Focal comparison with Diamond audio
 

So I'm all set to order a set of the Focal Polyglass V2 Components and I read a review about the harshness of the tweeters and a lack of midrange definition. Since I can't do a demo I go online for a comparison and come up with DiamondAudio Hex 600s.

They offer them in either a titanium tweeter for more extended highs and better spls similar to the Focals or they offer the 600 with a soft dome tweeter for more rounded and less harshness up top.

Now I'm driving a Targa and I don't think the tweeter harshness will be much of an issue though I think I would still opt for the soft dome. My question deals with those that have compared the mids of the Focals and the Diamond Audios. I am more of a mid man myself so I'm thinking to sway toward the DA at this point.

CarReview.com has all sorts of raves of the linearity of Diamonds over the Focals, and MB Quarts and so on down the line.

Comments?

Joe,

Speakers are highly subjective. I would urge you to actually listen to them if at all possible before buying. Also, speaker separates are balanced with adjustment in the tweeter and crossover for your particular car interior.

If you are a music lover, then I would highly recommend that you bi-amp (install two amps) for the speakers and subwoofer. This is because high-end speakers need a good supply of ample and clean power to respond the way they were designed to. The difference between driving the speakers off of your deck and driving them off of a separate amp is like merely hearing your music vs. total sound immersion. I personally like ADS speakers with Soundstream amps, but each person has their own music preference. I can hear Shania Twain take a breath between each verse, and feel the driving bass in the back of my sport seats. It's a good combination of natural sound and balance (low distortion). There was a thread was active a few months ago, in which someone posted a link to a website that listed almost every speaker manufacturer in the world. If you can find that, you may have a long list of choices.

I currently have a JL Audio 300/4 that I plan on running 150 watts into each of the doors. A sub will be added as well, but nothing in the back of the Targa.

The JL has the option of running biamp with 75 watts into each component but I was thinking that the 6.5 is going to want more power than the tweeter so why give the tweeter the extra power.

In my 84 Targa, I installed a JL 300/4 driving MB Quart 6.5 separates up front with the Eclipse head unit driving MB Quart 5.25 rear separates, crossovers mounted under the passenger seat.

At 100 with the top off, you could listen to somethign like Evanescence or Wagner with excellent clarity and "strength."

Around town, the system wasn't quite the Rotel/B&W home system, but it was simply wonderful.

I'm parting out the car, so the whole package will be going up on the block soon BTW.

Wagner sounds pretty freaky in my car with the sub boosted up. I have an external gain control for the sub (in line controller) between the amp and the crossover.

Joe, you might be happier with some sound coming out of the rear. If you can manage it, close to ear level is best. I have three 800 watt Soundstream amps (Reference and Rubicon) that are cranked way down. The smaller tweeters have as much power as they want, but its not a matter of force-feeding power into them.

Yes & no. Yes, they make their own drivers. Yes, they are the same general drivers as used in their home hi-fi. But no, we don't supply drivers to other manufacturers. 2 years ago Focal discontinued their OEM driver division (only 5% of total sales) to concentrate on their new Pro division. Only 3 OEM manufacturers are left that can buy Focal drivers. 2 in Pro & 1 home (Wilson).

I am very biased obviously, but Guy Bonneville (head of Focal Car) dragged me out to hear his Benz wagon in Saint-Etienne in April. Multiple drivers (Focal Utopia series), multiple amps & a DSP control borrowed from their Pro side. Absolutely amazing, with an image that was centred in the windshield, above the dash. Best I have ever heard.

Ian

joe, I have a JL300/4 under the pass seat and diamond audio hex 600s and no rear deck speakers, No rear deck either. A friend of mine has focal in the front with, dare I say, a sony amp. If I was to judge I'd say mine sounds better to me. His set up is louder, also driving 8's or 10's in a box behind the seats. I have nothing but the 6.5's and the tweets. I bet if I switched fronts with him I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. When i really listen to it, on the freeway, It's plenty loud, thumps just enough to please me.
the DA crossovers are bigger than the focal ones, space was an issue. I'd do the same thing again except just a straight two channel amp. I got some pics if you want of how I mounted them

Jerry,

I don't have a Sony amp, but I was wondering what's wrong with using one?

nothing wrong with using one, just a sound quality thing.
someone else will have an educated answer.

That's a relief. I was going to use one to cook my groceries like Kramer and Newman.

XPLODE cook you make the call

last week my iPod sounded ok - direct conection buds to ears, stereo turned off - still left engine sound available.......

The top of the line Focal compnents are pretty wild. And pretty pricey.

Wilson uses a bit of everybodies stuff depending on the speaker and what part of the frequency range it will cover.....crazy stuff but amazing. Is Focal selling the Be tweets for car use yet? Seems to me that the amp and the "software" are the weak links in a lotof car systems. I had some kid at the local Tweeter affiliate demo some mid level Focal speakers for me......using a JL amp and an MP3 home made cd.......sounded like dog dookie.

Yes. But I'm on the home side.

The weakest part is the environment. Glass & metal suck as an acoustical environment.

That's too bad. Car boards are usually bad or really bad or worse for auditioning. It is very good stuff.

Ian

I heard a set of Focals with no amp, and they sounded like the Pioneer speakers that I put in my 914-6 when I was still in high school. Then about two weeks ago I heard a set of Focals in a truck (!) with a high end amp, I forget which brand at the moment, and it sounded pretty good. Wouldn't the amp be a critical link in the system? I look at it like comparing wines without mentioning which food you ate with it.

Yes, true. A speaker is at the end of the chain & is VERY dependent on the quality of the components - source & amplification - that precede it. So if your amp sucks, your hifi will suck. Any amp CAN drive a speaker but it takes a GOOD amp to drive a speaker WELL.

Ian

Jerry,

Where did you mount your crossovers?

I'm thinking of putting the amp in the front trunk on the firewall (if you can call it that).

Not sure how far the crossovers should be from the amp or closer to the speakers?

if you got pix handy, please post

Joe, I ham-handedly made this mount for my 300/4. All 4 crossovers were mounted on a carpet-finished board (Tweeter install) under the pass. seat.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1154698795.jpg

I have a 3-way crossover under the pass seat, behind the cd changer. Mine are the sport seats, so I had to bolt it directly to the floor pan. My amps are mounted to a board that is bolted to the front trunk "firewall" thing.

Ian, those are profound words to remember.