Lines Benchmark Product

This standard bearer of the Shape series features two passive radiators, woofers equipped with a new Flax cone, and the latest “M”-shaped Aluminium/Magnesium inverted dome tweeter. Perfect weapon of mass production for professionals.

Shape Twin is made in France, just like Shape 40, 50 and 65. Designed to meet the needs of nearfield monitoring, these monitors combine an ingenuous design and numerous settings optimised for the acoustics of small listening rooms. Shape Twin stands out through its excellent rendering over the whole audio spectrum, its broad frequency response in the low end, and its high SPL considering its size. The compact design makes it easy to integrate even into the most cramped of rooms. Finally, its 2.5-way design gives it a real advantage when it comes to controlling the bass and lower mid-range registers which are the hardest to control in small rooms.

Shape Twin’s five innovations present a remarkable tonal balance, with very wide and precise stereo imaging. The low frequencies are well defined  as well as controlled. The low-mid and mid ranges provide a true neutral sound.

TMD Suspension

The TMD suspension optimizes harmonic absorption to ensure a piston-like action for the whole audio spectrum. Two rings have been integrated into the suspension. The diameter and location of these rings are determined according to the flexibility of the suspension, its elongation, its resonance frequency, and the targeted frequency response curve of the speaker driver in excursion. This technology provides a linear frequency response curve between 1 kHz and 2 kHz, while significantly reducing distortion in the same range. The midrange register resultingly benefits from enhanced neutrality and contributes to the precision of the overall stereo image.

Neutral Inductance Circuit

N.I.C. ( Neutral Inductance Circuit ) technology grants an extremely stable magnetic circuit. The solution consists of a Faraday ring whose dimensions, materials, and positioning have been optimized so that the magnetic field is no longer affected by the position of the voice coil, by the amperage, or by the frequency of the current passing through it. This increases frequency response in the high end of the spectrum, thus optimizing the crossover with the tweeter while reducing harmonic distortion and intermodulation.

Flax-Cone Woofers

Developing speaker driver cone technologies is part of Focal's core expertise. The flax sandwich cones used for the woofers are composed a layer of flax fibres sandwiched between two layers of glass fibres. Glass fibre cones were also used on the W composite sandwich cone of the SM6 and SM9 series and are revered for their high rigidity despite their light weight. Flax fibres are twice as light as glass fibres and have low elasticity. 80% cellulose composition yields excellent damping properties. This technology has proven to be a considerable improvement over the polyglass cone in terms of weight, rigidity, and damping.

M-Shaped Tweeter

Focal has further improved its famous aluminum/magnesium inverted dome tweeter by introducing two significant mechanical innovations: the M-shaped dome and redesigned suspension. The inverted M-shaped dome offers two major advantages. Its directivity is even less than that of an inverted dome tweeter, allowing for more flexibility in terms of listening position. Mechanically speaking, the M shape gives the dome much more rigidity, while reducing distortion even more. In addition to this, the Poron suspension provides a more linear frequency response curve below 6 kHz, improving the crossover with the woofer. The magnetic component has also been optimized thanks to a voice coil with a Kapton frame, which significantly reduces the Foucault current, and consequently, distortion. The horn housing in which the tweeter has been designed provides equal horizontal and vertical directivity.

Double Passive Radiator

The 8" double passive radiator addresses a common challenge encountered with nearfield monitors: to combine a compact design, extended frequency response in the low end, and comfortable positioning. When ported systems meet their limits in terms of integration (a long-enough port to match its surface is required), the passive radiator is the ideal solution. However, rocking modes can often occur depending on the frequency and the volume. In order to compensate for this phenomenon, two U-shaped suspensions positioned opposite each other join the passive disks to the basket, ensuring perfect symmetry during excursion and incursion. Lastly, the low tuning frequency allows the Shape Twin to be placed very close to a wall.

Electronics & Settings

Class AB amplification was chosen in order to provide optimal control over the audio signal's dynamic range. Each 5" woofer is powered by a dedicated 80W amplifier channel, which ensures tonal balance regardless of volume. The Shape Twin features a comb filter for high and low frequencies (HF: ±3 dB shelving at 4.5 kHz, LF: ±6 dB shelving at 250 Hz). A gain-adjustable crossover at 160 Hz (±3 dB) allows you to correct any parasite reflections due to an installation on a mixing console or near a reverberating surface. An adjustable high-pass filter is provided to solve any issues due to rooms which result in sporadic behavior in the low end, but also for the crossover with a subwoofer if one is used.

Key Points

- Tweeter with very low directivity for a flexible listening position

- Designed without a port, but with a double passive radiator, allowing it to be placed near a wall.

- Numerous settings for optimal integration

- Accurate control, even in the very high end

- Flax sandwich cone: controlled and well defined bass, natural and detailed lower mid-range and upper mid-range ranges.

- Mounting mechanisms present on the back and underneath the loudspeaker: for installing on a table stand, a microphone stand, the ceiling or a wall ( mounting accessories not supplied ).

Specifications