New Focal Headphone Release - 01.28.21

Interesting, a Google search on “Focal Celestee” finds almost nothing, but an image search shows some of the images above. If you click on the link however, the page doesn’t exist.

Looks like someone (multiple someones?) jumped the gun and now they’re trying to put the genie back in the bottle.

There are secrets if dealers actually honour the NDAs they signed instead of “accidentally” leaking things so they can try and game the system for SEO.

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No, no, no. This was just a rendering of an imaginary black and copper Stellia. The real product is purple and named the Selistea. Mark my words.

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:laughing: :rofl: :+1:

That is super interesting information. Had no idea what the incentive for setting the date wrong in your CMS was.

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35 ohm impedance and supplied with a 3.5mm cable with 6.4 adapter.

Also, if it´s true, they will be listed at $990.-

That price I think comes from an Amazon listing that was apparently taken down so I don’t know if it can be relied on.

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So leaked info online says navy/dark blue, with the Focal Radiance black.

I’d hope Focal repays breaking the NDA. A nice subtle way to do it would be to supply a very limited quantity to to those who leaked. Breaking embargoes isn’t cool.

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To be honest, I don’t quite understand these “indignant:wink: comments!

For companies that are significantly larger and economically more important than Focal, such as Apple, Samsung, LG …, it is “common policy” to work with this type of “accidental leaks”, and thus their products, yes to attract more attention in the run-up to the official launch.

This is now common marketing and keeps the respective brand in discussion.

If these companies, like every ordinary person, really want to keep a secret, then I am not allowed to involve any other person or entity in advance.

Otherwise it is no longer a secret in the internet age. :man_shrugging:

The “silent obligations” that have been concluded in the run-up to a new publication may be relevant for “smaller sellers” or “Internet reviewers”.

In the case of large sellers who put masses of the respective products on the market, the manufacturers would be “suicidal” if they took legal action, as otherwise they would have to accept market losses.

This is how the free market economy works, whether you like it or not.

We all live in and with it, and most of us not that bad !?

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Well if there is an NDA in place, which seems to be the case for this particular incident, then they have violated that NDA. NDAs exist for a reason and consequences are to be expected for violating them.

In this case, I would trust that it was not supposed to be an “accidental” leak especially since it was supposed to be revealed on The HEADPHONE Show.

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Accidental leaks and actual leaks are different things and these large companies do penalize sellers, reviewers and testers for leaks. Apple has long history of taking leakers to court. Same with Samsung, Microsoft and Nvidia when people release materials about unreleased products.

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Part of a common practice in the “real world”:

  • The time. If the time gap between the news leak and the official release seems to be small, this is most likely a marketing move.

By the way, marketing was part of my job.

And with new releases of certain products, specific criteria are “stimulated” in the google search in order to give interested parties a “success experience” in the “mysterious” search.

And if Focal sold “only” 500 of these headphones worldwide „as a pre-order“ until the 28th, based on the leaked pictures, this one was a complete success.

Software programmers and web designers are even paid for this :wink:

PS .: My focal dealer officially doesn’t know anything about these headphones, but has just accepted my pre-order, “hypothetically of course” :laughing:

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Companies should not enter into NDAs they have no intention of honoring or enforcing, as different stakeholders rely on the performance of those agreements, and being in breach has consequences. If leaks and certain marketing schemes are expected, then don’t enter into NDAs.

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Sigh, yes. This is human nature.

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Fascinating to think that Focal would have authorized the five dealers that had listings for this product to put those listings up, but then also not have those pages be accessible for actual purchase.

That’s not a very good way to leak and sell pre-orders.

Also the argument of time and gap between official announcements is a specious point because any time you get closer to launch and have to communicate things to sales channel in preparation, you have greater risk of leaks.

Please read the disclaimer of this article!

Long before the official launch of the last iPhone, apple had “accidentally” put the complete portfolio of its new products online in its own shop for a very short time, including all data and prices.
To then take it off the grid again.

The same thing happened with the ipads last year.

Now the data is popped up for a short time at Focal!

Do you really believe in coincidence or abuse of contract?

Hmmm??? :thinking:

PS .: I really don’t want to shake your belief in the good :innocent:

Hard to shake something that doesn’t really exist.

I’ve been involved in business & information technology for a long time. It’s entirely possible that the people that put the new Focal Headphone online thought that they were clear to do so. It’s entirely possible that the initial posting was an accident and the others were done because the first happened & no one wanted to be left out.

At the end of the day it is not something that we, as potential buyers, are going to know the answer to. I don’t see Focal doing much of anything about this after all they need their vendors to sell their products.

Just how it is. We will still know more by watching the video here than all the speculation in the world.

Mark Gosdin

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Remember that time when a Reddit disclaimer was cited as conclusive authority.

If NDAs weren’t entered into, then there is no issue.

Not a matter of belief, good or otherwise.

Regardless, it has provided some good publicity because people are talking. So if it was intentional or not, it works.

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