ok so just a few weeks ago I got the
Focal Alpha 50s
https://www.cnet.com/news/leave-it-to-the-french-to-kick-the-sound-of-desktopcomputer-speakers-up-a-notch/
..sat unloved in their boxes for a bit.
finally 4 wks later (yes sad, I know) I hooked them up and admittedly I was a bit disappointed
in the lack of deep ULF (makes sense given they're only 5'' woofers)l
reason: before i'd had the Audioengine A5+ with a pioneer 8mk2
subwoofer....so that lack of ULF was a contrast.
that said, their sound out of the box is hardly bass light....more like
bass balanced.
afte this quick initial listen, i then went thru a stage where i was to sell them and buy something smaller .
just tossed them into a box with a craigslist ad ...
decided i wanted a smaller desktop solution with less wires all over.
as a result yesterday i went and listened to the
kef eggs due to alot of good reviews online.
they were ok but also a bit of a letdown...again they're smaller
so the lack of size will make a difference.....
also tried out the
sonos series..admittedly of the sonos 1,3 and 5
Ironically it was the
smaller sonos 1 that i liked the most: tighter bass and good punch...no wonder
why people buy a number of them....great little devices..(.i found the sonos 3 and 5 too boomy in bass
again it's all about where you listen to them...i was in a somewhat noisy best buy store).
anyway, today I thought,
''frig, stop being a putz and give the alpha 50s another try, attempt to hide the wires
under the tables etc'' (which i did)...am still burning them in.....put them on those adjustable stands I bought on ebay.
actually am now enjoying the sound so far...not clinical
or too analytic/sterile (as i've read some monitors can be)...pretty balanced overall
next time i would have gotten the 65 series (bigger woofer, more bass).
these can't take a subwoofer, btw...admittedly the Genelec G series also look very nice but $$$.
I'll instead just enjoy these 50s.
will be soon hooking up my
microrendu and ultracaps lps 1 power supply.
also sent in US$140 for the upgraded
Sonore/Cardas DC4 cable (below in link) for use between power supply
and microrendu (say it: call me a sucker...lol...but frig i'm at the point of no return.)
(...give me more koolaid, please...much more
).
http://www.sonore.us/DC4.html
might also try
Roon again (they did invite me back for a free trial of the
new 1.3v)
using Tidal and ripped cds/some 24/192 as well.
so hope the microrendu/ultracaps and Roon 1.3v all help to refine the SQ even more of my digital music.
the listening/burning in continues...playing this loop while i take off for a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3CiZxstvEA&ab_channel=samuelietto
using ifi micro idsd..will then also try dragonfly red and chord mojo
have to ask someone using Tidal and the iFi micro idsd
..ok with my idsd micro i'm using it in 'direct' mode as the iFi crew suggested.
but but but...when i went to settings in Tidal and
instead of system default I chose the correct one:
my iFi device...then the speaker blew up in volume..cracked suddenly...
freaked me out (my laptop is main volume control: is between a 2-6% only)
i later checked the other page: no forced volume or such...so i'm at a loss ..
anyone?>