The new flagship of Focal’s Shape series of loudspeakers, the Shape Twin features two passive radiators, woofers equipped with a new Flax cone, and the latest ‘M’-shaped aluminium/magnesium inverted dome tweeter.
Joining the Shape 40, 50 and 65, the Twin is a 2.5-way d’Appolito configured close-field monitor optimised for the acoustics of small listening rooms. The front and top of the MDF cabinets are finished with natural stained, walnut veneer, while he curved shape of the top of each loudspeaker is calculated to ensure a linear frequency response in the high end.
The Flax sandwich cones used for the woofers are composed glass and flax fibres. A layer of flax fibres is sandwiched between two layers of glass fibres. The cone needs to provide good damping while being as light as possible. Flax fibres are twice as light as glass fibres as they’re hollow and have very low elasticity. Additionally, being composed of 80% cellulose it has excellent damping properties.
Two rings are integrated into the suspension, with diameter and location determined according to the flexibility of the suspension, its elongation, its resonance frequency and the targeted frequency response curve of the speaker driver in excursion. This provides a linear frequency response curve between 1kHz and 2kHz, while significantly reducing distortion in the same range.
Focal has improved its aluminium/magnesium inverted dome tweeter with two mechanical innovations – the ‘M- shaped’ dome and the new suspension, like that used on the tweeters of the SM6 and SM9 lines. The inverted M-shaped dome’s directivity is less that of the inverted dome tweeter, allowing for more flexibility in terms of listening position. Mechanically, the ‘M’ shape gives the dome more rigidity while reducing distortion. In addition, the Poron suspension provides a more linear frequency response curve below 6kHz, improving crossover with the woofer. The magnetic component has also been optimized thanks to a voice coil with a Kapton frame which significantly reduces the Foucault current, and consequently, distortion. The horn housing the tweeter has been designed to provide equal horizontal and vertical directivity.
The 8-inch (21cm) double passive radiator on Shape Twin monitors uses two opposing U-shaped suspensions joining the passive disk to the basket, ensuring symmetry during excursion and incursion. The very low tuning frequency allows Shape Twin to be placed very close to a wall.
A dedicated 80W class-AB amplification serves the 5-inch (13cm) woofers which also feature a comb filter for high and low frequencies (HF: ±3dB from 4.5kHz; LF +±6dB above 250Hz).
Shape Twin comes with four adjustable decoupling spikes. The height of the front and rear spikes can be adjusted to solve any problems which are sometimes encountered due to the monitors not being at the same height as the listener. The angle changes the height of the soundstage to best suit the height of the sound engineer.
Shape Twin’s five innovations are the source of the great acoustic performance of this professional work tool. The 2.5-way design brings out the best of two 5’ speaker drivers.
Shape Twin monitors are expected to Ship in Q2 2018, at a street price of US$1,099 each.
