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Thoughts on Focal Sopra N1
#1
Anyone here use the Focal Sopra N1s with a Devialet 200?  I am thinking about upgrading from my Atohm GT1s.  Love the look and sound staging of stand mounts, so I'd prefer to stick to this profile.  I listen mainly to pop/jazz music with a sprinkling of classical.  Also, the design and look of a speaker are important to me, and the Focal ticks those boxes.  Finally, I want to employ speaker active matching, another box tick for the N1.
Devialet Expert 220 Pro Kinki EX-M7 power amp tethered to a fiber-fed Lumin X1 streamer via Grimm XLRs, Vivid B1 Decade speakers in Rosso Barchetta red (only 200 produced in a limited edition), Roon Nucleus with a Samsung 860 EVO 2TB SSD, etherREGEN switch fed by a Sonore opticalModule (and Sonore-supplied transceivers and 1M optical cable) with a SOtM dCBL-Cat7 cable to my Nucleus and a DH Labs Reunion Cat8 to my Lumin T2 streamer, Keces P8 linear power supply feeding a (to come) NUC and EtherREGEN switch with an external AfterDark OCXO clock., and opticalModule (5V/1A), AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioner, ASI LiveLine loom (purchased directly from Franck Tchang when I lived in France), Less Loss Firewall for Speakers and Roon lifetime license with Tidal streaming.
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#2
Focal Sopra 1 are nice speakers. But in this price range you owe it to yourself to also consider the B&W 805 D3 and the Dynaudio Contour 20.

All three are good and can be driven well by the D200. You'll have to decide for yourself which sounds best.

Some measurements of the B&W and Dynaudio can be found here: https://www.stereophile.com/content/dyna...n-may-2017

The Absolute Sounds has a review on both the Sopra and the B&W.

I went about a year ago for the Contour 20 in Grey Oak High Gloss finish. No regrets. My second choice would be the Focal and third would be the B&W.
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#3
(11-Apr-2018, 13:52)Flashman Wrote: Anyone here use the Focal Sopra N1s with a Devialet 200?  I am thinking about upgrading from my Atohm GT1s.  Love the look and sound staging of stand mounts, so I'd prefer to stick to this profile.  I listen mainly to pop/jazz music with a sprinkling of classical.  Also, the design and look of a speaker are important to me, and the Focal ticks those boxes.  Finally, I want to employ speaker active matching, another box tick for the N1.

(14-Apr-2018, 12:06)Stino Wrote: Focal Sopra 1 are nice speakers. But in this price range you owe it to yourself to also consider the B&W 805 D3 and the Dynaudio Contour 20.

All three are good and can be driven well by the D200. You'll have to decide for yourself which sounds best.

Some measurements of the B&W and Dynaudio can be found here: https://www.stereophile.com/content/dyna...n-may-2017

The Absolute Sounds has a review on both the Sopra and the B&W.

I went about a year ago for the Contour 20 in Grey Oak High Gloss finish. No regrets. My second choice would be the Focal and third would be the B&W.
Stino, thanks for your thoughts and the review link.  I had, indeed, considered Dynaudio in the mix, though with several different models entering the fray (besides the Contour 20, for instance, the special Forty).  In no particular order, I was thinking about the same speakers as you!  All of a sudden, however, a dark horse has emerged.  I am now thinking about a used or discounted-new Vivid Oval 1.5 (not the new SE version).  I've read some fantastic reviews and chatted with some who have married Vivid speakers to the Devialet Expert series.  The speaker is certainly polarizing in its looks but it's fine for me and, importantly, my wife, as we don't have a dedicated listening room but instead use our living room.  Interestingly, the designer at Vivid is the same chap who designed the famous Nautilus speaker at B&W.  Decision time looms...
Devialet Expert 220 Pro Kinki EX-M7 power amp tethered to a fiber-fed Lumin X1 streamer via Grimm XLRs, Vivid B1 Decade speakers in Rosso Barchetta red (only 200 produced in a limited edition), Roon Nucleus with a Samsung 860 EVO 2TB SSD, etherREGEN switch fed by a Sonore opticalModule (and Sonore-supplied transceivers and 1M optical cable) with a SOtM dCBL-Cat7 cable to my Nucleus and a DH Labs Reunion Cat8 to my Lumin T2 streamer, Keces P8 linear power supply feeding a (to come) NUC and EtherREGEN switch with an external AfterDark OCXO clock., and opticalModule (5V/1A), AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioner, ASI LiveLine loom (purchased directly from Franck Tchang when I lived in France), Less Loss Firewall for Speakers and Roon lifetime license with Tidal streaming.
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#4
The Special Fourty is indeed an impressive speaker. It has a tweeter which is a further development on the famous Esotar 2 and the midrange driver is the same as in the Contour. An impressive amount of music comes from this small yet beautifully looking box. I preferred the Contour 20 nonetheless: the larger cabinet gives it more presentation and muscle.

Vivid is a good brand but I think the speaker is a little bit less revealing (less detailed) than the Focal and the Dynaudios. If you can audition...
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#5
(14-Apr-2018, 19:19)Stino Wrote: The Special Fourty is indeed an impressive speaker. It has a tweeter which is a further development on the famous Esotar 2 and the midrange driver is the same as in the Contour. An impressive amount of music comes from this small yet beautifully looking box. I preferred the Contour 20 nonetheless: the larger cabinet gives it more presentation and muscle.

Vivid is a good brand but I think the speaker is a little bit less revealing (less detailed) than the Focal and the Dynaudios. If you can audition...

Stino, thanks for your impressions!
Devialet Expert 220 Pro Kinki EX-M7 power amp tethered to a fiber-fed Lumin X1 streamer via Grimm XLRs, Vivid B1 Decade speakers in Rosso Barchetta red (only 200 produced in a limited edition), Roon Nucleus with a Samsung 860 EVO 2TB SSD, etherREGEN switch fed by a Sonore opticalModule (and Sonore-supplied transceivers and 1M optical cable) with a SOtM dCBL-Cat7 cable to my Nucleus and a DH Labs Reunion Cat8 to my Lumin T2 streamer, Keces P8 linear power supply feeding a (to come) NUC and EtherREGEN switch with an external AfterDark OCXO clock., and opticalModule (5V/1A), AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioner, ASI LiveLine loom (purchased directly from Franck Tchang when I lived in France), Less Loss Firewall for Speakers and Roon lifetime license with Tidal streaming.
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