What speakers to get? Focal or B&W

They are quite different styles. I have owned both (Electra 926 and B&W N804) and kept the Focals. The B&Ws in my opinion have a slightly dry treble and lean midrange that the Focals don't have. If you like strict detail, then it is very hard to beat the B&Ws but if you prefer coherence and body, the Focals are the ones for you. The Focals are also a bit easier to drive and sound sublime with tube amps. The 804S is an improvement over the N804 (my neighbor has a pair of 804S so I know them well) but it still has that signature upper mid peak that I just don't really care for. And finally, even the Focal 918s have bigger and fuller bass than the 804S so the 928s will load a room much better than the 804S ever will. The 804S require a fairly small room to be tonally balanced - something on the order of 225 sqft. So if you like bass and big soundstaging, the 928 is definitely the better option.

Arthur

Bar81 - A room that is suited to Studios and Altos will not be successful with 1037Bes. Your dealer may have mated great gear to them but then he failed on the most obvious and important of matters: mating the speaker to an appropriately-sized room. The Altos and 1037s may have similar bass specs on paper but in practice, they are quite different, and that shouldn't be overlooked.

Also, the 804S are current models, priced at $4500 as stated. The N804 was the previous generation and last retailed for $4000.

Arthur