This just popped into my in-box from Sevenoaks
Seemingly, dedicated listening rooms
A change in distribution strategy …
Always risky , my guess the best way for the likes of Audio T to respond would be by stocking more Focal .
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To clarify, this is the first UK store in the global Focal Powered by Naim retail network.
These are all stores (or, as in this case, store-in-store set-ups) run by existing specialist retailers around the world - we’re not running our own shops.
Each stocks a wide range of Naim and Focal products, with dedicated demo facilties - headphone bars, hi-fi and home cinema rooms, so you can easily hear a range of set-ups.
Focal Powered by Naim stores are already open in Australia, the US, France, Germany, South Korea and China; we’ll have more than 15 stores in the network by the end of this year.
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To save others…
Experiential - adjective
- involving or based on experience and observation.
“the experiential learning associated with employment”
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Yes, these are very much hands/ears/eyes on retail experiences - not just static displays.
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I’ve seen the adverts on-line somewhere before (guess it was on the Focal website ) , like with everything for Naim I hope it does well .
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Same here, presumably on a list somewhere.
My initial reaction was not my idea of the ideal demo room……lots of hard surfaces, hope they have done their acoustic measurements?
To clarify, that’s not a picture of one of the two dedicated listening room - that’s a more informal showroom area where you can get the first impression of products, before going for a full demo in treated rooms.
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OK………thats good👍
More pictures and info here - including a shot of the home cinema demo room
https://www.focal.com/en/focal-powered-by-naim-sevenoaks
Interesting message on the page Clare linked: “ FLAGSHIP COLLECTIONS
From Naim’s latest Naim Solstice vinyl turntable….”.
Much nicer for the ears……thankyou.
Sevenoaks is just half an hour up the A21 from me, I think a visit is on the cards…
Yes, the Sevenoaks store will have a Solstice Special Edition on demonstration at a later date (as mentioned elsewhere, all UK stores are getting stock at same time.)
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Is that Sori-Shop/Scheherazade in Apgujeong (in Seoul)? It’s a great shop – can compete with the best in the UK, I think. Lots of great (British) gear – don’t know though whether they do home demos… Bought my Sennheiser HD800S there during a summer research stay in Seoul – no home demo needed for my HD800S.
Edit. I don’t think though they had Focal headphones when I bought my Sennheiser…
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Here are our two Focal Powered by Naim stores in South Korea:
https://www.focal.com/en/focal-powered-by-naim-seoul-cheongdam-dong
https://www.focal.com/en/focal-powered-by-naim-starfield-hanam
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Wow – Cheongdam-dong. That’s super-posh… Neighbours like Chanel and Prada – basically, the most expensive brands in the world. And some of the most expensive apartments in Seoul if not the whole of East Asia… If you haven’t visited Seoul, you should “arrange” visiting the Korean stores… It’s quite an experience – and the food is GORGEOUS… I tend to gain weight during our Korea stays… 
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When I read the headline of the email message “Focal powered by Naim” I thought some active speakers! Silly me.
(BTW, some existing Focal active monitors have just received a good review from that measurement site.)
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Thanks for the information… on the other hand “expérientelle” is meaningless in French - just marketing speak.
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Its not much better in English, TBH.
I had to look it up… 