I’ve been using the Focal 65 Evos for about six months on a wide range of genres (guitar-based rock to jazz choirs to pop to EDM). I find them to be extremely accurate and easy to use, and I haven’t noticed a particular harshness in the upper mids. (I’m sure I will now!) I find them more accurate and easier to mix on for longer sessions than my previous Yamaha HS80s. More accurate soundstage, especially front-to-back, smoother high-end, and much tighter/more accurate low end. They’re not the end-all be-all by any means, but they’re the best $300 monitors I’ve auditioned. Of course, YMMV. Thanks, gents, for the review!
I agree. I just purchased the Adam A7V. They are very well balanced. But no depth, the sound is 2D. Pure mode sounds far better than the UNR mode which is for emulating discontinued models. Better option would be to emulate a hifi speaker. And the stereo image is better on the EVO and has more depth.
I am an old loudspeaker DIY fanatic. Of course you can build better speakers yourself than a commercial one. If you can count on a good engineer. It seems you have him, so go on and let us know. I am not surprised about Focal tweeter aggressiveness. I remember a similar unit years ago (inverted dome) that was catastrophic for every human ear. I think the same about Adam AMT units: their crossover should be punished by Amnesty International. Best wishes for your project, you guys do know what to do.
Hey, a crowdfunding campaign for the new speakers should do the job! You can also try to take preorders. Depending on the price I would consider preordering a pair myself. :)
Speaker idea: Speaker Kits! You can sell them with or without a knock down cabinet. It would be much less of an investment compared to producing a fully assembled speaker, which opens the door to doing a small 2 way and a larger 3 way? I'm in the states, so a kit without cabinet would be preferred. It'd save on shipping! I have a CNC router, so building a box is not an issue. I'd just need a drawing. (And a kit would be less likely to piss off Jes' distributors, since it doesn't directly compete with his other products. Sounds perfect to me!)
Hey guys! You finally got your hand on the PHocal 65evo. Spot on the review an getting the flaw of the upper midrange. I returned those monitors hence the midrange that was not allowing me to judge vocals on house music and my second issue was the actual tweeter that after few hours of mixing a track I’ve noticed a piercing annoying frequency coming at me that turned me off fatiguing my ears 👂! Keep up the good work-as always! 😀
@@PresentDayProduction oh, and thank you for reading, hearting responding to comments. That’s what make a CZcams channel a successful place in participating as viewer and learner . So. thank You! 😀
The guitar based sample you provided was not an ideal example as the 2nd 4 bars (of each sample) were more intense than the first so that when the ATC clip finished the Focal clip came on with the first 4 less intense bars thus creating this jarring experience. For what it's worth I back-to-backed each clip with the original (Heat Is My Middle Name) using the same high quality headphones and to be honest the Focal sample sounded closer. I played the first 4 bars against each other then the 2nd 4 bars the same then each against the original multiple times over and over. The mids in the ATC sample were noticeably more subdued against the mix than in the focal sample, but also when compared to the original. I'd say for pure reproduction - in this case - given the limitations of CZcams, the Focals seem truer to the original. What was intended to demonstrate a negative appears to have revealed a positive.
A branded speaker actually sounds amazing! If you made it largely modular (separately available cabinets, amps and drivers) you could probably get into the diy as well as the hifi and pro audio market. That being said, a simple lineup of maybe a two and a three way would probably be easier to make. They should probably have a “studio monitor kind of form factor” because that’d be more affordable to produce, practical to position and easier to ship. Also, it’s probably what people expect from a scalable system anyways (a large ATC-style speaker would be much harder to position). I wouldn’t really worry about dsp. Having something like sonarworks onboard (like the new Adam A series) is great, but adds a ton of extra work in a completely new field that could be avoided by just using the application on your PC and might not even be desired by a lot of potential customers. It would probably make sense to just use two driver sizes. One smaller for atmos use, one larger for main monitor/stereo/what have you. Oh wow this turned out a bit all over the place again, didn’t it? Anyhow, I really love the idea of doing branded professional level speakers with a, say, more limited marketing budget. We’ve seen with Kali, what can be achieved by cutting down on unnecessary costs and I think teaming up with Kerr might actually result in *the* best bang for the buck option available. I am definitely interested in supporting this project. I’ve said this already and I’ll say it again: To me personally, your channel is currently the best source for really in depth, interesting and still entertaining music production content! I am really looking forward to this channels and community’s future!
Yes to PD(s)Pkerrs. I've been spoiled by my ATCs for pushing 30 years, and I wouldn't mind another pair of neutral 2-way speakers with tight bass. Unprofessional level pricing would be a bonus.
PDP Speakers - Do it, just DO IT! There is actually a huge gap in the market place and too many crappy 'monitors' out there that use super cheap components. I know from working in hifi that MDF is just horrible sounding, plywood is way superior.
Tell you what, you can buy me a pair and I'll review them, ensuring super absolutely watertight unbiased opinions, 2 times detached from the manufacturer. I promise I won't disappear at all. But seriously, great work guys, super great to see unsponsored opinions
you should call your new speaker company 'Purr Acoustic' and the back of your new speakers you should definitely include 'Flop, Purr and Meow' room adjustment controls
I've been mixing on my 65 now for about a year and they have improved my mixing tremendously. I found it funny that the comparison, the ATC seemed to have a much wider stereo image. The evo 65 almost sounded like they were in mono. Maybe I'm wrong but man they sounded completely different from one another. Just saying. I will say to anyone who reads this. The Focal Evo 65 are well worth the money. I wouldn't let this video cloud your decision. I mainly mix guitar rock songs and have had many people say my guitar tones are excellent.
It is only right to compare it with one of best speakers (ATC) out there, since those are the baseline for true studio monitoring. These speakers are pure trash, as expected in this price range.
@@daniel-rrr wow what a monitor snob 😉 Focal Evo 65 shouldn't even come close to a $2000,00 dollar monitor. That's complete nonsense to compare them. And again if you listen to the video there's something not right about the audio. The audio for the Focal's seems to be in mono, you can hear it narrow. What matters to me are two things sound quality and price point. That for me and as well for many many others, they work. I can't see or understand the need to buy very high quality expensive monitos for a bedroom studio. If I was to build a real studio then yes I can understand the need for a super super high end monitor. But for now the Focal Evo 65 are my monitor of choice and I'm damn proud to say it 😉 The snob thing above just a joke. Have fun recording and mixing..
@@3dogrecordingstudio628 I'm not a monitor snob, in fact, I could not care less about speakers if they weren't such a huge factor in professional mixing and mastering and I would not have listened to a pair of ATC's myself after shooting myself in the foot again and again with budget "monitoring" speakers for years. I had Yamaha HS7, HS8, KRK, Focal CMS, Adam X line, you name it. Recently I have listened to Neumann KH120's too after a friend's recommendation, which are quite ok, but still not trustworthy imo. I suggest you go in to a retailer nearby where you can listen to said speakers in an atleast a semi-pro environment and start playing around with delicate settings on ATC's (like compression attack, release, reverb pre-delay, etc) and then try the same on budget trash right after. That's what I did. At the end of the day your studio monitors should be your biggest source of truth when it comes to mixing and when I see brands like Focal and Adam package 35$ drivers as "studio monitors" I am, indeed, very pissed off, but at the same time relieved, since I know that while I'm working on real monitors others are slaving away and not progressing at all by not hearing what exactly they are doing on their tracks. I'm sorry if this offends you, but that's the reality, and that's why you don't see these budget speakers anywhere near pro studios (for mixing and mastering at least).
@@daniel-rrr if you could tell me how to realistically raise funds for a pair of high quality studio monitors; then please do go ahead and I won't buy these. For me, like others, I can't afford a crazy amount of money, so a LARGE portion of the industry are stuck in this $1,000 a pair price bracket wether they like it or not. So you've got to understand its not that people are buying this out of choice, it's that we're budgeted. And to be honest you can't say you're not a snob and then do a direct comparison of you vs "everyone else" that uses budget equipment and how "they're not progressing" because they arent using insane quality monitors. That's a load of crap imo!
I certainly understand the love of three-way, large mains for studio work. I however, do not do studio work, but I have a pair of immaculate aDs 910s, which were made originally and used as studio mains. They work really well for home use, with potent bass output from the dual-10" drivers, built into their own enclosures inside the cabinets, thus the 100lb/each weight.( 130lbs with the original stands included ) But the best part of the 910s is the domed mids/tweeters which was used throughout their 3-way loudspeaker, L-series. Wondrous mids erupt from the small 2" domed drivers. The 910s are very neutral with slightly laid-back highs, something I found I preferred with my first aDs loudspeakers, the much smaller L810s ( smaller cab with dual-8" bass drivers and the same mids/tweets as the 910s. ) Being sealed cabs, placement is easier than some other speakers, but getting proper soundstage is a bit harder to achieve, but doable. The aDs 910s are my end-gamers since I could never afford new speakers with the same output. I only use a single amp to power them, and ditched the offered bi/tri-amp cards for use in the x-overs, instead getting the cards for the optional meters on the fronts. Current hogs, they're fairly efficient @ 93db. 28htz-25khtz fr. They love the Adcom 555's ( I have two ) and are at their best with the NAD 208, a monster two-channel mosfet-filled amplifier, feeding 425wpc @ the 910's 4ohm loads.
Supplying a design for DIY designed speakers sounds like a great idea. I'm pretty handy with electronics and a soldering iron, so it would be a rewarding experience to say 'look what I made everyone!', and have the high quality at a more affordable price.
I would also recommend a crowd funding campaign to get things started. But as for the actual speakers, I'm not sure whether a "Kit" proposal would really be a deal maker (people might end up arguing because they assembled it incorrectly,...). However having a common cabinet design that would welcome different sizes /choices of drivers (5, 6 or 8 inches) could be interesting and could also bring down development and assembly costs.
Audio Science tested these and gave them a glowing review. No harsh peak at 3K. But they did have a defective tweeter on the first attempt at reviewing them.
Didn't you find the comparison part out of sorts? I found the ATC's seemed to have a better stereo image and when it switched to the Focals they seemed almost mono. It just seemed strange. I love my 65.
Great video (and cheeky). I agree with your "once you've heard them you can't go back" comment. I recently picked up a pair of Event Opals that I've been lusting after for ~10 years and my god do they sound good. I'd be really keen to see what you guys come up with in association with Jes.
I would be interested in a proper self powered three-way Nearfield monitor. There are so many self powered Two-Ways on the market that are harsh in the mids and have poor Helmholtz resonator implementation. Good luck on it and thanks for the videos
I have a pair of Alpha 65 (s) and scrapped off that nasty “rubber pad” on the sides! Sounds much better. Planning to replace the plastic with real wood siding. Have since upgraded to the synergistic ORANGE fuses……what a difference!!
Another great review ! I really enjoy the content of the channel , both informative and fun to watch! I was waiting for this one ( james had preannounced it on previous videos ) cause i recently bought those for my new home studio project and I am pretty satisfied with their performance. Well the ATC comparison made me cry , but i'm keeping that overall is a good speaker for the price range , the cabinet structure is solid not causing any problems and that the bass reflection is fast and accurate ,so i think is good news for me cause i'm focusing producing EDM. I really liked the idea for the speakers !! Go for it! Keep up the good work!
I have the older non evo Alpha 65's, I bought them used some months ago both for the price of one new. I had the first gen m-Audio bx-8a till 2005 and moving to the Focal's that are faster and more analytical was a step up. But they have that resonance in the tweeter, very obvious on the bell of cymbals and on guitars etc. I miss the low end extension of the bx-8's and the airy highs, but mine had worn out rubbers around the cone and produced low mids from distorting the bass and even if they were at perfect shape, they are slow and v shaped, things that made mixing decisions difficult. Using both Focal's and m-audios simultaneously was a revelation. Having the m audios straight up and at lower volume and the Alpha's up side down so the tweeters where close to each other, made for a combo sounding like a much more expensive speaker. Low end that didn't need a sub and in phase. The different design of drivers compliment each other in a very nice way, faster behavior from the stiffer Focal's(woofer and the metal tweeter) , smoother from the softer bx (kevlar woofer and silk tweeter). The m audio extends the Focals and the Focals give precision to the m audios. But even if the m-audios where in perfect shape, there was a problem with phase from the tweeters not being in the same position, even if they get close, they only work at midfield distances. But the whole experiment gave me the idea of a speaker design using two different drivers and using different transient behavior to compliment each other. If they were no phase issues the result sounded amazingly natural, it reminded me a bit of a B&W 802 speaker I've heard years ago, something in a whole different category. If I would make one speaker it would have a 8 inch kevlar woofer, a stiffer polypropylene mid range and maybe a ribbon tweeter to combine the fast and open sounding combination. This are my thoughts after searching for a long time for monitors and after hearing that combination and some Adams (I was going for the a7 but didn't like that I would want a sub also, considering the price, but I loved the highs)
Thanks for not using Mark clearing his throat for comparison. And i was really surprised to hear such a clear difference at all, due to the YT algorithm. I guess to create something like that funded, you've gotta crowdfunding. That way you're able to get rid of a lot of the responsibility and I guess you wouldn't wanna collect money upfront, in case the project dies on its way. I'm excited to watch the entire process, should it come to that. Thanks again!
I really like the idea of making your own speakers. Something puristic and simply great sounding that leaves out all the unnecessary features. Speaking of features, digital inputs would be appreciated. Especially with Atmos systems in mind AES3 (AES/EBU) inputs seem to make more sense than analog inputs.
Good review, I had same experience, especially related guitar sound, so I used Sonarworks on these speakers and guitar sound is much better now, almost perfect at least to my ears :)
This video is a year old - we released the MUM-8 a year ago! www.presentdayproduction.com We are also pre-launching the MUM-6 exclusive to our Discord members first, it’ll hit the rest of the internet shortly www.presentdayproduction.com/discord
Be aware that the IN-8 (V1 at least) has a flaw in the power supply or amp. One of mine failed, and the used replacement was dead as well. I'm going on 2 weeks waiting for them to ship the new replacement amp I've already paid for. They're absolutely lovely speakers but I'll be replacing them as I need to get my work done, and customer service is far from ideal.
Interesting. For me this upper mid-range thingy was the whole reason I returned my new Focal Trio 11 BE after three weeks of intensive listening in my studio. Nice channel.
@@ofir5000 No, but I hear a lot of positive comments about them. The Focals were a bit of an unprepared and spontaneous purchase based upon stellar reviews on the net. The dealer that I got the Focals from also represents ATC here and I was able to audition the ATCs in a well treated room at my dealer. I did not feel the need to look/listen further after throwing some of my reference material at them. I also had the Focals in this room and the difference was not subtle. The ATCs kinda give me the same vibe and level of detail that I am used to in my living room without the harshness that I got from the Focals. Frankly I was kind of shocked how much difference there still is in this price bracket and above.
You could call the speaker series the "Flopcat speakers". That would be a really cool branding. And you could crowdfund the first production (like the Townsend mic guys did ... I bought two mics, when they were collecting money for the first round).
the alphas didn’t replace the cms series, they were a new entry level line. the shapes are the series that replaced the cms line. that being said your speaker line sounds interesting, kind of what buchardt audio are doing in the consumer space.
loved the FOCAL length joke :D thanks for all the effort you guys put into these reviews, much appreciated! also super excited about your own monitor line - until that becomes a reality: I'd love to hear your take on the Neumann KH 120 - have you guys heard it? what do you think?
I'm extremely interested in PDP monitors! My Kali IN-8's blew a power supply and I'm going on 2 weeks trying to get them to ship me the replacement amp I already purchased. I'll probably end up just stopping by a music shop in the morning and buying whatever they have so I can finally get back to work, as I've been editing and mixing in headphones and my old KRKs that whole time. If you guys can pull off an high quality (and reliable) monitor at a competitive price, count me in.
Please make a 3-way speaker for the price of awesome sounding 2-way (and I'm not talking about KRK's or Kali's). This is what the market is missing...a decent pair of 3-way monitors in the 2-way price range. If you "Cut out the middle man", this can easily be done. -3-way 6.5" woofer for home studios would be perfect (small rooms). -3-way 7' or 8" woofer would be the next best thing but then you're running the risk of loosing the home studio guys in smaller rooms..."Clarity" not loud is needed. -If you can add "Focus Mode" like in the Focal Trio6 and Trio11's would be a no brainer purchase. -Make them black for modern studio decor maybe with wood tasteful accents if you want a distinguishing look that separates you from everyone else...if it messes with the price, keep 'em black and use a distinguishing logo instead. OK...I know i'm pushing it here but, if you could find it in your hearts to produce both the 6.5" and 8" 3-way monitors so everyone could get a taste would be great!😁👍
I found this upper midrange harshness to be pretty consistent across the Focal range actually. I just came from doing a 4 hour comparison between ATC SCM25A Mk IIs, Focal Trio 6 and Trio 11s, Genelec 4351s and Barefoot Micromains (45s and 27s) The Focals immediately jumped out has sounding harsh and, like was said in the video, disjointed. All of the other speakers, while sounding quite different in character from each other, were all rich, pleasing and smooth, with open top ends and zero harshness to be found anywhere. I was really very surprised by this seeing how popular Focals are online... but there it is. BTW, I wasn't alone either, there were 4 of us, all experienced session musicians and engineers. We all heard the same thing. Go figure!
If flopcat is agreeing to put its name on something that contain a woffer then go ahead!! :) please explore the egg shape monitor concept. I’m a bit sad that MunroSonic closed its gates. Would like to see another company developing similar style monitors.
Please get a wiggle on guys. I'm just about to relocate my base from Austin TX to Charlottesville VA and will be probably be moving on from my trusty pair of Solo 6 Bes to a pair of SM25As. Should I wait? Keep on keeping on (and a stoke to FC please...) Pax!
I just wanna quick echo the comment that recommended “PDP” as the branding route. Personally, if you guys made a great monitor, I would probably be shouting from the rooftops that it was made by this great YT channel and say the whole channel name, but as with other aesthetic preferences I would beg of such a product, I lean heavily on that mindset of, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” 🤷🏼♂️😊 In any case, really looking forward to seeing how this venture turns out, and best of luck!
Nice idea. I'm making such setup with Adam speakers. But who knows))) Also, can you make a video about connecting and overal setup for 7.2.1 studio or home theater? Which reciever or sound interface better to use?
Great review! The Alpha 80 Evos are said to have more recessed mids than their smaller peers, have you got a chance to try them and see if they are more neutral than the 65s?
We haven’t heard them yet unfortunately. We only have the 65’s because we bought them ourselves but of course it gets expensive buying many pairs of speakers
I've been using the alpha 80 Evo for my "first" pair of monitors. The more time I spend listening to them and get used to the different mids, the more I like them. I compared to a cheap 5" pair and rokit rp8 Gen3. The focals Sound different, but better imo.
I d buy your speakers as i trust your always objective reviews. Weird to say but in all studio equipments available, studio monitors are my fav piece of kits, maybe a bit of a fetish haha but i find this is the backbone of every studio and too many ppl do not like speakers enough :) Never been a focal dude even though im from France, i find their speakers excellent used to listen to music for pure enjoyement but studio wise i always found they flatter music a bit too much for my taste making even mixes who are not there yet sound nice.
Yes very close, but yes no cigar, because I think all they need is a three way because the low end was excellent and the highs were good but you are right, they were missing that critical mid range which made them sound as you say "disjointed". I like the SPL and the 40hz, but can I get it in a near field size and a three way?
Wow, I wasn't sure I'd notice the difference on my cheap studio monitors, but yeah, I can totally hear the issues with the Alpha EVO 65's. This seems like more or less a deal breaker.
Great idea to release a PDP speakers, in the live video about speaker build etc was interesting. Maybe with collaboration with Jes kerr i could be convinced with the ported speaker design being good with transients. I currently use sealed passive speakers for mixing and i was immediately convinced of their precise sound (especially for hearing the texture of compression) and transfer ability to other systems. I have not tried any really expensive 800+ euro ported designs so I my opinion is very biased toward budget to semi professional(home studio) speakers. But maybe these could be the ones that convince me while being around the price of these focals. (or maybe cheaper??)
Where are you guys at with your project idea ? It’s been six months since posting. Did you made any progress? Dead curious what you have In mind. Would love to give a hand with marketing/branding/design etc.
was considering this but now I'm goddamn skeptical about it there is a company not well heard of called monkey banana and they have a monitor called silverback would love to see you do a review of these
I wonder what these sound like next the shape 65s because I love mine, I believe the shape series has the M shape aluminium tweeter so I imagine might not have the same midrange issue as these?
Can't really tell the difference. I have the Focal 65 Alpha pair, which I purchased around the time they were released. They sound great. Will not be replacing them anytime soon.
Strange... I have the alpha 50 (previous model) and the 3k peak is not appending at all. I did the Sound ID reference test and there is not such of peak. These are for my rear channel, my front are 3 twin6 be in my 5.1 setup. In my opinion the alpha 50 that I have is a fantastic deal for the money... but I didn't ear those new alpha 65...
Good review. Thank you for telling the truth and putting into words what I could not express. I like my 65 EVO....but....as you say....upper mids. Upper mid piano keys strikes are piercing and out of character with the rest of the speaker. I hate that. Everything else it's like a warm fuzzy blanket of happiness. The sound gets in your gut and gets you moving. I had the same issues with the Kali IN-8 V2. Both speakers have this SMALL spot thats just not right. The Kali's issue was a little lower right where male vocals are. They are both terrific speakers in their price range and I do enjoy mine but I'm still hunting in that sub 1k a pair price range. If I was stuck with the 65 forever I would still be happy, I just want a little bit more. Focal is soooo very close on this one.
Could you maybe put up a short vid of the original audio of that guitar track? Like straight off the desk, not re-recorded through the speakers. I'd rather like to be able to compare those two speakers recordings to the original through my monitors
We did this ages ago - they've been on sale since December! www.presentdayproduction.com/mum8 That's our 3-way flagship monitor but we're just about to release a 2-way too
OK, thank you sooo much. Definitely. I've been close to buying it... but I could die on that uper mids range fall. Any healthy alternative for guitarists on studio monitors? Thanks!
I have the EVO twins and I don't like the sound quality I am getting from the material used in the speaker. It looks cheap and doesn't have the normal focal sound I am use to hearing. I had a pair of the alpha's and thought that those were really good. I am thinking about selling the twins and getting an older pair of the solo's even though the bass would not be great. It would at least give me the mid range that I am use to hearing along with the highs.
I’ve been using the Focal 65 Evos for about six months on a wide range of genres (guitar-based rock to jazz choirs to pop to EDM). I find them to be extremely accurate and easy to use, and I haven’t noticed a particular harshness in the upper mids. (I’m sure I will now!) I find them more accurate and easier to mix on for longer sessions than my previous Yamaha HS80s. More accurate soundstage, especially front-to-back, smoother high-end, and much tighter/more accurate low end. They’re not the end-all be-all by any means, but they’re the best $300 monitors I’ve auditioned. Of course, YMMV. Thanks, gents, for the review!
Great
I agree. I just purchased the Adam A7V. They are very well balanced. But no depth, the sound is 2D. Pure mode sounds far better than the UNR mode which is for emulating discontinued models. Better option would be to emulate a hifi speaker. And the stereo image is better on the EVO and has more depth.
Have you heard crackling/distortion when only playing low piano notes?
Bought the Eve Audio SC305. Don't like em. Gonna get these for less!
Please make these speakers, we need more competition in this space. Your reviews absolutely give the credibility to be trustworthy
I am an old loudspeaker DIY fanatic. Of course you can build better speakers yourself than a commercial one. If you can count on a good engineer. It seems you have him, so go on and let us know.
I am not surprised about Focal tweeter aggressiveness. I remember a similar unit years ago (inverted dome) that was catastrophic for every human ear.
I think the same about Adam AMT units: their crossover should be punished by Amnesty International. Best wishes for your project, you guys do know what to do.
Hey, a crowdfunding campaign for the new speakers should do the job! You can also try to take preorders. Depending on the price I would consider preordering a pair myself. :)
Speaker idea: Speaker Kits! You can sell them with or without a knock down cabinet. It would be much less of an investment compared to producing a fully assembled speaker, which opens the door to doing a small 2 way and a larger 3 way? I'm in the states, so a kit without cabinet would be preferred. It'd save on shipping! I have a CNC router, so building a box is not an issue. I'd just need a drawing. (And a kit would be less likely to piss off Jes' distributors, since it doesn't directly compete with his other products. Sounds perfect to me!)
I'd love a kit, please do this 👍
@@ryanrowlandson9914 I Third that idea..Yes please
@@thewatchmanstudios6257 fourth'd
Hey guys! You finally got your hand on the PHocal 65evo. Spot on the review an getting the flaw of the upper midrange. I returned those monitors hence the midrange that was not allowing me to judge vocals on house music and my second issue was the actual tweeter that after few hours of mixing a track I’ve noticed a piercing annoying frequency coming at me that turned me off fatiguing my ears 👂! Keep up the good work-as always! 😀
Cheers! Thanks for watching and glad you found the review accurate and helpful!
@@PresentDayProduction 🥰
@@PresentDayProduction oh, and thank you for reading, hearting responding to comments. That’s what make a CZcams channel a successful place in participating as viewer and learner . So. thank You! 😀
What speaker did you actually decide to go with?
Just click the email. It’s all their videos. Insider I suspect.
The guitar based sample you provided was not an ideal example as the 2nd 4 bars (of each sample) were more intense than the first so that when the ATC clip finished the Focal clip came on with the first 4 less intense bars thus creating this jarring experience.
For what it's worth I back-to-backed each clip with the original (Heat Is My Middle Name) using the same high quality headphones and to be honest the Focal sample sounded closer. I played the first 4 bars against each other then the 2nd 4 bars the same then each against the original multiple times over and over.
The mids in the ATC sample were noticeably more subdued against the mix than in the focal sample, but also when compared to the original. I'd say for pure reproduction - in this case - given the limitations of CZcams, the Focals seem truer to the original. What was intended to demonstrate a negative appears to have revealed a positive.
Great point!
Another absolutely brilliant review! Also, great news re the speakers!!!!
A branded speaker actually sounds amazing! If you made it largely modular (separately available cabinets, amps and drivers) you could probably get into the diy as well as the hifi and pro audio market. That being said, a simple lineup of maybe a two and a three way would probably be easier to make. They should probably have a “studio monitor kind of form factor” because that’d be more affordable to produce, practical to position and easier to ship. Also, it’s probably what people expect from a scalable system anyways (a large ATC-style speaker would be much harder to position). I wouldn’t really worry about dsp. Having something like sonarworks onboard (like the new Adam A series) is great, but adds a ton of extra work in a completely new field that could be avoided by just using the application on your PC and might not even be desired by a lot of potential customers. It would probably make sense to just use two driver sizes. One smaller for atmos use, one larger for main monitor/stereo/what have you.
Oh wow this turned out a bit all over the place again, didn’t it? Anyhow, I really love the idea of doing branded professional level speakers with a, say, more limited marketing budget. We’ve seen with Kali, what can be achieved by cutting down on unnecessary costs and I think teaming up with Kerr might actually result in *the* best bang for the buck option available. I am definitely interested in supporting this project. I’ve said this already and I’ll say it again: To me personally, your channel is currently the best source for really in depth, interesting and still entertaining music production content! I am really looking forward to this channels and community’s future!
Thanks for your compliments at the end of the comment, much appreciated! Keep an eye out for more info on the speakers some time soon!
Yes to PD(s)Pkerrs. I've been spoiled by my ATCs for pushing 30 years, and I wouldn't mind another pair of neutral 2-way speakers with tight bass. Unprofessional level pricing would be a bonus.
Thank you for reviewing these for us. I'm stoked to see what you guys can come up with
Can't wait to see how your PDP monitor idea develops! Great video guys, was considering these Focals before watching this
PDP Speakers - Do it, just DO IT! There is actually a huge gap in the market place and too many crappy 'monitors' out there that use super cheap components. I know from working in hifi that MDF is just horrible sounding, plywood is way superior.
Tell you what, you can buy me a pair and I'll review them, ensuring super absolutely watertight unbiased opinions, 2 times detached from the manufacturer. I promise I won't disappear at all. But seriously, great work guys, super great to see unsponsored opinions
you should call your new speaker company 'Purr Acoustic' and the back of your new speakers you should definitely include 'Flop, Purr and Meow' room adjustment controls
I've been mixing on my 65 now for about a year and they have improved my mixing tremendously. I found it funny that the comparison, the ATC seemed to have a much wider stereo image. The evo 65 almost sounded like they were in mono. Maybe I'm wrong but man they sounded completely different from one another. Just saying. I will say to anyone who reads this. The Focal Evo 65 are well worth the money. I wouldn't let this video cloud your decision. I mainly mix guitar rock songs and have had many people say my guitar tones are excellent.
i absolutly agree with you, they are amazing, i mix now 1.5 year on it.
It is only right to compare it with one of best speakers (ATC) out there, since those are the baseline for true studio monitoring. These speakers are pure trash, as expected in this price range.
@@daniel-rrr wow what a monitor snob 😉 Focal Evo 65 shouldn't even come close to a $2000,00 dollar monitor. That's complete nonsense to compare them. And again if you listen to the video there's something not right about the audio. The audio for the Focal's seems to be in mono, you can hear it narrow. What matters to me are two things sound quality and price point. That for me and as well for many many others, they work. I can't see or understand the need to buy very high quality expensive monitos for a bedroom studio. If I was to build a real studio then yes I can understand the need for a super super high end monitor. But for now the Focal Evo 65 are my monitor of choice and I'm damn proud to say it 😉 The snob thing above just a joke. Have fun recording and mixing..
@@3dogrecordingstudio628 I'm not a monitor snob, in fact, I could not care less about speakers if they weren't such a huge factor in professional mixing and mastering and I would not have listened to a pair of ATC's myself after shooting myself in the foot again and again with budget "monitoring" speakers for years. I had Yamaha HS7, HS8, KRK, Focal CMS, Adam X line, you name it. Recently I have listened to Neumann KH120's too after a friend's recommendation, which are quite ok, but still not trustworthy imo. I suggest you go in to a retailer nearby where you can listen to said speakers in an atleast a semi-pro environment and start playing around with delicate settings on ATC's (like compression attack, release, reverb pre-delay, etc) and then try the same on budget trash right after. That's what I did.
At the end of the day your studio monitors should be your biggest source of truth when it comes to mixing and when I see brands like Focal and Adam package 35$ drivers as "studio monitors" I am, indeed, very pissed off, but at the same time relieved, since I know that while I'm working on real monitors others are slaving away and not progressing at all by not hearing what exactly they are doing on their tracks. I'm sorry if this offends you, but that's the reality, and that's why you don't see these budget speakers anywhere near pro studios (for mixing and mastering at least).
@@daniel-rrr if you could tell me how to realistically raise funds for a pair of high quality studio monitors; then please do go ahead and I won't buy these.
For me, like others, I can't afford a crazy amount of money, so a LARGE portion of the industry are stuck in this $1,000 a pair price bracket wether they like it or not.
So you've got to understand its not that people are buying this out of choice, it's that we're budgeted.
And to be honest you can't say you're not a snob and then do a direct comparison of you vs "everyone else" that uses budget equipment and how "they're not progressing" because they arent using insane quality monitors. That's a load of crap imo!
I certainly understand the love of three-way, large mains for studio work. I however, do not do studio work, but I have a pair of immaculate aDs 910s, which were made originally and used as studio mains. They work really well for home use, with potent bass output from the dual-10" drivers, built into their own enclosures inside the cabinets, thus the 100lb/each weight.( 130lbs with the original stands included ) But the best part of the 910s is the domed mids/tweeters which was used throughout their 3-way loudspeaker, L-series. Wondrous mids erupt from the small 2" domed drivers. The 910s are very neutral with slightly laid-back highs, something I found I preferred with my first aDs loudspeakers, the much smaller L810s ( smaller cab with dual-8" bass drivers and the same mids/tweets as the 910s. )
Being sealed cabs, placement is easier than some other speakers, but getting proper soundstage is a bit harder to achieve, but doable. The aDs 910s are my end-gamers since I could never afford new speakers with the same output. I only use a single amp to power them, and ditched the offered bi/tri-amp cards for use in the x-overs, instead getting the cards for the optional meters on the fronts. Current hogs, they're fairly efficient @ 93db. 28htz-25khtz fr. They love the Adcom 555's ( I have two ) and are at their best with the NAD 208, a monster two-channel mosfet-filled amplifier, feeding 425wpc @ the 910's 4ohm loads.
I support the new venture. Please proceed.
Supplying a design for DIY designed speakers sounds like a great idea. I'm pretty handy with electronics and a soldering iron, so it would be a rewarding experience to say 'look what I made everyone!', and have the high quality at a more affordable price.
I would also recommend a crowd funding campaign to get things started. But as for the actual speakers, I'm not sure whether a "Kit" proposal would really be a deal maker (people might end up arguing because they assembled it incorrectly,...). However having a common cabinet design that would welcome different sizes /choices of drivers (5, 6 or 8 inches) could be interesting and could also bring down development and assembly costs.
The speaker idea sounds (forgive the pun) brilliant.
T-shirt idea: "Driven into Distortion". Mark said it, obviously.. Add a funny picture to go along with it and you're set.
I was using B&Ws 602 and now I have Focal alfa 80…never before heard anything like that…so many details.
Audio Science tested these and gave them a glowing review. No harsh peak at 3K. But they did have a defective tweeter on the first attempt at reviewing them.
Didn't you find the comparison part out of sorts? I found the ATC's seemed to have a better stereo image and when it switched to the Focals they seemed almost mono. It just seemed strange. I love my 65.
Great video (and cheeky). I agree with your "once you've heard them you can't go back" comment. I recently picked up a pair of Event Opals that I've been lusting after for ~10 years and my god do they sound good. I'd be really keen to see what you guys come up with in association with Jes.
Does event still make those opals or do you rely on 2nd hand speakers?
I would be interested in a proper self powered three-way Nearfield monitor. There are so many self powered Two-Ways on the market that are harsh in the mids and have poor Helmholtz resonator implementation. Good luck on it and thanks for the videos
I support this!!
I have a pair of Alpha 65 (s) and scrapped off that nasty “rubber pad” on the sides! Sounds much better. Planning to replace the plastic with real wood siding. Have since upgraded to the synergistic ORANGE fuses……what a difference!!
Another great review ! I really enjoy the content of the channel , both informative and fun to watch!
I was waiting for this one ( james had preannounced it on previous videos ) cause i recently bought those for my new home studio project and I am pretty satisfied with their performance.
Well the ATC comparison made me cry , but i'm keeping that overall is a good speaker for the price range , the cabinet structure is solid not causing any problems and that the bass reflection is fast and accurate ,so i think is good news for me cause i'm focusing producing EDM.
I really liked the idea for the speakers !! Go for it!
Keep up the good work!
I have the older non evo Alpha 65's, I bought them used some months ago both for the price of one new. I had the first gen m-Audio bx-8a till 2005 and moving to the Focal's that are faster and more analytical was a step up. But they have that resonance in the tweeter, very obvious on the bell of cymbals and on guitars etc. I miss the low end extension of the bx-8's and the airy highs, but mine had worn out rubbers around the cone and produced low mids from distorting the bass and even if they were at perfect shape, they are slow and v shaped, things that made mixing decisions difficult.
Using both Focal's and m-audios simultaneously was a revelation. Having the m audios straight up and at lower volume and the Alpha's up side down so the tweeters where close to each other, made for a combo sounding like a much more expensive speaker. Low end that didn't need a sub and in phase. The different design of drivers compliment each other in a very nice way, faster behavior from the stiffer Focal's(woofer and the metal tweeter) , smoother from the softer bx (kevlar woofer and silk tweeter). The m audio extends the Focals and the Focals give precision to the m audios. But even if the m-audios where in perfect shape, there was a problem with phase from the tweeters not being in the same position, even if they get close, they only work at midfield distances.
But the whole experiment gave me the idea of a speaker design using two different drivers and using different transient behavior to compliment each other. If they were no phase issues the result sounded amazingly natural, it reminded me a bit of a B&W 802 speaker I've heard years ago, something in a whole different category.
If I would make one speaker it would have a 8 inch kevlar woofer, a stiffer polypropylene mid range and maybe a ribbon tweeter to combine the fast and open sounding combination. This are my thoughts after searching for a long time for monitors and after hearing that combination and some Adams (I was going for the a7 but didn't like that I would want a sub also, considering the price, but I loved the highs)
That A/B test blew my mind then I saw it was 500 vs 33000 , now I’m sad 😂
Thanks for not using Mark clearing his throat for comparison. And i was really surprised to hear such a clear difference at all, due to the YT algorithm.
I guess to create something like that funded, you've gotta crowdfunding. That way you're able to get rid of a lot of the responsibility and I guess you wouldn't wanna collect money upfront, in case the project dies on its way.
I'm excited to watch the entire process, should it come to that.
Thanks again!
I immediately recognized the issue tho but since I'm not producing i guess i can live with it
I personally would definitely contribute to a Kickstarter for speakers designed by you guys, do it!!
Making your speakers? Excellent idea, mates!
Great video guys! If you design an active nearfield thing, put the power switch in the front!
Great idea on the branded speaker
I'd buy me Flopcats without hesitation!!!
Affordable and leading class? Yes I’m interested 😃
I really like the idea of making your own speakers. Something puristic and simply great sounding that leaves out all the unnecessary features. Speaking of features, digital inputs would be appreciated. Especially with Atmos systems in mind AES3 (AES/EBU) inputs seem to make more sense than analog inputs.
Good review, I had same experience, especially related guitar sound, so I used Sonarworks on these speakers and guitar sound is much better now, almost perfect at least to my ears :)
Sounds good, I'd be interested
Go for it!
Your speaker? Yes, please!
This video is a year old - we released the MUM-8 a year ago!
www.presentdayproduction.com
We are also pre-launching the MUM-6 exclusive to our Discord members first, it’ll hit the rest of the internet shortly
www.presentdayproduction.com/discord
Congrats for the good work! Please review Kali in-8, it has unique characteristics that we would like to know if they work as they say!
Thank you
Be aware that the IN-8 (V1 at least) has a flaw in the power supply or amp. One of mine failed, and the used replacement was dead as well. I'm going on 2 weeks waiting for them to ship the new replacement amp I've already paid for. They're absolutely lovely speakers but I'll be replacing them as I need to get my work done, and customer service is far from ideal.
Yes Very interested
Interesting. For me this upper mid-range thingy was the whole reason I returned my new Focal Trio 11 BE after three weeks of intensive listening in my studio.
Nice channel.
What are you getting instead?
@@ofir5000 I did get the ATC SCM 50ASLPro instead. I have them for a year now and I am very happy.
@@nucleus1701 you tried Genelec Ones?
@@ofir5000 No, but I hear a lot of positive comments about them.
The Focals were a bit of an unprepared and spontaneous purchase based upon stellar reviews on the net.
The dealer that I got the Focals from also represents ATC here and I was able to audition the ATCs in a well treated room at my dealer. I did not feel the need to look/listen further after throwing some of my reference material at them. I also had the Focals in this room and the difference was not subtle. The ATCs kinda give me the same vibe and level of detail that I am used to in my living room without the harshness that I got from the Focals. Frankly I was kind of shocked how much difference there still is in this price bracket and above.
You could call the speaker series the "Flopcat speakers". That would be a really cool branding. And you could crowdfund the first production (like the Townsend mic guys did ... I bought two mics, when they were collecting money for the first round).
the alphas didn’t replace the cms series, they were a new entry level line. the shapes are the series that replaced the cms line. that being said your speaker line sounds interesting, kind of what buchardt audio are doing in the consumer space.
wow, these news are pretty interesting!
loved the FOCAL length joke :D
thanks for all the effort you guys put into these reviews, much appreciated!
also super excited about your own monitor line - until that becomes a reality: I'd love to hear your take on the Neumann KH 120 - have you guys heard it? what do you think?
I’ll give you my take. One dead out of the box. End of review.
Well wadded. I'm using that as a pejorative from now on.
My biggest monitor requests:
Ribbon or Metal Tweeters
Customizable Colors
Custom Woofers
Definitely go for your own branded design!
This idea of making your own speakers is really cool! I wonder how this 65 compare to other monitors in this price range like yamaha hs8 or adam t8v.
check "DSAUDIOreview" its already on there.
They do sound way bigger than they are, the midfield comment makes total sense
I bet there was at least one outtake with "
Faecal".
Damn your video quality is insane.
Thank you!
I'm extremely interested in PDP monitors! My Kali IN-8's blew a power supply and I'm going on 2 weeks trying to get them to ship me the replacement amp I already purchased. I'll probably end up just stopping by a music shop in the morning and buying whatever they have so I can finally get back to work, as I've been editing and mixing in headphones and my old KRKs that whole time. If you guys can pull off an high quality (and reliable) monitor at a competitive price, count me in.
Definitely do a PDP speaker? Cant you just have a Kickstarter project and take orders? Could it be somewhat self assembly to save costs?
Please make a 3-way speaker for the price of awesome sounding 2-way (and I'm not talking about KRK's or Kali's). This is what the market is missing...a decent pair of 3-way monitors in the 2-way price range. If you "Cut out the middle man", this can easily be done.
-3-way 6.5" woofer for home studios would be perfect (small rooms).
-3-way 7' or 8" woofer would be the next best thing but then you're running the risk of loosing the home studio guys in smaller rooms..."Clarity" not loud is needed.
-If you can add "Focus Mode" like in the Focal Trio6 and Trio11's would be a no brainer purchase.
-Make them black for modern studio decor maybe with wood tasteful accents if you want a distinguishing look that separates you from everyone else...if it messes with the price, keep 'em black and use a distinguishing logo instead.
OK...I know i'm pushing it here but, if you could find it in your hearts to produce both the 6.5" and 8" 3-way monitors so everyone could get a taste would be great!😁👍
I found this upper midrange harshness to be pretty consistent across the Focal range actually.
I just came from doing a 4 hour comparison between ATC SCM25A Mk IIs, Focal Trio 6 and Trio 11s, Genelec 4351s and Barefoot Micromains (45s and 27s) The Focals immediately jumped out has sounding harsh and, like was said in the video, disjointed. All of the other speakers, while sounding quite different in character from each other, were all rich, pleasing and smooth, with open top ends and zero harshness to be found anywhere. I was really very surprised by this seeing how popular Focals are online... but there it is.
BTW, I wasn't alone either, there were 4 of us, all experienced session musicians and engineers. We all heard the same thing.
Go figure!
Definitely interested in a pair of Present Day Speakers.
My original alpha 65's are coming today, I prefer them to this Evo range tbh sound & style wise the Evo just doesn't cut it for me. 👍🏿
If flopcat is agreeing to put its name on something that contain a woffer then go ahead!! :) please explore the egg shape monitor concept. I’m a bit sad that MunroSonic closed its gates. Would like to see another company developing similar style monitors.
HI AL!!! any recommendations for a better monitor for rock and guitar-based music? thanks!
Honest review here!
Please get a wiggle on guys. I'm just about to relocate my base from Austin TX to Charlottesville VA and will be probably be moving on from my trusty pair of Solo 6 Bes to a pair of SM25As. Should I wait? Keep on keeping on (and a stoke to FC please...) Pax!
Please go ahead with the speaker idea! Sounds like a great idea.
I just wanna quick echo the comment that recommended “PDP” as the branding route. Personally, if you guys made a great monitor, I would probably be shouting from the rooftops that it was made by this great YT channel and say the whole channel name, but as with other aesthetic preferences I would beg of such a product, I lean heavily on that mindset of, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” 🤷🏼♂️😊 In any case, really looking forward to seeing how this venture turns out, and best of luck!
It’s going to be fun, for sure!
Great review as ever. Can you guys review the SP Acoustics SP1M (SOS: "Probably the best monitor in the world...") and/or the Klasik 2020?
Nice idea. I'm making such setup with Adam speakers. But who knows))) Also, can you make a video about connecting and overal setup for 7.2.1 studio or home theater? Which reciever or sound interface better to use?
Great review! The Alpha 80 Evos are said to have more recessed mids than their smaller peers, have you got a chance to try them and see if they are more neutral than the 65s?
We haven’t heard them yet unfortunately. We only have the 65’s because we bought them ourselves but of course it gets expensive buying many pairs of speakers
@@PresentDayProduction It strikes me how few reviews are on the 80s but I guess that's because it's a newer model.
I've been using the alpha 80 Evo for my "first" pair of monitors. The more time I spend listening to them and get used to the different mids, the more I like them.
I compared to a cheap 5" pair and rokit rp8 Gen3.
The focals Sound different, but better imo.
I d buy your speakers as i trust your always objective reviews. Weird to say but in all studio equipments available, studio monitors are my fav piece of kits, maybe a bit of a fetish haha but i find this is the backbone of every studio and too many ppl do not like speakers enough :) Never been a focal dude even though im from France, i find their speakers excellent used to listen to music for pure enjoyement but studio wise i always found they flatter music a bit too much for my taste making even mixes who are not there yet sound nice.
Take my money now.............Hell yeah.
Yes very close, but yes no cigar, because I think all they need is a three way because the low end was excellent and the highs were good but you are right, they were missing that critical mid range which made them sound as you say "disjointed". I like the SPL and the 40hz, but can I get it in a near field size and a three way?
Would love to see you produce your own speaker line… 🎉🎉🎉
Sounds great about building your own speakers i would be interested for my Atmos room
The BEST Studio Monitor We Have EVER Used!!
czcams.com/video/SGkBvAnWR_0/video.html
my enclosures actually make a physical popping noise. I guess when they heat up a bit. Is this normal?
They are great speakers for the price
Wow, I wasn't sure I'd notice the difference on my cheap studio monitors, but yeah, I can totally hear the issues with the Alpha EVO 65's. This seems like more or less a deal breaker.
Great idea to release a PDP speakers, in the live video about speaker build etc was interesting. Maybe with collaboration with Jes kerr i could be convinced with the ported speaker design being good with transients. I currently use sealed passive speakers for mixing and i was immediately convinced of their precise sound (especially for hearing the texture of compression) and transfer ability to other systems. I have not tried any really expensive 800+ euro ported designs so I my opinion is very biased toward budget to semi professional(home studio) speakers. But maybe these could be the ones that convince me while being around the price of these focals. (or maybe cheaper??)
Where are you guys at with your project idea ? It’s been six months since posting. Did you made any progress? Dead curious what you have In mind. Would love to give a hand with marketing/branding/design etc.
Oh yes, we’ve done lots! Check these videos out:
czcams.com/play/PLZTEvhVjBPsrKXRJHJU219We_W-k2Mze_.html
(A few changes since then but mostly there!)
was considering this but now I'm goddamn skeptical about it
there is a company not well heard of called monkey banana and they have a monitor called silverback would love to see you do a review of these
I really enjoy your presentations. They're both informative and entertaining. Keep the content coming!
Thank you John!
I wonder what these sound like next the shape 65s because I love mine, I believe the shape series has the M shape aluminium tweeter so I imagine might not have the same midrange issue as these?
Can't really tell the difference. I have the Focal 65 Alpha pair, which I purchased around the time they were released. They sound great. Will not be replacing them anytime soon.
Would be interested in the PresentDayProduction speakers. Maybe do a kick starter to get initial funding?
Strange... I have the alpha 50 (previous model) and the 3k peak is not appending at all. I did the Sound ID reference test and there is not such of peak. These are for my rear channel, my front are 3 twin6 be in my 5.1 setup. In my opinion the alpha 50 that I have is a fantastic deal for the money... but I didn't ear those new alpha 65...
I'd try PDP speakers in a heartbeat. But who would I trust to review them?
FlopCat
Good review. Thank you for telling the truth and putting into words what I could not express. I like my 65 EVO....but....as you say....upper mids. Upper mid piano keys strikes are piercing and out of character with the rest of the speaker. I hate that. Everything else it's like a warm fuzzy blanket of happiness. The sound gets in your gut and gets you moving. I had the same issues with the Kali IN-8 V2. Both speakers have this SMALL spot thats just not right. The Kali's issue was a little lower right where male vocals are. They are both terrific speakers in their price range and I do enjoy mine but I'm still hunting in that sub 1k a pair price range. If I was stuck with the 65 forever I would still be happy, I just want a little bit more. Focal is soooo very close on this one.
Thanks for the review guys. Out of interest, what monitors in the same price bracket would you recommend for guitar-based stuff?
Probably any of the Adam range, but you really need to try before you buy if you can!
WOW YESSS
¿Qué tan bien sonarán los CMS de Focal con respecto su serie alpha actual? Actualmente son mucho más asequibles.
Could you maybe put up a short vid of the original audio of that guitar track? Like straight off the desk, not re-recorded through the speakers. I'd rather like to be able to compare those two speakers recordings to the original through my monitors
Direct selling product I'm all for it! Hurry up and make some focal destroyers
We did this ages ago - they've been on sale since December!
www.presentdayproduction.com/mum8
That's our 3-way flagship monitor but we're just about to release a 2-way too
Amazing video! But I watched the other videos and you guys did mods to the other speaker but not this one. Does that mean it doesn’t need a mod??
OK, thank you sooo much. Definitely. I've been close to buying it... but I could die on that uper mids range fall. Any healthy alternative for guitarists on studio monitors?
Thanks!
i am very curious to listen to your speaker. nice channel btw
I have the EVO twins and I don't like the sound quality I am getting from the material used in the speaker. It looks cheap and doesn't have the normal focal sound I am use to hearing. I had a pair of the alpha's and thought that those were really good. I am thinking about selling the twins and getting an older pair of the solo's even though the bass would not be great. It would at least give me the mid range that I am use to hearing along with the highs.