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Legacy Focus HDs

Lust received and hooked up my Focus HDs. Upgraded from the 2020s. Wow! I was worried because I loved the 2020s but yes these sound better. Any harshness in the highs are gone. The mid drivers are excellent and brought the mids to more accurate. The bottom end is still there but more accurate and well defined. No more bass issues. Very pleasing to listen to. If anyone has been scared to make the move to the HDs-Dont be. If you like the 2020s you will love the new HDs. Email any questions and I will be glad to try to answer them. Oh-The fit and finish is also better and the hardware such as binding post are a big upgrade as well. Good job Lagacy.
hifiman9
stephenurquhart
22 posts
 
Doug, it unfair of me to ask that question since neither one of us know anything about the new Rotel CDP. I think I will anti up the extra money and go with the Bryston BCD-1. I'm still researching it but it's starting to sound like the right CDP that will work well with the Legacy Focus HD's. Thanks for attempting to answer my previous question!
stephenurquhart
22 posts
 
Doug, the new Rotel RCD-1520 should be in the stores by the end of March. I talked to the head of the technical deparment at Rotel's USA headquarters and he has listened to the RCD-1520 and the RCD-1072 side by side. I'm told it's a completely new cd player and sonically better in every conceivable way. I've decided to wait. Thanks for your advice on the 840C!

Steve
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
I hope you really enjoy it! Based on the numbering system Rotel uses, it should be 29.5% better. ;)
stephenurquhart
22 posts
 
Doug,

Before buying the new Rotel I decided to give the 840C a try at home for a week. It was way too bright sounding for me. Elsewhere on Audiogon somesaid said it took a 300 hour burn-in to emliminate the brightness on the 840C. The only way to do that is buy the unit and hope for the best. You once told me if it doesn't sound good out of the box, it wont sound good after breaking it in. Did you find your unit to be bright?
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Stephen, I think you made the right decision, as it is very unlikely that any break in effect would get the unit as "...way too bright," down to the level of warmth (lack of "brightness" you want).

"Bright sounding" is somewhat subjective, you know, and there is a continuum from tubby, "chocolate" sound to tight, technical sound. The Cambridge I found to be a pretty good compromise, with an emphasis on detail; yes slightly bright. A lot depends on the associated cabling and components going to the speakers. I am able to reduce what you'd call brightness quite a bit by placing two Digital cables in the system in place of interconnects. This will work in any rig. It's unorthodox, but it does a wonderful job of adding a rich, tube-like sound. The power cords are also very effective in moderating some detail/brightness.

I felt the unit was excellent as a transport and have used it with the Monarchy M24 tube DAC quite effectively. It increased the warmth dramatically, and with Digital cables was even more mellow sounding. I do like the detail that the 840C is capable of, and there are ways to make it less aggressive sounding. One DAC which has a very high degree of the tube sound is the Van Alstine UltraDac.

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