Speaker upgrade question - Wilson vs Focal


Hey audiogoners!

Thinking of upgrading and need the community/expert input.

Thinking of upgrading from a set of usher mini ones that I've had and loved for a few years.

I listened to a bunch of speakers, Focus Audio, Martin Logan, B&w, higher end ushers, Wilson audio, and Focal.

The ones I liked the most were the Wilson Audio Sasha DAW and the Focal Sopra 3. 

Loved the forward and detailed instrumentation on the Wilson's, especially the Sasha DAW, but liked the vocals slightly better on the sopras, though instrumentation on them was not as crisp as on Wilson's. But the two are very close.

Music is mostly jazz, classical, light rock, electronic and occasionally symphonic metal / European metal (night wish, sonata Arctica, dream theater). Mostly jazz though, vocal and instrumental. 

Trying to decide between getting the Wilson audio yvette, ( Sasha is too expensive and Sabrina's don't deliver enough) and Focal Sopra 3. Though I can wait a few years and get the Sasha then second hand.

I won't be considering other brands since I already did that research run around. These two brands work best for me and synergize well with my inwall home theater speakers (origin d87s).

I will be powering them using a McIntosh mc452 /C2600 for 2 channel, mostly LPs (McIntosh mt10) and tidal streaming and a anthem 1120 for home theater. 

What you guys think? Go for the Yvettes, wait for the Sasha's or go for the focals? 

Thanks.


128x128mepstein10
Ive never liked wilsons despite hearing them countless times.  So between those two the focals would win handily, but maybe we have different taste.  In that price bracket I would really be looking at Sonus Fabers or Vandersteens but thats my taste and my dollars.  

Frostdotcomm,

The newer Wilson’s are quite good and are way more musical then earlier versions of the speakers.

However,

The Focal tweeter is both smooth and detailed especially in the latest versions, they have more air and upper octave presence than the Wilsons, the lastest EVO series also has a stunning midrange.

So if you lean towards greater clarity with a less defined soundstage Focal

If you lean towards more warmth in the midrange, less upper octave air, a bigger soundstage, with a bit more focused image Wilson.

Personally we would not go with the Sonus or the Vandersteen over either of these speakers.

The Sonus sound like a better cabineted Wilson without the exciting presentation, and the Vandys are just too laid back without the detail or excitiement of either the Wilsons or the Focals.

For the record we sell none of the above.

We did hear the latest Sonus and The Vandy Quattro CT and the Vandy 7 at the Axpona, 

The Wilson's sounded fantastic, the Sopras were good, the Focal Evo Grande Utopias were amazing if the current smaller Scalas sound like a smaller Grande Utopia that is one hell of a loudspeaker and way better than the older versions as we've said before the Vimbergs were also extremely impressive. 

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
I have Usher BE20s with the upgraded GR Research crossover and they are stellar IMO. They will be up for sale replaced by the much more expensive Vivid Giya G2 S2s. I demo'd Wilson, Vandersteen, Focal, TAD, etc. and the only 2 brands that "beat" the Ushers were the Vandersteen 6 and Vivid Giyas (at 2x+ the Usher's price). Ping me if you are interested, at <$10K used they are one of the best to my ears.
Whatever you decide, do not buy the older Wilson speakers with the awful inverted tweeter. 
Have been searching for new speakers to replace my 14 year old Avalon Opus. Finally it has come down to Rockport Atria IIs and Wilson Yvette's.

I had the Rockports for a 3 week in home audition. The tweeters burned my ears off. So much, that I went to an ear specialist and had a hearing test. A little loss of high frequencys but at age 68, quite normal.

I have had the Yvette's for 4 days in home and cannot find faults.I expect to have the Yvette's for 2 weeks. As I tweak their position, They just get better.

My Pass 160.8s have no problem driving them. I think these will be my keepers.