Focal CHORUS 800 W User Manual page 6

CHORUS 800 W
U s e r m a n u a l
6
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.
Positioning
The Chorus 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.
• 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
User instructions
The sound rendition of the Chorus loudspeaker depends strongly upon the listening room's acoustics, the place of the
loudspeakers and the listening area. These factors can be modified in order to correct or enhance a desired effect.
Should the soundstage be im-precise or not centred, try to move the loudspeakers closer to each other.
Harsh or aggressive sound means that your listening room is probably too reflective. Try to use any absorbing materials
(such as tapestries, sofa, wall coverings, curtains...) combined with reflective materials to absorb or diffuse resonances.
Should the sound be "flat" or muffled, there are too many absorbing materials in the listening room. The sound
appears to be closed-in, with a narrow stereophonic image. Try to find a better compromise between absorbing and
reflective materials within your listening room.
Generally the wall to the rear of the speakers should be made up of reflective materials so that the sound image exhibits
satisfying volume and width. On the contrary the wall on the rear of the listener should be absorbing in order to avoid
reflections damaging the perception of the stereo soundstage. These reflections may limit the impression of depth of the
sound image. Furniture, such as bookshelves should be ideally placed along the side walls in order to diffuse sound waves
and to prevent some frequencies from being amplified, especially in vocal range (it removes "flutter echo").