Focal Utopia Micro BE setup help

Hi Michael,

I had the MicroBes in my system for 3-4 years so hopefully I could help.

You are perfectly right when you say that they do not give that pin-point
image other speakers give, e.g. the Dynaudio C1 speakers, which are much
more narrower than the Microbes, have beaten them in this department by a
mile (in two different rooms actually). This is the price paid by the MicroBes
for not being a narrow design. However, the MicroBes are not bad at stereo
imaging. IMO they are certainly above average. They just required a more
careful set-up. That is, you have to make sure that your head is exactly
between the two speakers and that the speakers are orientates (angled)
symmetrically with respect to your head. To achieve this, I use a thread/string
that I fix in in the middle (most upper part) of my listening chair (with tape or
with a needle). With this thread I measure the distances from my chair to two
different corners of the same speakers, then I adjust the other speaker so that
the equivalent distances are identical between the two speakers. This should
give you a good stereo image (assuming that your speakers are positioned
more or less symmetrically in your room).

After you have positioned the speakers symmetrically, play a song where the
voice of the singer is exactly in the middle of the two speakers (e.g. Norah
Jones track 10 from the album "come away with me"), and move your chair (on
the median line) closer or farther away from the speakers while listening for
the localization and focus of the voice. In the two rooms where I have used
the Micro Bes, it was not necessary to toe-in the speakers much in order to
obtain a good stereo image. That is, for a given toe-in I have always obtained
a better stereo image when moving my chair closer to the speakers.

Be aware that to obtain a stereo image comparable (but certainly not better)
to the one thrown by the Dynaudio C1 speakers, I had to pay attention to
millimeters when positioning the Micro Bes.

Keep us posted.
Paul

Hello Paul,

Thank you for your detailed comments. I have read your thread comparing the C1 MKI/II to the BEs and found it to be very informative regarding the nature of the BE tweeter. I think you really nailed it when you mentioned that the BE tweeter puts out a tremendous amount of energy into the room without being fatiguing. This is exactly my experience as well. They are highly articulate but non-fatiguing which I never knew could be a combination until I heard the BEs.

When I got them, I was impressed but not overly. It took me a while to understand the Focal BE sound. Now that I do, I enjoy the speakers very much - especially for films / dialogue. They offer insight into my recordings that I have not heard through my other speakers. Classical / rap is also amazing through them. As you can see my taste is all over the map.

Regarding positioning, I have them about 8' (2.5m) apart. I sit about 3m back. I have them toed in so they are looking directly at me. I do not see the sides of the speakers at all - just the front. I am getting central voices, very clearly, but they are unlike other speakers in that the center image is quite large and deep - also being so large, the center image can overlap with sounds placed to the left or right. I will try your string technique. When you toed them, what angles did you use?

Another note on their sound - the soundstage is massive - mich larger than any other speaker I have had. Sound comes from much farther than I would expect it to and is very deep as well. Now, if I can get the imaging to lock up a bit more, these will be hard to ever get rid of!

Regards,
Michael

Hi Michael, it seems I misunderstood your post (sorry for the long previous post then). So, you get a good/decent stereo image, just not pin-point image.

My opinion is that your speakers are toe in way too much. I too have started like you with the speakers "looking" at me. But after I hear what the C1 can do, I start experimenting and I ended up with the Micro Bes having almost no toe in. This gave a much better spatial localization and physical size of the instruments.

Also, as mentioned in my previous post the stereo image got alway better when getting closer to the speakers. Currently, your speaker and you listening chair make an acute isosceles triangle, move you chair closer to the speaker so they will make an obtuse isosceles triangle.

Regards,
Paul

It might be worth it to both bring the speakers in a little closer together and also sit a bit closer. From your description, it sounds like the rear wall is right behind your listening position and you could be getting more reflections bouncing back at you with the Focals.

I use the Utopia series Be speakers as well. In my experience, they image and stage better in narrower rooms by firing straight ahead without toe-in. i've experimented a lot with positioning, and I'm finding that the Cardas method of speaker placement is working best for me.