18-Dec-2021, 12:12
Personally i'd expect the Focals to be comfortably the "best" of the three listed. However, in this price bracket, box size, and your sound preferences, I would strongly recommend auditioning the Magico A1. (Full disclosure - I am a great admirer of the A-series, having been a delighted owner of the A3, and now the A5).
But speakers are such a personal choice, and the way they interract with the room is critical.
As a rather left-field option - if you're happy with everything except deep bass and soundstaging, and the very thought of it isn't anathema, a well-integrated subwoofer could be the most cost-effective upgrade. A substantial increase in the image size is an indicator that the subwoofer is correctly adjusted.
However, in your position, I'm quite sure of one thing; I would spend the money on the speakers before the amp. I think that *any* expert can drive *any* speaker magnificently, and that once you've got to the happy position of having *any* expert, then the biggest improvements for the money are going to come from the speaker. And you don't have just *any* expert, you have dual-mono already!
Just my opinion from my experience. For a while I was listening to the Magico A5 on the end of a single D-Premier. Yes, the 1000 Pro is much better. But the biggest change came from the not-A5 to the A5, whilst keeping the amp constant.
But speakers are such a personal choice, and the way they interract with the room is critical.
As a rather left-field option - if you're happy with everything except deep bass and soundstaging, and the very thought of it isn't anathema, a well-integrated subwoofer could be the most cost-effective upgrade. A substantial increase in the image size is an indicator that the subwoofer is correctly adjusted.
However, in your position, I'm quite sure of one thing; I would spend the money on the speakers before the amp. I think that *any* expert can drive *any* speaker magnificently, and that once you've got to the happy position of having *any* expert, then the biggest improvements for the money are going to come from the speaker. And you don't have just *any* expert, you have dual-mono already!
Just my opinion from my experience. For a while I was listening to the Magico A5 on the end of a single D-Premier. Yes, the 1000 Pro is much better. But the biggest change came from the not-A5 to the A5, whilst keeping the amp constant.
1000 Pro / Magico A5 / REL Studio III