Sopra 3's or Maestro Utopia

Zackwater posted:

Trying to decide if current production Focal Maestro Utopia (not the new Evo) or the Sopra 3's for my system. I have nap300dr amp, 555ps, 252 preamp, super cap, nds, and REL g1 mark 2 subs. I know the Maestro are better but are they worth more than double matched with my system.  

Make sure you have the full Super Lumina loom as it will make a massive difference run in. The SL RCA to Din made a massive difference to my Rega Aria.

Phil

You don't say what speakers you have currently, but if you are thinking of speakers in the price range of £15k to £30k I'd be getting a 552 first. I'd also be looking at other speakers as well - why just Focals?

I'd consider Hungryhalibut's advice. I have same power amp and source as you but have the 552dr with relatively low range Ovator S400. I don't think you need speakers costing 15k plus

I'm a big fan of Focal speakers but, like Hungryhalibut, I think you might do better to explore a 552DR before spending that sort of money on speakers.  You might be surprised at just how much better a 552DR is over your 252, especially with your 300DR.

As you have a healthy budget,  I would suggest trying a 552 along with both speaker choices.

The Focals are seriously good speakers,  it will be interesting to hear what you decide to do.

The 552 might come next year.  $20k usd more than the 252.  I have b&w 802 d3 demo right now in my house.  They are nice except at really loud  volume.  Have owned sopra 3's before, liked them a lot. Just wanted to see if the Maestro Utopia would be a waste/overkill  on my current system versus the sopra 3's. 

I'd say that they'd be overkill and that you should have a 552/500 with them. 

Have you considered the Scala Utopia 2s? The Maestro has more bass drive, but the midrange and tweeter are the same. In my roughly 5m x 5m room the Scalas provide loads of room filling sound. I have a 552 300DR and would echo the earlier comments that you should consider upgrading the pre amp alongside new speakers. I went 252->552 with Ovator S600s before I upgraded the speakers. 

Not sure if the D3's are easier to drive than their predecessors but they were not easy to drive and I suspect a 300 would struggle at high volume levels - simply running out of puff.  A comparative listen with a 500 in the chain may show them in a different (and possibly irrelevant!) light.  Same may apply to other speakers.  Appreciate that you are looking for speakers to integrate with your system.

Peter

I feel like standing up and saying "my name is Marty and I'm an addict".  Ordered the Maestro Uptopia today.  Next year you can bet I'll be upgrading to the 500/552 because the 300/252 just doesn't do the speakers justice!!  Pray for my disease.  

Have you actually listened to them at home?

Not an option.  Blind, stupid leap of faith.  

Hungryhalibut posted:

Have you actually listened to them at home?

I bought Sopra N2s after a home demo, albeit at a good clearance price. They are matched with 282/SuperCap DR/300 DR with CDX2/nDAC/XPS DR digital and Rega RP10/Aphelion MC cartridge/Aria and heading towards full Super Lumina loom. The SL in particular has added the wow factor. There is a view that better preamp etc. is the way to go including active powering of speakers that are less expensive than even my Sopra N2s.

Most good dealers give you 30 days to return for a full refund but best check as these are expensive and probably ordered specially for you. Can't imagine that you will be disappointed with Maestro Utopias though, but it's your money. Just be prepared to work to get the system delivering it best. 

Don't worry, I'm sure you can be confident they will sound superb ....

The way I look at it, if I had purchased the sopra 3's I would have always wondered "what if".  Surely for twice the money the Maestro Utopia will be as good as the sopra 3's, hopefully even better.     They just need to be better than the b&w 802's.  

Having tried this approach previously with nbl's in hindsight I would have been better served getting the 500 amp first, which was ideal for driving them, rather than the speakers.  It was only when I upgraded the amp that I could fully understand if they were the ones for me.  I suspect the 802's are similar to drive as nbl's - can't comment on Utopias.

Peter

That's my concern in this case - buy £30k's worth of speaker and then find that you need to spend £40k on amps to drive them. Better to spend the £40k first and then choose speakers. But hey, this doesn't seem a challenge to the OP, and let's hope it works out. 

Speakers are a heck of a lot harder to physically upgrade/move/ship than an amp or preamp.  I know for sure if I buy the sopra 3's I will upgrade them.  So yes, all of you are correct I should upgrade to 500/552.  But for the sake of my back, the speakers are being delivered and set up without me touching them.  I'll upgrade the other stuff next year which I can easily carry on a dolly through my obstacle course of a yard, down the hill, down the stairs into the man cave.  

i've heard your system with So3. it's very sweet! I personally own nac n 272, nap 300 and So2. 

Maestro IS much better than So3, but is a speaker that is much more demanding on the amp (look to the Stereophile review from a few years ago). The nap 300-Maestro combo might do ok in your room, but in the long run a Maestro really requires a nap 500. 

Zackwater posted:

Not an option.  Blind, stupid leap of faith.  

And not the first person to have done so - hopefully to give satisfaction when they come.

I hope the Focals work out for you, Zackwater. We will expect you to post pictures when they are installed, of course.  

In 1977 when I put in a pioneer tape deck and Craig speakers in my 1975 Ford Pinto I thought it sounded like angels singing, I'm sure this will be nearly as good. 

Zackwater posted:

In 1977 when I put in a pioneer tape deck and Craig speakers in my 1975 Ford Pinto I thought it sounded like angels singing, I'm sure this will be nearly as good. 

Unfortunately it will not sound as good as that hi end set up, but never mind... 

Zackwater posted:

In 1977 when I put in a pioneer tape deck and Craig speakers in my 1975 Ford Pinto I thought it sounded like angels singing, I'm sure this will be nearly as good. 

i bet the sound was BLAZING good!