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Focal 1038 be VS B&W 802D : mid-range

Hello there,
If you were to choose one fine loudspeaker based on its sweet mid-range, Focal 1038 be VS B&W 802D, which one would you choose?

In the past I owned B&W 804n, its sweet mid-range very much impressed me. I am in love with B&W mid-range Kevlar unit.
However the 804n is getting old (almost 11 years). it's time to upgrade.

"W" cone is what Focal names it mid-range driver
while B&W uses Kevlar-based driver. Any one with personal experience with these two speakers? Real world comments are very much welcome.
narut
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,075 posts
 
"I wish I lived near a Focal dealer, the times I have heard them they sound VERY clear."

That's because they are VERY clean/clear sounding. Its that French sound, similar but not the same as Triangle. Its in protest to the old classic British/BBC monitor sound, which is much heavier. That old French/British competition thing I suppose.

Most popular US made/designed speakers are more over the place and in the middle but tend more towards that clean, crisp French sound as a whole I think.
rgs92
974 posts
 
It's funny, but a couple of people I conversed privately
with about other speakers that received a lot of buzz
mentioned out of nowhere that they really loved the 1038s in
auditions or at home.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the orignal JMLab Utopias,
which I loved at shows and never found fatiguing or bright
despite the Focal titanium tweeter? Are the 1038s like this
also?
Thanks
stevizzy's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
stevizzy
114 posts
 
My 1028BE2's are broken in now and I've changed my CD Player to a new Moon Neo260D.

I couldn't be happier and I'm so glad I auditioned the B&W's, Triton and Focals using several amps. The 804D required a lot of power to sound good and had to be played much louder than the Focal. I like the French sound, it's detailed and polite and sounds great from background level to quite loud.
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