So you are in the market for a great sounding, great quality, studio monitor but don’t know where to begin?
You are in luck!
That’s why we are here – to do the hard part for you, research on the best available and affordable studio monitors, make comparisons, and recommend the best speakers for your small studio.
Today we are looking at two simply excellent studio speakers with some of the best sound quality that you are ever going to find – the Focal Alpha 65 and the Adam T5V.
Right off the bat, we’ll say that the Adam T5V doesn’t disappoint which can be expected from Adam speakers. It is well built with quality material.
The same goes for the Focal Alpha being a great representation of the other speakers on the Alpha line. They are well known for their superb design and quality sound.
And perhaps that is what makes it hard to choose between these two studio monitors. After all, they are both pretty cool.
That said, we did take things a bit further and dug a bit deeper under the surface to see what makes these studio monitors really unique.
So if you are ready, let’s dive straight in!
The Price
The Focal Alpha 65 will cost you about $323 on Amazon. Considering the price of many other studio monitors on the market, this one is quite affordable, to be honest.
And let’s not forget the design and output which we will be looking at a bit later on. Being just above three hundred bucks makes it quite the affordable monitor.
But how does the Adam T5V compare?
Well, price-wise, the Adam T5V doesn’t disappoint here as well. In fact, compared with its quality of build and sound, the Adam T5V gives you the best bang for your buck. It is over $100 cheaper than the Focal Alpha 65 at just $219.
The verdict:
If you are searching for a quality studio monitor with great sound but one that doesn’t require you to break the bank, then you may just want to go with the Adam T5V.
The Design and Build
Adam T5V
Let’s start our design a build review with the Adam T5V shall we?
It is built as a two-way near-field monitor. This means that it is designed to be positioned around 2-3 feet away from the user for the best quality sound.
It features a 5-inch woofer and a new design U-ART tweeter that isn’t available on previous models.
The cabinet that houses the speakers has clean sharp edges that shout style, simplicity, and elegance. At the back is a bass-reflex reference port.
Thanks to its small dimensions, it has a small footprint. Having a small design means Adam T5V will fit almost anywhere in your small studio. And even better, thanks to its good looks, there is a good chance it will complement the interior of your studio.
The Adam T5V weighs 14.50lbs or 6.6kgs.
Focal Alpha 65
Okay, okay so the T5V is a well-designed and well-built studio monitor but what do we think about its competitor the Focal Alpha 65?
The Focal Alpha 65 was launched back in 2014 alongside the rest of the speakers in the Focal Alpha line. These included the Focal Alpha 50 and the Focal Alpha 80.
But is the Focal Alpha 65 still worth your money today with so many more modern studio monitors on the market?
First off it is important to note that later on the Focal Alpha 50 and the Alpha 65 went through an upgrade and were later called the Focal Alpha 50 Evo and the Alpha 65 Evo.
But we’ll keep our review on the original.
The Focal Alpha 65 also features a compact build making this a great choice for a small-sized studio.
Unlike the Adam T5V, it features a 6.5-inch woofer and a 1inch, aluminum inverted dome tweeter.
The Focal Alpha 65 also comes with RCA and XLR ports. On top of that, the studio monitor also has adjustable treble and bass ports at the back.
The cabinet has a sleek finish thanks to the vinyl and a smooth black painting.
The great part about the finishing is that black will go with almost any type of interior decor. Regardless of how your studio looks, the Focal Alpha 65 studio monitor is sure to blend in perfectly and even perhaps improve the overall look of your studio.
Finally the weight. The Focal Alpha 65 weighs 20.72lbs or 9.4 kgs.
The verdict:
As far as build quality goes, both the speakers score high marks. However, the Focal Alpha does have a larger woofer which ultimately means a bigger sound. But as far as overall design goes the Adam T5V looks way better.
The Sound Quality and Output
Lefts face it, good-looking speakers that come at a great price are nice, but when it’s all said and done, you want something that gives you quality sound.
So, how does the Adam T5V perform?
Well, the Adam T5V features a U-ART tweeter technology which does a superb job of ensuring a high resolution, clear, and crisp recording.
The speaker has a frequency range of 45Hz to 25kHz. Thanks to its precision waveguide the Adam T5V, offers a uniform dispersion even at high frequencies.
But that isn’t all!
The speaker woofer is powered by a 50watt class D amplifier and the tweeter is powered by a 20watt class D amplifier.
Simply put, the quality of sound will not disappoint.
But is the Focal Alpha 65 any good?
Let’s start with the frequency response which is at 40HZ to 22kHz.
One of the main features that stands out as soon as you start paying keen attention to the sound is the low directivity.
In other words, what does this mean?
A low directivity means that the speaker can maintain its quality of sound regardless of your position in the room. This gives the Focal Alpha an edge over many studio monitors available in the market.
Another great feature of the Focal Alpha 65 is that you can also connect up to two more audio sources.
The woofer is powered by a 70watt amplifier while the tweeter has a 35watt amplifier.
The verdict:
While both the speakers are great all-around speakers, the Alpha 65 is larger, heavier, and features a bigger and more powerful woofer and tweeter.
If you are looking for big sounds then the Focal Alpha is a great choice. Furthermore, it offers much deeper bass.
That said, the quality of sound n the T5V cannot be overlooked especially at the price. Plus if you have a really small studio such as your bedroom or garage, you may find the T5V sufficient.
Pros and cons
Pros of the Focal Alpha 65
- Has excellent bass
- High-quality build
- Clear crisp sounds
- Small footprint makes it suitable for small studios
Cons of the Focal Alpha 65
- With a weight of 9.4kg, it is quite heavy
Pros of the Adam T5V
- Sleek and stylish modern design with sharp edges
- Small footprint
- Clear crisp sound
- affordable
Cons of the Adam T5V
- Doesn’t offer the level of deep bass like the Focal Alpha 65
The Verdict
All in all, these are two great speakers to consider for your small studio. But which of the two speakers is the better choice? It would seem that the obvious choice is the Focal Alpha 65. It is a much bigger speaker that produces bigger sound and deep bass.
But it’s not that easy!
There is no denying the Adam T5V. It has a great quality build. The speaker comes with some cool features with a sound that is undeniably crisp and clear. And while it may not offer the same level of sound as the Alpha 65, you may find it’s more than enough for your small studio.
The price is where the Adam T5V shines. It allows you to hit a bargain for the quality of sound it offers. Just two hundred dollars is a great deal. And let’s not forget how good this speaker looks. Ultimately, your choice speaker will come down to your budget, the size of your studio, and how loud you want your sound.
