Changster,
Thanks. I'll check them out... |
Sorry I was typing from my iPhone and the spell checker sometimes does really funny things. Naturalness is of course what I meant.
That was funny though! |
"sheer musical naturabeads"
Ok guys. This is a new one for me. Can someone please tell me what naturabeads are? Can I buy them off the shelf, or are they custom made for each audiophile?
TIA,
Shakey |
Cameron,
I think you really need to give the Rockport Ankaa a listen. It retails for about the same price as those two speakers and I would say without a doubt outperforms both. I have listened to all those speakers you mentioned plus much more.
To be honest I even prefer the Ankaa's over the Wilson Maxx 3's, despite Maxx3's having a slightly bigger soundstage and more "holographic" imaging. The Ankaas in my opinion has the sheer musical naturabeads, beauty, timber etc that not many speakers can match at this price. It swings way bigger than it's price tag which I cannot say for most speakers out there.
|
Well, I wasnt expecting to hear them so soon, but I heard the 'Sashas' today. Amp was a Gryphon Diablo which I have heard previously with the Watt/puppy 8's sound really great so the following surprised me...
I wasn't really that over the moon honestly...I really wanted to like them more but I feel that they are more 'different' than 'better' than the older Wilson sound. On classical orchestral music I think they were superb and if I primarily listened to classical I might have bought them ,but it seems in making some refinements (top to bottom coherency eg), it seems to have come at a price, noticebly in the excitement factor. I listen to heavy rock a lot as well as classical, jazz, blues etc and they just lacked some impact for me. I really feel that the Focal Scalas took me further into the music more with everything except orchestral works. Trust me, I thought it would be the opposite way around, and whilst the Sashas appear to play deeper on paper, I feel that the Scalas had more energy and impact with things like kick drums etc. Overall, I'm sure some others will think the opposite, but I went away from the Sashas really wishing they were better. I actually also got to hear the Gryphon Atlantis speakers which I think were fantastic and a little better overall-at a considerable cost (but I will save those comments for another thread) With the Scalas, the longer I spent with them the more I understood what they were doing, and not doing. I didnt expect to have it be this way- but the Scalas have my pick now. |
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 |
Hamburg,
Thanks for the comments. Maybe I will wait after all. It seems that its quite an intersting comparison with all the comments so far presented. I have heard Acapellas but they were only the La Campanella's...I was interested in hearing the High Violin II's but haven't been able to find them anywhere and the problem is, Acapellas are really expensive here...Not to say that Focals arent either but I mean ridiculously so. I could always go back to my previous option of flying to the YG Acoustics factory and auditioning the kipod/anat studio but I think I'll keep it as a Sasha/Scala decision now...
Thanks again. |
I have a different experience as to the comments above. The focal Scala speaker is truly a great speaker but I do not feel that it has the emotional involvement that the Sasha produces. Both speakers were well represented at the recent CES show. The new Sasha's are much better than Wilson's earlier models (WP's). In comparison too the Scala's, I feel that both speakers have beautiful highs, mids, and base. But the different with the Sasha's is the soulful intense stimulation it produces. Another speaker with even more excitement is the Acapella High Violoncello II speaker. However, the Sasha speaker is more cohesive and better for more types of music. The BAT new reference mono block amps sounded great with them. I never heard them with a Pass amp. I did not like it with Lamm hybrids.
So wait! |
Thanks guys...Maybe I'll try and here the Scalas again and if they cast their spell this time I'll just go for it... Jbcortes, my feelings are the same with how I have felt with the Focal Utopia range, when I listened again to the Scalas after not 'feeling' it the first time, I walked away thinking that it really feels like you have to adjust your attention to them, 'cause after an hour or so I was 'getting' it. They seem to draw no attention to any area to wow you...
Cheers |
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. |
I would have to say that between those two, the Wilson's would probably play louder and cleaner. The Scala's are great at lowish volumes, but they fall apart with aggresive music. The Sasha's have more dynamic range, particularly in the bass with twin drivers. Having said all that, I'm not a huge fan of either of their tweeters, both made by Focal. It's pretty shrill either way. But if you value "transparency", I guess either can deliver the goods. But both speakers are kind of hi-fi to my ears. |
theese two are very diferent speakers. sasha smoother somewhat rounded in low midrange and "in your face" and bright and rough in higher midrange lower treble(not so bright like watt puppy but still quite bright) bass is punchy.
Scala have more dark presentation in higher midrange , high frequencies more crystal clear , not so spizzy, also less coloration in bass/mids than sasha. overal lower midrange higher bass is endlessly neutral by itseld with most natural intruments (like lower wind instruments which sounds amazingly clear and true) . bass goes deeper than sasha but not so strong , but it does not atrack atention to itself. sasha's soundtage is big but thin, scala soundstage have more "real bodyweight"
bad records sound much better on Scala than Sasha. on very low volumes sasha more lively.
overall I would call Scala conservative inspite it lively and crystal clear in hights. but still- comparing to Sashas Scala doesnt have very impressive first demo. its speaker -keeper which does everyhting very well and only after while we notice how right it does music. I would choose sashas if i play mostly energetic music with slamming bass and I wouldnt pick Scala as a home theater speakers..
pick up your poisions carefuly.
|
I have spent time with the Wilson WP7 and 8 and have listened to the Sasha. The Sasha sounded very different, less dynamic at the extremes and more balanced overall. I prefer a speaker that doesn't Wow me at first listen but overtime seduces me with realism. I think that the sasha does that better than the WP 7 or 8. I have not heard the Scala, sorry. |
