FOCAL CHORA User Manual

: June 7, 2024
: FOCAL

Table of Contents

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FOCAL CHORA User Manual

FOCAL CHORA User Manual

FOCAL CHORA - Fig-A

FOCAL CHORA - Fig-B

FOCAL CHORA - Fig-C, D, E

FOCAL CHORA - Fig-F, G, H, I

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Thank you for purchasing a Focal product. Welcome to our High-Fidelity world. Innovation, tradition, excellence and pleasure are our values; our one and only aim is to bring you a sound that is rich, pure and true. To get the most out of your product, we recommend that you read the instructions in this booklet, then store it in a safe place to refer to in the future.

Handling (fig. A)

Chora 816/826 loudspeakers weigh almost 20kg. We strongly advise having 2 people lift them during unpacking and installation.
Chora loudspeakers have sharp corners. Take care not to injure yourself when handling your loudspeakers.

Fixing the base (816, 826) (fig. B)

Align the base opposite the fixing holes, position the 4 screws supplied and tighten them using the Allenkey provided. Make sure the base is the right way up (upper part at the front of the loudspeaker).
Then simply attach the rubber feet or spikes depending on the type of floor your loudspeaker will stand on. For hard floors, we recommend using the rubber feet.
If installing your loudspeaker on carpet, using the spikes will provide greater stability.

Fixing the silicone feet (806) (fig. C)

Silicone feet are included with the Chora 806 library loudspeakers. If positioning the loudspeakers on a shelf or furniture unit, make sure you stick on the silicone feet before installation.
If you wish to install your loudspeakers on the Chora feet (optional), please refer to the assembly instructions supplied with the feet.

Grilles (fig. D)
Chora loudspeakers are supplied with grilles to protect the speaker drivers. They are easy to fit or remove thanks to their magnetic attachment system.
We advise removing them when you are listening to music to get the best performance from your loudspeakers.

Connections (fig. E)
Chora connectors provide reliable, multi-purpose contacts for stripped cables (up to 4mm diameter), fork terminals or banana connectors. It is imperative to respect the connector polarity of both the loudspeaker and the amplifier. The connector marked “+” must be connected to the positive output on the amplifier and the connector marked “-” must be connected to the negative terminal . Stereo image and bass perception would be seriously compromised if these conditions are not respected. Choose good quality cables with a cross-section appropriate to their length: your retailer will be able to advise you.
Positioning (fig. F, G, H)
These loudspeakers have been designed to deliver the most faithful reproduction of all kinds of music or home cinema programmes. Nonetheless, we recommend following these simple rules to optimise their performance and to warranty good tonal balance and a realistic sound image.

The loudspeakers should be positioned symmetrically, facing the listening area, ideally forming
an equilateral triangle with it. However, these distances may be adjusted to find the ideal compromise according to the design of your interior (fig. F).
The loudspeakers should be positioned at the same height, in the same horizontal plane. Ideally, the tweeter should be positioned at the same height as the listener’s ears in the usual listening position (fig. G).
Do not position your loudspeakers too close to a corner of the room and do not place them too close to a wall. This will induce some unwanted room resonance and artificially increase bass response. On the other hand, if the bass level is considered to be insufficient, you could try moving the loudspeakers nearer a wall to re-balance the bass level (fig. H).
Optimisation (fig. I)
For perfectionists, here is a formula for optimal positioning:
If A is the distance from the centre of the woofer to the nearest floor or wall, B is the distance to the next closest floor or wall, and C is the greatest distance (A < B < C), the equation B2 = AC defines the ideal loudspeaker position.
Example:
If the centre of the woofer is 20” (50cm) away from the rear wall (A) and 24” (60cm) above the floor (B), then the side wall will be ideally 28” (72cm) away [C = B2 ⁄ A = 28” (72cm)].

Recommendations for use
The behaviour of the loudspeakers depends on the acoustics of the listening room, on the correct positioning of the loudspeakers within the room, and on the position of the listener.
It is possible to tweak each of these parameters to obtain or improve a desired effect.
Stereo perception is imprecise and poorly centred: try moving the loudspeakers closer together and/or have them facing the listening point:
The sound is harsh, aggressive: the acoustics of your listening room are probably too reverberant. Consider using sound-absorbing materials (carpets, upholstered furniture, tapestries, curtains, etc.) and soundreflecting materials (furniture) to absorb or diffuse resonance.
The sound is “flat”, strangled: there are too many sound-absorbing materials in the room, the sound is soaked up, it has no relief. Look for the best compromise between sound-absorbing and sound-reflecting materials in your room.
In general, aim to have a reflective wall behind the loudspeakers for the sound to develop correctly. The wall behind the listening area, on the other hand, should ideally be sound-absorbing to avoid rear reflections “contaminating” the stereo image.

Furniture can be judiciously placed near the side walls of the room to diffuse sound waves and ensure certain frequency ranges are not excited, particularly in the midrange (suppression of flutter echoes).

Break-in period
The speaker drivers used in Chora loudspeakers are complex mechanical components which require a certain time to adapt to operate at their best and to become acclimatised to the temperature and humidity of the listening environment. This break-in period varies depending on the climate and may last a few weeks. To reduce the break-in period, we recommend operating the loudspeakers for approximately twenty consecutive hours. Once the loudspeakers’ characteristics have totally stabilised, you will be able to enjoy your Chora loudspeakers’ performance to the full.

Special precautions

The only maintenance required for the Chora loudspeakers is dusting with a dry cloth. If your loudspeaker becomes dirty, we recommend simply cleaning it with a damp cloth. Never use solvents, detergents, alcohol- based or corrosive products, scrapers or scourers to clean the surface of a loudspeaker.
Keep the loudspeakers away from sources of heat.

Choosing the right amplifier
It is not an excess of amplifier power that can damage your loudspeakers and speaker drivers but a lack of power. Moreover, if the volume is turned up too high, the amplifier saturates and generates parasite signals that may damage the tweeter. The dynamic capacity and definition of Chora loudspeakers are sufficient to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of whatever amplifier is connected. Your retailer will be able to help you choose the amplifier best suited to your tastes and budget.
Conditions of warranty
All Focal loudspeakers are covered by warranty drawn up by the official Focal distributor in your country. Your distributor can provide all details concerning the conditions of warranty. Warranty cover extends at least to that granted by the legal warranty in force in the country where the original purchase invoice was issued.

Correct elimination of this product.

This marking indicates that within the EU this product should not be disposed of with other household wastes. To prevent any risk to the environment or human health, please recycle them responsibly to encourage the reuse of material resources. To return your used device, please use the return and collection systems available, or contact the retailer where you purchased the product. They can recycle this product safely.