Does the Shape 50 need a subwoofer?

For most mixing in a small room, no. It reaches 50 Hz, which covers the fundamentals of most instruments, but it will not reproduce the lowest octave of dance or film material. Add a sub if you need to judge sub-bass.

Can it sit close to a wall?

Yes. The cabinet is sealed and uses passive radiators instead of a port, so it is less sensitive to wall placement than a rear-ported monitor. The rear settings help fine-tune it further.

How does it compare with the Shape 65?

The Shape 65 uses a larger woofer and plays louder with more low-end extension. The Shape 50 suits smaller rooms and shorter listening distances; the 65 is better for larger spaces or higher monitoring levels.

What connections does it have?

It is a powered monitor with line-level inputs, including RCA, and a headphone jack. It has no Bluetooth, AirPlay or app control, so it is wired only.

A single monitor is supplied with its power cable and documentation. Stands, cables and acoustic treatment are not included.

Is one speaker enough?

No. It is sold as a single monitor, and stereo monitoring needs a matched pair. Buy two for a proper left-right setup.

Where is the Focal Shape 50 5" Powered Studio Monitor cheapest?

At ZenPro Audio, for $594.15, as of our latest check.

Where can I buy the Focal Shape 50 5" Powered Studio Monitor?

17 stores we checked sell it, including Newegg, Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, ZenPro Audio, Vintage King Audio.

Focal Shape 50 5" Powered Studio Monitor

Lowest price, any size

$594.15at ZenPro AudioChecked 12 h ago

Prices differ by screen size, and this one may be for a smaller size: check the size at the store.

Compared across 18 stores. Prices are checked against each store and labelled with when.

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What reviewers say

Owners and reviewers treat the Shape 50 as a transparent, well-built nearfield for small rooms. They single out the controlled bass, neutral mids and stable stereo image, and note the sealed design makes wall placement easy.

What people mention

BassPraisedOwners say the low end is tight and controlled rather than boomy, helped by the sealed passive-radiator cabinet.
MidrangePraisedReviewers describe the mids as extremely neutral, which makes EQ decisions easier.
Stereo imagePraisedListeners report a wide and very precise stereo image for a compact monitor.
Low-end depthMixedSome note it stops at 50 Hz and lacks the deepest sub-bass of larger ported rivals.
PlacementPraisedThe ventless design lets it sit close to a wall, which owners in small rooms value.
SetupMixedThe rear tuning controls are useful but take time to set correctly for a room.

About the Focal Shape 50 5" Powered Studio Monitor

The Focal Shape 50 is a compact 2-way active studio monitor built for nearfield monitoring in small listening rooms. It has a 5" woofer with a flax sandwich cone and a new tweeter with very low directivity, so the listening position is flexible. It is made in France.

The cabinet has no port. Instead it uses a double passive radiator, so it can sit close to a wall. The woofer reaches down to 50 Hz. It can be used from a listening distance of 30" (80 cm) and suits rooms smaller than 130 ft² (12 m²). Several settings let you tune it to the room.

Mounting points on the back and underneath allow installation on a table stand, a microphone stand, the ceiling or a wall. Mounting accessories are not supplied.

Type

Powered 2-way studio monitor

Woofer

5" with flax sandwich cone

Enclosure

Ventless, with double passive radiator

Frequency response

50 Hz to 35,000 Hz

Connections

RCA (line), RJ45 (LAN), 1/8" headphone jack

Power

AC mains