Randy K

I went to my local "Professional" audio dealer today to listen to some of the Focal Utopia speakers. First thing he told me when I asked to hear them was that "people that want those speakers don't have to listen to them they just buy them." How in the F is someone to know if they like the sound of them with out listening to them. That's the exact reason I hate dealing with "professionals" in this God forsaken city. He finally started taking me seriously when he found out I really know a bit about what I'm talken about. Then I ask him the price and he tells me that those speakers are "very difficult to install" I'm thinking he means $$$. So he finally tells me the price I almost freaked out when he told me $1150. I've seen them at onlinestereo.com for $569. :mad I hate it when people think they can take advantage of me.

Any way all that to ask: Where have other people bought there Focals? Any disadvatage to buying them online as opposed to a dealer? I would say local dealer but the place I went was the only Focal dealer within 150 miles of Corpus and I ain't buying them from him. and How much did you pay?

GTLocke13

Buy 'em online. Speakers are fairly easy to install. The toughest part is figuring out where to put the tweeters. Maybe some people who have Focals installed can put up some pics of their installation.

The other option is to print out the web page and take it to the dealer and offer to pay $600 for the speakers (this factors in shipping from the web). If you decide to do this, please take a camera with you. I want to see the salesman's face when you do it. :lol:

aurik

Depending on the retailer, they may not honor online price matching. I know that Hi-Fi Buys *will* price-match, BUT it has to be from an authorized online dealer.

I believe that sounddomain.com IS an authorized dealer, and they have their Focals for $649.

M396 #00-011

My only suggestion would be to buy authorized. If not, you could be out the $500-600 it cost you from the non-authorized dealer if something goes wrong. I have yet to find a car audio company that will warranty there product without an authorized receipt. Other than that, get what makes you happy. :cheers:

Randy K

I could see paying the extra $100 to buy it from an authorized dealer (sounddomain.com) but for the convenience of buying them local I won't pay $1150 for them. I'll check out sounddomain's policies.

Buy the way, I know several people said they have the Focal's installed in there cars. What do you use to power them wattage wise? 150w/ch for the 165W's ? or do you go with more power like 200w/ch? Also does anyone have any pics, suggestions for the installation? :D

Rick Rader

Randy,

If you haven't purchased yet, I suggest FBODYAUDIO.com. Look for RAVI in the sponser section.

You will lose Focal one year warranty but Ravi will honor the warranty through his store.

I bought the 165W's for $500. Shipping was next day, SoundDomain had to order them (two weeks or so) and more money. I love them. They are some of the best I have heard out there except for three way Utopia's.

I had the shop install them. I took on-line prices in and they came very close on the other items. Had to throw em a bone ya know !!

I must also comment on the Alpine CDA7998. This deck is incredible !!


Good Luck
Rick

[Modified by Rick Rader, 6:56 PM 12/14/2002]


[Modified by Rick Rader, 6:58 PM 12/14/2002]

Kale

Get them online.

I use an ARC2100 on my 165w.

Any reputable online store offers a 1 year warranty.

Focals are difficult to install properly, this is true
the 165w is supposed to have a .3 ported enclosure. They still sound pretty damn good free air in the door, though.

korvetkeith

Sounddomain will beat any price. Its called the 105% garuntee. cbrstereo.com has them for 549 so Sounddomain should in theory give them to you for 522.86.

Son93SL2

I couldn't afford their Utopia line but I did get their PolyKevlar line for undler $200. Damn nice sounding woofers though. Never thought the Mids would come through like Focals do.

AP

That sound live a cool idea ... but CBR might not be an authorized dealer, which is one of SoundDomain's requirements....

korvetkeith

Ah, I wasn't sure of this.

satyr7777

HA HA HA HA HA! This is freaking HILARIOUS! When I saw your city in the post- I about fell out of my chair! (I grew up in Corpus). I also wanted to mention that anyone who suggests you buy ANY, I mean ANY Audio component without listening to it first is gambling in a big way- especially when you're dealing with self-proclaimed "professionals" in Corpus. I'll respond to the rest of your post next, but had to get that out of my system first.

satyr7777

I'd buy them online and take them to an installer to have the work done, if you're not comfortable doing it yourself (or if the car is on lease/loan). I've done installs for years, but just don't have the time or patience lately. What I think you should do, is avoid buying or installing anything in CC. Buy your components online, and call up a few authorized dealers/ installers in SA or Houston (to retain your warranty) and get some quotes. Set an appointment, and take it to the installer for a weekend away- and then listen and smile on your drive home.

I wouldn't pay $1150 for any automobile- audio driver. That's a SCREW my friend- and there's alot of them around those there parts, if you know what I mean, and I think that you do.....

Kale

Consider that I bought my Focals for $430 before shipping and international tax or whatever. There is a HUGE markup in high end audio my friend... I bet the Focals are really only $375-400.

I'd like to know what the Rainbow Reference are REALLY worth.. they retail for $7000

how the hell can you put $7000 of materials in a pair of six inch speakers? I don't know. I dont know what you can do to a pair of $1000 speakers like the Utopias that is so much greater than a $300 set made of similar materials. Fiberglass cone, W cone, super high density tweeter magnets? You canfind similar "material' boastings in much lesser speakers. $1000 it does not make, but they do sound 2-3x better than any $400 retail speaker you can find MHO.



[Modified by Nevermind, 3:52 PM 12/18/2002]

satyr7777

$7000 for CAR audio? This is a joke, hopefully....

M396 #00-011

Not justifing the cost, but a few things you get and why the cost.

LIFETIME WARRANTY

You are paying for the Engineering cost as well, considering they only sell a few. If more were sold, that price would come down.

It does use the HIGHEST quality components ever. It was a cost no option project. Hence high engineering costs.

BTW, dealer cost would scare the crap out of you too! :yesnod:

AP

:eek: Lifetime Warranty that is insane ...

Kale

Yep, $7,000.

Now imagine the cost of the pods/panels that will use them to their full potentila. anotehr $300-1000 there easily. Plus another $500-700 for a good 200+x2 amplifier.

Randy K

I get this kinda treatment every were I go here in Corpus. Home depot, Circuit City, CompUSA. These people would rather tell you a lie (because they know nothing about it) then look for the information or tell you they don't know. It's frustrating. I have to ask a leading question that I know the answer too to see if they really know what they are talking about before I can ask the questions I need answers too. So to answer you question I do go out of town alot of times to get things I need. I had to drive to Houston to listen to my JL subs and a pair of MB quarts. Good thing I listened to quarts. They sounded too tinty, high pitched and ear piercing. The Focals sound much better.:thumbs:

Let me know the next time your in town. We'll get together :seeya

VFRLuke

on the topic of authorized online focal dealers: there are none.

I called focal and they said that there are no online dealers what so ever. I specifically mentioned sounddomain and they said they were not authorized.

I called sounddomain and they said that they "used" to be an authorized focal dealer but not any more.

Just thought I'd share my phone tag results. :D

Luke