Focal Alpha 65 vs Adam A7X: Near-Field Studio Monitor Battle!
Stuck between getting the Adam A7X or the Focal Alpha 65? These two products are active speakers made specifically for near-field monitoring purposes. They are both two-way powered speakers that give off fantastic sound quality and substantial output power. Nonetheless, the Adam A7X can cost quite a bit more than the Focal Alpha 65. With this in mind, does the Adam A7X’s power capacity actually merit the extra expense? Or should you invest in the Focal Alpha 65 to get the most value for your dollar. To help you make the best possible decision, we have reviewed both the Adam A7X and the Focal Alpha 65 in this article.
Design
By and large, one can call both the Adam A7X and Focal Alpha 65 fairly portable, seeing as both speakers can be easily lifted by one person. But, when put side by side, it’s clear to see that the Focal Alpha 65 is somewhat larger than Adam A7X. It also weights more. Consequently, if you’re looking for a compact sized speaker, Adam A7X would hit that preference despite its slight size difference compared to the Focal Alpha 65. Focal Alpha 65 has a 1” tweeter and a 6.5” woofer. The tweeter driver is an inverted dome made from aluminium, while the woofer driver is made from hard-wearing Polyglass material. The tweeter is 35W and the woofer is 70W, which culminates to an overall output power of 105W. There are continually active RCA and XLR outputs, as well as treble and bass controls and on the back panel: a +6dB sensitivity switch.
Looking at the Adam A7X, it may share something in common with the Focal Alpha 65, and that is the bass reflex design. This design holds a lot of value in its speaker output, particularly in the quality of the bass supplied. However, Adam A7X comes with a 2” tweeter and 7” woofer. The tweeter has a 50W power output and the woofer is rated at 100W, bringing the complete output power to 150W. There are a couple of extra features on the back including XLR and RCA outputs, a 4dB switch for more gain, and a two shelf filter for LF and HF.
Performance
Based on the figures above, the Adam A7X clearly has higher power capacity than Focal Alpha 65. Adam A7X can effortlessly increase its volume levels while maintaining incredible sound quality. Such speaker competency is very advantageous for a monitor speaker, particularly for near-field monitoring. To add, Adam A7X gives off a sharper and brighter sound than Focal Alpha 65. This is a result of Adam A7X’s wider range of frequency which allows the speaker to hit the higher frequencies. Its treble is also more meticulous and precise.
The high definition output quality produced by the device allows a large range of frequencies to be clearly emitted. It has its X-ART ribbon tweeter to thank for that, as Ribbons are inherently capable of effortlessly handling higher max SPL and this capability gives them a particular clarity in sound quality. The precision of this feature allows a refined tone that the trained ear can recognize and appreciate. As you go down to the bass range of the spectrum, the sound does get heftier. Even when you hit the lower range frequencies, the speaker emits high quality audio.
However, Focal Alpha 65 shines in how transparent its sound is. Once you turn the speaker on, you get hit with quality transient sound. Despite the fact that the Focal may have had to make a few product feature cuts in order to keep the Focal Alpha 65’s cost down, the sounds remains the same even after these product cuts. Focal Alpha 65‘s sound comes with lots of low end girth, which is well pronounced and consolidated. Its mid-range output is accurate, although the treble has slightly smaller presence than the Adam A7X.
Conclusion
Overall, the Adam A7X is the better speaker to purchase. It offers sharp output quality and very precise high range audio. The speaker also comes with more amplification power compared to the Focal Alpha 65, making room for the high frequency ranges without risking reduced audio quality. To put it simply, Adam A7X is one of the crispiest speakers on the market right now, and its acoustic alteration features make it efficient to work with in a variety of production and recreational environments.
