Focal vs CDT vs Germaniums

[BMW Sidewayz 10+ year member]

Hello Everyone. My first time on this Forums. Im looking to clear up some things. Which ones come on top going by first in order. I'm so convinced that Focals have amazing SQ and detail, but I just want to get a second opinion. I have compared Focals to far more powerful and way expensive comps side by side using same amp (125 RMS) and playing the same song in the same car and the results were amazing. I was Extreemly impresed by the Focals. Any one ?

Sound Quality

The detail reproduction ( a drum or snare)

Loudness

How clear it plays at high volumes

Price

Anything under $550.00

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[crazy4ozs]

hm...id go 4 the germs..but then again i am a CDT owner myself...tough choice...ive never herd focal so i cant voice my opinion on those

 

[BMW Sidewayz 10+ year member]

Thanks for being honest with your opinion. Im stuck with Focals cuz I had such a great experience with them. Its like beingh p*ssy whooped.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

Im putting a system together, I just bought a 2000 BMW 328Ci, wich takes 6.5 all around. Right now I have the following speakers:

K2p 165 KF 6.5 Focal comp 80 RMS

130v Slim 5.25 Focal comp 60 RMS

KEF KAR Q160 6.5 UNI-Q DRIVER .

MB Quarts QM130 (RWC 130) 40 RMS.

JL 1000/1

JL 300/4

Looking to buy the Kenwood DDX-8017 and a single sub, maybe a 13W7 or RE XXX!!!

 

[tukn18s 10+ year member]

alot of people are going to suggest the germs, its the set that I am currently saving for, because it seems like everybody loves them on here.

 

[joetama 5,000+ posts]

I think that you really couldn't go too wrong with the Focal, CDT or Germaniums. Personally after finally hearing the CDT's at CES I would go with those. Very very true and very clear....

 

[crazy4ozs]

no JL W7...i wudnt go with the XXX either, lol...mabye TC Sounds...or AA (their updating)...

 

[slick rick 10+ year member]

I had CDT's...and switched to Germs...and I have NEVER looked back. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[WhoSayWho? 5,000+ posts]

I'm so convinced that Focals have amazing SQ and detail,
I have compared Focals to far more powerful and way expensive comps side by side using same amp (125 RMS) and playing the same song in the same car and the results were amazing.

I was Extreemly impresed by the Focals.

Sounds like to me the Focals might be the way to go for you. If I had just heard components that I felt were amazing, I doubt that any opinion that someone gave about speakers I had not yet heard would sway me.

 

[bigmac16 10+ year member]

for a little more, you might look at the rainbow profi's

 

[crazy4ozs]

a LITTLE bit more?

 

[bigmac16 10+ year member]

I might be wrong, but i thought the profi's are around $100 more, might be worth looking into, that would be a personal choice,I h ave oz,digital designs,cdt hd's, cdt 07's, avi's, and rainbow profi's, the rainbows are my favorite with avi's next,Never heard the germaniums so can't judge them

 

[BMW Sidewayz 10+ year member]

I guess the type of music that you listen to would play the most important role and in this case I listen to everything, but what make my ears open up is Acoustic Jazz and the folkloric music from the Dominican Republic " merengue typico" from the No. 1 artist El Prodigio:naughty: , ussually recorded live in High quility wich has Crazy highs and Trembling drums and Strong voices. Just giving you all an Idea.

 

[bigmac16 10+ year member]

buying speakers is pretty subjective, what sounds good to me may not sound good to you, its all personal preference.

 

[BMW Sidewayz 10+ year member]

You know what, ur def right. If I was wealthy enuff, I would go out and buy the 2 and compare them myself. Because I compared the Lowest line 6.5 Focal components to the Phoenix Gold Titanium elite and the difference was alot... Not to mention the Focals were Rated at 70 RMS and the Titanium Elite 6 at 150 RMS, while I was over powering the Focals wit 125 rms and still sounded xcellent, I'm sticking wit Focals!! I love JM Labs!!!!

To claim that your The Spirit of Sound??!!!!, Now Thats DEEP!!!!

 

[enzowho 10+ year member]

I was Extreemly impresed by the Focals.

Sounds like you found yourself a winner then. I would personally take the Germs because the Focals hurt my ears. Clarity on both is excellent though. Never heard/owned any of CDT's stuff.

buying speakers is pretty subjective, what sounds good to me may not sound good to you, its all personal preference

True to to a certain extent, but be careful how far you take that. Lets do a little compare and contrast between say speakers and music. Music is created to portray emotion, ideas and sound pleasing. This can be subjectively evaluated. For example I love listening to Bonobo but my roommate thinks it crap. The lyrics, the rhythm, the vocals, the instruments...that is a purely subjective decision.

Now lets move to speakers, which are created only for replication. The speaker is not there to portray its own "emotion" if you will. It either correctly replicates the original sound or it does not. Yes, people have unique tastes, but generally those are limited to how aggressive the speaker is (volume (or volume in specific frequency ranges) and "brightness" come to mind). Too many people go beyond this though and suggest every attribute of a speaker is subjective.

This is not the case because speakers can be mathematically analyzed. Flaws in replication and distortion can easily be seen by viewing frequency response, CSD and harmonic distortion graphs. A 9db peak at 1kHz will sound bad/annoying to anybody who is critically listening to music (as I would assume somebody interested in spending 500 on a pair of components would do).

So yes, certain speaker attributes are indeed subjective, and that's why you should always listen to equipment before you purchase it. There are inherently better and worse products out there though and fortunately in the case of speakers, can be analyzed. Sorry for the rant guys, I just think lots of people take the subjectivity thing too far.