Recording - September 2021 - 44
Sound and use
As usual, I set up the Alpha 65 Evo
monitors in both my untreated home office
and my treated mix room. In both
cases, I found it to offer an open and
detailed sound with very clear highs, a
slightly recessed midrange, and a low
end that favored depth and reach over
force and punch. In my larger treated
room, and with the speakers well away
from the wall, I found I could add to the
fullness in the low end by turning up the
low shelf by 4-6dB with little adverse
effect. With the speakers closer to a
rear wall at home, I found the bass was
better at its zero setting. Sitting up close
and personal, I preferred to tame the
high end a few dB, especially at louder
listening levels and on more aggressive
styles of music.
Listening levels
The magic of the Alpha 65 Evo is how
well it handles dynamics and transients.
Importantly, the dynamics, soundstage
and tonal balance remain nicely consistent
between 60dB-84dB listening levels;
they start to thump nicely at 90dB
and above.
I wish I could offer a better comparison
to the older models, but seven years
is a long time to remember a speaker's
sound. Looking back, I described the
Alpha 50 monitors as focused and tight
with a smooth midrange. In contrast,
the new Alpha 65 Evo is almost the
opposite-nothing is harsh or biting,
but they are much crisper and more detailed
rather than smooth, although once
again, the high shelf is very effective at
dialing this back to taste.
I also compared the Alpha 65 Evo
to the high-end Solo6 Be (reviewed August
2020), my main home listening/
editing monitor. The two could not be
any more different. Comparatively,
the Solo6 Be is more focused and
even-sounding from top to bottom, with
a low end that is more forward and
less far-reaching. Here, it is neutral and
focused vs. deep and wide; neither is
better or worse; like most monitors, it's
personal preference.
Conclusion
The Alpha 65 Evo is a versatile monitor
with a pleasing, expansive sound,
and I will say again that the transient
detail is pretty spectacular. Both the Alpha
Evo 65 and Alpha Evo 50 are competitively
priced, and with the advent
of the new Slatefiber cones, Focal has
done an excellent job of adding another
well-built tonal option to its already impressive
speaker lineup.
Price: $449 (each)
More from: focal.com
http://www.focal.com
http://www.babyaud.io
Recording - September 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - September 2021
Fade In
2021 Summer NAMM Report
Solid State Logic: UF8 Advanced DAW Controller
The Ascending Spiral: Soundtracks, Sound Design and Saw with Charlie Clouser
KRK Classic 7
Plugin Outlet: Empirical Labs Big FrEQ
Inside the Box with Joe Albano: EQ in the Box
Plugin Outlet: FabFilter Timeless 3
Focal: Alpha 65 Evo
Session Log: The AngelHeaded Hipster, Part 9: Mixing
Austrian Audio: Hi-X65
Plugin Outlet: BABY Audio Smooth Operator
Reviewed and Revisited: Ableton Push 2
Plugin Outlet: Overloud GEM Voice
Inside the Studio with Mark Hornsby: Who Is the Mastering Engineer? A Producer’s Opinion
Reviewed and Revisited: Avid Pro Tools 2021.6
Amphion: BaseTwo25
Plugin Outlet: Massenburg Designworks EQ
Readers’ Tracks
Output: Frontier
Fade Out: The Identification of Spatial Audio
Recording - September 2021 - 1
Recording - September 2021 - 2
Recording - September 2021 - 3
Recording - September 2021 - 4
Recording - September 2021 - 5
Recording - September 2021 - 6
Recording - September 2021 - Fade In
Recording - September 2021 - 8
Recording - September 2021 - 9
Recording - September 2021 - 10
Recording - September 2021 - 2021 Summer NAMM Report
Recording - September 2021 - 12
Recording - September 2021 - 13
Recording - September 2021 - 14
Recording - September 2021 - 15
Recording - September 2021 - 16
Recording - September 2021 - Solid State Logic: UF8 Advanced DAW Controller
Recording - September 2021 - 18
Recording - September 2021 - 19
Recording - September 2021 - 20
Recording - September 2021 - The Ascending Spiral: Soundtracks, Sound Design and Saw with Charlie Clouser
Recording - September 2021 - 22
Recording - September 2021 - 23
Recording - September 2021 - 24
Recording - September 2021 - 25
Recording - September 2021 - 26
Recording - September 2021 - 27
Recording - September 2021 - 28
Recording - September 2021 - 29
Recording - September 2021 - 30
Recording - September 2021 - KRK Classic 7
Recording - September 2021 - 32
Recording - September 2021 - Plugin Outlet: Empirical Labs Big FrEQ
Recording - September 2021 - 34
Recording - September 2021 - Inside the Box with Joe Albano: EQ in the Box
Recording - September 2021 - 36
Recording - September 2021 - 37
Recording - September 2021 - 38
Recording - September 2021 - 39
Recording - September 2021 - 40
Recording - September 2021 - Plugin Outlet: FabFilter Timeless 3
Recording - September 2021 - 42
Recording - September 2021 - Focal: Alpha 65 Evo
Recording - September 2021 - 44
Recording - September 2021 - Session Log: The AngelHeaded Hipster, Part 9: Mixing
Recording - September 2021 - 46
Recording - September 2021 - 47
Recording - September 2021 - 48
Recording - September 2021 - Austrian Audio: Hi-X65
Recording - September 2021 - 50
Recording - September 2021 - Plugin Outlet: BABY Audio Smooth Operator
Recording - September 2021 - 52
Recording - September 2021 - Reviewed and Revisited: Ableton Push 2
Recording - September 2021 - 54
Recording - September 2021 - Plugin Outlet: Overloud GEM Voice
Recording - September 2021 - 56
Recording - September 2021 - Inside the Studio with Mark Hornsby: Who Is the Mastering Engineer? A Producer’s Opinion
Recording - September 2021 - 58
Recording - September 2021 - Reviewed and Revisited: Avid Pro Tools 2021.6
Recording - September 2021 - 60
Recording - September 2021 - Amphion: BaseTwo25
Recording - September 2021 - 62
Recording - September 2021 - Plugin Outlet: Massenburg Designworks EQ
Recording - September 2021 - 64
Recording - September 2021 - Readers’ Tracks
Recording - September 2021 - 66
Recording - September 2021 - 67
Recording - September 2021 - 68
Recording - September 2021 - 69
Recording - September 2021 - 70
Recording - September 2021 - Output: Frontier
Recording - September 2021 - 72
Recording - September 2021 - 73
Recording - September 2021 - 74
Recording - September 2021 - Fade Out: The Identification of Spatial Audio
Recording - September 2021 - 76
Recording - September 2021 - 77
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