Between the Focals, it sounds like you're making the right call. My Focal dealer tells me he's moving the Sopra 2s out as fast as he can get them in - there must be something special about them. Would advise staying away from the Scalas - they have a pretty hot treble and can also be quite sibilant with female voices in particular - you need very high end stuff to make them behave but even then you can't make the obvious issues disappear entirely (I have to shelve down the treble which takes away some sparkle). The V2 is kind of weird since it didn't fix any of the real issues with the V1 and they already knew how to fix the problems since they aren't present in any of the other speakers in the utopia line.
Blade 2, Sabrina, Fact 12, Sopra 2 or Scala ?
Having had my NAD C370/Canton Ergo RC-L for two decades, im now up for a very exciting and an serious upgrade. The Ergo is true full range, but a bit sharp in the treble, the combination gives a warm, intimate sound (a bit small soundscape, midrange with drawn, details ok), and by the way my Audeze LCD-2.2 with Burson Conductor Virtuoso sounds amazing to me.
Have spent quite some time auditioning speakers in different sizes, price ranges, brands, both here in Stockholm and last few years i was living in Singapore (Adelphi is a 6 story shopping mall with audio and high end only stores - go there if you get the chance!! ), ive made the following shortlist.
- Focal Sopra no 2 or 3
- Focal Scala Utopia v2
- PMC Fact 12
- Raidho C-2.1
- Kef Blade 2
- Wilson Audio Sabrina
i listen to Drum´n´Bass, EDM, Compressed Pop, Contemporary and classical jazz, some blues, opera and classical and modern and old fart rock. No LPs or CDs, only FLAC and lossless streaming.
Music and how the artform and the artists having created the music (-art piece) - moves me, affects me emotionally either by the fun and joy it creates or just being touched. I want the system to communicate feelings rather than presenting facts. Music and musicians play for me in the room, things should feel they happen in the room (in contrast to feeling transported into the recording, to another place) Slight warmth and very slight forgiving preferred to perfect neutrality.
Electronics? my NAD M51 and the Mac Mini + Amarra will stick for a few years but i intend to buy ML, Pass Labs, MBL, Boulder, Burmester, Bryston, Plinius (also preferably demo or preowned) depending on which speaker i choose.
Live in Stockholm and will buy in europe, either new, demo or pre owned (thus the huge price range from PMC fact 12 to Scala Utopia 2 for example).
havent had the chance to try any of them in my 5,5x4.2 room (23sqm) with 3.1 ceiling, will move in a year or two and expect 25 - 40 sqm livingroom or livingroom+kitchen in the new place)
Have listened to most besides Kef Blade 2 (heard Reference 1 and 3 though), and Raidho only the XT2.
The others ive listened to in different rooms, with different electronics (often weeks or months apart .... )
Anything ive missed and should include?
Any recommendations or suggestions how the speakers compare, and in home conditions and after owning them for a while etc? Any recomendations on matching with electronics etc.
hifishark.com is awesome for second hand by the way!
thanks in advance, anny comments, suggestions or feedback apreciated !
/Pontus
Have spent quite some time auditioning speakers in different sizes, price ranges, brands, both here in Stockholm and last few years i was living in Singapore (Adelphi is a 6 story shopping mall with audio and high end only stores - go there if you get the chance!! ), ive made the following shortlist.
- Focal Sopra no 2 or 3
- Focal Scala Utopia v2
- PMC Fact 12
- Raidho C-2.1
- Kef Blade 2
- Wilson Audio Sabrina
i listen to Drum´n´Bass, EDM, Compressed Pop, Contemporary and classical jazz, some blues, opera and classical and modern and old fart rock. No LPs or CDs, only FLAC and lossless streaming.
Music and how the artform and the artists having created the music (-art piece) - moves me, affects me emotionally either by the fun and joy it creates or just being touched. I want the system to communicate feelings rather than presenting facts. Music and musicians play for me in the room, things should feel they happen in the room (in contrast to feeling transported into the recording, to another place) Slight warmth and very slight forgiving preferred to perfect neutrality.
Electronics? my NAD M51 and the Mac Mini + Amarra will stick for a few years but i intend to buy ML, Pass Labs, MBL, Boulder, Burmester, Bryston, Plinius (also preferably demo or preowned) depending on which speaker i choose.
Live in Stockholm and will buy in europe, either new, demo or pre owned (thus the huge price range from PMC fact 12 to Scala Utopia 2 for example).
havent had the chance to try any of them in my 5,5x4.2 room (23sqm) with 3.1 ceiling, will move in a year or two and expect 25 - 40 sqm livingroom or livingroom+kitchen in the new place)
Have listened to most besides Kef Blade 2 (heard Reference 1 and 3 though), and Raidho only the XT2.
The others ive listened to in different rooms, with different electronics (often weeks or months apart .... )
Anything ive missed and should include?
Any recommendations or suggestions how the speakers compare, and in home conditions and after owning them for a while etc? Any recomendations on matching with electronics etc.
hifishark.com is awesome for second hand by the way!
thanks in advance, anny comments, suggestions or feedback apreciated !
/Pontus