A friend had a pair and I remember them fondly but it may be because A. I borrowed them for a party that went off well B. I thought they were beautiful on their tulip stands and C. I was a student at the time and all I had was a Sony mini system.
As we are in confession mode, I bought new a pair of Bose 301’s. There I’ve said it.
Once my son had Bose 301 in his room, perfect for teenager having a party, cheap as chips.
A friend had the 901 and the sound was huge.
Should I decide, the Gale 401 looks sort of similar but something I’d always lusted for.
Ah , sometimes people look at the label on the product and not the sound coming out of it.
I can think of several mistakes , like getting rid of my first pair of Sony speakers, going through a whole raft of fashionable/well reviewed speakers , which now in hindsight I never enjoyed as much .
I could certainly see them as desk top speakers to a UnitiQute or Atom
1 Like
I recently purchased focal aria 926 to replace tannoy xt8f , these are paired with sn2 teddycap se , cd5 with flatcap 2 blue sound vault 2i to chord qute ex dac with mcru PSU. Now when I first placed them in listening room and let them run in they sounded fantastic , since then we’ve had some room remodelling done and had to reduce the distance between the speakers and now they’ve lost a lot of depth and just sound flat !
Can’t explain it as they are still around 2m apart firing straight forward to the listening position approx 2.5-3m away ??
If could turn back the clock, I’d have kept my PMC Twenty.23 and not upgrated to Twenty5.23 or DRed my NAP250.
I thought I should so I did. What I ended up with is different, not necessarily better, and the upgrade was hassle.
We all make mistakes. Those Bose 901s on the other hand lived a full life. When I got shot of them, the gaskets had all perished after 20 years use. No other speaker I had stayed with me that long. Not my Missions, Ruarks, Linns or PMCs. The runner up to the 901s was a 5.1 Bose AM10-IV package that I used constantly for 15 years. And I really enjoyed that too.
I’ve got a soft spot for rubbish I guess 
Bose rubbish shaped my love for transmission lines though. Nothing else quite hit the spot until I got PMCs. I know who’s to blame.
1 Like
There should be a thread, if I could turn my hifi clock back…
I would have kept my Ruark Sabres , my LP12 …
2 Likes
PMC sub in my case, I actually have a use for it now!
1 Like
Excellent little speakers. I rather liked their forebears too, the Diesis Solitaire, with their fluted cabinets that aped that of the plinth of the Sondek.
2 Likes
Mk 1 Kans in my case and the 42 110 that drove them. With a modern streamer would have made a great second system.
2 Likes
My Focal Aria 906’s(with friends!) had these from new got them at a dscount so good value money’s too tight to mention so will have to keeps these for now no complaints over the sound through my Naim Nait 2xs /CD 5xs was in my local dealer awhile back and overheard a demo of Naim Uniti/PMC standmounts not too shabby but at 2.5k a pop…?
Sound aside, The last time I checked Focal’s website (a few weeks back), they were advertising major events - in 2018. I find it impossible to take seriously a major brand who cannot be bothered to update their website; the only view that paying customers have of the company.
My next speakers will be UK made.
2 Likes
But why do you have Naim amps then? It took them years to get the website kind of up to date.
1 Like
Because I bought my original NAIM kit before t’internet was mainstream, browsers didn’t exist and websites were text only.
1 Like
Their website appears to be up to date with latest events and news for 2022.
1 Like
I’m pretty sure the speakers in the r&d dem room (it’s like an Aladdin’s cave) has Naim speakers (sbl I think) and zero focal.
1 Like
The fact is, focal speakers are not made by Naim in Salisbury and do not carry the Naim badge.
Since the top of the line Focals use Beryllium tweeters - one should be aware of the risks of keeping such a speaker at home especially with Children and in case of Fire (please see below)
From the focal website itself
2. Precautions for use
The following precautions for use must be scrupulously followed.
2.1. The tweeters contain a beryllium dome and must therefore be handled with caution.
Users of the speakers must particularly ensure that the grille or all other protective parts of the tweeter are cared for and the beryllium must under no circumstances be removed from its original location.
As a general rule, speakers must be kept out of the reach of children and specifically access to the tweeter and to the beryllium dome must be prevented.
2.2. The beryllium dome must never come into contact with abrasive materials
At room temperature, beryllium is a stable product; however it does react with sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid to release hydrogen.
Conditions to avoid: high temperatures, sparks, naked flames or other ignition sources. Beryllium is not compatible with oxidising agents and also particularly bromine pentafluoride and performic acid. It will explode when heated with magnesium.
In its finely divided form, beryllium is a moderately flammable product. In a confined space, a cloud of metal dust can explode in the presence of an ignition source. In the event of a fire, beryllium emits smoke and highly toxic fumes.
In the event of a fire, the extinguishing agents which are stipulated are special powders for metal fires or if these are unavailable, other inert powders. It is also advisable to wear adequate personal protection to prevent contact with the substance or its combustion products as well as an integral self-contained respirator with pressure regulator or which is pressurised.
2.3. As a general rule, contact with skin or eyes, inhalation or ingestion of all or part of the beryllium dome should be avoided. The manufacturer stresses that the absorption of beryllium through the respiratory, cutaneous or digestive tract may cause severe physical disturbances.
3. Instructions in case of damage to the dome
If the beryllium dome is damaged in any way, it should be covered as soon as possible. We recommend that you contact the retailer to have the tweeter dismantled and replaced by trained personnel at the distributor.
If the dome is broken, any beryllium particles should be carefully collected and then placed in a hermetically sealed plastic bag. It should be sent back to the retailer at the same time as the speaker.
4. First aid
In case of inhalation: If beryllium or beryllium dust is inhaled, bring the affected person outside or to an aerated place and put them in a semi-seated position so that they can breathe comfortably. If the person is not breathing, administer artificial respiration. In case of respiratory difficulties, give the person oxygen. Transfer the person to the nearest medical services or call an anti-poison centre.
In case of contact with the eyes: Rinse immediately using plenty of water for 15 minutes or until all of the product has been removed. Remove contact lenses if the person in question is wearing them and if they can be removed easily. We recommend that you contact a doctor.
BERYLLIUM
Precautions for use
In case of contact with skin: Remove any contaminated clothes and shoes quickly; throw away clothes and shoes. Wash the skin with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. Clean any cuts and injuries quickly and carefully. Any particles of beryllium which have accidentally become lodged underneath the skin must be removed. Consult a doctor.
In case of ingestion: If the victim is conscious, rinse out their mouth with water and ask them to drink several glasses of water for dilution purposes. Seek medical assistance immediately. Never give liquids to a person who is unconscious or having convulsions. Vomiting should only be induced on the orders of a doctor or an anti-poison centre. Consult a doctor rapidly.