Focal Aria

No need to sit on the fence Gary, just say what you think....sorry just my humor....but I do like strong opinions

That's how i see it, and if people hate the look of my SL2, i certainly won't lose sleep over it.

Personally I prefer the Aria's, love is in the eye of the beholder and all that jazz...but after saying that I do love all the strong opinions, it's one thing that makes the forum so addictive..

One should always be confident in views that are based on ones opinion....

Have a good weekend

Agree completely my friend, you have a good weekend to...

906 and 926 seem nice speakers to try with a Nait 2 - any experiences?

gary yeowell posted:

Personal taste and all, but my eyes find SL2 visually stunning, and every Focal i have ever seen, like a cheap Japanese speaker from the 80's. The S20 are also lovely, especially in Rosewood, even though i'm less keen on their sound.

I'm with Gary on the visuals - but I adore the music from my S20s  - oh and the Sopra 2s also have a certain appeal 

About looks or aestetics. Must admit none of the Focal speaker range are very appealing to me actually. I was lead to them basically for availability and VFM soundvise.... If you like the sound of course. The walnut finish alone is very nice, but as HH says, there's a lot of drivers and ports there.

As for SL2, I have always loved their look or design, but kept distance because of their special needs. Setup and distance to back wall. Some years back you had to drive them with at least a 300 according to this forum. Just by a sudden a SN can drive them. The kings new clothing? 

I'm glad HH brought up the looks of the speakers. To live with speakers long term, sound is the most important, but it's visibility would also matter, especially if they are not in a dedicated listenig area.

I had forgotten have hard it is to find speakers. I'm tempted to say, I should have kept my Titans. They where beautiful to my eyes, but a bit to expensive and most important, had some harshness in the mid/ top end in my room. That's why I hold back on S20 also. I must also add that I found S20 shut in compared to Ovator, but in the long term would turn towards positive. I have also moved to another room and suspect Kudos will work alot better here.

S

I bought my SL2s from one of the UKs best Naim dealers: before going for it I asked their honest opinion on whether a 272/250DR was sufficient, and they assured me it was. Years ago, when I owned my previous SL2s, I didn't find the 250.2 drove them properly, but they were excellent with a 300. The new 250DR is a different kettle of fish to the 250.2 and sounds much more like a 300 to me, so I can reconcile a 250DR being ok. 

Without wishing to promote what I have, I'd suggest that you will have more speaker choices with the 272/250 than the NDX/SN2: people are using the former with big expensive options such as the Sopra 2. 

I don't envy you your search for good speakers - it's a horrible task. I know you have been up and down the ladder a bit with your systems, but to relate my own experience I have found in the 272/250 and SL2s a wonderful system that is not unreasonably expensive in the world of Naim. One of the best things about my speakers is that, apart from being truly wonderful, they only cost me £2,200. If you felt the Titans were too expensive for you, you could never enjoy them, so selling them was the right thing to do. When you sit and listen to music, you want to simply enjoy the experience, and not fret about how much you have spent. 

Clearly older Naim speakers are out, but I wonder if the S400 is an option. They will sit away from the wall, and they do look very nice. Have you ever tried them? Other than those, and the Kudos 20, I cannot suggest anything from experience. Perhaps, as you like the Iotas, some Neat Momentums may work for you?

SN2 drives SL2 with ease here, a very happy partnership.

I had no drive issues when I tried SL2s with a 250.2, in fact my 110 also faired very well if memory serves, but this was predominantly LP12 based listening.

SL2's with 250.2 were good, with 300 were better, with 300DR .... should know soon...

Have a good weekend

Stover posted:

 Sopra 1 are exactly double cost compared to S20.  Thanks for the input on Kudos, int he Focal thread.

PS! Speakers cannot be placed against the wall, no Naim speakers.

S

That's interesting Steinar. Here; the S20 is about ⅔ of the price of the Sopra 1.

John.

Their is definitely an old school theme to this thread....quite a number preferring the older speakers and their marmite look....but I can't recall going into a dealers or going to a hi-fi show and listening to a pair of SBL's or similar...unless you go back a good few years .......I'm not saying their not good...but one would certainly have limited opportunity to audition said speakers these days..

There is a classic design as such, ask Frank Lloyd Wright. Some modern speakers look very good, Sopra 1 & 2 look good to my eyes, but also some older classic designs still hold up.

Aesthetic appreciation is one element so is the audio excellence, S400s to me alone look a little drab and too big, but are strong audio performers.

The Surface fixings on the crude Sopra tweeter mesh?...hmmm...Focal to do with FLW in my book....

G

Bit harsh looking that mesh on the tweeter but for the benefit of overall sound, I'd imagine ....

SL2 to me look very ordinary, like a 30s Bauhaus design, almost bakelite in look/design, but the form is aligned to their function surely, although Bauhaus was significant, it had a functional approach to its aesthetic, not sure why any of this just can't be eye of the beholder, no absolutes in each owns subjective perception to design and noise and colour.

The mesh is mainly for protection from the berylium tweeter, agree with Dan43, Love is in the eye of the beholder...

The beryllium can be a bit dodgy if inhaled !!!! 

wenger2015 posted:

The beryllium can be a bit dodgy if inhaled !!!! 

And it can make your ears bleed if you toe them in too much I have found!

The ears burning, is from all the sopra'2 haters, who are  jealous really.....but don't want to admit it....lol

Don't worry, I am a believer (check my profile )

Hi Ryder35, I did check your profile, and am glad to be in the company of like minded people, who have such impeccable taste...since the Sopra'2s arrived I only have to look at them and it brings a smile to my face...and as you know they sound b.....good..

This thread seems to have drifted off to 'what do you think are the best looking speakers'?  On that score I still rate the Sopra 2s highly, and I've only seen them in white and would imagine the black ones look even better.  But, though a Focal fan, I'd have to confess that the PMC Fact 12  are probably the best looking speakers I've seen.  Tall and elegant. They reminded of the monolith out of the movie 2001.

Agreed, I loved the look of the Fact.8 I had on demo...and the price. Pity the Sopras suited my ears better!