Comparing Legacy Focus snd PS Audio FR20


Thinking about upgrading my speakers and so far the two models at the top of my list are FR20 from PS Audio and Legacy Audio Focus SE. Monitor Audio Platinum 300 3G also though it’s a bit out of my targeted price point. Haven’t had a chance to audition any of them but hope to at Axpona in April. Just wondering how people feel about both speakers and how they compare. Neither available for listening near me … any insights appreciated. Thanks

aheydorn

I seriously doubt the FR20 can do anything better than the Focus SEs.  Except appeal to the wife, maybe?  But if that were the case, I'd be getting a new wife.

I've never heard the FR20, although I'm a big PS Audio fan ( I have their Directstream DAC,  M700 monoblocks,  and the new Stellar Gold Preamp. ) I would love to hear their new speaker line if I get the chance.  I do have a pair of Legacy Audio Signature SE , the "little brother" of the Focus SE. I  would have bought the Focus,  but the WAF  factor kicked in.  Legacy claims that the Signature has 90 percent of the performance of the Focus.  The  big advantage,  imo, of the Legacy is the dual AMT. Tons of detail,  great high end extension,  but never harsh or brittle.  I listen to a lot of classical music,  so those qualities are important.  High string instruments sound very natural,  never grating or screechy. As to the bass, after break in, I ended up turning off my subwoofer. The Signature has plenty of low end; although I had more bass with the sub, bass was tighter, better focused,  more natural without the sub.  As the Focus dual woofers are 2 inches larger,  I would expect it to be even better. Soundstage and imaging are my hot buttons,  and the Legacy has both in spades. And the cabinet and finish  ( I opted for the Pearl Black high gloss) is superb. 

On the amp....you have plenty of power for either speaker but the Legacy you will be listening to at much less that 1 wpc.  So make sure your amp performs well at less than 1 watt.

Thanks much for the insights… looking forward to hearing both, tho FR20s are just outside my upper limit (isn’t that often the case?). BTW, my mistake not listing my amp. It’s a 24-yr-old Plinius 8200 integrated rated 175 WPC into 8 ohms, 250 WPC into 4 ohms, frequency response 20Hz to 20kHz… I’m not too good with specs but does that help in the comparison?

Po5129

 

Have heard the ps at shows hardly great and revel salons are an old design thatRe discontinued from harmon. And we have a client with them and can't get them to sound musical 

 

Compare that to legacy whom many people love

 

Don't know what you are listening to 

 

As per typical state of he art heil drivers very high efficiency subwoofer levels deep bass high output levels,hand made in the USA, furniture grade cabinetry

 

Please mention what other loudspeakers offer all of those attributes?

Hands down the FR20’s. Have you heard them? Have you heard the FR30’s? They are giant killers. If you want a speaker that blows away any Legacy speaker that I have heard, and that is a used pair of Revel Salons 2 for around $10,000 or the Revel Studio 2 used pair for around $7000. I’ve heard many Legacy speakers at audio shows and a couple of friends setups, and they didn’t sound any different than any typical speaker and they tend to cost more than competitors.

You didn't say what amp you are planning to use.  I have long oogled the Legacy Focus SE with it's high sensitivity as a great candidate to pair with a 300b or similar SET.  

The PSAudio at 87 dB needs much more power and to get class A power to it will make a lot of heat in your room.  

So you can see my preferenc.

Jerry

Legacy Audio has a longer history of designing speakers. PS Audio is fairly new to it. 

The Legacy Aeris, as @audiotroy indicated, seems like it has the recipe for a good thing going, i.e., to marry it better to a room, etc.

with their unusual trade in program, the PS may be much less expensive than their $18.999 list price...they are superb...

op you are looking at two different price ranges the Legacy’s focus are much less expensive 12400 then the ps audio loudspeakers 20k.

if you are looking at a flagship loudspeaker look at a legacy aeris 25k

the aeris offers features that few loudspeakers can match the aeris comes with a separate electronic crossover,dac, preamp,and room correction processor and the Aeris has built.in bass amplification and only requires an amplifier for the high and midrange drivers.

dave and Troy

audio Intellect NJ

Legacy dealer