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Help me decide – Revel or Focal

I have been narrowing down my list for new speakers after selling my Avalon and believe I have arrived at my final two. After months of going to all the local dealers, I believe I am close. The entire process, though frustrating since in store comparisons are difficult, has brought out my passion again for the hobby.
My question is, has anyone heard the Focal 1038 BE and the Revel Studio 2 or Salon 2 in the same room using the same electronics? I have heard both speakers separately but no one seems to have both to do a real comparison. I read the reviews and that really does not help. The Focal seems to be a very good all-around speaker but not perfect. They seem to have a minor integration issue between the tweeter and midrange that shows up in the female voice with a small lack of clarity and being a bit recessive. I am still hoping to hear the new Sopras but I do not think I want to spend the extra cash especially since the 1038s are available in a low luster finish and reduced MSRP. The Revels, even though they came out in 2007, still seem to be a very good speaker and can be purchased used ~50% of MSRP. I am reading that their replacement may be revealed at the CES in January. At first I had eliminated them thinking they were too lean and analytical sounding. The music was just not coming out. After hearing them again, I am wondering if that may just be that they are accurate but I have read this complaint all over the internet so it does make me wonder.
I have a 16 x 20 room with 10-foot ceilings and have Anthem Statement electronics. Help me decide (but please try to keep it to the Revel and Focal since I have eliminated almost everything else in this price range available in New England).
128x128cdj123
ricred1
2,058 posts
 
Bill_k,

Interesting observations. I hope to get a chance to hear them at the Rocky Mountain Show...I can't sell my Aerial 7Ts without hearing them. What you described isn't my cup of tea either, but I'll keep an opened mind until I hear them. To my ears one of the few speakers that I have heard, that are detailed, but has a smooth natural sound are the Raidho C 3.1s. They are too much money for me!
bill_k
920 posts
 
Immediately after my audition of the Sopra 2 speakers I heard the Sonus faber Guarneri Evolution monitors connected to the exact same system. While they're admittedly more expensive and only a two way monitor, they completely outclassed the Sopras with their exceptionally smooth and seductive midrange, and much sweeter and more natural sounding high end. No they didn't go as low as the Sopras but it didn't matter to me, they were infinitely more enjoyable. The more I heard them the more I wanted to listen. With the Sopras it was just the opposite, being initially impressive but not engaging for long term listening. Of course this is just my subjective evaluation, and YMMV!
elinor's avatar
elinor
275 posts
 
The revels are very good. Very easy room placement. I have lived with mine in two entirely different rooms with no placement issues. If you want a more dynamic speaker, try the Magico S3. A bit more expensive but a portless design and quite good too. Your room is not small and somewhat boxy. You might want a slightly larger speaker like the Revel Salons. I can't tell you much about Focals although I have heard many models over the years and they just don't do it for me. But that is me. If you like them, buy them and forget the opinions of others.
cdj123's avatar
cdj123 OP
57 posts
 
It was a toss up for me between a used Salon 2 and the Sopra 2. I think they are both fantastic - a little analytical but very accurate and dynamic. I had looked for a newer Salon at a reasonable price but never got there. I ordered my Sopra 2 today. And now the wait.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
Ricred- don't be put off by all this negativism about the Focals. They are analytical and after they are broken in the sound is more like a pure crystalline holograph. The key and please trust me here is a good tube power amp. You will be amazed.
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