I own the Triton References and like you, felt they reproduced Rock very well. Since over 90% of my listening is to Rock, it was a no brainer to me. I may be wrong but I seriously doubt the Sopras will do Rock the justice it deserves. If you are in to Classical or Jazz, I would expect the Focals to be better.
Goldenear Reference Vs. Focal Sopra #2.....pocket the $5k difference and don't look back?
I've listened to both, and each has its pluses and minuses. Unfortunately, I can't listen to them side by side as they are at different dealers. :-(
I listen to a lot of classic rock and I'm not sure the Focals are up for the challenge. The Refs sound a bit fuller (to my ears) and I think adapt better to rock music....especially with the built in subs.
Obviosly the Focal are GORGEOUS and sound incredible...but for $5k ish more?
Im looking to buy one or the other in the next 30 days. Any advise or input would be helpful.
Thx
I listen to a lot of classic rock and I'm not sure the Focals are up for the challenge. The Refs sound a bit fuller (to my ears) and I think adapt better to rock music....especially with the built in subs.
Obviosly the Focal are GORGEOUS and sound incredible...but for $5k ish more?
Im looking to buy one or the other in the next 30 days. Any advise or input would be helpful.
Thx
75 responses Add your response
If sonics are paramount, the GE Refs. Aesthetics and sonics, but not as much-Focal(but your wallet will be lighter) I've heard both, not side by side. If It were in this position, I would go Focal, since I value looks as part of the equation. The Focals are not lacking to my ears. We only live once..... |
Listen to Sopra 2 at Los Angeles Audio show last summer. Focal Sopra 2 It was the best sound at the show. |
Triton Reference does everything well. Nothing (IMO) in its price category can best it for bass. As to physical appearance, personally I prefer the Reference over the Focals. I can’t get past the "bent" look. EDIT: Also worth mentioning as its relatively recent news, the Golden Ear Triton Reference has won Secrets Speaker of the Year Award. https://hometheaterhifi.com/features/best-of-awards/secrets-best-awards-2017/ |
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That's a fine amplifier! I've heard Mcintosh gear at my local dealer and he also carries both brands of speakers your compairing. I personally didn't like the Goldenears as much for music as I did for home theater. I prefer the sound of a conventional speaker for music, even though the GE low frequency extention is excellent. Good luck! Happy Holiday's! N |
JNC...................funny, I don't find the Triton References to be in your face in the least, not in the very least. I have heard many Focals and I do not care for them at all. That Berelium tweeter is like sticking an ice pick in my ears plus I don't care for their asthetics. The cabinet on the Triton References is gorgeous. |
gdhal: that means nothing. Sandy Gross is the ultimate wine & dine and marketing master when it comes to reviewers. They’re not bad speakers, but if you’re ever going to be skeptical, be skeptical about anything he touches, review wise. @contuzzi, I get the gist of what you're saying, and to an extent I agree with you. However, the marketing wine and dine routine could be said about many audio manufacturers who wind up getting "awards", and the Golden Ears have many. That said, Sandy does know a thing or two about about measurements and reviews, and in fact pointed out an error to John Atkinson regarding his (John's) Stereophile review measurement technique, which I understand John subsequently went back and remeasured using a different technique which showed that Sandy was/is correct. John is supposed to include a comment on this when he posts the review online. |
One thing I can say knowing well about precision, parts quality And accuracy, and cross over parts .the Sopra is night and day better built noticsbly better low level detail especially if you have top notch electronics. On decent electronics probably npboth are very musical but different. Sopra I gave heard, the reference uses Xover parts from China which in no way can compare to any top brand from The U.S or Europe.. it all depends how critical a listener You are. Just like the Double impacts ,really good for the money Refinement is not their best suit ,Chinese drivers are in no way In the same class as the well know drivers from Denmark, or Norway. |
contuzzi106 posts"gdhal: that means nothing. Sandy Gross is the ultimate wine & dine and marketing master when it comes to reviewers. They’re not bad speakers, but if you’re ever going to be skeptical, be skeptical about anything he touches, review wise." So true... I've demo'd all of his products... and... they do not possess the dynamics, transparency, or clarity of many other good speakers - not even close. Certainly not the Focal Sopra's. And... if you want "price-competitive" speakers that sound much better there are: Wavetouch Audio Antero's or Grand Tetons Magnestand 1.6's And... of course... the Linkwitz LX521's or used Orion's |
To all the Golden Ear naysayers about the the parts quality, China, Sandy and what have you I’ve personally listened to an in home audition of a $200K of Alta Statement towers and I’m rather content in knowing how much of a better value (price/sound/quality ratio) my Golden Ears are. And when I check into some of the speakers mentioned on this site throughout the years, I find it interesting how much of the "best" qualities of those other speakers are actually found in the Golden Ears. These qualities include high efficiency, large voice coil, ability of voice coil to handle high temperature (play loud), d’appolito driver array, built in sub woofer amp, anechoic chamber used in its design/voicing, fully balanced crossover, high-velocity folded ribbon tweeter, mix of lamb’s wool and Dacron for effective internal damping, 3/32˝-thick steel plate for stability, the list goes on. It doesn’t matter (to me) whatever you write to disparage them or compare them to in a negative light because it will not change the enjoyment I receive on a daily basis as I listen to them. And I’ve heard a handful (20?) of rather high end systems and don’t believe I’m missing anything. |
I think it comes down to personal preference. I got a chance to listen to Goldenear (not sure about the model) at Audio Concepts in 2014, and it left me unimpressed. Surprised by @jnc's comment that they were "in your face" when he listened to them. On the contrary, they sounded muffled and the upper frequencies seemed missing. Now the Focal 1000 series and Sopra series sounded pretty nice when I got to demo them. The Focal 1000 series has a slight hot treble. But the Sopras sounded balanced in a system that had Simaudio/Moon amplification and CDP. |
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kosst_amojan " Mr. Focal schill chiming in... " Translation is kosst doesn’t understand the advise, can’t explain the advise, or never heard the product under discussion therefore the opinion freely offered to which he responds must be from a shill, an idiot, a liar, or a purveyor of snake oil. He is so predictable by the way kosst I am not afraid of you so you're threats and attacks will have no effect on me. |
All in-house designed and hand built in France vs. subwoofers and drivers slapped in a box and made in China. You realize of course your statement means the premise is that something touched by a humans hand is necessarily preferable or otherwise comes out right. Comes a time when the blind man takes your hand, says don't you see? |
First of all, GE designed all their own drivers for the Triton References and they certainly aren't cheap drivers slapped in a box. Their crossovers use all the best high end parts including Mondurf caps. The fact that they build them in China in their own factory mind you means nothing. I believe some of the B & W speakers and Sonus Favor speakers are also made in China yet everyone seems to love them. If you do not like Golden Ear speakers, its fine but don't go on with your negativity simply because you don't like Sandy Gross or where they are made. My wife and I heard over 50 different speakers at the RMAF and we both agreed that our GE Triton References were a much better sounding speaker in our home than what we heard at the show. I heard the Focals at the show including the new ones with outrageous colors and I still prefer what I have. I left the show feeling really good that I made such a wise choice. And, everytimne I listen to my main rig, it puts a big smile on my face and really engages me in the music. This is coming from a seasoned audiophile with 40+ years in the high end. I have owned high end speakers made by Vandersteen, DeVore, Von Schweikert, Odyssey and Paradigm and nothing has come close to the Golden Ear series of speakers. |
Focal Sopra 2’s and a nice sub to get down to to where the 2's can't reach is the way I’d go. The OPs post is specific to the Triton Reference, not the T2. The T Refs get down to 12Hz on their own and without the need for an external sub. The Focal 2 only goes down to 28Hz so I suppose a sub would be needed to achieve the same bass response. I guess the real cost difference is even greater than $5K. |
12hz..... at 12db. @contuzzi Not sure what you mean. Perhaps you are right "Ignorance is bliss. Truly." http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1770:nrc-measu... |
I just recently found myself in your same situation of choosing between Focal Sopra 2 and the GE Reference. After hearing both, I choose the Reference. To produce the same frequency range as the GE's, I would have needed to buy a sub with the Sopra 2's. This may not be the case for your room, but I took it into consideration. I also prefer the overall sound signature of the Reference, but that may be due to the fact that I have been living with Triton Ones for the last few years. If looks played a bigger role in my decision making, I would have bought the Sopra 2's, but I was focused on the best sound for the money. |
gdhal: You calling me ignorant is truly hilarious considering that you are taking the measurement from focal at -6db, but not the Golden Ear. The -6 on the GE is 18hz (which is impressive of course, but not that impressive considering that it has a power sub with DSP built in). I know you want to defend your speakers, but try to have some credibility instead of throwing numbers around nonsensically. If you can't make it a fair comparison, don't bother calling others ignorant. Thanks for the laughs. |
@contuzzi The only number I "threw around" is the fact that the GE T Refs go down to 12Hz and the Focals 28. That isn’t fiction, it’s fact and manufacturer specifications in the public domain. It was then *you* who felt the need to "rebut" that fact by posting "12hz..... at 12db". Also you who felt the need to post that ignorance is bliss. It appears it is you who is wanting to defend something. |
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Gdhal: apparently you don’t understand. The Sopras can go lower than you are suggesting, but it’s not any reasonable output. Just like the output at 12hz isn’t reasonable output on the GE. You seem to fail to understand basic speaker measurement concepts. The funny part is, the page you linked me to as “evidence” to my ignorance doesn’t even show what you say. Apparently you’re going by the 12hz-35k frequency response listed on the web site. Again, thanks for the laughs. Learn a little bit of speaker basics before you post and embarrass yourself again. |
Spend the $5k more and don't look back. You know they sound "incredible". Why settle for less wishing every day you got the Sopras? By the way, if you like the Sopras you should listen to the Personas. I brought both home for a side by side audition. They are very similar in timbre, but I liked the detail of the Personas. |
I agree with the previous poster, at 8500$ there are certainly as good or at least slightly better speakers that the GE Reference. OTOH, the Reference model is considerably better than any of the Tritons. I found the Tritons more beamy than many electrostatics. I do like the Focals more; but if you like rock, why not look at a comparable (or used!) Vandersteen? I forget the model in that range. there are the CTs orTrios that might be had used in your range, or new less than 5K over the list of the GE Ref. They do a great job of bass response w/o the Ref's slight overemphasis. |
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The GE references are overrated by paid magazines and overpriced. I owned the ones and loved them for what they cost me new ($4500) I heard the reference extensively and did not find them much better to warrant nearly double the price. At that price point, you can do much better. They still use cheap Chinese parts (look and touch the plastic base) and make such a big deal about the “massive steel support 3/32 inch thick” that part is at home deport for a few bucks !! look at that size on a ruler, not a big deal. Don’t get me wrong, they sound phenomenal, (like the ones) just not worth $8500. buy a pair of used ones for $3500. or if you like imaging, my Spatial M3 triodes beat both in every single category except the lowest bass, IMHO. Happy listening !!! |
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Focals are very revealing and demanding speakers. They can shine gloriously with good recordings and right upstream components but also they will ruthlessly bring out all the nasties of mediocre (rock) recordings and/or shortcomings in upstream gear. Sopra is far from full range so a good sub like JL F113/113 is necessary. |