Focal Scala Utopia vs Wilson Sasha?


Hello,

Just wondering if anyone has directly compared the Focal Scala to the Wilson Sasha? I have recently auditioned the Focal Scala a couple of times and whilst at first I was not quite satisfied , upon a second and more thorough listening I must say, I am seduced. Problem is, I have also loved Wilson speakers but, living in Australia- no one is getting the Sashas for another 2-3 months. Any suggestions?? Do I go with the Scalas now, or wait to audition the Wilson Sashas? Any thoughts would be helpful, thanks.
-Cameron.
camali
Thanks guys...Maybe I'll try and here the Scalas again and if they cast their spell this time I'll just go for it... Jbcortes, my feelings are the same with how I have felt with the Focal Utopia range, when I listened again to the Scalas after not 'feeling' it the first time, I walked away thinking that it really feels like you have to adjust your attention to them, 'cause after an hour or so I was 'getting' it. They seem to draw no attention to any area to wow you...
Cheers
I have a different experience as to the comments above. The focal Scala speaker is truly a great speaker but I do not feel that it has the emotional involvement that the Sasha produces. Both speakers were well represented at the recent CES show. The new Sasha's are much better than Wilson's earlier models (WP's). In comparison too the Scala's, I feel that both speakers have beautiful highs, mids, and base. But the different with the Sasha's is the soulful intense stimulation it produces. Another speaker with even more excitement is the Acapella High Violoncello II speaker. However, the Sasha speaker is more cohesive and better for more types of music. The BAT new reference mono block amps sounded great with them. I never heard them with a Pass amp. I did not like it with Lamm hybrids.
So wait!
Hamburg,

Thanks for the comments. Maybe I will wait after all. It seems that its quite an intersting comparison with all the comments so far presented. I have heard Acapellas but they were only the La Campanella's...I was interested in hearing the High Violin II's but haven't been able to find them anywhere and the problem is, Acapellas are really expensive here...Not to say that Focals arent either but I mean ridiculously so. I could always go back to my previous option of flying to the YG Acoustics factory and auditioning the kipod/anat studio but I think I'll keep it as a Sasha/Scala decision now...
Thanks again.
Camali,

You'll get as many answers as there are speakers so as I said, you have to listen for yourself. Nobody is right or wrong. The only time I heard Wilsons I was unimpressed but that was a long time ago and they must've changed a lot. Likewise, I've heard some Focals sound really bad due to bad partnering.

So take your time, you're going to have to live with the speakers you'll end up buying, unless you don't made reselling and taking a loss.

Another thing I really enjoy with Focal is the fact that you know where your money goes. Drivers and cabinets are made by them and not bought from others. Of course that's not a guarantee of good sound!

Make sure the Scala get plenty of power when they're demoed, and avoid clinical sounded digital. They'll show you what's behind them, that's their strength!!!

Good luck and keep us posted when you've made your choice.

JB
Well, I wasnt expecting to hear them so soon, but I heard the 'Sashas' today. Amp was a Gryphon Diablo which I have heard previously with the Watt/puppy 8's sound really great so the following surprised me...
I wasn't really that over the moon honestly...I really wanted to like them more but I feel that they are more 'different' than 'better' than the older Wilson sound. On classical orchestral music I think they were superb and if I primarily listened to classical I might have bought them ,but it seems in making some refinements (top to bottom coherency eg), it seems to have come at a price, noticebly in the excitement factor. I listen to heavy rock a lot as well as classical, jazz, blues etc and they just lacked some impact for me. I really feel that the Focal Scalas took me further into the music more with everything except orchestral works. Trust me, I thought it would be the opposite way around, and whilst the Sashas appear to play deeper on paper, I feel that the Scalas had more energy and impact with things like kick drums etc. Overall, I'm sure some others will think the opposite, but I went away from the Sashas really wishing they were better. I actually also got to hear the Gryphon Atlantis speakers which I think were fantastic and a little better overall-at a considerable cost (but I will save those comments for another thread) With the Scalas, the longer I spent with them the more I understood what they were doing, and not doing. I didnt expect to have it be this way- but the Scalas have my pick now.