The best speaker you ever heard?

how exactly Melbguy1 was my post defensive and boastful ?
what exactly is the garbage in my system ?

09-22-15: Tomic601
how exactly Melbguy1 was my post defensive and boastful ?
what exactly is the garbage in my system ?

If you're asking those questions, you're not ready for the answers..

I completed my quest for a new set of speakers, a week ago received my new Focal Sopra No2's.
During my search, one audio salesman asked me if I prefer speakers which were "analytic" or ones that were "musical". He characterized the Wilson & Magico's as "analytic". Though I feel they make some fantastic products, I just couldn't listen to any of their models for very long before fatigue set in. I found the tweeters in the Wilson's were so "unforgiving" that when coupled with electronics that had any shrillness, I just couldn't listen to them for very long.
I found the highs and midrange in the Focal's to be the most detailed, and the bass to be tight and well integrated with the rest of the drivers. I'll still use sub woofers with these new speakers. I find that the tweeters in these speakers benefit from smooth sounding amplification, would probably be too shrill with some amps on the market.
These speakers have tremendous soundstage and when the music has a "large" sound, they sound much "larger" than anything I've auditioned.
I'm only a week into the break in period, but they already sound better!
Putting a smile on my face!

Ironically, Focal has a reputation just like Magico or Wilson for giving you a haircut with the wrong gear upstream. Depending on your perspective, that can be good and bad. Wilsons can sound great when mated with Lamm. I have heard Magicos sound very good with Plinius last year. The big Focals created a stir not too long ago with VTL. Its just like cooking....

That aside, very few "audiophile" grade speakers can rescue bad recordings. If that is your fair, get an iPod or a Sonos....

Wim1983
Love your suggestion on what music..
Here are the last 12 i listened to (one of the neat features of Naim unitiserve)
Alison Krauss - Paper Airplane
Cowboy Junkies - Rarities, B-Sides (listen to all but extra attention on last track may tell a bit about time and phase)
getz-Gilberto
L Cohen - Old Ideas
The Band - Music from Big Pink ( MFSL)
Ray Brown - Soular Energy
Wayfaring Strangers - Shifting Sands of Time
"Shorty Krall" - Live in Paris
Traffic - Shootout at Fantasy Factory
Wailin Jennys - Live at Maunch
Lyle Lovett - Pontiac

i dont have any Metal or Garbage, so I may need to get some...