I owned the Focal 1008be for a brief period... kept them for a couple of weeks and ran them 24/7 but they were like icepicks stabbing my ears. I know for a fact it wasn't my gear that affected the sound. Easily the least enjoyable speaker I have yet to hear. I know there are people who love the electra series but man oh man did they not agree with me. My vote would be for the Dynaudio Special 40's... I am actually looking at picking up a pair of them soon.
Dynaudio Special 40 vs Focal 1008 be vs Other
My budget is around $3k, looking for a new set of bookshelf speakers (would consider gently used). Small to medium room (850 sqft apartment). I currently have the Cambridge Audio 851N/851W combo along with two REL T5i subs. Mostly music but some movies. Looking for something that looks good and sounds good, I listen to all types of music from electronic to classical. I have not auditioned either yet but have always been a Focal fan so I have a little bias going in. Just curious as to which you would recommend or perhaps other speakers I should consider in that price range (please no big ugly boxes, wife must approve). I plan to start auditioning in a few weeks. Many thanks!