Focal Presents Discussion Panels at NAMM 2023
At the April music trade show in Anaheim, eight engineers will cover discussions on Creative Mixing in Dolby Atmos, The Art of Mastering, and Mixing with Focal Headphones at the Focal Booth #14902
Focal has announced three discussion panels to be presented to NAMM attendees during the April music tradeshow in Anaheim. Eight engineers will cover discussions ranging from Creative Mixing in Dolby Atmos®, and The Art of Mastering with Michael Romanowski, to Mixing with Focal Headphones at Focal’s booth #14902 in the North Hall, Level 1.
In the first discussion panel Creative Mixing in Dolby Atmos, Friday, April 14 at 2 pm, Ben Givarz, Senior Creative Relations Manager at Dolby, will act as the moderator for engineers Luca Pretolesi and Robert Guzman from Las Vegas’ Studio DMI, Fab Dupont from Flux Studios in NYC, and Brad Smalling from Evergroove Studio in Evergreen CO. Each of the studios feature a Dolby Atmos studio built around Focal professional monitors. The engineers will share their creative approaches to mixing in Dolby Atmos on albums by Skrillex, Snarky Puppy, Saves The Day, and more.
Read More »“Mixed on Focal” – Focal Naim America Announces Playlist #2
HD Audio streaming playlists of songs mixed on Focal speakers show off what the music was meant to sound like when listening on Focal speakers
Focal Naim America, a leading North American importer, and distributor of premium consumer and professional electronics brands, has announced “Mixed on Focal” a new program to highlight the true sound of music as the artist, mix engineer, producer, and record label meant the songs to be heard. The first two “Mixed on Focal” playlists are available today for Qobuz, Tidal, Apple Music, and Amazon Music HD with new playlists to be released periodically. Support for Spotify HIFI is planned when it is released. Songs and albums mixed on Focal speakers are featured on the high-resolution audio playlists and are available to Focal HI-FI and Pro Audio dealers, as well as the Press Corps and current and prospective customers. Whether it be in a HI-FI or Pro Audio dealer demonstration, or their home or recording studio using Focal speakers, the music will perfectly translate as the songs are all mixed on Focal.
Read More »Focal Releases Two New “Alpha Evo” Monitors
New affordable Focal monitors offer 5-inch and 6.5-inch drivers
Focal has announced that it is shipping the new Alpha Evo monitors, Alpha 50 Evo, and Alpha 65 Evo. These replace the current Focal Alpha 50 and 65 models in that range, while the current Alpha 80 are still available. The two new Focal Alpha Evo products are available at retailers in the US and Canada on March 25, 2021, and have suggested retail prices of Alpha 50 Evo $349. USD each, and Alpha 65 Evo $449. USD each.
Focal Releases “Clear Mg Professional” Headphones
New updated model of popular Focal headphone now uses magnesium cone for even greater dynamics
Montreal, Canada — Focal has announced that it is shipping the new Focal Clear Mg Professional headphones (“Clear Magnesium Professional”), a new model of their popular Clear Professional headphones but with the addition of a magnesium (Mg) cone for even greater dynamics with a remarkable tonal balance across the full audio spectrum. The new product is available at retailers in the US and Canada on February 16, 2021, and has a suggested retail price of $1,490. USD.
SPL Ships ‘Control One’ and ‘Marc One’ Monitor Controllers
SPL of Germany has shipped the “Control One” ($599.) and “Marc One” ($799.) monitor controllers from their new affordable “Series One” product line. The SPL line of products is distributed by Focal-Naim America in the US and Canada.
The SPL Control One is the ideal monitor controller for the modern studio. As a high-quality analog control center, it manages audio sources and monitor speakers including subwoofer. In addition, the device features an individually adjustable high-quality headphone amplifier with Phonitor Matrix. Thanks to the various monitoring modes, no sound detail remains undiscovered.
Read More »SPL Announces New “Series One”
True to the motto “Number One In Sound”, SPL of Germany has developed a new product line that combines the sound of their big devices with a desktop-friendly design and an affordable price for the ambitious user. The Series One was equally developed for professional recording studios, home studios, musicians, music lovers, and media creatives of all kinds. The first two Series One devices, Phonitor One ($499.) and Phonitor One d ($699.) – both headphone amplifiers — are now shipping. More devices of the new Series One will be announced soon. The SPL line of products is distributed by Focal-Naim America in the US and Canada.
Adam Young of “Owl City”
Adam Young of “Owl City” Mixes on Focal Monitors
New chart-topping artist chooses Focal Twin6 Be monitors on breakout album ‘Ocean Eyes’
Adam Young of "Owl City" with Focal Twin 6
With a growing fan-base and a world tour that continues throughout 2010, Adam Young, the creative force behind the band “Owl City,” is taking off. His first independent release in 2008, ‘Maybe I’m Dreaming,’ received much praise and made Young into a phenomenon, with over 16 million profile views and over 80 million plays on MySpace, all stemming from posting a few songs from the year before.
That’s led to Owl City’s newest CD – ‘Ocean Eyes’ – released in 2009 by Universal Republic Records. The album has sold over 1 million copies in the U.S. alone, while the first single “Fireflies” hit #1 in 23 countries. During the making of the ‘Ocean Eyes’ album Young discovered Focal Twin6 Be monitors, then got himself a pair. “I absolutely love the Focals. I had mixed with other brands over the years, but it was always a bit deceiving. Other monitors seemed somewhat overly polished, bass heavy and even ‘clubby.’ The Focal Twin 6s are so transparent, but still easy to listen to and work with: they really help my mixes translate to anything I play them back on,” states Young.
Read More »Mix Engineer Jeff Juliano
Mixer Jeff Juliano Chooses FOCAL Monitors
Twin 6 Be Powered Monitors with Sub6 are now his Main Measure of a Mix
Mix engineer Jeff Juliano and Focal Twin 6
Mixer Jeff Juliano has used a lot of different speakers, and in the past 10 years he’s relied on the supposed ‘industry standard’ Yamaha NS10. But no more. Juliano recently tried the Focal Twin 6 Be powered monitors at his Delaware mixing studio and has now made them his number one choice. Having mixed a host of platinum-selling albums for artists such as Jason Mraz, Josh Kelly and Lifehouse, as well as John Mayer, who won a 2003 Grammy for his album “Room for Squares” which he mixed, Juliano has a great ear for sound, but was ready for the change.
“I’ve been going through so many speakers in my time mixing, I was an NS10 guy for so many years, and started to believe that was the only speaker in the world that mattered. The Focal Twin 6 Be monitors are the best that I’ve used in terms of studio-to-consumer listening translation for car stereos, clock radios — iPod ear buds, you name it. They really translate: what I hear in the studio is what the outside world hears, in my experience. When I go to the car and check a mix, it’s what I hear in the studio. That’s the end-all, that’s what matters,” stated Juliano.
Read More »TV Audio Engineer Chris Prinzivalli
Engineer Chris Prinzivalli on the Focal Twin6 BE Monitors for TV Production
Engineer Chris Prinzivalli with Focal Twin 6Engineer Chris Prinzivalli on the Focal Twin6 BE Monitors for TV Production
These days engineer Chris Prinzivalli and his Focal Twin6 BE monitors go everywhere together. His specialty is live music recording and mixing, and he is working on a lot of music for TV. He has mixed live music projects for TV with artists such as Cyndi Lauper, Julio Iglesias, Huey Lewis & The News and many others. When at Kaufman Astoria Studios to mix the Sesame Street Workshop music, he brings in his Twin6 monitors. Prinzivalli honed his live mixing and recording techniques from behind the desk at countless shows, festivals and television specials. Along the way he has worked with Record Plant Remote, MTV Networks and ABC Television. These days, when he gets the call to record and mix in a TV studio or remote truck, he brings along his Focal Twin6 monitors. A sound he can trust.
A friend of Prinzivalli’s and distributor for Focal Professional who always offers him new gear to try out, told him about the Twin6 BE monitors, he got to try them and liked what he heard. Remembering the first time he tried the monitors Prinzavali said, “My friend always calls me up and says ‘Hey I just got a new piece of gear, I want you to check it out, I want your opinion.’ Focal had released a new series of monitor, so I grabbed the Twin6s from him and they were absolutely fabulous. They sound great and they look great.”
Read More »Engineer Ian Boxill
Engineer Ian Boxill Mixes an Urban Sound with FOCAL Monitors
Focal Solo 6 Be Monitors are Key to Mixing in his Personal Studio
Engineer Ian Boxill with Focal Solo 6
Engineer Ian Boxill recently installed Focal Solo 6 Be monitors in his personal studio, and has begun mixing a top-secret project. With the past three Prince albums behind him, and a 2008 Grammy for “Best Male Vocal” on the Prince penned song Future Baby Mama, Boxill is primed for new and great things. Deciding to upgrade his studio with new monitors, Boxill chose Focal and is loving the sound, “Focal speakers have the rare quality of being very musical sounding, while maintaining clarity and detail. Not a very easy feat to pull off. While listening to my favorite recordings on a pair of Focal Solo 6 Be’s I heard instruments and parts that I had not heard before. Wow. Well done Focal, well done.”
Known for his deft touch with powerful R&B and Urban vocal artists such as Tupac Shakur, Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Aaron Neville, K Ci, Jo Jo, Christina Milian, and Prince, among many others, over the past 15 years Boxill has divided his time between working in his personal studio and studios that artists choose. Now with his own personal studio upgraded with Focal monitors he’s embarked on a mixing project that will be revealed in early 2009.
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