I can’t fit the Utopia III EVO. If I could, I probably would. Our humble abode is just too small.
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Capiche…same here…
Best wishes
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I’d aspire to acquire Sopra’s someday.
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With the Isoacoustics Gaia I installed they become a remarkably better speaker. Every now and then I wish there was a bit more lower freq. I know I could add subs, but we really like the simplicity of the room now. The Sopra, especially in white, are striking.
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I have Sopra 1’s and they are also non-bright.
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My set-up is rather modest but still very enjoyable.
Rega Fono MM MK II, DS DAC, BHK Pre, Stellar M700’s with an ancient (but still wonderfully musical) pair of M&K Satellite-1A’s and Volkswoofer-A
I’m looking for that next speaker set-up that will give me another 40 years of music listening pleasure and in which I can place so close to the wall, it would almost be in my neighbor’s apartment. 
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Spendor D7.2
Oh yes, I went down that rabbit hole and it made it more complex and costly. I ended up with JL Audio CR-1. Mainly as my room is dual purpose. If it was single purpose for music I probably would have gone Rel via high level connections. But now that I have the CR-1 and used it, I would recommend anyone to use that. It really does what its advertised to do, Audiophile grade xvoer. Of course you need 3 more cables and two more power cords too… stupid rabbit holes.
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It be great if we could get back to the original topic
Can you mention what electronics you have driving the B&W?
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sure…Classe cam-200 monoblocks, bryston bp-26 preamp, mark levinson 5101 cd player.
all xlr audioquest water interconnects
audioquest indigo bi-wire cables (2 cables per speaker)
If it’s brightness you are not enjoying going from your speakers to Focals is jumping out of the frying pan, into the fire IMHO. I find Focals painful to listen to. Just like the D2 or D3 Bowers and Wilkins. I have a houseful of B&W speakers. Not one with a Diamond tweeter.
Speakers are so subjective when it comes to listening. I fell in love with the Be Tweeters way back with JM Labs was building them. Got a pair of Sopras when I could finally afford. Once broken in they are wonderful to me. And IMO I found the B&Ws before the diamond to be dull and lifeless (I have not heard the diamond or the D4). Just what you like. my tastes have no bearing on what you like. Seems that your taste is different. Buy what you enjoy and dont listen to others. TEST TEST TEST… Its the most critical part of YOUR system.
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You made my point.
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I found this…
While the discussion above technically went off-topic above, there is still GREAT info up there. You have info on different Focal speaker models, and views on Focal’s being bright, and others that feed their Focal’s with a BHK Pre & BHK amp, having not even a hint of brightness. While I have never owned B&W or Focal, my Infinity Modulus speakers had a horrendous mismatch with a solid state pre & power amp 24 years ago (very fatiguing). I have heard more recent solid-state Classe gear powering B&W 801D4 and the sound was EXTREMELY wonderful. (I also heard B&W 801D4’s at Axpona, driven by other gear, and wanted to vomit). So I still think that a softer-sounding preamp is something worth trying.
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Interesting info on the Bryston BP-26.
Another point that was mentioned in that forum, which is more severe in my system is the Bryston BP-26 connected to the Classe CAM-200 via XLR, my volume range is literally from 6 to 7 (clockface speaking)
This is very annoying when trying to adjust the volume on the remote, but is this causing any weird sound issues?
You could always try rca cables, which would allow you to rotate the volume knob further clockwise, but it most likely will not eliminate the harshness you hear. Cardas Parsec cables might help at toning down harshness and smoothing out the sound, but would most likely not eliminate the harshness you hear (and on the down side could take away some of the detail you hear). I would try a different preamp before purchasing cables.
That’s another great point you bring up.
The understanding and difference between a ‘transparent/brighter’ preamp vs a ‘warmer’ sounding preamp losing too much detail.
Is this a thing, or am I viewing this all wrong?
I haven’t heard the new Adam speaker from Alta, but I own the less expensive Alec model. I can say with absolute certainly, the Adam would be my next speaker, if I was to ever upgrade. I absolutely love the ribbon tweeter, and how seemlessly it integrates with the base driver. The speaker is musical, dynamic, transparent, has phenomenal bass, and images like a bandit.
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