I just took delivery of my 1028 BE today. Even before they're burned in I can tell that this generation hasn't the same harshness of the previous Focals. To my ears there is a very large difference in the extreme high and low end. The speed/response of these speakers is also shocking me.
From my perspective if you're in the market for a speaker one notch below "highest end" the 1028 BE won't disappoint and you'd have to spend a lot more money to get better - Focal really did a significant evolution on this generation. If you're willing to make some sonic sacrifices to save the money to get the last generation that is close but not quite there, the 1027 BE is probably a better choice for you.
From my perspective if you're in the market for a speaker one notch below "highest end" the 1028 BE won't disappoint and you'd have to spend a lot more money to get better - Focal really did a significant evolution on this generation. If you're willing to make some sonic sacrifices to save the money to get the last generation that is close but not quite there, the 1027 BE is probably a better choice for you.