Focals or Rainbows
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Bronze Member Username: HomegrowncamWatauga, TX United States Post Number: 65 Registered: Jan-05 | I am trying to decide on between the 2 brands tos witch to.I can find dealers of Focal but I can't find any on Rainbow.Does anybody know any dealers of them or where to order them from? |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 4713 Registered: May-04 | Alumapro is who distributes Rainbow now, do a search for your nearest Alumapro dealer (MAKE SURE to call them ahead of time, as many dealers carry just their capacitors, or just their subs). Online, only place I've seen is www.speedsound.com |
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Bronze Member Username: HomegrowncamWatauga, TX United States Post Number: 66 Registered: Jan-05 | Awesome thanks alot! |
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Platinum Member Username: GlasswolfWisteria, Lane USA Post Number: 10039 Registered: Dec-03 | and I'd go rainbow over focal in a heartbeat myself, but it really depends on what you like in sound. |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 4714 Registered: May-04 | Yeah, the Platinums slaughter the Utopias in every way I can imagine  |
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Silver Member Username: Bnd_rulezPhoenix, AZ USA Post Number: 853 Registered: Mar-05 | Slaughter is such a graphic word, and it really drives the point across well. |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 4718 Registered: May-04 | "Slaughter is such a graphic word, and it really drives the point across well." I used it intentionally |
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Gold Member Username: InvainMichigan United States Post Number: 3625 Registered: Aug-04 | There's really that much difference? Or is it somewhat preference... Jon, in what way do the Platinums slaughter the Utopias? I'm just curios. |
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Silver Member Username: Lil_jonPost Number: 110 Registered: Jul-05 | platnums i heard are 2gs Im thinking on the Profi Vanadium Kick Bass 3ways for 1g and i will think long and hard as thats alot of money |
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Platinum Member Username: GlasswolfWisteria, Lane USA Post Number: 10105 Registered: Dec-03 | very good speakers as wel. |
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Bronze Member Username: HomegrowncamWatauga, TX United States Post Number: 67 Registered: Jan-05 | What about dynaudio? |
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Gold Member Username: Basshead86Ocala, FL USA Post Number: 1059 Registered: Aug-05 | "What about dynaudio?" that's what both Glass and Jonathan have in their setup, the Dynaudio System 360. |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 4723 Registered: May-04 | "Jon, in what way do the Platinums slaughter the Utopias? I'm just curios." Basically, I'll tell you my gripes with the Utopias. Midbass driver is punchy and has a lot of output down low, but it isn't quite as natural as others. Midrange is clear and liquid sounding, but lacks a little bit of clarity and refinement, it also needs some tuning to straighten out peaks and dips in the midrange. Sets like Dynaudio and Rainbow are more transparent and have a more balanced sound, they tend to bring out nuances more effectively. Focals are more forward, with a punchier sound to them. The tweeter, you either love it or hate it. I initially liked it, now I can't stand it. While being one of the most detailed tweeters out there, the inverted dome has weird dispersion characteristics and the tweeter is a PITA to get sounding right, it isn't that dynamic unless it's on axis. Midbass drivers off axis and tweeters on axis don't tend to blend well, so you usually have to meet in the middle somewhere and sacrifice something in the average vehicle. Powerhandling of the tweeter sucks and the tweeter gets aggressive when crossed over lower, requiring tuning to get that right. The Platinums are just a better balanced set IMO. The tweeter is much smoother, has better off axis response, and is just as accurate. Midrange is more defined and neutral, midbass has comparable output and is very natural, the drivers integrate better overall. Honestly, I can't say enough about Rainbows efforts on this set, they are outstanding. It is all preference, though, don't let me steer you away. I just wouldn't recommend Utopias to someone who plans on getting a "set it and forget it" kind of component system. |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 4727 Registered: May-04 | "What about dynaudio?" See reply in reference to Focal above Think about running your hand through water, that soft, smooth, clear feeling. That's what Dynaudios sound like, just really soft, smooth, fluid and natural. 95% of the population would like a brighter set like the Focals or MB Quarts, but I find as you get older you tend to grow out of it. |
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Silver Member Username: Lil_jonPost Number: 111 Registered: Jul-05 | can you and glass tell me why you all chose the dynaudio set over the rainbows???? i was gonna get the same set glass has how much was it and were? i dont no what u have jon but why yall pic those instead? not platnums im comparing too much profi v kick bass |
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Platinum Member Username: GlasswolfWisteria, Lane USA Post Number: 10150 Registered: Dec-03 | if I recall, Jon has the 240 set. two-ways. my system 360 runs about $1200/set. I chose them because I wanted a strong but well blended midbass response, and good transparency. I also have a long signal path to work with due to the size of my car's cabin and it's openness.. so I can get great imaging from the speakers with proper positioning. I'd go with rainbow platinums but I didn't have two or three grand to drop on my front stage at the time, and if I recall, their power handling was a bit lower than the Dyns, and I already had the amp for the fronts that puts out 250x2 @ 4 ohms. Basically I wanted to play with a very good set of 3 ways, and DynAudio makes their own speakers, so I knew I wasn't buying something made by another company, relabeled, and sold for three times the price like most other speaker brands do. if I recall, Dyn is a Danish company.. all of their products are built in-house by hand, and the quality is outstanding. Same way my amplifiers were assembled when they were made in Tempe, AZ about 15 yrs ago. I appreciate products with good craftsmanship and outstanding performance. I prefer that over the mass produced products as so many of them these days seem to be oriented to the lowest common denominator.. mostly bling and price being more valued than accuracy, transparency, or performance. I'll pay more for products that represent the investment. Same reason I have Martin Logans and KEF Reference speakers at home, instead of mass produced brands like Cerwin Vega, or Klipsch. |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 4731 Registered: May-04 | I'm using the 360 set with a JL 300/2 in my truck, but I'm considering a 240 Mk II for my next project, debating between those, Morels, and the SEAS Lotus Reference components. Decisions, decisions At the time I hadn't heard the Platinums, though, and as you know Rainbows are VERY hard to find, much less audition on a soundboard. They're also very pricy, while they were expensive before, they're even more so for the 2005 year due to material costs in Germany, the weaker dollar doesn't help us either. Platinum system with crossover will cost you nearly $3,500 now. The Dynaudios and Rainbows are very similar in SQ, but in the end the Dyns are a bit more true to the music with less coloration, and they are very airy and transparent. Not quite as dynamic through the bass and treble region, though. I listen to a lot of music with female vocals, and Dyns are one of the few speaker sets that can nail that down to my liking. The only real complaint with the 360 is that I'd like a steeper crossover on the midrange dome, it tends to get a little raw at higher volumes. 2nd order x-over would fix that most likely. Patience with the install pics, I am going to post as I progress on my next project, my current one I'm not going to show b/c my truck is a bum around POS and I really didn't care about making the install look all that great, you may as well look at the pics on the website. I just focused on getting the speakers in the right place and getting the imaging right. It'll be worth the wait once I get some money rolling in . |
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