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Focal Sopra 2/3 vs Harbeth SHL5 Plus

Has anybody compared the Sopra 2 or 3 to the Harbeth SHL5 Plus? Which is a more involving speaker, not only being detailed, fast and dynamic but having the capability to portray voices and instruments in their truest timbre and tonality. The Harbeth is one of the most natural sounding speakers I have heard by far. Voices and sound of instruments sound just like the real thing through them. Once I switched to other speakers music didn’t sound as real. I was wondering if the Focal Sopras could match the Harbeth in the areas of tonality and timbre.

I presume the Focals do not sound as warm or lush as the Harbeth with their leaner presentation.
ryder
8 responses Add your response
cuoicaicoi
1 posts
 
Just my two cents,
I have been through KEF LS50, Magnepan mg12, Magnepan 1.7 and now Harbeth SHL5 plus. I can say that my speaker hunt ends here with the Harbeth. I find it the most natural and rich sound, although The Maggies beats it with huge soundstage, the Harbeth still won my heart. I can listen to it for hours without fatigue. Hook it up with a tube amp and you wont regret.

Post removed 
passet02's avatar
passet02
267 posts
 
Try the JBL 4319 speakers well worth it lot cheaper in price made on the West Coast
mountainsong's avatar
mountainsong
422 posts
 
Hi guys I will introduce the KEF reference 1. How similar or different is to the models mentioned?
Regards 
ejr1953
914 posts
 
I spent much of 2015 auditioning a number of speakers, eventually purchasing a pair of Sopra No2's.

Though Harbeth's are "not my cup of tea", I understand why people love them, as said earlier, for that "British sound".  I would characterize the Monitor 40.2 as a more direct competitor to the Sopra No2, not so much the HL5 Plus.

I'd characterize the Harbeth as being "warmer" and the Sopra's as being more "dynamic" with the "artists in the room" sort of soundstage, unlike any other speaker I've auditioned.

I also suspect that the Sopra would need a "smoother" sounding amp behind it, more so than the Harbeth's.
toneranger58
132 posts
 

Actually I have been a guitarist for over 40 years. Still play in a Rock/Blues band, majority of my Albums/CD's are guitarists. Listen to everything from Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, Hendrix, Cream, to Acoustics, Wes Montgomery etc.

The Sopra's handle all very well, thick tones, crystal clear acoustics, Gypsy acoustics, M. Hedges, and for bloom on guitar notes from Crystal clear Strat to violin lead tones, Eric Johnson's music is at the top.

The Sopra's really do it all. They do get a lot of assistance from my Hegel H300, very musical Integrated.

I did a lot of demoing before I chose the Sopra's, with over 20 completely different testing CD tracks to hear what they did best, they never disappointed.

extravaganza
373 posts
 
so sopras a bit similar to harbeth,because projecting sound a bit forward,probably focals won't have bloom of guitar like harbeth do.But sopras will sound more punchy at the same time clean I guess
stevizzy's avatar
stevizzy
114 posts
 
The Sopras don't have the same "British Monitor" sound of Harbeth. 
Listen to both before you decide which one suits your taste, music genre and electronics. 
If detail, sound-staging and the "musician in the room" factor are your thing, the Sopras excel in those areas. They require excellent quality electronics to show what they do best. 
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