Focal -JM Lab Nova Utopia Be VS. B&W 801D

I would add that the Nova has some of the best bass definition I have ever heard -- if you want to hear timpani reproduced in a lifelike manner, it is hard to do better.

I otherwise agree with Dave (Audiooracle). I have heard the diamond tweeter in a pair of 802D's and was very impressed, but the Nova is a more refined speaker (as it should be given the gigantic price differential). Be careful with tube amps featuring high source impedences, however, as they will tip up the high frequency response and make the berylium tweeter sound hot.

Raquel,though my proposal stiall stands( -:) ),the Nova has inaccurate bass response.It is very enjoyable,and I LOVE the speakers(if set up correctly...not easy,btw),but the definition is NOT really accurate.Hear a big sealed box,to know what I mean.The "Q" factor is not ideal for this,and many other models.
Best!

Hi Sirspeedy:

I respectfully disagree. I have heard a lot of acoustic-suspension designs, not to mention that I ran Dunlavy's for six years with solid-state amplification (and I owned Advents for many years, not that they were particularly good examples of the design approach). For that matter, my closest hi-fi friend ran huge Dunlavy V's and I knew them very well. Sealed-box, ported, transmission line, isobaric, peanut butter -- it's all blather depending upon how the speaker is actually designed and executed (although I will grant you that a properly implemented sealed-box design has a lot of advantages). In short, I do not recall having heard a speaker that is more spot-on in the bass than the Novas.

PS - I hate to disappoint you, but I'm a guy. Raquel is my wife's name. She was with me when I was rushing to bid on a cartridge a number of years back and I needed a quick user name. The clock ticking loudly, I asked in a partial panic, "What name do I use?" She said, "How about my name?" I agreed. I won the cartridge. I still have it. I still have my wife (last time I checked).

I heard the Nova Utopias at Sound by Singer in Manhattan last fall. The speakers were being driven by Zanden SET tube amps. The sound was RELENTLESSLY bright. Otherwise, I thought the performance of the speakers was commendable, but it was difficult for me to get past the tipped up treble response. Does anyone have enough experience with the Novas to know whether the sound I heard was the result of impedance issues resulting from the pairing of the speakers with SET tube amps? Or is the Beryllium tweeter inherently bright?

The Be tweeter is not bright unless the electronics are or there is an impedance mismatch. Raquel is right on. Many of the Be's impedance plots will show you a huge hump in the highs. Personally, using a SET amp with Novas is totally missing the point anyway. These big speakers need some real power to shine in full glory. I haven't heard Singer's setup but for my tastes in bass, I can say it probably wouldn't work. If there isn't enough bass, all you have left is treble....

Getting back to the tweeter, after hearing Diva Bes several times now - in a couple setups - the Be tweeter can actually be surprisingly laid back. I was expecting a little more forwardness but have yet to hear it that way. I believe it was JA who also said that.

Arthur