VAC amps and Focal Grand Utopias at $195k a pair

11-03-14: Fplanner2000
Dev- To each their own. I am very happy with my Grandes, which exhibit none of the negative characteristics you describe. Best speakers I have ever heard for delivering the "you are there' experience, regardless of performance scale. You seem to have seized upon a few negative characteristics, real or imaginary, and are attributing them to all the Grande's you have heard. While that is your right, it certainly doesn't mean you ARE right. Myself and a whole lot of Focal Grande Utopia EM owners as well as reviewers around the world feel otherwise. As I said, to each their own.

That's great that you are, you seem to be reading and taking this a little personal and you shouldn't but please take the time to read that I wrote it's good that you are happy with them.

I was looking at getting a pair myself, that's why I flew to another country to hear, wasn't expecting it to be perfect.

I am LOL when you write they don't exhibit any of the negative characteristics I have described - well unfortunately every pair I have heard to date clearly does demonstrate these and I'm not nit picking.

I understand it's your opinion, when you wrote;"Best speakers I have ever heard for delivering the "you are there' experience, regardless of performance scale."

I most defiantly don't agree with that statement and have yet to experience.

If you can't hear those differences well that's great, just enjoy! It's only my opinion so it shouldn't matter.

Please share with us some details outlining the differences your system is portraying in comparison to the one at RMAF.

In what areas is your system outperforming what was being heard.

Peter Breuninger gave a GOLD star for best sound to Vac and Focal Grand Utopias room at RMAF so I guess he heard it at the RIGHT time.

Go listen yourself not impressed by what reviewers say.

Hi Dev,
If you had "flew to another country" to listen to the Grands, why not contact Fplanner2000 or other Grands owners (such as Albert Porter) to see if they'd be willing to accommodate a listening session for you. BTW, I know neither of them. Or at least contact a dealer that can give you a demo in a proper setting for as long as you want. At that level, even if you want a couple of days to demo, I'm sure there are many dealers around in the country that you can fly to. I do not understand the reason you want to base your $180k purchase decision on the sound(s) that you hear at the shows.

For all I know, most rooms at the shows never realize full potential of the systems they are trying to show. Hack, my humble home system sounds better than a lot of them.

Hi Kzhtoo,

I did ask Fplanner and met him actually at the show but he did not offer for his own reasons and avoided me throughout the 3 days of attendance but that's okay I really don't care.

I have actually heard these speakers prior on a few occasions over the past years but never with the same Vac gear that I have nor with Solution. I'm not a newbee to audio and wasn't looking to be floored listening to them at the show but ..... If you read one of my last postings you will read I actually heard a pair in someone's home after the show, the designated room was very well done but poo poo on the sound again - I heard allot of similarities as I have already voiced. I prefer both my MBL 101E's and my EA MM3 speakers by far and even that Grand owner did when he came over. I spoke to Brent of Vac who has set these speakers up a few times and got his input, I told him what I wasn't liking and he responded honestly. I spoke to the man behind the Focal's with specific questions even pertaining these two set-ups and he also provided his response.

I have asked Fplanner to provide in detail outlining what his system does in comparison to the show set-ups but you can see that didn't happen.

I have no further interest in these speakers and have moved on, don't even comment on any threads when I see postings but when a posting is directed to me I will.