Page 4 - Conclusion
For about 1.75% of the price of the Focal Utopia at press time, how good is the Spark? Now, I have to admit I have never listened to the company's astronomically priced flagship, but the real question I have for Focal is this: How did they make something this good for only $70? First, let us start off with the build quality. Its aluminum finish is clean and contemporary, and while the Spark is very lightweight at 14g, at no point did I feel like this was not a well-built product. From the tactile response of the remote control buttons to the unique looking tangle-free flat cable, the Focal Spark is clearly punching above its weight class. Secondly, let us discuss the sound quality. The Focal Spark's real highlight is how clean and smooth the sound is, and frequencies were generally produced very well across the range. My only complaint is its narrow soundstage, and while soundstaging is no doubt a very big deal for the discerning audiophile, there are not many in-ear monitors that perform well in this area -- never mind ones that carry a price tag of $70. Soundstaging aside, it was better than the Audiofly AF56m in every other metric, whether it is sound quality or build quality. Furthermore, these earphones sound much more musical than the $130 V-MODA Forza Metallo, and while the Spark is no match for the venerable V-MODA Zn, the Zn is two and a half times the price of what we are reviewing today. If you are an audiophile on a budget, look no further than the Focal Spark. For the price you are paying, these earphones outperform other products in the same price range in both build quality and sound quality.
Focal provided this product to APH Networks for the purpose of evaluation.
APH equal.balance Award | APH Review Focus Summary:
8/10 means Definitely a very good product with drawbacks that are not likely going to matter to the end user.
7/10 means Great product with many advantages and certain insignificant drawbacks; but should be considered before purchasing.
-- Final APH Numeric Rating is 7.4/10
Please note that the APH Numeric Rating system is based off our proprietary guidelines in the Review Focus, and should not be compared to other sites.
The Focal Spark is a pair of earphones that punches above its weight class from a premium manufacturer without the premium price.
Do you have any comments or questions about the Focal Spark? Drop by our Forums. Registration is free, and it only takes a minute!
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. Physical Look - Hardware
3. Subjective Audio Analysis
4. Conclusion
