Focal CHORUS 826 W User Manual

Chorus "826 W" user manual

Thank you for choosing this
Chorus W loudspeakers. We are
pleased to share with you our
philosophy : “the Spirit of Sound”.
These high-performance speakers
feature the latest technical
developments from Focal in terms
of speaker design, whether it is
for high fidelity or home theater
systems. In order to (make the
most of these speakers) enjoy the
maximum of their performance,
we advise you to read this user’s
manual and to keep it carefully so
that you can consult it later.

Running-in period

The drivers used in the Chorus W
loudspeaker are complex mechanical
devices and require an run-in
period before they deliver their best
performance. They must get adapted
to the temperature and humidity
conditions of their environment. This
breaking-in period depends on the
encountered conditions and can last
several weeks. In order to shorten
this period, we advise you to let your
loudspeakers operate for about twenty
hours.
Once the components of the
loudspeakers are completelystabilized,
it is possible to enjoy the real
performance of your loudspeakers.

Included inside:

• 1 x loudspeaker

• 1 x user manual

• 1 x micro-fiber cloth

• 1 x key for spikes

• 1 x aluminum base

• 4 screws for base + key

The Focal-JMlab guarantee
only applies if the enclosed
guarantee card is returned to
us within 10 days of purchase.

Specifications
The aluminum/magnesium alloy
TNV inverted dome tweeter®: the

tweeter of the Chorus V benefits from
the inverted dome technology, which
is exclusive to Focal. It allows optimal
energy transfer and wide dispersion.
The aluminum /magnesium alloy
making up of the dome guarantees
exceptional performances in terms of
stiffness and damping thus ensuring
a subtle blend of softness and
dynamics.

«W» cone (midrange and woofer) :

technology of «W» composite cone is a
Focal patent. «W» means «Verre-Verre»,
because of the 2 glass leafs affixed to
both sides of a structural foam.This is
the latest «W» cone’s upgrades : new
proportioning of glass leaf, new foam
thickness.

OPC® (optimum phase crossover):

phase optimization for a precise,
natural and stable soundstage and
image.

Braced precision MDF cabinets,
non parallel inner wall structure:

rigid cabinets without any internal
resonance for lower coloration.

Powerflow system :

Powerful bass.

Highly efficient acoustic wadding:

excellent internal damping, deeper
and tighter bass.

Highly reliable input sockets.
Decoupling spikes.

Français page 5

Focal-JMlab® - BP 374 - 108, rue de l'Avenir - 42353 La Talaudière cedex - France - www.focal-fr.com

Due to constant technological advances, Focal reserves its right to modify specifications without notice. Images may not conform exactly to specific product.

Tel. [phone] - Fax [phone]

A B

C D

E F

02

installation

Connections

The Chorus input sockets ensure
reliable multipurpose connections
for stripped cables as well as for
plugs. The “banana” terminals are
obstructed in order to comply with
electrical standards currently in force
in several countries. Make sure not to
remove the plastic safety lids.
It is imperative to respect the connector
polarity of both the loudspeaker
and amplifier. The positive terminal
“+” must be connected to the
corresponding (matching) amplifier’s
terminal and the negative terminal
“-“ to the negative terminal (fig. A).
Stereo image, soundstaging and
bass perception would be seriously
compromised if these conditions were
not respected.

Magnetic disturbance

In home theater systems, the magnetic
radiation of the loudspeakers must be
taken into consideration.
With the exception of the center
speakers which are fully magnetically
shielded, all other Chorus W
loudspeakers generate a magnetic
leak that can interfere with household
appliances, some of which are
sensitive to this phenomenon. It is
strongly advised not to place front
loudspeakers closer than 50cm to
your TV screen.
Frame geometry as well as colours can
be severely distorted by a magnetic
field if the loudspeaker is placed to
close to the TV. In case of problems,
some TV screens (or computer
monitor) feature a degauss control,
but not systematically (fig. B).

Positioning

The Chorus W loudspeakers have
been engineered to deliver the most
faithful sound reproduction, whether
they are used for music or home
cinema. In order to enhance their
performance, to guarantee a high
quality of listening, sound image and
tone balance, it is important to note
the following basic rules.

The listening area must be located
at the summit of an equilateral
triangle whose two other points

of insertion are determined by the
position of each speaker. Nevertheless
it is possible to modify these distances
to find an ideal compromise
according to the particular disposition
of the room (fig. C).
Each loudspeaker must be placed
at the same height and on the same
floor plan. The tweeter should be at
the same height as the listener’s ear,
when the listener is in their usual
listening area (fig. D).

Avoid placing the loudspeakers
too close to the room’s corners
or walls. This will induce some

unwanted room resonance and
artificially increase bass response. On
the contrary, if the bass level proves to
be insufficient, it is possible to move
the speakers closer to the walls to
adjust the bass level (fig. E).

Optimization

For perfectionist people, we will give
an optimum positioning rule:
If A is the determined distance
between the floor and the middle of
the two woofers (X), C is the distance
between X and the side or back wall,
then the distance B is found with the
equation B2 = AC.

Accessories

The Chorus 826 W include four
decoupling spikes (cones). The spikes
are adjustable in height with the
supplied key. This key can be reserved
for future use in a small housing
behind the grille after installation and
optimization.

Installation of spike caps

• Example:

The woofer center is at 50cm from
the floor (A= 50cm). We decide
that the distance between X and the
side wall will be 72cm (C = 72cm),
the loudspeaker will then have to be
placed at 60cm from the back wall.

B2= 50 x 72 = 3600 (fig. F).

B = √3600 = 60cm

03

fine tune

Mounting the aluminum base

Fixing the 4 screws with the supplied
key as indicated.

User precautions

The TNV tweeter is made up of a
relatively soft aluminum/magnesium
alloy and has a “shape memory”
that enables it to rapidly take its initial
shape again after slight impacts.
However we advise you not to remove
the speaker grille in order to keep the
dome protected. If the dome surface
is damaged, tweeter performance
may be compromised.
As the loudspeaker’s covering
materials are strong, scratch- and
stain-resistant, maintenance is easy
and consists only in cleaning the
covering with a dry cloth. If the
enclosure is stained, we simply
recommend the use of a damp cloth.
Never use any solvents, detergents,
alcohol or corrosive products, scrap­pers or scouring powder to clean the
surface of the loudspeaker.
Avoid placing the loudspeakers near
a heat source.

About amplifiers

Contrary to what one might think, it
is not a too powerful amplifier that
might damage a loudspeaker, but
rather a lack of power. Actually if the
output level of the amplifier is too high
it will saturate and distort which will
irremediably damage the tweeter.
The power handling and frequency
response of the Chorus loudspeakers
is good enough to highlight the
qualities or weak points of the
amplifiers they are combined with. Let
your retailer help you make the right
choice, matching your personal taste
and budget.

Characteristics

Cable

Don’t underestimate the importance
of the cable: make sure you chose the
appropriate section and length. Let
your retailer advise you.

Conditions of guarantee

All Focal loudspeakers are covered
by guarantee drawn up by the official
Focal-JMlab distributor in your
country. Your distributor can provide
all details concerning the conditions
of guarantee. Guarantee cover
extends at least to that granted by the
legal guarantee in force in the country
where the original purchase invoice
was issued.

Type 3-way bass-reflex floorstanding

loudspeaker

Drivers Two 6

1/2

" (16.5cm) W woofers

1/2

6

" (16.5cm) W midrange
1" (25mm) TNV Al/Mg inverted
dome tweeter

Frequency response (+/- 3dB) 45Hz - 28kHz

Low frequency point (- 6dB) 37Hz

Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 91.5dB

Nom. impedance 8 ohms

Minimum impedance (@25°C) 2.9 ohms @ 118Hz

Max. power handling. 220W

Power RMS 150W

Crossover frequency 300Hz / 3kHz

7/8"

1/8

3/4

x11

"x14

Dimensions (HxWxD) 40

"

(1038x282x375mm)

Net weight 56.8lbs (25.8kg)

Your Focal product was developed and manufactured with high-quality materials and components which can
be recycled and/or re-used. This symbol indicates that electrical and electronic equipment must be disposed of
separately from normal garbage at the end of its operational lifetime.Please dispose of this product by bringing
it to your local collection point or recycling centre for such equipment. This will help to protect the environment

04

in which we all live.