Legacy Focus...why??


I have Paradigm Reference Studio 100 but I like the Legacy Focus's although I never heard them..Would it be an uprgade from Paradigm to Focus??The price difference is a lot as well..Is the Focus worth for 6000 $?If Focus is better than Paradigm then why??All suggestions are wellcome.....
aram
The Paradigm is a quality speaker for its price range. To do better the Focus would definitely be in another league. It is clear , dynamic and plays deep. Its efficiency makes it compatible with many amps with various power levels. I owned the Whisper and my friend owned the Focus. The Whisper at twice the price was indeed IMHO better. The 6k price tag is steep and you can do better for less. My friend and I both now own the VMPS RM 40 which can outdo both the Whisper and Focus in balance of sound and overall imagery and depth. it retails for 4600 and can be gotten at discount new for less. The Paradigm as nice sounding as it is cannot begin to go where all of these go. I would not spend the 6k on Focus. Go to audioreview.com for more opinions .
I have listened thoroughly to the Focus and quite honestly
found it to be an incredibly bad speaker ( especialy for the money). There are some real champs out there such as the
Dunlavys,Martin Logans, Quads ...It just makes me wonder
why anyone in their right mind would buy a Legacy product.
I'm curious, how do you know you like the Legacy Focus if you've never heard it?
Who in the high end is really in their right mind - I mean 4k-12k for speakers - Please - you call that in the right mind no matter what brand. I have owned Quad 989, Martin Logan Odyssey, Legacy Whispers, Eggleston Andras, and VMPS RM 40's. No matter how you look at it I am not in my right mind and neither is anyone else who spends that kind of money on anything except cancer research so Brauser forget that comment and add maybe more out of their mind. Focus is used in some studios for recording (most in modified versions) and the company treated me just fine. i still have a pair of Studio Monitors which are one the best small monitors I have ever heard. I still would not spend 6k on Focus in amy mind set.
Ligi; a couple of excellent and informative posts on the Legacy Focus speakers. At one time I had them on my list as a potential upgrade because of their size, appearance, and "apparent" value for money (many drivers)-- but I never did get a chance to hear them. I ended up with Vandersteen 5s and have no regrets, but then the the 5s are near twice the cost of the Focus. I agree too that none of us is really rational when it comes to lusting after multi-kilo-buck stereo equipment;>) Cheers. Craig
Aram; I would just add that while the Paradigm Ref. Studio 100s are nice sounding speakers (I have a nearby Paradigm dealer, so I'm familiar with them), I too don't believe that they are in the same league as many speakers anywhere near the price range of the Legacy Focus. Good Luck. Craig
Thanx a lot for all the responses..
Ljgj , I also heard a lot about VMPS and the RM 40 must be a real good one..I think that is the only one that beats the Focus and it is just for 4600$..very good price and value..I really would like to hear more from you Ljgj about the VMPS's..
To Jond; I also never heard Paradigm before I bought them but I had made an extensive survey on the net and I am very pleased with my choice..Before Paradigm I used to have Jamo 707 and when I started to use the Paradigms I felt how bad the Jamo's were..I mean they were not enough..From Jamo to Paradigm was a big upgrade..
I have owned Focus for 6 years now and have been very pleased with them. As a hobbyist audiophile, I've been looking for something different for the past several years, not because I don't like the Focus but because I wanted something, well, different. I have listened extensively to the Nautilus 801s, as well as spending a fair amount of time with Theil CS 7s, Meridian DSP 6000s, Von Schweikert VR 4.5s, ML Quests, Avalon Eidelon, Watt/Puppy 5.1, Magnepan MG 20s, and various Dynaudio, Hales and KEF models. I have since moved to an audiophile wasteland and have to make a special effort to audition speakers when on business or vacation. But every time I seriously audition any new speaker I always go home and fall in love with my Focus again, which is a testament to my satisfaction. To my ears, which is the only opinion that counts to me, the midrange tonal accuracy of the Focus is second to none. The mid-bass is also unrivaled. A piano sounds and feels like a piano on my system. Imaging is realistic and the soundstage not too expansive as on many speakers. There are better speakers for the higher end of the spectrum. After hearing, for a short time, a Wisdom Audio 4 piece system (the only model at that time) I decided to add a sub-woofer to recreate the 40 hz and below "slam" sensation (and theater applications) that I experienced with the Wisdom. But the overall package, at $5,200 (when I bought them) has yet to be bettered at anywhere near that price. I have considered upgrading to the Whispers but can't thing of a reason to spend the $$$, other than just because it might make me feel better because they cost more (true for more of us than we would like to admit). Then again, maybe the reason I love my Focus is because they don't cost $$$ relative to many others.

I listened to the Focus at the factory on several occasions before buying them, and actually bought a used pair of Signature IIs first (which I have since given to my dad). I wouldn't have bought them without this opportunity. I must admit that I am curious about the VMPS RM 40s and the FF1 but I won't buy a speaker unless I've heard it first. I didn't think twice about buying my pre-amp or digital front end sound unheard, but speakers and amps, no way.

Speakers are a funny thing. One's man utopia is another's inferno. If you like the way it sounds it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Unfortunately, unless you live in the really big cities, your auditioning options are usually limited. If you don't mind the hefty return shipping charges (which I do), at least with VMPS and Legacy you can return them. They are hedging their bets that you will convince yourself that you like them enough to keep them, which is true for 90% or so of most consumer in home trials.

So, if you get the chance to listen to the Focus, or any other speaker you have access to, you will know if that speaker brings out the emotion that ispires your passion for music. If it doesn't, move on to something else. If it does, buy it. The first time I played the Rach 2 on my system with the Focus, I had a tear in my eye from the beauty of the sound. I've never regretted the purchase and could give them away for free now and feel that I have made my investment many times over in pleasure. Until something more pleasing comes around, I'll keep enjoying the music through my Focus.