Why no love for Sopra 1?

Posted by: No quarter on 28 February 2018

Hello

This weekend I am picking up a pair of dealer demo Focal Sopra 1s to demo at home for a couple of weeks.Currently I use Dynaudio Special 40s with my Naim stack(see signature),and I am very happy with the results,so why look to change?Well the price I can get the Sopras for with stands is just above half list price,so hard to pass up without at least giving them a shot.They are black,and still have the shrink wrap on them,so just like new.I see a lot of the forum members using Sopra 2s or 3s,but can not remember anyone using the ones.This seems a Little strange,that they are not even mentioned when people ask for speaker recommendations.Has anyone even heard the Sopra 1s with gear similar to mine,if so any thoughts on the sound.I do recall reading that they were at a few shows paired with Naim,but that seems to be where it ends.I have heard these speakers at my dealers house,but he uses a Mega buck system,and not Naim.He said he will take my special 40s back on trade if I like them,so nothing to lose really.Am I breaking the trail here with Sopra ones,or does anyone else use them here?I live in an apartment,so concert levels are not required.Any input on the Sopra ones appreciated greatly.

Posted on: 25 March 2018 by No quarter

This weekend I traded in my Dynaudio special 40s,and I am the new owner of the Focal Sopra 1s that I have been demoing.Quite happy with what I am hearing,big smile every time I listen now.I also ordered a Naim DC1 digital cable to connect my Core and 272...and a SUperlumina DIN to XLR cable to connect the 272 and the 250DR.Hopefully I hear an improvement over the stock cable,and a Nordost with the BNC adapters.The Superlumina speaker cables will have to wait a while,and I am not sure I would do that over upgrading to a 555DR...

Posted on: 25 March 2018 by Minh Nguyen

Congratulations on your new Sopra 1s. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your musical adventure. Happy listening!

Posted on: 25 March 2018 by wenger2015

Congratulations, they really are a superb speaker, enjoy 

Posted on: 25 March 2018 by No quarter

Thank you both,I am really surprised these speakers seem to be overlooked by many,stunning to my ears.

Posted on: 25 March 2018 by wenger2015

Love is in the eye of the beholder..... or in this case the eye and the ear.

personally I absolutely love the Sopra’s.... to me that’s all that matters.... 

Posted on: 26 March 2018 by Mr Underhill

Congrats NQ.

Posted on: 26 March 2018 by nigelb

Good news NQ. Enjoy your new speakers.

I was chatting to a guy from Focal in the Naim demo room at the Bristol show a couple of years ago and we talked about the new (then) Sopra range. He told me he thought the Sopra No. 1 was the hidden gem in this range.

Any chance of some photos?

Posted on: 26 March 2018 by Richard Dane

I was up in Glasgow on Saturday for an event at Glasgow Audio and the Nova was playing into the Sopra 1s. If I had closed my eyes I would have thought they were a fairly pricey pair of floorstanders - impressive for speakers so relatively compact.  On the brief listen I had they were doing enough things in right in places that I would certainly have them on my shortlist for further investigation.

Posted on: 26 March 2018 by No quarter
nigelb posted:

Good news NQ. Enjoy your new speakers.

I was chatting to a guy from Focal in the Naim demo room at the Bristol show a couple of years ago and we talked about the new (then) Sopra range. He told me he thought the Sopra No. 1 was the hidden gem in this range.

Any chance of some photos?

I will try later today,but I never seem to have any success.

Posted on: 26 March 2018 by Richard Dane

The forum FAQ should help you with that.