FOCAL JMlab Aria 936
Floorstanding loudspeakers
In the past Focal changed the material for its drivers several times, from paper and different polymers to Kevlar. Now the company has decided to go even more organic - the all new Aria 936s use flax fiber in their drivers. And, boy, it sounds so good.
Funkce a forma
For midbass driver flax was the material of choice. The lightness of the flax fiber satisfies the criteria of high internal damping, high velocity and high flexural rigidity. The flax core is laminated from both sides by thin glass fiber layers. Flax is twice as light as fiberglass, because the fiber is hollow. It also has very low elasticity which makes it ideal to increase the flexural rigidity of a sandwich structure.
Aluminum/magnesium tweeter has been derived from the one in the Utopia range. The suspension between the dome and its bracket uses Poron, a material with shape memory, which - according to Focal- reduces distortion by a factor of three in the 2-3kHz range, where the human ear has very great sensitivity. Focal traditionally uses an inverted dome tweeters that should have better dispersion.
Nízké frekvence
The Aria 936 features 3 (!) bass reflex ports. Also, considering my previous experience with some budget Focal models, I was a bit afraid of pumping bass that obscures other frequencies. However the Aria exhibited one of the best bass performance I ever experienced with the French speakers. The bass was rapid fast, artculated and very well balanced with the midrange. Switchback of Jesse Cook was presented with a great sense for rhythm and timing, the sound was forward and lively with very low viscosity.
Čistota rozlišení
One had to love the Focal-JMLab Aria 936. When I listened to extremely difficult material like Sanctus Lydian from Stereophile's Test CD3 I was completely relaxed. It does not happen often - this recording was made in a lively environment that was further enhanced by quite sophisticated spatializers. Thus the artificial phase shifts and reverbs blend with natural sounds which is very demanding combination for reproduction accuracy.In many high end systems the sound was smeared, unfocused, without dynamics or with false spatial clues. Sustained trumpet tones also easily excite room modes. It surprised me that the Aria 936 had no issue whatsover to decode this complex sound network into highly resolved and tonally balanced sound.
Tonální věrnost
Though the enclosures are not braced and they are quite lively under knocking test, they do not store energy. Similarly to Sonus Faber or GamuT the principle of the Focal spins around sympathetic resonances that do not harm the music and whatever they add only enhances listening experience. The Aria 936 were transparent enough so that instrumental decays were clearly audible, and they also were very extended and open on top.
Prostorovost
The imaging of the Aria 936 was precise in all planes, vertical and horizontal, lateral and depth. The speakers virtually dissolved in my room (a quite unusual act for Focals) but they required careful placement.
By the help of correlated (mono) pink noise I arrived to the best focus when both speakers were 2m far from me and they axes met in approximately 4m distance. Which means that they were toed in less than other speakers.
Doporučení prodejci
CZ: Horn Distribution, Praha, +420 272 656 485
Web výrobce: http://www.focal.com
Připojené komponenty
- Sources: C.E.C. TL-51XR
- Amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.432 power amplifier, Mark Levinson No. 360 preamplifier
- Interconnects and speaker cables: Kubala-Sosna Emotion
- Loudspeakers: Revel Ultima Studio2
Galerie
ACOUSTIQUE QUALITY AQ Passion
Acoustique Quality has been around since early 90’s. The company’s loudspeakers were always close to what can be characterized a good value for money, with a bit of pre-2000 vibe. Speaker by speaker the guys in Acoustique Quality ...
Doporučení prodejci
AQ s.r.o., Červenka, tel. +420 585 342 232
ANTE Supersonic One
The Supersonics were visually inspired by Lamborghini Countach racer. The functional elegance of the Lamborghini does not come at budget costs and neither the Ante does. The price tag of €160,000 keeps the Supersonics in the company ...
Doporučení prodejci
Media Control, Bratislava, SK, +421 905 613 928
AQ Canto 5
An experience that moves your soul. This is how Czech loudspeaker manufacturer presents the brand-new Canto range. For the company, the Canto is a milestone, so important that they decided to dedicate a special website to it. The ...
Doporučení prodejci
AQ s.r.o., Červenka, tel. +420 585 342 232
AUDIO PHYSIC Avantera
The Audio Physic’s HHCM midrange drivers are fantastic. The realism of both male and female vocals through the Avanteras is nothing short of magic. The Avanteras skillfully blend a cocktail full of colors, sonority, textures, ...
Doporučení prodejci
CZ: High-End Audio Studio, Praha, tel. +420 224 256 844
SK: Platan Audio, Hlohovec / Bratislava, tel. +421 905 409 802
AUDIO PHYSIC Cardeas Plus+
Audio Physic's original Cardeas was like an album of a respected band that was recorded just because it had to be recorded due to a contract. Not like the album that was recorded because the band wanted to. I sighed with relief that ...
Doporučení prodejci
CZ: High-End Audio Studio, Praha, tel. +420 224 256 844
SK: Platan Audio, Hlohovec / Bratislava, tel. +421 905 409 802
AURUM CANTUS V6F
The Aurum Cantus V6Fs have the ability to dissapear from your ear-view - they move an orchestra to your living room instead and let you bathe in an expanding and transparent soundstage. After listening to the V6Fs you'll find ...
Doporučení prodejci
Hifi studio MeLissa, Brno, tel. +420 777 04 1313
AVANTGARDE ACOUSTIC Uno Fino
Should your priority is to blend the speakers with your interior and make them visually disappear, the Avantgarde Acoustic Uno Fino is not for you. I am not in favor of color lacquers on speakers and prefer natural veneers where ...
Doporučení prodejci
HI-FI studio TYKON, Ostrava, tel. +420 723 449 894
