Legacy Focus SE or Magico A3

@david_ten Thanks for your generous words, though I have to respectfully disagree with your suggestion to spend the budget on amplification in lieu of speakers for a couple of reasons. Firstly as I eluded to in my previous post, the OP has plans to add a dedicated preamp in the near future. And secondly, I agree with Paul Mcgowan’s approach to system building, and that is to “Build around your speakers”

I subscribe to the view that since loudspeakers have the greatest influence on the sound of your system imho, you should generally spend more on speakers than your amplification, them look for an amp/amps which has good synergy with your speakers, followed by front end, cables etc over time. it’s all about synergy!

Now here’s the thing; the OP expressed that he is unhappy with his current Paradigm speakers, noting “I am trying to get better clarity on the vocals and more separation on the individual instruments”. Could you get that through better amplification and/or a different CD player? Maybe. But I would suggest starting with the speakers, then the OP can evaluate how his upgraded amp setup sounds before considering any other changes.

D2girls..............

Why do you constantly attack the Audio Doctor?   Since you have never been to their establishment, your rude and nasty comments are speculation at best.  It gets tiring with you bashing almost every post they make.  Please learn to play nice or simply go away. 

david_ten +1 1

Let it be known that price does not equate to performance, except at the high end. To better the Focus speakers, I’m looking at $50-60K for Von Schweikert VR55, Einstein and Luminwhite Kyara (also all high efficiency speakers). The Focus will save you big bucks now and can be used with most good amps. As to CD players, I have two, a $6K EAR Acute and a $150 souped up Pioneer DV05 DVD player (twin lasers) which has 6 big new capacitors and a high end A/C cable. The Pioneer sounds 98% as good as the EAR. Shocking. Just ask Oregonpapa about his unit. So, it’s not so much about the cost as it is in the execution of the product and the equipment’s complementing each other. I don’t know about your Anthem equipment sound, but you have a good analog front end. Even Focus SEs used are about half price and probably just as big a bargain.

From a personal perspective, I would not own a Magico speaker and probably not a Wilson. I don’t care for their sound and power needs either.

I auditioned Paradigm's Prestige 95F and found them to be too "brassy" and lacking in the lower end bass. I also auditioned a variety of speakers including the Elac Andante AF-61s, the Goldenear's References, Focals,  B&W 804s and 803s, the Magico A3s, and  ended up ordering the Magico A3s. I have not received them yet. I did not considered the Tekton Double Impacts, despite reading numerous positive reviews, because of aesthetic and size considerations.

I belong to the "old school of thought" that believes that the most critical components in an audio system are the transducers: the speakers that produce the sound, and the ears that receive it (unfortunately, there isn't much that we can do about the later).