Garlubidor Focus

Garlubidor Audio is a loudspeaker division of Denafrips — the Chinese manufacturer that has built a strong international reputation for R2R DAC design. The Focus is their stand-mount statement, and it arrives at $1,869 per speaker with a specification that has no business existing at that price. The cabinet work, the driver selection, and the crossover execution together produce a speaker that competes seriously with stand-mounts at two to three times the cost. We carry it because we heard it, and we were not prepared for what we heard.

The drivers

The tweeter is an Eton 28SD1 — a 1.1-inch soft dome made in Germany. Eton's tweeters are used in genuinely expensive European loudspeakers and are not a driver you expect to find in a speaker at this price. The 28SD1 specifically is a highly regarded unit; its combination of extension, low distortion, and natural tonal balance puts it in the same conversation as Dynaudio's Esotar series. A custom aluminium surround with mechanical dispersion ribs manages the high-frequency radiation pattern.

The 5.25-inch woofer is a custom design built specifically for the Focus. Cast aluminium basket, carbon fiber cone, rigid dust cap, center-pole venting to manage heat and airflow, and an oversized spider that is deeper and thicker than comparable drivers in this class. The design priority was power handling without breakup — the ability to play cleanly at high SPL while maintaining the midrange accuracy and low-level resolution that smaller carbon fiber drivers can achieve. It succeeds at both. Low-level listening is where this driver is most impressive: at whisper-quiet levels, the detail and texture of the midrange are something a typical 5.25-inch driver simply cannot match.

The cabinet

High-density pine board construction throughout. The front baffle is approximately one inch thick — meaningfully stiffer than what most stand-mounts at this price provide, and directly relevant to how the bass driver performs under excursion. The Eton tweeter sits in its own dedicated internal chamber, physically separated from the woofer cavity by a divider. Rear-ported bass reflex loading. The port is well-executed — this is not an afterthought.

The finish is dragon bone veneer: a deep, richly colored natural wood grain that is striking without being ostentatious. The build quality throughout reflects a level of fit and finish rarely encountered under $2,000 per speaker. The binding posts are single crystal copper — pure sound quality at the connection point, not a cosmetic decision.

What it sounds like

The reviewer whose impressions we have drawn on most closely — who compared the Focus directly against Harbeth P3 ESR XD2 and Dali Menuet speakers in his own room — reached a clear conclusion: the Focus matches the P3 ESR XD2 in resolution and sonic refinement, exceeds it in bass delivery and dynamic attack, and extends further in the high frequencies than either competitor. That is a significant claim about a speaker at this price, and it is consistent with what we hear.

The midrange is the speaker's defining quality. Male and female voices are rendered with accuracy and body — the chesty and nasal characteristics of specific singers are reproduced rather than homogenized. Stereo imaging is precise and stable. High-frequency extension from the Eton tweeter is genuine rather than pushed — airy and spacious without being bright. The reviewer noted that with silver speaker cables and an R2R NOS DAC, the extension could tip slightly beyond his personal preference, which resolved by switching to an AKM-based source. The speaker is revealing enough that upstream choices are audible. That is a feature, not a problem.

Power handling is a genuine strength. At 12 feet away, driven by an Accuphase E-4000, the Focus produces 95 to 97dB peaks without losing soundstage width, articulation, or resolution. The driver reaches its limit gracefully rather than collapsing — at very high levels on bass-heavy material it shows constraint, but it does not thin out or distort. For a 5.25-inch driver, that behaviour is exceptional.

System matching

The Eton tweeter is revealing enough that amplifier quality matters. Class D amplifiers can produce an edge on some program material with this tweeter — a tube integrated or a high-quality solid-state amplifier in Class A/B is the better pairing. The reviewer found the xDuoo A35 EL34 tube integrated compelling in a secondary setup, and an Accuphase E-4000 reference-level in his main system. The Focus will reward whatever quality you put upstream of it, and it will also show you where the weaknesses are.

Garlubidor's own Divinity R2R NOS DAC and Oceanus Class A/B amplifier are voiced to complement the Focus — the Oceanus in particular is described as rich and forgiving in the high frequencies, which balances the Eton tweeter's extension in an all-Garlubidor system.

Where it fits

The Focus competes with ATC SCM11 V2, Harbeth P3 ESR XD2, and KEF LS50 Meta in sonic and build quality terms, at a price that undercuts all of them significantly. Its power handling exceeds the KEF LS50 substantially. Its bass delivery in a ported alignment gives it advantages over the sealed P3 ESR in dynamic weight and extension. The Eton tweeter puts it in a different class from the KEF LS50 at the top end. If you are considering any stand-mount in the $2,000 to $5,000 range, the Focus deserves an audition before you decide.

It will work in a smaller to medium room and scales well with amplifier quality. Add a subwoofer for large rooms or bass-heavy listening at high levels; for jazz, vocals, acoustic, and classical at sensible volumes, it stands alone.

Press recognition

The Focus has been reviewed by the Tharbamar Hi-Fi review channel on YouTube, where it was compared directly against Harbeth P3 ESR XD2 and Dali Menuet speakers. The reviewer, who also owns KEF LS50 as a reference point, concluded it was competitive with the P3 ESR XD2 in resolution and refinement, exceeded it in bass and dynamics, and described it as one of the best buys available in stand-mount speakers under $5,000. The full video review is available on YouTube 

Specifications

• Type: 2-way rear-ported stand-mount loudspeaker
• Woofer: Custom 5.25-inch carbon fiber cone; cast aluminium basket; center-pole venting; oversized spider; rigid dust cap
• Tweeter: Eton 28SD1, 1.1-inch soft dome, made in Germany; custom aluminium mechanical dispersion surround
• Internal chamber: Dedicated separate chamber for tweeter
• Cabinet: High-density pine board; approximately 1-inch front baffle; rear-ported bass reflex
• Binding posts: Single crystal copper
• Finish: Dragon bone veneer
• Sold individually
• Manufacturer: Garlubidor Audio (subdivision of Denafrips)

If you want to talk through system matching for the Focus — amplifier pairing, stand height, room size — we are happy to work through it. Call us or start a conversation on the site.