Focal Introduces New ST6 Series Studio Monitors

Adding to their range of premium studio monitors, Focal has just released the new ST6 line of studio monitors, including three new models designed to complement each other in the studio. The Solo6 ($1599) and Twin6 ($2299) are updated versions of Focal’s best-selling SM6 series speakers, while the new Sub12 ($2699) is a 13-inch version of the popular Sub6 subwoofer. All three deliver the uncompromising sound and iconic style Focal is known for while pushing the envelope with new features and high-performance design. 

Watch the video below and join Kevin from Vintage King for an overview of each model, the differences between them and the new features that make them stand out.

New Features and Improved Design

Focal’s latest offerings all share the same stylish design as their predecessors but include innovative new features that improve on the iconic French company’s already high-performance designs.

The main thing that sets the new monitors and subwoofer apart are the new and improved drivers. The woofers on all three models feature Focal’s proprietary “W-cone” composite sandwich construction, which yields a neutral sound with no perceptible distortion. In French, “W” is pronounced double-V, which in this case denotes the two layers of woven glass fiber on either side of a structural foam core (“glass” in French is “verre”). This design makes the cones 20 times more rigid than Kevlar while drastically reducing weight, which allows Focal to fine-tune the damping characteristics for each speaker.

The “BE” in the names of the Solo6 and Twin6 denotes a beryllium inverted dome tweeter, a unique design that provides excellent linearity and dynamic range. Beryllium’s low density and high rigidity make it an ideal material for tweeters, as it can react quickly to impulses without distorting. Focal has also optimized the tweeter baffle for lower directionality and better dispersion control, ensuring a generous sweet spot in your studio. 

Additionally, the Solo6 and Twin6 both feature Focal’s signature “Focus Mode,” which bypasses the tweeter and sends a full-range signal to just the woofer(s) for a midrange-forward sound that helps you make sure your mixes still sound smooth on less-than-ideal playback systems. It’s almost like having two monitors in one!

Focal Solo6

The Focal Solo6 is a two-way active studio monitor featuring a 6.5-inch W-cone composite sandwich woofer and 1.5-inch beryllium inverted dome tweeter. Together, these advanced drivers deliver a frequency range of 45 Hz to 40 kHz with up to 110 dB output level, extremely linear performance, high sensitivity and large dynamic range. A large laminar port on the bottom produces full low-end without the unpleasant “woofing” noise encountered in other designs.

Switches on the back of the speaker allow you to turn Focus mode on or off, adjust the overall sensitivity, set the automatic standby mode to save power, and adjust frequency response using high and low shelves as well as a mid-frequency EQ to tailor the response to your mixing environment. Finally, mounting points let you hang the speakers from your walls or ceiling for surround sound and immersive audio configurations.

Focal Twin6

The Focal Twin6 shares almost all of the same design elements and features as its smaller sibling but adds an extra 6.5-inch woofer for even more accurate sound and a slight boost in output. Aside from that difference, the Twin6 and Solo6 share a very similar frequency response, so you can easily use them together in a multichannel setup.

Focal calls the Twin6 a “2.5-way” speaker, meaning it employs an additional crossover to divide the low and midrange frequencies between the two woofers, creating a flatter response for a more transparent sound. A left/right switch on the back controls which woofer handles which frequency range, ensuring an accurate stereo image across the spectrum.

Focal Sub12

The Sub12 subwoofer looks much like the smaller Sub6, but with a few key differences. Most importantly, it features a 13-inch driver capable of reproducing frequencies below 30 Hz with excellent detail, consistency and power. A large laminar port at the bottom ensures that even those lowest frequencies come through clearly and without distortion. The Sub12 also adds a carrying handle on the side to make the 127.8-pound unit easier to transport and place in your studio.

The subwoofer’s amplifier section provides up to 600W RMS power (up to 1000W peak), providing output up to 124.5 dB. Additionally, rear-panel switches allow you to adjust polarity, sensitivity and volume, as well as tailor the low-pass and high-pass frequencies to complement your main monitors. With an upper limit of 400 Hz, the Sub12 fills out the low-end of even the smallest monitors.

If you have any questions about Focal or are interested in purchasing the new Solo6, Twin6 or Sub12, we can help! Please contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.