Focal Sopra No 2 vs Magico A3


I wish I could listen to the Focal Sopra No 2s and the Magico A3's in the same room on the same day with the same equipment.

In the fantasy world I like to live in Focal lowers the price on their Sopra No. 2's to better compete with the Magico A3's. Wow. Wouldn't that be great! Not sure what I would do then. Probably buy the Sopra No. 2's.

I purchase speakers on what they sound like NOT what they look like. Who would buy speakers based on how good they look?

londontk

So all speakers should be made with aluminium casing....

Exact science speaker 101: Aluminium body only. What a dull and bland world hi-fi would be if all speaker were made like so.

I want options, différences, coloration, fun , pros and cons.

All speakers should be made with stiff cabinets that are well damped. If hearing music, the way it was recorded, is boring to you that is for a another thread altogether...
I'd like to put sciencecop and Alan Shaw in a room together for a couple of hours, and be around when they came out...
Not a good idea. I just watched his latest video, I had to check the date; this guy has not left his basement in 40 years.
He still thinks that a plastic woofer cones are hot. And he likes to assess his work listening to music backward, I kid you not… I have to say, it was disturbing.
BTW, it does not matter how much his enclosures sings, his drivers and XO parts, which are below Radio Shack quality and, are so outdated, they are not passing half of the information to begin with, so yes, you may need to get some help from the carpenter ;)

I agree Harbeth speakers don’t have the best crossover parts and best tweeters on market, but that Radial polymer midrange may be the best plastic midrange on market right now. We have to give credit to the designer. And we cannot forget that he has to build a product to a price point, so choices must be made in selecting parts. He has the right to make a living like everyone else who owns a company, so we should forgive him if he does not put a pair of Scanspeak beryllium revelators in his Shl5...

Sure , carbon, aluminium, titanium, beryllium and ceramic composite are more modern driver materials and they have their pros and cons.

Nevertheless, the first time I eard a pair of classic Spendors bookshelves I was very impressed by that midrange naturalness ! Only the bbc thin wall design can give you that kind of sound... Is it perfect , no. But it sure sounds special with voices, brass, winds, acoustic instruments.