Focal Alpha 50 Evo Studio Monitors
By Andrew Leyenhorst
Professional and hi-fi speaker manufacturer Focal has expanded on its Alpha line of studio monitors with the Alpha Evo series , comprising the Alpha 50 Evo and Alpha 65 Evo nearfield monitors . Active , two-way boxes , the Alpha 50 Evo is a 5-in . monitor , while the Alpha 65 Evo is , predictably , a 6.5-in . monitor . For this test , I got my hands on a pair of the Alpha 50 Evo .
The Alpha 50 Evos , with their 15-mm MDF construction , are equipped with a 1-in . aluminium inverted dome tweeter and a 5-in . woofer with a Slatefiber cone developed and manufactured in Focal ’ s workshops in France . The medium and low frequency amplifier outputs at 35W , while the HF amp fires at 25W . Inputs on offer include a balanced 1 / 4-in . TRS jack in addition to the XLR and RCA analog inputs .
A disengageable automatic standby mode is also available , which greatly reduces power consumption ( 0.5W ) if no signal is detected for 15 minutes . Fastening points for wall and ceiling mounting are also present , and the speakers come with optional protective grilles for each driver . Large laminar ports also augment isolation and accurate low-end reproduction .
As far as sonic tweakability goes , the Alpha 50 Evo features a Sensitivity switch that engages a + 6dB output boost at the monitor stage ( allowing louder listening levels without saturating your converters ), as well as an encoder each for LF and HF Shelving . This allows users to tailor each monitor ’ s output below 300Hz and above 4.5kHz , respectively , depending on the listening environment .
Weighing in at 13 . l lbs . per unit and bearing a black vinyl and paint finish , these are surprisingly large boxes for being only 5-in . monitors . The overall size and footprint are more akin to that of a typical 6.5- or 7-in . unit , or at least trends in that direction . That being said , this is a good thing ; these also sound much bigger than they are , and that was really my initial reaction after firing them up for the first time .
Switching over from my Yamaha HS5s , which I adore , I was immediately taken aback by the definition of the Alpha 50 Evos from bottom to top ; the low end is deep , powerful , and distinct ( and rolled
off by about 2dB in my setup thanks to the Shelving feature ), while the midrange is forward and present without being muddy , and the highs deliver a lot of clarity even in the more extreme frequencies . What really surprised me , though , was the isolation of the low end . For a 5-in . driver , these things deliver clear and accurate bass response in abundance , and it doesn ’ t muddy up the higher-frequency content in the slightest .
One of Focal ’ s selling points for the Alpha Evo series are the dynamics and neutrality of their tone , distortion-free , at all volumes , according to the company ; I can substantiate this claim . Regardless of level , the curves remain consistent , predictable , and even . Subsequently , I had no problem using these for both tracking and mixing across musical genres and audio mediums , as they quite frankly just sound great . Whether I was mixing a rock band or hip-hop vocalist , dialing in voiceover chains for podcasting , experiencing the immersive sci-fi world of Destiny 2 ( which in my opinion is a benchmark for audio design and mixing in gaming ), or even just listening to music casually , I ’ ve found myself progressively growing an affinity for these speakers as I ’ ve become accustomed to them .
I say “ progressively ” because I actually initially felt that the low end on these was too much , even after finding an appropriate degree of roll-off from the shelf . As with any
monitors , these will take some time to get used to , especially if you ’ re already used to a particular pair of 5-inchers . These were starkly different from my HS5s in that the low end is much louder and more starkly defined on these Focals , and as such I did have to change my approach to interpreting what I was hearing . The inverse is also true , as I found the HS5s to also have a slightly more tapered high end than these , which can get really bright . To summarize in plain terms , these new offerings from Focal sound deceptively gigantic , and offer a smooth , measured response all the way across their 45Hz-22kHz response range .
And that ’ s really what makes these interesting , and what ties it all back together ; the Alpha 50 Evo is a 5-in . monitor that sounds like a 7-in . monitor , at an extremely competitive price point for the quality of the product . They ’ re bigger and bulkier than what one might expect given the specifications , but it ultimately all serves the higher purpose of offering an excellent-sounding and versatile all-purpose studio monitor that will not only have you excited about what you ’ re hearing , but your clients as well .
Andrew Leyenhorst is a Niagara-based freelance producer , engineer , mixer , and the Assistant Editor of Professional Sound .
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