Focal Scala or Diablos with subs?

"Can I have my cake & eat it too!”

I never can, but good luck to you.

At half price for Scalas plus an option to trade Diablo in? Sounds like a no brainer. The only thing you'll have to make sure is your room is big enough to reproduce all the goodies you heard at the dealer, or else Scalas will just sound pretty close to Diablo, which already sounds big for monitor size.

Hey Elviukai
I have seen that on a number of threads on the site that you have a lot of experience with the Focal speakers.
I've just started a new thread about my Diablos & wether to add subs or trade in for Scalas.
Any input would be really appreciated.
Thanks heaps
michael =)

Hi Michael, I assume its this thread? OK I will try to help a bit(still not now- need more info). But I havesome questions(never ask question on A'gon from elviukai- you will not get answer but more questions on return :) ) -

1)What kind of room(frequency response) do you have? Diablos are detailed in rooms which have tendency to absorb 150-400hz(this way 2-4khz shows up and character becomes more lean and detailed) , in other rooms they are quite "juicy" and even have excess of 400Hz- sound is liquid and well "spread in room" (good for choirs or small string quartets) I listen diablo with Ayre and pass Labs and with boths amps they are "liquid and juicy"

in 4x4 room you will likely to have a room mode arround 60-70hz, could be as high as +7-10db . in neutrall room Diablo goes strong up to 70-65Hz and then drops like stone. Sonus fabers doesnt do that, and some dynaudio monitors even have "thump" at 40hz. the good news that diablo can be integrated with subwoofer quite easy with measuring qeuipment/ears. if you have only ears it can take years to do this, so best to help with special cd tones- "learn" your room. Drop me mail and I will sent cd record which will halp determine if you have some room modes. Diablo with CORECTLY integrated sub can be heaven for most music genres (I think there is member who prefer diablo with subs over Grande EM) . But only ears will not help this. If sub integrated poor it will add soem excitement but no in long term listening then better turn off.

If you room have some resonant mode Scala will not work (and forget about Maestro, even in perfect 4x4 room it will have huge bass thump which will blow your socks off. the funny thing that maestro can be listened from 2meter with perfect soundstage projection and tonal balance, scala can not, Diabalo- more or less can)

2) What king of music do you listen? Diablo plays very nice on medium to low volumes, but on higher it starts to scream a bit on not so perfect records(smetimes even on good recoreds). Scala like some juice,and in HT mode at higher level Scala will win over diablo+sub easily. not because Scala will paly lower(it wont, even oposite), but because it will play louder, do not compress transients. if you listen for large orchestra , wind band, pink floyd or music like this on natural listening levels Scala will be better. BUTnot with 35w amp.

actualy its quite a tought situation here, and I am afraid that further advices can be only after you listen to special tones and draw each tone on paper with realite loudness schange scales. knowing this we can moove further. hope this helps, and sorry for typo(if any) quick typing on small laptop-neve read what I am typed.

Greets

Before risking all with the Scala's, I think you'd be better off to flip the JL Audio F110 for one or two used JL Audio F112's to see if that does the trick for you.

Hi Kzhtoo,
The deal is tempting, but yes the room is the primary concern
Am going to talk to the dealer about a home demo, I doubt that he will be all that keen, but hey nothing ventured.