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Could be the last system you'll buy for a long time. Could be the last system you'll
buy for a long time.


Focal SM8 Powered Monitors

Versatile Near-Fields With Analog or Digital I/O



Having seen them at several industry
shows, I've admired the Focal SM Series'
look and sound for a while now and looked
forward to giving them a serious test-drive.
The SM8 is a self-powered bi-amped
speaker (sold in pairs) weighing a solid 33
pounds. A 100-watt, Class-A/B amplifier
drives the tweeter a Beryllium inverted
dome while a separate 200W Class-D
amplifier drives the 8-inch W-cone woofer.
Overall stated frequency response is 45
to 40k Hz, ±2 dB, and maximum SPL is
rated at 115dB SPL (peak @ 1m). A passive
8-inch radiator on the top of the cabinet
helps deliver more low end and helps
smoothly dissipate some of the energy be-
low 40 to 50 Hz. A subwoofer is recom-
mended; no matter how well the SM8 han-
dles LF content . . . just as expected with
any 8-inch system such as this.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Input is on analog (XLR) or AES digital
inputs (also XLR), both plainly marked. An
optional wired remote controls level, dim
and mute functions, operating via a serial
RS-232 port. Tandem control of the second
box is carried out via MIDI. Either speaker
can function as the master/slave in digital
mode by selecting the appropriate setting on
the AES channel selection switch. (A very
handy AES L/R splitter box is also supplied
with the system; one cable in and two L/R
outs make digital connections a snap.)
The real fun begins when you load the
Focal Manager software into your PC, Mac
or Palm/PDA. (The PDA option uses the
infrared option switch.) Software installa-
tion is simple and straightforward: Load the
executable file on the CD-ROM with either
your PC or Mac and connect the RS-232
serial cable. Once the software is installed,
each speaker is identified by its own serial
number so that Focal Manager then knows
which speaker it is controlling.
CONTROL YOURSELF
Focal Manager allows control of output
level, shelving EQ, general EQ, assorted
presets and delays for either speaker inde-
pendent of each other (allowing for 2.1 or
5.1 setups, along with subwoofer manage-
ment settings). A user-customizable section
gets you quickly up and running, with easily
viewed color scheme when changing pa-
Technology Field Test
By Joe Hannigan
Excerpts January 2006
For subscriptions see: www.mixonline.com
One Year (13 Issues) $34.97
For telephone service call 1-866-860-7087 I found a lot to like about the sound
and imaging of these speakers.
United States: Audio Plus Services 156 Lawrence Paquette Ind. Dr. Champlain, NY, 12919
Tel: 800-663-9352 Fax : 866-656-0686
www.audioplusservices.com
Canada: Plurison 313 Marion, Le Gardeur, J5Z 4W8
Tel: 866-271-5689 Fax : 866-656-0686
www.plurison.com

rameters. A Bypass button allows A/B com-
parisons of settings and storable settings
once you've found what you want. There is
also a very useful utilities section and a
password function.
Some of the important features of the
software include the use of FIR equaliza-
tion. (Finally, digital EQ right where you
want it at the amp driving the speaker!)
Sometimes, even a little was a lot when I
changed settings to experience a few wildly
different response curves. The possibilities
seem limitless for tuning these speakers to
most work areas, be it a small project studio
or a larger production suite.
The second notable feature is the ability
to control and fine-tune the sweet spot for
2.1 and 5.1 speaker settings via the Delay
sub-menu of the software controls. Dial in
the distances of your speakers (L, C, R, Ls,
Rs), and the software does the rest based on
your choice of sitting position relative to the
speakers and listener height.

POWERED UP AND RUNNING
When I used them as part of my video
editing and MIDI keyboard production
suite, I found a lot to like about the sound
and imaging of these speakers. For rock,
jazz and pop work, they really delivered the
kind of smooth mid to low end I prefer,
without exaggeration or boominess, and lot
of clean power. The smooth, silky top end
really opened up the sound of most key-
board and guitar parts. I found new depth
and dimension to many piano parts I created
and the stereo imaging was thrilling: rock-
solid. It was often difficult to tell they were
on; they're very quiet with little system
noise, and they never got warm or hot to the
touch, even on the back surfaces where the
controls and amps are located.
For mixing soundtracks, dialog, video-
games and other projects where imaging
and localization are highly critical, the
SM8s really shine. I did some A/B tests of a
few recent live projects and found new
depth and colors in some mixes we'd other-
wise missed.
I got a chance to give them a serious
workout while mixing a recent NPR pro-
gram for WRTI-FM here in Philadelphia.
The program Mellon Jazz's One Nation
Under Jazz live broadcast series fea-
tured Chicago saxophonist Von Freeman
and his band. Before getting started, I
needed a good reference point, and the DSP
software let me make various tweaks to the
system's response curve as needed, getting
both test signals and my favorite recordings
sounding as they should.
The software is straightforward and in-
tuitive, but in case you don't trust your ears
or fatigue sets in, you can always return to
the factory default mode and start over, or
set up various curves and toggle among all
the choices. Finding a few minor dead spots
and resonances in my mix area (nothing
serious), a quick tweak of the Focal Man-
ager software let me address the bumps and
dips and quickly move on. (You can, of
course, get creative and save settings of
your own, depending on the task and genre
at hand: tracking, mastering, pop, rock,
metal, ska, classical, etc.)
Now sure of what I was hearing, I dug
in and had some fun, taking my time with
the broadcast mix and editing. With the
SM8s, it was easy to re-create the sound-
stage just as I'd originally heard it in the
hall. I tend to prefer the sound of an all-
acoustic jazz trio anyway, and getting to
hear my mixes on the SM8s put it all in
perspective . . .
Acoustic bass, kick drum and other low
components played nicely together, and the
mix translated well to my sub-equipped
Lipinski L-505 system. The 8-inch passive
radiator on the top seems to act as a gentle
shock absorber, as well as a radiator for
low-end material. This is helpful, as with
many other monitor systems in this size
group, no sub can mean overcompensation
and too much low end.

THE ENVELOPE, PLEASE . . .
These speakers are just loaded with fea-
tures and options. Whether you're running
straight out of a digital console (at various
sample rates; i.e., 44, 48, 88 or 96k) or bal-
anced analog, you have a wide range of
options for control and accurate tailoring of
your sound. The software-driven EQ and
time-align capabilities let you customize
your sonic environment entirely inside the
box.
The SM8s are worth the investment and
could be the last system you'll buy for a
long time. Joe Hannigan

Joe Hannigan runs Weston Sound & Video in Philadelphia.