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

Before risking all with the Scala's, I think you'd be better off to flip the JL Audio F110 for one or two used JL Audio F112's to see if that does the trick for you.

Hi Kzhtoo,
The deal is tempting, but yes the room is the primary concern
Am going to talk to the dealer about a home demo, I doubt that he will be all that keen, but hey nothing ventured.

Hey Elviukai,

thanks for taking the time to come back to me. Not sure if you got my reply yesterday.

Questions no problem, I've done my best to give what answers I can.

My father is a sound engineer, he will be coming over tomorrow to run some measurements on the room so hopefully will be able to provide you with something by Thursday.

Listening room is around 4mtr x 4mtr. Brick walls front & rear. Glass door/window one one side (with drop down blinds). Open to dining room on other side. Carpet floors. Leather lounge opposite front speakers for listening.

Both lounge & speakers are hard up against front & rear walls due to the size restriction, nothing I can do about this.

So I would say that my room seems to make the Diablos sound leaner than I remember them sounding in the dealer. But that is just my ears so let me do the measurements & try to tome up with something more accurate.

A friend has a set of Diablos in a larger room with similar amps & they do seem to sound more open. Like most speakers I guess they like being away from walls.

Have been speaking with a friend on another forum who has heard the Scalas being run from a MF AMS35i integrated (same power as mine). He felt that it managed fine, in fact he thought that it might have even run the Scalas easier than the Diablos (higher sensitivity?)

At the moment I am using one JL-F110 10" sub. I have played around with freq response & phase a bit & feel that it is working OK. Just the volume tends move up & down a bit depending on the source material. Don't have it set too high as I would prefer it to sound seamless rather than overpowering & muddy.

I have the pre running into the power via balanced & the sub running off the pre via RCA. From what I have read an external cross over might be the best way to get it working together, but I would prefer to avoid this expense if I can.

Musical tastes are electronic/dance, blues/acoustic, reggae/dub, bit of rock, little classical but not to much. So you can see that bass is a fairly important component.

Listening volumes are typically soft to medium, don't often crank things too loud.

I just was so impressed with the extra midrange of the Scalas & the taughtness in the bass. My wallet is more than happy NOT to buy them however! Would be content to leave it at one more sub & be done with it. Just the deal on the Scalas with a trade in on the Diablos is worth considering.

One more question about placement of the subs. What are your thoughts about placing the Diablos on top of the sub? I was playing around with the idea of mounting the subs on some granite plinths with isolation spikes & then taking the Diablos off their stands & placing them directly on top of the subs again with isolation spikes. Bad idea?

Talk soon

Thanks again

Hi Raks,
unfortunately second hand Jl subs don't some up all that often over here is OZ.
If I was to consider two new JL-112 I'd be up for about the same as the Scalas.
Definitely a good option, but not sure I can make that work.
I would like to hear the step up between the 10 & the 12. The 10 is pretty impressive given it's physical size, I love it!