Looking at Focal

Good luck and have fun in your search.  I too shop exclusively in the used market.  Speakers obviously present a greater challenge to buying and reselling, but can still be handled with some effort.  Be sure and watch each speaker's respective present value in the marketplace and pay a fair price.  I enjoy the research and hearing other's experiences with audio gear, but understand that it is not necessarily transferable to my system.  I have Platinum Audio Quattros that have four 4.5in drivers...good bass isn't possible, right??  Well, I can tell you that in my large space of 16x45 with 10' ceilings, their bass out-performed Focal 1038Be with those three 7in woofers!  They were also too bright for my taste so I resold.  I recently got a pair of 1st gen Wilson Audio Sophias.  They outperform the Focals in every way in my space.  I haven't ever heard B&W in my home, but hope to one day.  All this to say Sophias should be thrown into the ring to potentially gain the spot in your room.  There is debate of which gen of the 3 is best, but all can be had for under $10k.  

I have some of Focal's vehicle speakers in my RV. I would buy them again. 

We enjoy B&W 802Ds in our family room, and Focal Kanta 3s in our more ‘dedicated’ (and smaller) home theatre room. I own both because, in my opinion, they sound amazing but of course, different...and one isn’t better than the other. For me, the B&Ws sound more balanced, with a deeper and wider soundstage; deeper bass, and liquids highs. The midrange is a little more “laid back” than the Focals, and overall when listening at reasonably high volumes the B&Ws fade into the background and the soundstage takes over, the musicians precisely and clearly etched in my family room.

Alternatively, while I don’t feel the soundstage with my Focals is as deep or wide than the B&Ws, this isn’t a problem in my smaller room. What I do enjoy with the Focals, to my ears is a tighter bass, amazing vocals (particularly female), thrilling if even a touch bright highs, and a “faster” and overall more forward presence than B&W. For movies, I feel the Focals offer a more engaging, if a touch less “lifelike”, performance.

Obviously your ears will make the best choice. However, my guess is if you like B&Ws “signature sound”, and can work them into your budget, you should at least audition the 802Ds.

Part 2: If it were me and you're sold on Focal, I would do a Sopra 2 over any of the Kantas. Better speaker.