Hi Everyone,
As most of you know, I’m in the process of upgrading into my retirement system. I am curious if anyone has any experience with the Focal Scala Utopia Evo speakers? Questions such as how do they match with my BHK preamp and BHK 300 amplifiers? Are they ‘too much’ speaker for my room: 25L x 16W x 6.5H.
I had heard them at a local stereo store in a large room with Macintosh tube electronics and I thought they sounded amazing.
Please…..your thoughts.
Not too much speaker if you have placement freedom, however still another speaker with a forward sounding top end like your B&W’s. You seem to be determined to deal with only one store for some reason.
This was actually a different store far from my home. I went there to hear the Focal Sopra 3, and found it was on the bright/lean side very similar to my old B&W’s. They didn’t have much in this price range. They had a pair of new B&W 801’s (I believe, I know they renumbered their top model) and I just shrilled horrified to move. I just don’t get it.
On the other side they had the Focal with they annoying long model name: Scala Utopia (III) Evo. Obviously, tuned with an amplifier combo that brought the best out of the speakers. Yet, still they did not sound like any of the Sopra models.
It’s difficult, stores are few and far between, and stores don’t carry expensive inventory.
That’s why in another thread I am thinking of keeping my 802’s and adding a pair of F12 subwoofers to them.
I’m confused and trying to make sense of it all with everyone’s help.
Oh, and by the way, it seems like many manufacturers like bright sounding equipment.
Yes, these so called “neutral”/bright speakers seem to be more of the norm today as they get rave reviews from the magazines. There are still companies that don’t in general subscribe to that voicing model but they are getting harder to find. Ones that come to mind are Vandersteen, Nola, Reynaud, most Sonus Fabers, ProAc and a few others. Your usual dealer carries one of them and the others should be available on the east coast. How long of a drive is it from your house to Audio Connection in NJ? John has multiple speakers that may be more to you’re liking if you’re willing to make the road trip.
As to the Scala, it’s hard to imagine that it’s sound profile could be all that much different than the other Focal lines as they all are using a similar Be tweeter. Also the only thing your hybrid PSA gear has in common with the all tube McIntosh gear is that your gear has a couple of tubes in it. So what you heard from the all classic tube McIntosh gear wouldn’t be anything like what the speakers would sound like with the BHK gear. Both the Focal and B&W speakers just are what they are and are voiced the way their designers thought was correct. You can only mitigate the things you don’t like about them with gear changes not eliminate them. And yes I saw where you were talking about adding the two subs and while that may help with other issues it won’t solve the issues with the tweeter you don’t like. Look for and buy a speaker whose basic character you like and can live with for a long time and then worry about adding subs to supplement them later.
I started off with somewhat bright speakers (Tannoy, I forget the model) and got used to them. When I purchased the Aspen FR10s it was hard to get used to the lack of brightness. Over time, and with some adjustments, I found the FR10s balance of sound had me listening to more and more music for long periods of time. Now, I would not go back to the British bright sound.
All that to say I think you are heading in the right direction by avoiding bright speakers. Good luck in your quest.
I’m also struggling with auditioning the FR20 speakers. I’ll be honest, what’s holding me back, is if they aren’t to my liking, the cost to ship them back from NJ to PSAudio will exceed $1,000.00
I get it, that’s a hefty sum to pay if the speakers don’t work out for you. From what I’ve read, just about everyone who has auditioned them has loved them. Wonder if anyone in the forum has FR20’s and lives in the tri-state region would be able to have you over for a listening session.
Anyone….. ???
I understand that it’s very uncomfortable to allow a stranger into your home like that. I get it, the world seems to be getting crazier.
I’ve read the same about how wonderful they sound. What always amazes me is how you can have multiple brands of speakers that measure well and yet sound completely different (yet all correct). It seems out of all the components speakers are the most difficult component to understand.
I have the BHK300 and Sopra 2. I had the BHK Pre. I find Tube pre and the BHK300 have a great synergy with my Sopra’s. DO NOT USE SILVER. I tried super speaker Nordost and ouch. But the tubes give that warmer sound to the Be tweeters. I now have an ARC LS28 SE.