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Focal Scala or Diablos with subs?

Hi all,

was looking for some advice discussion regarding a potential upgrade/purchase that I am considering.

I currently own a pair of Focal Diablos which I have had for around 6months. Amplifier is Musical Fidelity AMS Primo pre amp / AMS35P 35w class A amp. Source is Linn Akurate DS streamer.

Room size is fairly small, 4mtr x 4mtr x 2.4mtr ceiling, carpet floor brink render walls. Listening position is about 2.5mtr from the fronts. I also use the Diablos as part of my HT set-up.

I am very happy with the sound quality that the Diablos give me & feel that they suit the size of the room quite well. Synergy with the MF gear is good, the warmth of the a-class amp fits well with the detailed nature of the Focals, nice & silky. At times however I do feel that they lack a little in the bottom end.

Recently had a chance to listen to a pair of Scalas which a local dealer has as trade in, was very impressed. Everything that the Diablos offered and so much more. They will push my budget but with a trade in on the Diablos it can be done (& please don't start talking about the Maestros!!!)

However I have just started using my JL Audio F110 sub with my hifi & I have to say that it has made me stop & think. I can appreciate that the bass is not as tight or as perfectly integrated as the Scalas but it would be a lot cheaper to buy one more sub than stretch for the Scalas. It would also have the added advantage of beefing up the sub section of my HT set-up.

So questions are:
1) Thoughts on comparison of Scalas to Diablos/subs
2) Suitability of Scalas to room size
3) Suitability of Scalas in a HT set-up (I use the same speakers for both)
4) Suitability of AMS35P 35watt class A amp to run the Scalas (won't be able to change the amp any time soon, have been told that it should be more than adequate)

TBH I already feel that the Scalas are the way to go, they pretty much blew me away when I listened to them & I think that the deal I can strike is great value. But interested to get thoughts/advice from those with more experience than myself.
neuphonix

Showing 5 responses by bo1972

bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
You want to buy speakers which can give a wide and deep stage. But you use MF amp's ( I did demo's for MF and seold it many years. I owned a MF Nuvista)MF is a brand who are not good at 3d imaging. Brands like Pass labs are superior in 3d sound. MF are good in focus, but misses depth. Linn is also not so good in 3d imaging. 3 dimensional image is the most important and exiting property in highend audio.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
I see you use an old Rel subwoofer. I sold these 10 years ago. For stereo they are much toooooooo slow. For stereo use subwoofers without bass reflex and the speaker unit should be single and placed in front. With Audessey pro I became fully stealth subwoofer sound with my speakers. Rel is always toooo slow. Wenn I use my own music you can easily here it is not synchroon with the speakers.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
I sold the more expensive Rel subwoofers in the past. The difference for newer subwoofers is quite big. Downfyring and bassreflex does not make is more easy. Bassreflex makes a sub always slower. Downfyring means bigger chanches for acoustic problems. The older Rel subwoofers are difficult to use in higher freq. like 120 hz. The become noisy and the sound is not that tight anymore. The use of Audessey Pro and my Monitor Audio PlW-15 makes is very easy to use to 120 hz. The integration with the speakers become extreemly stealth. To be unnest I never thought this would be even possible. To use it to 120 hz makes the integration go to a new level which most people never heard. Voices and instruments are so much better focussed and more 3d as well. I had a few highend systems always without sub's Like The Nautilus 800S. Now with Audessey pro and my Monitor Audio PLW-15 I have superior low freq starting from 16hz. Many of my clients with highend systems call my subwoofer voodoo. Because they are stunned about the stealth integration of the whole sound.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
In the past I sold Tact, to be unnest I never was convinced about the quality. The lyngdorf makes a big misstake. The sound is loosing it's emotion. People even call it dead. Audessey Pro give a more musical sound. The test I did with the Velodyne were all too slow. Buy Jacintha is her name. use track 6. The controbass need to be small in dimension also wenn you use the sub. Wenn it changes and voices and instruments become bigger or you image gets less focused it is too slow. For me it is that obvious. Scalas are even sols for less than 12000 euro. I still prefer the mid's of a three way system compared to a monitor. That is why I now use the Monitor Audio PL-200 with the PLW-15. This gives me stealth low quality starts from 16 hz. Speakers which can play to 117db without stress. And extreemly 3d holographic sound. It is stunning because with my Pass I play about 4 metres behind the speakers, mote than 1 metre beside the speakers. Even some recordings soms parts play beside and in front of you. This make the stage even bigger. But I even got an extreme sharp focus of voices and instruments within the deep and wide stage. Wenn you are in this business and yoy hear so many systems. My goal was: I want everything in my system. Wenn you use the right stuff at the end it is possible. Just use those tools who have the properties to make this happen!
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
The Tact Millenium MK2 which I sold to one of my best friends I don't think it is that special. The latest Lyngdorf demo's were not that special. Wenn you look at depth, it is quite poor. Individual focus is okay but never stunning. Most important part the sound. It is not the best sounding amp. Even classical music is not that involving. In real in still sounds a lot different. We do every week new tests with Audyssey Pro and it is great. Sound is improving by Audyssey. Stage is becomming wider and deeper. I even had not such a deep and wide stage witht my Pass labs XP-20. Low freq go very deep, are tight with lot's of defined details. Focus is stunning. And there is a lot of air around voices. There is even a lot of black. I do not say that it is an easy system. There is no room for mistakes. And you have to work and think very precise. After that the results are great. I like the system a lot and it is so much fun to work with.
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