The name Focal is a staple in all spheres of audio. Indeed, few brands can claim to be a leader in both high-fidelity and professional audio equipment. The French company has carved out a place for itself wherever sound is a serious matter – from the greatest recording studios to your living room, and wherever you go thanks to a range of high-quality headphones.
The origins of Focal
Focal was founded in the French town of Saint-Étienne, southwest of Lyon, in 1979. The brainchild of the engineer Jacques Mahul, a music lover, the company was initially called Focal-JM Lab, after the initials of its creator. Driven by his primary desire to improve the range of loudspeakers on the market at the time, Mahul went so far as to present workshops on the manufacture of loudspeakers. His research and the results thereof led him to the first loudspeakers to bear his name – the first of a long series of successes to follow.
Thinking outside the cabinets
From the early 1980s, Focal made a name for itself thanks to its know-how, innovations and revolutionary technologies. A vision outside the box allowed the new company to make a name for itself, firstly by tackling the design of bookshelf loudspeakers. Innovation is at the heart of Polyglass and Polykevlar cones – a design that was born at the time and has evolved over the years to become more sophisticated and refined. Focal will push in this direction, true to the brand, to offer lightweight but rigid speaker cones. A clear and precise sound, free of distortion: this is the workhorse that will fuel engineers for decades to come.
The Grande Utopia: An ideal that takes reality into account
At the turn of the 1990s, Focal set out to conquer the globe and, in the middle of the decade, unveiled the brand's flagship model that would define it forever: the Grande Utopia. The loudspeakers in the Utopia range became a legend of modern times. For Focal, it was an achievement and a consecration. An achievement that was renewed with each revision of the series, as a matter of pushing back its own limits, but also countless hours of research that were used to develop all the different series produced by Focal.
The new millennium arrives. Driven by the success of their high-fidelity loudspeakers, Focal opens a new chapter by founding the professional range of studio monitors, which is acclaimed by the greatest producers and used in the best recording studios.
Naim Audio: a renowned partner
A partnership at the top. Focal joins forces with British electronics company Naim Audio, a leader in the world of amplification. Under the leadership of the new Vervent Audio Group, Focal and Naim Audio continue on their paths, combining their strengths to offer the most demanding audiophiles the satisfaction that only teamwork can bring. Amplification and speakers designed with the same goal of perfection. A dream come true.
The Focal point on a large scale
In 2016, Focal reviewed its range of headphones and developed a brand new range that continues to grow today. The first version included the Utopia: headphones that had to live up to the name and hit the mark from day one. Almost 10 years later, a whole range of headphones for all occasions is available. Whether for passionate critical listening or for your daily commute, there is now a model for the music lover in you.
Well established in the present
Today, Focal offers several lines of speakers and headphones, aiming to offer the best for all needs and budgets. Focal speakers are still manufactured in France at their state-of-the-art facilities, using constantly evolving technology.
The North American distributor of Focal products is also based right here in the greater Montreal area, which is a plus in terms of availability, fast delivery and after-sales service, which is provided on-site at their Quebec premises.
Fillion has been associated with Focal for several decades and is proud to make these gems of high fidelity available to you. Stop by our store to give them a listen – our team will be happy to tell you all about them.
