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Well as you know we had some issues with some counterfeit DLS stuff on Trademe a bit back, and Focal and a number of other companies have had trouble too.
Just a word of warning to be very, very careful about buying any 'high end' gear from online auctions and so forth, as the counterfeiters are getting VERY good at copying cosmetics of drivers. For instance, heres a set of counterfeit 'Focal K2P' components from just a few weeks back...
Pretty good cosmetics ay... the only dead giveaways are the shoddy quality of the crossover internals assembly and the glue all round the magnet-basket join, and also things like the tinsel leads being too thin and the cones flex a lot... oh, and for all their clever copying, they just bung the drivers in polystyrene instead of putting them in the little bags etc like the real thing...
But these guys are getting very very good, they have factorys now just churning out counterfeit copies of drivers and amps from Focal, DLS, Rockford, JL, Kicker and many other recognised brands. So just beware, because it now looks like you dont just lose your warranty buying on auction sites or overseas etc, you may very well not even get the legitimate product
Oh and FYI, heres the full listing of whats wrong with the fakes according to the guys on CCA...
Quote
1-Serial Number is stamped into the back plate when it should be engraved. The hole on the Black Focal back plate is too large.
2-Couple of problems with the crossover and tweeter. Yellow on the box is off.
3-Impressive detail on the board but coils are way off. The caps have a clear heat shrink with the Axon labeled on them. The font is wrong and stretched. No space between the 250VDC. C1 seems to be larger than original. Caps should be C1-3.9, C2-3.3, C3-13 and all 250VDC 5% The real Focal terminal screws will accept both philips and slot screwdrivers, not just philips.
4-Font is incorrect along with the "TN52" is too large and in a bold font. Black back plate should have machining groves along with a beveled edge, not just a stamped steel plug. Cannot see but there probably is no "FOCAL" stamped into the side of the plastic trim that is part of the diffuser / wave guide cover. Poor solder job on the connections and Focal never strips that much insulation to make the connection. Back to picture #2 the Focal logo on the flush cup is in the wrong place. xxxx commented on his set that the logo will never line up right and look correct when the tweeter is locked in.
5-The big thing here is the tweeter diaphragm! Just look at your new ones. That crease / ring that is about 1/16" down from the top edge of the diaphragm is just a mess. Plus it is not even around the cone. The cone does not seem as deep / dished as a true Focal. Where cone attaches to the surround is different. The "X" marks that allow a better gluing to the surround to wrong. They use a large hole cell foam surround compared to the small cell neoprene that a true Focal has. The plastic seems to have a smooth finish vs. the Focal satin. Lastly the red stripe on the positive wiring is too thick.
6-Focal does not wrap the speakers or crossovers in plastic. Cannot see but I have heard there is no Focal warranty card. (Plastic business card size with Focal art on one side with Serial number on the other.) Again the Yellow on the box seems off colour.
7-Seems pretty good. Cannot tell the profile of the dust cap or the correct texture or finish of the cone. Is it true Kevlar?
8-Basket seems really close but the Zamac coating is too fine and does not seem to have the same sparkle as a Focal. Poor solder job again on the tinsel terminals. The big ugliness is the trimming of the cone. Look where the cone is glued to the surround. This should be a nice clean sharp edge. Plus it looks like the back of the cone is just the foam. There should be a layer of special glass tissue. If there is, it is very rough.
2-Couple of problems with the crossover and tweeter. Yellow on the box is off.
3-Impressive detail on the board but coils are way off. The caps have a clear heat shrink with the Axon labeled on them. The font is wrong and stretched. No space between the 250VDC. C1 seems to be larger than original. Caps should be C1-3.9, C2-3.3, C3-13 and all 250VDC 5% The real Focal terminal screws will accept both philips and slot screwdrivers, not just philips.
4-Font is incorrect along with the "TN52" is too large and in a bold font. Black back plate should have machining groves along with a beveled edge, not just a stamped steel plug. Cannot see but there probably is no "FOCAL" stamped into the side of the plastic trim that is part of the diffuser / wave guide cover. Poor solder job on the connections and Focal never strips that much insulation to make the connection. Back to picture #2 the Focal logo on the flush cup is in the wrong place. xxxx commented on his set that the logo will never line up right and look correct when the tweeter is locked in.
5-The big thing here is the tweeter diaphragm! Just look at your new ones. That crease / ring that is about 1/16" down from the top edge of the diaphragm is just a mess. Plus it is not even around the cone. The cone does not seem as deep / dished as a true Focal. Where cone attaches to the surround is different. The "X" marks that allow a better gluing to the surround to wrong. They use a large hole cell foam surround compared to the small cell neoprene that a true Focal has. The plastic seems to have a smooth finish vs. the Focal satin. Lastly the red stripe on the positive wiring is too thick.
6-Focal does not wrap the speakers or crossovers in plastic. Cannot see but I have heard there is no Focal warranty card. (Plastic business card size with Focal art on one side with Serial number on the other.) Again the Yellow on the box seems off colour.
7-Seems pretty good. Cannot tell the profile of the dust cap or the correct texture or finish of the cone. Is it true Kevlar?
8-Basket seems really close but the Zamac coating is too fine and does not seem to have the same sparkle as a Focal. Poor solder job again on the tinsel terminals. The big ugliness is the trimming of the cone. Look where the cone is glued to the surround. This should be a nice clean sharp edge. Plus it looks like the back of the cone is just the foam. There should be a layer of special glass tissue. If there is, it is very rough.
