Focal Scala Utopia vs Wilson Sasha?

Focal Utopia speakers exhibit the kind of clarity, transparency and finesse that grows on you after several listening sessions. Some of the most realistic sounds I've heard came out of Utopia Be speakers over the years, but somehow it took me a long time to realize how right they were. It's like refocussing your attention on what really matters. When I go see a concert, things feels natural and beautiful, not necessarily "impressive". We tend to get used to certain colorations in the way some speakers reproduce music.

Not a comment on the Sashas, which I haven't heard. But at this price level, you might want to wait a couple more months and listen for yourself.

Camali,

You'll get as many answers as there are speakers so as I said, you have to listen for yourself. Nobody is right or wrong. The only time I heard Wilsons I was unimpressed but that was a long time ago and they must've changed a lot. Likewise, I've heard some Focals sound really bad due to bad partnering.

So take your time, you're going to have to live with the speakers you'll end up buying, unless you don't made reselling and taking a loss.

Another thing I really enjoy with Focal is the fact that you know where your money goes. Drivers and cabinets are made by them and not bought from others. Of course that's not a guarantee of good sound!

Make sure the Scala get plenty of power when they're demoed, and avoid clinical sounded digital. They'll show you what's behind them, that's their strength!!!

Good luck and keep us posted when you've made your choice.

JB

I agree with Pkancel, the Be tweeter is everything but shrill. It is incredibly airy, smooth and transparent, and probably one of the best in the world.

Yes Focals CAN sound shrill contrary to a lot of speakers which will impose their colorations on music and make everything sound more or less the same. But with proper matching (which is not difficult at all to achieve), they sound amazingly sweet and delicate. And if the music sound shrill (strings at full blast can do sometimes), then I want my speakers to be able to reproduce it.

I've noticed a lot of people are actually looking, consciously or unconsciously, for an interpretation of what live music sounds like, as opposed to the (sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes sublime) truth. And that's perfectly fine, it's all about enjoying the music after all.

But if neutrality and transparency (in other words, high fidelity) is what one is after, then the Utopia 3 series is the closest thing to live music I've heard. I have not heard everything out there but they are very, very special and fundamentaly different from what others do.

I won't comment on Wilson, which I haven't heard in a long time, except to say the beryllium tweeter is technically much more advanced than the titanium one.

Actually when you see it for real, it's quite of compelling. Didn't use to like it a first but the more I see it, the more I like it! And it's made like a Bentley too. :)

Well done Cameron, you're in for a treat. Report when you get them. Remember to give them a lot of break-in.

JB