Vendor guidelines - Focal:

Previously, the LDSG has attempted to provide guidance both on current production drivers as well as older designs still readily available. Beginning in 2002, I have abandoned that policy. If you see a distributor advertising a Focal driver which isn't on Focal's web site, you know it's an older design. Comparison of specs between old and new designs will often reveal great similarities. Where this is so, if the new design is recommended, the old design is probably a safe bet. For guidance, Focal classifies drivers by their cone material and series. The series generally available are:

1. The Audiom series is Focal's top of the line, derived from their JMlab Utopia series loudspeakers. Most Audiom cone drivers feature Focal's "W" sandwich cone material.


2. The W series is Focal's second tier drivers. Generally excellent, this series features Focal's "W" cones, a proprietary sandwich material. Since this is the same material used in most of the Audiom cone drivers, performance potential is also quite high. Note, however, that the "W" cone material is a modern high-stiffness composite and like other such materials, it can present challenges to the crossover designer.


3. The V series is an older line of drivers using Focal's proprietary Polyglass material. This is an excellent material for the casual builder, offering excellent performance with few unpleasant surprises when doing the crossover design.


4. The K series features Focal's proprietary Polykevlar cone material. This is an especially difficult material to work with which offers no sonic improvements over the somewhat tamer W series cones.


5. The Tweeter series includes Focal's line of non-Audiom tweeters, all of which use their proprietary Tioxid inverted domes.


6. Focal also makes a well-respected line of Autosound drivers, some of which are suitable for home hi-fi use.

1. The W (sandwich) series cones are Focal's top of the line sandwich technology, originally only available on high end Utopia loudspeakers. Consisting of layers of fiberglass over a foam polymer core, this is one of the best materials to date from any manufacturer to provide optimum qualities of rigidity, light weight, and high internal damping.


2. The Polykevlar (K) series cones are Focal's proprietary Kevlar^TM technolgy, consisting of a sandwich of Kevlar fabric and glass beads. The usual Kevlar vises are somewhat better tamed than in some other vendors' Kevlar implementations, but these are still generally not recommended.


3. The Neoglass (NV) cones were one of Focal's best, but have now been discontinued. Consisting of a PP cone with a surface treatment of glass microspheres, they offered excellent performance at a reasonable price. Almost any of these you find are good buys.


4. The Polyglass (V) series cones are currently Focal's entry level cone technology. Similar to the NV series, the V series uses a glass microsphere surface treatment on a paper cone.

1. The Audiom TD5 is only one of two tweeters in Focal's premium Audiom line. Like Focal's other current tweeters, it features a 20 mm (3/4") VC and 1" inverted titanium dome, coated foam surround, ferrofluid, and a 5 mm thick machined oval aluminum face plate. Like other Focal inverted dome tweeters, it uses a phase plug. data sheet


2. The Audiom TLR is Focal's other premium Audiom tweeter. Sold as an autosound unit, the TLR is similar to the TD5, but also features small winglike "wave guides" mounted above and below the diaphragm. These give it 2 dB higher sensitivity than the TD5. Like Focal's other current tweeters, it features a 20 mm (3/4") VC and 1" inverted titanium dome, coated foam surround, ferrofluid, and a 5 mm thick machined oval aluminum face plate. Most other TD5 comments apply, except it also includes the unique aluminum wave guide structure on the face plate to further control directivity and raise sensitivity. view


3. The Audiom 6WM is the best midrange in Focal's premier Audiom line. It features a "W" cone and fairly high sensitivity and with breakup and resonances occurring at around 20 kHz. Response is very smooth between 150 Hz and 3 kHz, with a very low mass resulting in excellent detail. data sheet


4. The Audiom 6W4311 and Audiom 6W4311B midrange drivers use Focal's advanced W-series diaphragms. It features useful sensitivity (exceptional when used in pairs) and excellent linearity and sonic characteristics. It offers an attractive, lower cost alternative to the Audiom 6WM midrange. The 6W4311B is shielded. data sheet


5. TC90TD5 and TC90TD5B titanium/oxide inverted dome tweeters. This is a real workhorse 1" (25 mm.) metal dome tweeter, used in many of Focal's kit speakers. Affordable with exceptionally flat response, it features a distinctive phase plug mounted on a small bar across the face of the unit. Both units feature a polymer chassis and the TC90TdxB is shielded. data sheet


6. TC120TD5 and TC120TD5B titanium/oxide inverted dome tweeters. Essentially identical to the TC90TD5 and TC90TD5B, but larger in diameter, sporting a larger magnet, greater power handling, and a lower Fs. Both units feature cast metal chassis and the TC120TD5B is shielded. data sheet


7. The 5W4211 mid/bass and 5W3211B mid/bass are both 5" drivers with "W" cones. Both units feature ruler-flat passband response well past 4 kHz and decent numbers. The 5W3211B is shielded. 5W4211 data sheet 5W3211B data sheet


8. The 7W4411 mid/bass is the premier 7" driver in Focal's Audiophile series. Using their proprietary "W" cone material, this unit features extremely clean response past 2 kHz, along with decent Xmax and sensitivity - especially when used in pairs. data sheet


9. The 7K4412 mid/bass is the latest incarnation in the 7K011DBL/7K4411DB line of drivers. Like its prececessors, it's a 7" Polykevlar unit. Unlike them, it is a single VC design. As with its predecessors, this is regarded by many as the best Polykevlar driver in the Focal catalog. data sheet


10. The 8V5411 woofer is an 8" unit using a Polyglass cone. This driver has an exceptional frequency range extending up past 2 kHz - although you really shouldn't us an 8" driver much over 1 kHz. Also, with oan Xmax of only 3.5 mm, this driver really needs a subwoofer for deep bass. data sheet


11. The 11K7512 woofer is an 11" unit using a Polykevlar cone. It offers notably flat response for such a large unit, avoiding the HF resonances associated with Kevlar. data sheet


12. The 13W8711 subwoofer is a 13" unit using a "W" cone. This unit features generally excellent data, although Xmax is not up to the better purpose-built subs, e.g. Stryke, Adire, Blueprint, at al. data sheet