watching your videos. I totally agree with your opinion on Focal speakers. I have Focal Aria 906s paired with Reisong A12 with Tung Sol tubes. I love the detail and warm sound from Arias. Would be keen to hear the new Chora range after watching this. Thanks for your amazing work. Cheers mate 👍👍👍
I agree... and here are names *I* will name. Low end Dynaudio, NHT, SVS, ELAC do a good job, but "soft". on top by compare. This vocing is fine if that is your preference. Monitor audio, POLK, KEF ,B&W's and paradigm under $1000 speakers don't have it together. They are sloppy and have mediocre playback at best. (I'm not a klipsch fan, they are harsh and 2-dimesional to me) For detail on the higher end: Focal will equal anything B&W has, but more realistic and natural mids than B&W. My compare, B&W are sterile and lifeless in the mids, lacking tonality. If I had the cash, High end focal>anything.
Excellent description on the Focal 826 by Jay, having gone from MA RS8 Focal's are bright so as he says if you like heavy rock avoid, but the detail they present is fantastic. when playing loud rock you find yourself turning down the volume to a more presentable level. As I like rock music I do play at lower levels probably a good thing as I will have to live with them for now.I have them hooked up to a Yamaha N-R803D which I am very happy with and usually listen to Dab station or down load Apple Music
Thanks for the wonderful video. I am setting up a home theatre room with 14 feet * 16 feet room. TV will be placed on the 16 feet wall. Should I use the 5.1 setup from Chora 816 or Chora 826 for this room? Please advise. I am okay to stretch my budget but my main goal is less fatigue while watching movies/tvseries. We should get a good theatre experience even on lower sounds. Your advice will be very helpful to me.
Some people said focal sound bright and lean, because they matching them with wrong amp, speaker cables or even spike plate. for my experience focal(especially the 7, 8, 9 series)are better match with warm and soft sound amp(e.g: Rega, Cyrus or Musical Fidelity amp...), or try to use a hard wooden(e.g ebony wood)spike plate.
Hi Jay, I have exactly these speakers paired with a Marantz SR7013, how do you like it with the Dodge 10 and their preamp, if you have compared it? I am considering improving my amps...Thanks
What would you say is better? The Polk Audio Reserve R700 or Focal Chora 826? Main use will be for movies, then partly music. I also have a subwoofer as well
I had the R700 and the 12.4 and I now own the 826. Hands down the 826 when it comes to detail retrieval, clarity, transparency, airiness, soundstage width, imaging within the soundscape, and speed, especially in the bass deparment. The only thing the R700 has over the 826 is deep bass and overall bass quantity. The mids on the R700 are warmer, but not clearer. The vocals on the 826 are more 3 dimensional as its takes a few steps forward towards you, vocals on the R700 is more inline with everything hence a more 2D-like experience. You can biamp the R700 but you cant with the 826.
What would you see as the main separators between these and the aria series. I'm looking for mastering speakers. I currently have focal SHAPE twins and love them. I also have a friend with some chorus 714v .... are these better?
I have the aria 948s.. do you think same positioning with tilting aplys to them as well? And with tilted outwards the room, do you mean leand back, or do you mean to skip toe in?
Great review. You think this Focal is more detailed than say a Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G, Klipsch, or Martin Logan 40i or 60XTi or even a Revel F206?
I own the 826, haven't heard those others. I will put money down that these are as detailed as anything you can name at any price point. Having said that you need to understand what they are capable of. Amazing loudspeakers, however not for every taste I'm sure.
@@fcamiola Thanks. I need to fully embrace their short comings. From what I can read and watch, seems the low end it the biggest issue. I have 2 x 18 inch subs so I would likely cross them at 100Hz to basically take the load and/or lack of low end off the Focals. I need to Mack sure they can be driven hard without falling apart (like 100db hard). My Klipsch are like Times, they take a licking and keep on ticking and do not fall apart when pushed. I auditioned some Mirage and Polks many years ago and when pushed the low end just fell apart and distorted like crazy.
@@hdtvkeith1604 I have an 8" B&W sub (ASW608), and in my room the 826 plus sub combo is plenty powerful in the nether region. I think I have them crossover at 70hz, or thereabouts. That is never an issue for my tastes at least. They are being run through a Rogue Sphinx v3 hybrid integrated 100w, tube preamp section. Amazing pairing really! Just one example: "Basin Street Blues" from Miles Seven Steps to Heaven - Miles harmon mute trumpet just fills my entire room with pinpoint accuracy. Then off to the right when drummer Frank Butler enters, he is there! Ron Carter's upright bass is so fat and warm too. The imaging does extended well beyond my room too with the right recording. I'm not like Jay constantly comparing loudspeakers, but he is so generally on the mark here with his impressions. My biggest concern for folks would be to make sure you have enough warmth up top (as in a tube pre/power amp) and know that you are going for extreme detail and accuracy what is on the cd or LP. If somebody just wants a warm speaker that can crank all day but doesn't really dive into the extreme details, then the 826 is not the right choice. I'm in this game to hear detail in things that I've never heard before and that is the strength of the 826. Cheers.
@@fcamiola Thanks. Having 2 Klipsch systems for the last 20 years the appeal of Klipsch was their details, which many people say is bright. Yeah Klipsch boosts the highs a bit, but I find them very clean so what I am looking for is a speaker that can be more clean, articulate and detailed with great imaging and sound stage without boosting the highs too much. From what I can tell that is what the Focals excel at.
@@hdtvkeith1604 I would say try to listen to them if you can, but they may be exactly what you're looking for. I was interested in the Aria line (like the 926 or 936) but these 826s sounded so damn good it didn't seem like it was necessary. I've also read that some folks think the 826 are pretty close to the 926 in many ways. I'd rather invest in a different amp someday and buy more LPs! Good luck and keep me posted if you happen to check out the Focals.
Thanks for the review really interesting wondering how you would rate these versus your Tekton pendragons or perhaps versus the double impact please? On a different note any plans to review some of the more expensive Tekton speakers like , Moab or Encore - hardly any reviews of these and would hugely value the your opinion given your wide experience of audio gear. Keep up the good work - great channel .
Hey, Jay. I just found your channel a couple weeks back. Great reviews. Based on your recommendations, I actually just purchased the Chora 826 along with the Billie amplifier. I know the chora lists a recommended minimum amplification of 40wpc and the Billie provides 60 into 8ohms. I guess I'm wondering, is that something I can trust? Is it possible that I will drive the Billie into clipping without knowing it? And if so, any guidance on how high I can turn the volume nob without having to worry about this?
I'm close to getting these but I'm also considering the Wharfedale Evo 4.4. Given the price difference, do you think it would be worth it getting the Focals?
I just got my new black set, these speakers are fantastic. I’m running a Marantz 7015 but upgrading to an amp very soon. I Listen to live jazz , it’s is unbelievable, I sold my B&W 603s and center which were nice but don’t compare. A sub is a must.. not that it’s bad but I’m running dual SVS SB3000... talk about loud bone rattling awesome and detailed !! I plugged in Avengers 4K movie to test theater mode and was blown away.. very detailed, tweeters make a difference, i’m running 4 SVS height speakers for Atmos , so glad I did it, your missing another dimension if you don’t go with it .. The funny thing.. I haven’t even tuned my system yet.. it only gets better. I only had speakers for 3 days. If your on the fence.. buy them. I believe these are the best for your money in that 2k arena.. oh’ I got the center channel too.. 3k , lol the center is unbelievable as well sounds great and is big ! These speakers are hand made from France and the quality shows leaps and bounds. Well worth the 4 week wait .
Thanks Dave. I'm a 2 channel audio guy but am worried by the supposed "brightness" associated with the 826s. I have a fairly neutral integrated hybrid amp (Rogue Sphinx V3) with a tube preamp, so its just a matter of the synergy between the Rogue and the Focals. I might have to take my Rogue to the store to audition these. Cheers.
Thank you for reviewing the Focal Chora 826. You got me thinking of them. Initially I heard other speakers by them years ago and thought they were eh in the bass, but I see you have it with a REL so that'll be a good combo. I am just concerned about my amp. I have a Vintage Mitsubishi DAA15DC dual mono block amp and preamp. Would you have any suggestions about what speakers I can hook up to these? I want to make sure the speaker I get for them will have the best synergy on the first purchase. I want to avoid at all costs to having to return a purchase if it doesn't go with this amp. Note: I will eventually replace the preamp with either a Vincent Audio or Schiit Freya plus...Thanks
This is weird. This is the 1st time that I’ve come across your channel? 60k subscribers. Yet I’ve mainly come across: Zero Fidelity, Cheap audio man, Thomas, Audio philiac Sorry about the last 2 guys I’ve forgotten their full site names. Nevertheless this is the 1st time yours pops up. And your descriptions are great
How would these pair with Rega Brio-R (pre current 2017 version). I currently have MA Monitor 200’s (orange cone) and they are really good for the money but would like to upgrade. Also looking at MA Silver 300. I love the look on the Focal’s. And front porting helps in our room. Cheers
@The Next Best Thing Studio Hi! Excellent detailed review. How do you find the finishing of these speakers, specially at the corners as those seems very sharp and not rounded. Is the front glossy surface prone to scratches easily ? Is it possible fro you to review the Fyne Audio F501 or F502 speakers ? Thanks much.
As You heared them both. How are Your feelings comparing to also wery detailed Goldenear BRX? I am a little confused as for me they are quite similar but I haven't heard them side by side. I will setup those with Atom and some sub.
Hello, Would you use a pair of ATC SCM100 ASLT (Active) speakers at home for Hifi? Are these suppose to be neutral speakers and what do they mean by a speaker been neutral. Thanks.
Hi Jay. Ill try your recommendation regarding not toe in speakers as I did feel they were too bright toed in. In your professional opinion Would you recommend I go with a Emotiva XPA 3 channel amp (300 watts per channel) OR go with Emotiva basx 3 channel (150 watts per channel) ?
Coming back here again I do find that they are revealing but I don’t find them as bright as other Focals . I don’t know if I’m completely correct in that statement from memory but it’s what I recall .
Hey Jay, Thanks for the review. I'm considering the 926's from your old stomping ground. What's your opinion in how these compare to the SF Sonnetto V's?
Tilting the speakers up or down (rake angle) is not time alignment. It changes the directivity/axis which affects how much on-axis or off-axis the sound is that hits your ears, depending on where your ear height is when you are in your listening position... If there's a factory tilt upwards this is most likely to correct for hotspotting and the fact that the tweeters may be perceived as too bright/harsh when focused more directly at the listener , or it could be the opposite if the speakers are shorter than typical towers/tweeter heights, or it could be a marketing gimmick all the same too... (either way, doesn't make them bad, I like Focal and I'm sure they're a great pair of speakers). The tilt may also help or worsen problems created from sound reflections in the room by changing the angle at which the sound frequencies will reflect back from the wall behind you. How perceivable this would be vs. measurable is up for debate and entirely dependent on the room size and shape, ceiling height, acoustic treatment if any, etc.
Tilting the speaker back increases the distance of the tweeter slightly (since they're at the top and MORE affected by the cant than the woofers closer to the plinth, so, the speed of sound being equal for high and low frequencies it DOES offer some time-alignment benefits.
Ps. I wish all the best to you all in these tough times
1. Tweeters are aluminum and magnesium. Not beryllium.
2. When I say efficiency, I really mean sensitivity
Adorama: adorama.rfvk.net/adPGZ
Focal Chora 826: adorama.rfvk.net/LkgdZ
Disclaimer/ Personal interest in my reviews - Please read "About" section on Patreon.com/nbts
Beryllium is way too expensive to put in an affordable speaker anyway. It's ultra light, ultra rigid and does not resonate like other metals. By using Magnesium and aluminum, they approximate those properties. It is more rigid than aluminum, yet not resonant, and that's a BIG deal for metal drivers.
No Berilyium', I believe jay. Not even Aria line, higher lines do. It's Alumium/mag inverted tweeter with Poron which is on the surround they use this from the Berilyium tweeter. I'm not sure if the cabinet is veneer.
Am I right in saying you’re wrong about the tweeter material? The focal website states that they are beryllium
Edit. Nvm I further read into this and it derives from the beryllium lol
Jay, you have described these speakers exactly the way listeners understand. Thank you for a great job!!!
There is SO MUCH I don't know and haven't experienced when it comes to audio gear. Thank you for the content!
I just brought a pair few weeks ago, your reviews are spot on. This are my first Focal. I made a right choice, they're lively transparent full of details yet not bright at all, and they don't need toe in.
A quick tip after playing with placement. Ears should be exactly at tweeter height or in line with the tweeter' line of fire after taking into account the backward tilt and no toe in at all or just VERY slight if needed to anchor down center image. The most important thing is to get the ears on the same level, its crucial. Also, if you can, pull them out even though they have front ports, thats where the magic happens. And a couple of subs would greatly help too
@@AbsoluteFidelity Thank you for the tip! Sadly i find it a little bit too bright when my ears are in tweeter height :( i'm sitting a little bit below in my couch and find it more enjoyable. What do you think about the fact of pointing them outside to the room?
@@99boardwalk according to data, I would rather 'adjust' brightness by playing with horizontal axis than vertical axis. So ears have to be at tweeter height but you are free to toe in or toe out your speaker as much as you want without really affecting a change in tonality due to the wide dispersion characteristics of the Chora. As long as you can get a tight center image, you wont need to toe the speakers towards you. Is it possible for you to get a tight phantom center in your room with the speakers firing straight down the room? Its not possible for me to be at tweeter height with the slanted plinths, so I took it off. Works way better that way.
@@AbsoluteFidelity Thank you for the input! will experiment with it. Yeah, same, my couch is kind of really low and i'm not the tallest dude to begin with lol. Will have fun doing some tests with the horizontal axis.
@@99boardwalk let me know what you found best that works in your room!
After fiddling with these speakers I slowly evolved to your recommended placement toed out just a hair and can’t get over how different they sound . I really love these speakers especially after only paying clearance prices . 826 D double duty music / movies . Great channel
I've been an audio file for 25 years. Ginormous Focal fan! You do a great job teaching young lad 👍
I’ve watched this a few times . I bought these based on your fabulous review . Very happy with this . Thank you
I still have these in my very large family room with a pair of REL T9x subs I switched to when these were made available. I don't find them bright at all but love the headphone like detail. I don't think ill ever let them go . I also have a Pair of Polk R700s I bought based on one of your reviews that I just orderd a pair of REL Classic 99s for . When I buy one of your reviewed items I find your description of what you hear to be accurate to that when I receive it . 👍
I have them for 2 months now.... impressive speakers, I'm extremely satisfied with the choice i made... every day! Very nice video and the description you made can't be more accurate.
do you drive them with a sub? If so, which one?
@@sergeykornienko9882 Sub is the next addition im thinking to do... It is needed!
@@sergeykornienko9882 he said he is using a sub, a REL T5i.
@@luvmybeemer I KNOW that REL are the best sub's made. I use the T7i, with a pair of Buchardt Audio S400's, not that they need any Bass help, but a CLEAN SUB has it's place even within the best system. Use one for a month, then tale it out of the system,,,,, it want take you long before your hooking it back up! I'm talking Hi-Fidelity 2 Channel Stereo, not HOME THEATER!
@@BWWGL9 I agree, I’m using a sealed SVS first with my Spendors and now with my Focals.
Jay- One of your best reviews. You covered everything in excellent detail. Thank you man!
Best review for me because is explaining what I was looking for - listening to low volume, quality of sound at low volume.
Now I understand why Focal Chora 826 D Speakers are part of kit with surround that comes with central speaker as well as subwoffer which compensate for the lower frequencies.
First time visitor to your channel. I'm a fan of Focal and own a pair of their bookshelves. The purpose of any loudspeaker is to accurately reproduce sound, which in our context is musical recordings. Focal speakers do an outstanding job at doing that but what one hears when they listen to them is sound reproduction they probably aren't used to. You clearly stated this truth which I never hear from other reviewers. Moreover, in times past, the goal was to reproduce the effect of a live performance which is anything but "warm." It was nice to listen to a genuine informed review for a change.
"accurately reproduce sound" that is not an accurate statement for any speakers using bassreflex. that choice is a compromise to get more bass and sell more units.
Time alignment seeks to align the acoustic centers of drivers relative to the listener. This is achieved by positioning smaller drivers further back then woofers which have recessed acoustic centers. The goal is to align wave fronts such that their arrival occurs simultaneously for tones which are multiples of each other. For example, at 10 K tone from the tweeter and a 1K tone from a midrange driver should present every 10th wave simultaneously to the listening position.
I was under the understanding that physically time aligning the speakers moves the tweeter and possibly the midrange drivers further back than the bass or lower frequency drivers. Sound frequencies don't move through air at the same speed whereas higher frequencies move faster than lower frequencies as you described with the width of their sine waves. The point is they all arrive to the ear simultaneously again as you mentioned. Crossovers can also achieve this and is usually the avenue of the speaker designers. When you use a crossover, the capacitor creates a delay in the waveform driving the tweeter. I bet the tweeter is hot which can slightly be ameliorated with physical time alignment.
Thank you for another excellent Review. The Triangle BOREA BR09 are in the same price bracket, would love you to review the Triangle BOREA BR09 sometime this year.
Focal is known for the detail and open sound stage. I really love the so called “focal sound”. That’s very different of the muffled bassy sound of the some speakers.
Yup. I’ve had my Electra 915 for 20 years now.
It is forward sounding isnt it?
@@marcusaurelius2988 yes
@@magicmulder I love my JmLab Electra 920.1!
Yes, you are right. I own 826w for almost a decade but never tired of listening to it.
Everything you said is what I experienced. I thought they were a bit light in the lower bass. I was upgrading from my focal chorus 806v bookshelves so wanted better bottom end.
I went for Kanta 2 with qutest dac and musical fidelity m6si amp. I like my bass so have an svs sb4000.
Keep up the good work 👍
Iain Beddoes hello which speaker would you say give me the same bass as my old Cerwin-Vega (xls-15), think about doing a major home audio upgrade..
Omg The Kanta 2 are l in a different PLANET, that is some upgrade from the 806v! Now you will have to upgrade your amp to match the Kanta! and on and on it goes.
@@97GTEORGE id say buy a good floor stander and a separate subwoofer
@@jondonnelly3 im happy with my musical fidelity M6si it as bags of power for my room and sounds fantastic
Thanks for the review! As a fellow dealer, We can definitely confirm that Focal Chora 826 Speaker is a high-quality audio speaker known for its powerful sound and precise imaging. It has a sleek design and is perfect for music enthusiasts. The Focal Chora 826 Speaker features a 6.5-inch midrange driver, a 1-inch tweeter, and two 6.5-inch woofers for deep bass. It has a frequency response of 48Hz to 28kHz and a sensitivity of 91 dB. The speaker also has a sleek design with a choice of finishes and can be used in both stereo and home theater setups. And as a fellow dealer, We can definitely vouch for the quality of Viewsonic products. If you have any other questions about Viewsonic PX747-4K please feel free to ask!
Thanks for this Jay. I have been very curious about the Focal approach. I am into detail and am usually satisfied under 70db. I think this makes me a listener more consistent attributes making these Focal very successful in Korea.
On the highs, I typically cannot hear up to 10k so these may be a very good match for me.
hello great review! have you compare this to the BW 603?
Sycophant 😂🤣😂
Any chance you can review the Focal Aria 948s?
Excellent review as usual. Ty and God bless my brother.🙏🏿😍
I wish you would compare them to other speakers like to Warfdale and Polk that you have reviewed
Can they be placed without stand
Great review!! I will search out an opportunity to hear them.
Thanks for a review, could you pls put her a link for a back corner plates
Great review, love focal and bowers and wilkens, which seem unpopular with tons of people, thinking of kanta 2 as my next speaker.
@Anthony Martino not a chance, their speakers are schizophrenic when it comes to their sound. They sound like 2 pairs of speakers coming at you at the same time. Terrible timing. Focal and Bowers excel with their timing and cohesiveness.
James Caldwell ／
Hello my friend. I want ask if this speakers is only av home cinema or 2 channel music. Thanks.
Will this be a good match with the NAD T778 AV Receiver? Thanks
Hi Jay! Yours was the review that made me pull the trigger on the Focals... that said, one thing I didn't factor is was room acoustics - lots of exposed to wood, glass, etc. The result after adding a big rug, room correct is the top end being quite harsh at med - high volumes. Toe forward is deff better, still playing around but wanted to let you know!
Treat side wall, ceiling and floor 1st reflection points. Leave back wall and front wall untouched. According to data, there is a bump from 4khz - 10khz in the PIR (not on axis), so thick curtains will work great.
I just wanted to say you made a small mistake in the video. Only Kanta and up use the beryllium driver in the Focal line. Not that it doesn't work well also but the tweeter in the Chora line has a Aluminium/Magnesium inverted dome which is a little cheaper to make but still performs really well.
would you recommend setting them up with denon 3700h amp with the chora 600p sub?
Would a small Vintage Luxman L31 be able to drive them? Of course without wanting high volume outputs mostly for classic music.
Was thinking a step up into the Aria line - 926?
Very nice content, thank you so much,I’d like to get your opinion, now I have chorus 716s, considering to upgrade, to be honest I’m missing lower range(bass), I would probably use the sub to compensate that, but my integrated amp NAD c526bee has only two channels, do you think I can get more bass after upgrade? unfortunately it’s not an option to rent 726 for listening
Thanks
What do you have in a corners and on a wall behind the speakers? what kind of acoustic panels?
Have you ever listened to "Acoustic Energy" speakers, if so how do you rate them?
Beautiful speakers and value of money , you can hear with any kind music genres
Can you compare these to the KEFQ950’s
what is the name of Black slim speaker in the background?
I just got a pair of 816…what can i say…detail detail and layer of details. i used to think bright is detail and vice versa but now see my mistake. The details exceed what my ls50 can deliver. I used to aim for warm speakers like from old sonus faber lines to spare my ear from fatigue but now i see what i have been missing out all these years.
Amen!
Yep! Appalachian Spring by Orpheus had me in tears yesterday...that is no bullshit! The 826 can do things that are beyond comprehension for $2k. The devil is in the details! :)
Nice review, really! Do you think they are a huge upgrade from my Klipsch Rp-260f? I'll pair them (for the moment) with Marantz pm-6006.. Thank you all
got the 716S focals and they are insane value for money. I am definitely a focal fan, had mordaunts shorts before them and they literally sound like toys regardless of placements etc
How are they in comparison with Magnepans? I have a pair of .7’s on order but heard some vids of the Kanta No1’s and am super impressed with the detail and openness (Beryllium tweeters I’m assuming) etc. Those are a bit more than I want to spend though. I seemed to prefer the bookshelf’s over the towers etc.
Not very easy to find a review of these speakers, thanks for it. How will you rate these 826s against Klipsch RP 8000F especially when paired with Naim Unity ATOM.
Nice job Jay. Focal & JL Audio are two of the best out there. No bad products at any price point. R&D is super important to these companies.
I found the Theva I just heard is different than these . I don’t think they are better but different . If they are better it’s a few percentage better if any . I’m quite happy with these Chora 826D . Thank you for showing these to me as I wasn’t very familiar with the brand other than knowing their name . ❤👍
Hi...which is better Triangle BR08 or Focal Chora 826?
May I Use them with amplifier Marantz PM 6007 ? Or Is It weak for them? Pm 6007 has 2x45W . Thank you very much
Hi Jay love watching your videos. I totally agree with your opinion on Focal speakers. I have Focal Aria 906s paired with Reisong A12 with Tung Sol tubes. I love the detail and warm sound from Arias. Would be keen to hear the new Chora range after watching this. Thanks for your amazing work. Cheers mate 👍👍👍
I agree... and here are names *I* will name.
Low end
Dynaudio, NHT, SVS, ELAC do a good job, but "soft". on top by compare. This vocing is fine if that is your preference.
Monitor audio, POLK, KEF ,B&W's and paradigm under $1000 speakers don't have it together. They are sloppy and have mediocre playback at best. (I'm not a klipsch fan, they are harsh and 2-dimesional to me)
For detail on the higher end: Focal will equal anything B&W has, but more realistic and natural mids than B&W. My compare, B&W are sterile and lifeless in the mids, lacking tonality.
If I had the cash, High end focal>anything.
How do you compare dali opticon 6 with this focal model guys please comment as they have ribbon hybrids and go till 33 khz
How do you think the sonus faber sonetto 5 compare
to the focal speakers of a similar price
Very nicely put together .. so is this very similar to Studio Monitors?
Excellent description on the Focal 826 by Jay, having gone from MA RS8 Focal's are bright so as he says if you like heavy rock avoid, but the detail they present is fantastic. when playing loud rock you find yourself turning down the volume to a more presentable level. As I like rock music I do play at lower levels probably a good thing as I will have to live with them for now.I have them hooked up to a Yamaha N-R803D which I am very happy with and usually listen to Dab station or down load Apple Music
Very informative review !
Thanks for the wonderful video. I am setting up a home theatre room with 14 feet * 16 feet room. TV will be placed on the 16 feet wall. Should I use the 5.1 setup from Chora 816 or Chora 826 for this room? Please advise. I am okay to stretch my budget but my main goal is less fatigue while watching movies/tvseries. We should get a good theatre experience even on lower sounds. Your advice will be very helpful to me.
Some people said focal sound bright and lean, because they matching them with wrong amp, speaker cables or even spike plate. for my experience focal(especially the 7, 8, 9 series)are better match with warm and soft sound amp(e.g: Rega, Cyrus or Musical Fidelity amp...), or try to use a hard wooden(e.g ebony wood)spike plate.
Some Focals have a tilted up top end, so could probably use an EQ to tame it down, or mod the crossover if you have the know how :)
Hi Jay, how would you compare the Focals to the Tekton Pendragon which you reviewed earlier? I guess the Focal speakers have better clarity?
Would you recommend Accuphase E380 integrated for these speakers? Considering them and that’s the amp I have. Thank you
Can anyone advice if matching with Hegel 120 or 390 is better sound quality?
Hello my friend this speakers can to drive with as 801 yamaha integrated amp?Thanks
Hi Jay, I have exactly these speakers paired with a Marantz SR7013, how do you like it with the Dodge 10 and their preamp, if you have compared it? I am considering improving my amps...Thanks
What would you say is better? The Polk Audio Reserve R700 or Focal Chora 826? Main use will be for movies, then partly music. I also have a subwoofer as well
I had the R700 and the 12.4 and I now own the 826. Hands down the 826 when it comes to detail retrieval, clarity, transparency, airiness, soundstage width, imaging within the soundscape, and speed, especially in the bass deparment. The only thing the R700 has over the 826 is deep bass and overall bass quantity. The mids on the R700 are warmer, but not clearer. The vocals on the 826 are more 3 dimensional as its takes a few steps forward towards you, vocals on the R700 is more inline with everything hence a more 2D-like experience. You can biamp the R700 but you cant with the 826.
Will the Roksan K3 integrated amplifier be a good match with these speakers?
Can do a wharfedale diamond 11 series speaker review?
Would you recomend me to buy Yamaha 803 to this speakers?
Hello Jay, would you please tell me what is the width of the base or stand?
Hello everyone! Would the Rega Elex R be a good match for this speakers? thanks!!
between Kef Ls50 meta and focal chora 826 what speakers would you choose ?
How about the focal Chora surrounds?
Hey, I just order them, I hope Denon avr2600 can run them
Czesc, czy moglbys podzielic sie wrazeniami z takiego polaczenia?
Can you give us a feedback for this combination please ?
What would you see as the main separators between these and the aria series. I'm looking for mastering speakers. I currently have focal SHAPE twins and love them. I also have a friend with some chorus 714v .... are these better?
If I buy Yamaha S1200 to this speakers? Is it a good combination? Thank you.
I have the aria 948s.. do you think same positioning with tilting aplys to them as well? And with tilted outwards the room, do you mean leand back, or do you mean to skip toe in?
Great review. You think this Focal is more detailed than say a Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G, Klipsch, or Martin Logan 40i or 60XTi or even a Revel F206?
I own the 826, haven't heard those others. I will put money down that these are as detailed as anything you can name at any price point. Having said that you need to understand what they are capable of. Amazing loudspeakers, however not for every taste I'm sure.
@@fcamiola Thanks. I need to fully embrace their short comings. From what I can read and watch, seems the low end it the biggest issue. I have 2 x 18 inch subs so I would likely cross them at 100Hz to basically take the load and/or lack of low end off the Focals. I need to Mack sure they can be driven hard without falling apart (like 100db hard). My Klipsch are like Times, they take a licking and keep on ticking and do not fall apart when pushed. I auditioned some Mirage and Polks many years ago and when pushed the low end just fell apart and distorted like crazy.
@@hdtvkeith1604 I have an 8" B&W sub (ASW608), and in my room the 826 plus sub combo is plenty powerful in the nether region. I think I have them crossover at 70hz, or thereabouts. That is never an issue for my tastes at least. They are being run through a Rogue Sphinx v3 hybrid integrated 100w, tube preamp section. Amazing pairing really! Just one example: "Basin Street Blues" from Miles Seven Steps to Heaven - Miles harmon mute trumpet just fills my entire room with pinpoint accuracy. Then off to the right when drummer Frank Butler enters, he is there! Ron Carter's upright bass is so fat and warm too. The imaging does extended well beyond my room too with the right recording. I'm not like Jay constantly comparing loudspeakers, but he is so generally on the mark here with his impressions. My biggest concern for folks would be to make sure you have enough warmth up top (as in a tube pre/power amp) and know that you are going for extreme detail and accuracy what is on the cd or LP. If somebody just wants a warm speaker that can crank all day but doesn't really dive into the extreme details, then the 826 is not the right choice. I'm in this game to hear detail in things that I've never heard before and that is the strength of the 826. Cheers.
@@fcamiola Thanks. Having 2 Klipsch systems for the last 20 years the appeal of Klipsch was their details, which many people say is bright. Yeah Klipsch boosts the highs a bit, but I find them very clean so what I am looking for is a speaker that can be more clean, articulate and detailed with great imaging and sound stage without boosting the highs too much. From what I can tell that is what the Focals excel at.
@@hdtvkeith1604 I would say try to listen to them if you can, but they may be exactly what you're looking for. I was interested in the Aria line (like the 926 or 936) but these 826s sounded so damn good it didn't seem like it was necessary. I've also read that some folks think the 826 are pretty close to the 926 in many ways. I'd rather invest in a different amp someday and buy more LPs! Good luck and keep me posted if you happen to check out the Focals.
Thanks for the review really interesting wondering how you would rate these versus your Tekton pendragons or perhaps versus the double impact please? On a different note any plans to review some of the more expensive Tekton speakers like , Moab or Encore - hardly any reviews of these and would hugely value the your opinion given your wide experience of audio gear. Keep up the good work - great channel .
Hey, Jay. I just found your channel a couple weeks back. Great reviews. Based on your recommendations, I actually just purchased the Chora 826 along with the Billie amplifier. I know the chora lists a recommended minimum amplification of 40wpc and the Billie provides 60 into 8ohms. I guess I'm wondering, is that something I can trust? Is it possible that I will drive the Billie into clipping without knowing it? And if so, any guidance on how high I can turn the volume nob without having to worry about this?
I'm close to getting these but I'm also considering the Wharfedale Evo 4.4. Given the price difference, do you think it would be worth it getting the Focals?
I'll go with the wharfedale, the build quality is way better
I just got my new black set, these speakers are fantastic. I’m running a Marantz 7015 but upgrading to an amp very soon. I Listen to live jazz , it’s is unbelievable, I sold my B&W 603s and center which were nice but don’t compare. A sub is a must.. not that it’s bad but I’m running dual SVS SB3000... talk about loud bone rattling awesome and detailed !! I plugged in Avengers 4K movie to test theater mode and was blown away.. very detailed, tweeters make a difference, i’m running 4 SVS height speakers for Atmos , so glad I did it, your missing another dimension if you don’t go with it .. The funny thing.. I haven’t even tuned my system yet.. it only gets better. I only had speakers for 3 days. If your on the fence.. buy them. I believe these are the best for your money in that 2k arena.. oh’ I got the center channel too.. 3k , lol the center is unbelievable as well sounds great and is big ! These speakers are hand made from France and the quality shows leaps and bounds. Well worth the 4 week wait .
Thanks Dave. I'm a 2 channel audio guy but am worried by the supposed "brightness" associated with the 826s. I have a fairly neutral integrated hybrid amp (Rogue Sphinx V3) with a tube preamp, so its just a matter of the synergy between the Rogue and the Focals. I might have to take my Rogue to the store to audition these. Cheers.
Hiya, I’ve had tube power amps for years now, I’m curious how hybrid amps sound?
Thank you for reviewing the Focal Chora 826. You got me thinking of them. Initially I heard other speakers by them years ago and thought they were eh in the bass, but I see you have it with a REL so that'll be a good combo. I am just concerned about my amp. I have a Vintage Mitsubishi DAA15DC dual mono block amp and preamp. Would you have any suggestions about what speakers I can hook up to these? I want to make sure the speaker I get for them will have the best synergy on the first purchase. I want to avoid at all costs to having to return a purchase if it doesn't go with this amp. Note: I will eventually replace the preamp with either a Vincent Audio or Schiit Freya plus...Thanks
This is weird. This is the 1st time that I’ve come across your channel? 60k subscribers. Yet I’ve mainly come across: Zero Fidelity, Cheap audio man, Thomas, Audio philiac Sorry about the last 2 guys I’ve forgotten their full site names. Nevertheless this is the 1st time yours pops up. And your descriptions are great
How would these pair with Rega Brio-R (pre current 2017 version). I currently have MA Monitor 200’s (orange cone) and they are really good for the money but would like to upgrade. Also looking at MA Silver 300. I love the look on the Focal’s. And front porting helps in our room.
Cheers
I’ll answer my own question then…
They are epic with my setup.
@@bruunm1975 nice! Loving my 826 too! They do things that are not to be believed!
@@fcamiola yes Node2i - Rega Brio R - Focal 826. Amazing!! No longer looking at Hi-Fi sites. Just listening to tunes.
@The Next Best Thing Studio Hi! Excellent detailed review. How do you find the finishing of these speakers, specially at the corners as those seems very sharp and not rounded. Is the front glossy surface prone to scratches easily ? Is it possible fro you to review the Fyne Audio F501 or F502 speakers ? Thanks much.
As You heared them both. How are Your feelings comparing to also wery detailed Goldenear BRX? I am a little confused as for me they are quite similar but I haven't heard them side by side. I will setup those with Atom and some sub.
The tweeter is neither Beryllium or Titanium
Aluminum-magnesium
Hello, Would you use a pair of ATC SCM100 ASLT (Active) speakers at home for Hifi? Are these suppose to be neutral speakers and what do they mean by a speaker been neutral. Thanks.
Great review. Any major difference in sound quality between 816 and 826 when paired with a sub?
The chora's tweeters are in aluminum not Beryllium.
Al/Mg , the same tweeter materials compared to the older series this Chora replaces. ( Chorus is the older version )
Go read the spec on them. They are aluminum /magnesium, the same as the Aria. That's impressive considering how much more the Aria costs.
@@dawn-moon no thats no true. It's the same as aria the class above, not below.
Great review...are you going to review the bookshelf 806?
Hi Jay. Ill try your recommendation regarding not toe in speakers as I did feel they were too bright toed in. In your professional opinion Would you recommend I go with a Emotiva XPA 3 channel amp (300 watts per channel) OR go with Emotiva basx 3 channel (150 watts per channel) ?
Is it good to pair Chora's with YBA or Atoll 200 se amps? Aria and Atoll 200 se sounds really nice. Jay?
How do they sound with your Atoll?
About where did you set the crossover point to achieve good integration between the REL and the Choras?
Around 60 hz
Спасибо за обзор ) подскажите подойдет ли к этим колонкам усилитель Magnat MA 900?
Coming back here again I do find that they are revealing but I don’t find them as bright as other Focals . I don’t know if I’m completely correct in that statement from memory but it’s what I recall .
Jay, what cables did you use? I heard good things about colour copper
Hey Jay, Thanks for the review. I'm considering the 926's from your old stomping ground. What's your opinion in how these compare to the SF Sonnetto V's?
Wish you could get hold of a pair of Kralk Audio TDB-12s. Awesome speakers for the money.
Tilting the speakers up or down (rake angle) is not time alignment. It changes the directivity/axis which affects how much on-axis or off-axis the sound is that hits your ears, depending on where your ear height is when you are in your listening position... If there's a factory tilt upwards this is most likely to correct for hotspotting and the fact that the tweeters may be perceived as too bright/harsh when focused more directly at the listener , or it could be the opposite if the speakers are shorter than typical towers/tweeter heights, or it could be a marketing gimmick all the same too... (either way, doesn't make them bad, I like Focal and I'm sure they're a great pair of speakers).
The tilt may also help or worsen problems created from sound reflections in the room by changing the angle at which the sound frequencies will reflect back from the wall behind you. How perceivable this would be vs. measurable is up for debate and entirely dependent on the room size and shape, ceiling height, acoustic treatment if any, etc.
Tilting the speaker back increases the distance of the tweeter slightly (since they're at the top and MORE affected by the cant than the woofers closer to the plinth, so, the speed of sound being equal for high and low frequencies it DOES offer some time-alignment benefits.
I've noticed those bass traps in the last few videos. They look intresting is there a talk about them coming?
Good review of the focal's .
Those were custom made
Good review Jay.