Pre/Power or Integrated for Focal Utopia Scala?


Hi, been shopping around for quite awhile but would like to get more ideas from you guys. Budget is about $30k+.

Primary music is classical, jazz and trance. No vocals. Key emphasis on dynamics and tonality. I am not particular about soundstaging and so on but expect a degree of detail.

I have tried these few brands:
- Chord
- Spectral
- Karan
- Goldmund
- Passlabs
- Jeff Rowland
- Plinius
- Octave

Each has some plus and minus.

- I find Goldmund power to be very good but not convinced about their pre-amps which can be abit dry. In comparison, Spectral and Karan are abit heavier and have their own tonality.
- I also liked Plinius power amps but their highest end pre-amp has a performance limitation (though good for the price).
- Chord's pre was good but the power abit strange. Not the last word in aggressiveness but good otherwise.
- Octave, as a tube, is missing the low end bite of solid state and not that expressive.
- Passlabs and Jeff Rowland are abit slow for me.

I intend to give Gryphon and Orpheus a try and perhaps ASR.. hope to have some other recommendations.
quest88
Went to the hifi show and came back impressed by VTL. Will try to find a way to listen to them with my Scalas.

May do a comparison to Octave. Seems like very sparse reviews on the differences between these two.
quest88, the vtl will be a good choice with the scalas. octave is very good too ,but different sound completely.
Focalfan, would you be able to elaborate on the differences of VTL with Octave, if you are aware?

I like the Octave sound from the dealer's place and they will be giving me a visit with the hp500se and re290. Have heard the V80 at home but it was not too conclusive.

Have not heard the VTL at home as yet, but felt it might have been a little similar from what I heard at the showrooms.
quest88, i think vtl is more musical sounding. octave is good ,fast and more strong hifi.
vtl makes music.both are good, but it is what you like.
Focalfan, thank you for your response. I did feel that the Octave V80 was lacking in expressions/emotion and that it was very aggressive.

However, since I listen to electronic music, was willing to give the pre/power a chance, hoping it will be better. I will go to hear VTL today. Hopefully this is my last 2 stops. :)