2. speakers
  3. 180405-170020

Focal Sopra 2 or Sopra 3?

This isn't going to be happening soon as I need to save more for them. (I will have to find a good used set)I have a VAC Renaissance 70/70 amp that I am getting updated by VAC in January to MK IIIS. I love this amp and i am not looking to change it. I may be interested in working toward a different speaker for it some day and these Focals may work. 91 db sensitivity which should work with my amp's 65 pure class A WPC.  My current speakers really match well with it, they are Goldenear Triton 1.r's and to me they sound very good. But someday I may want even better resolution, not sure. What issues may I find mating these to my amp in the future?  My Preamp is a VAC CLA1 Mk III, it was just serviced by VAC and completely updated to Mk III with new parts. So my pre/ Amp combo is tubes. I've read in reviews different opinions on how these sound, some say rather bright and forward and others do not, say they are really smooth in the midrange  so it's confusing. I may just take my amp to a dealer about 1.5 hours away and make an appointment to audition them. Are these a reasonable option? My room is a dedicated listening room with a great deal of treatments, especially with bass absorbers, diffusion etc. The room is 14 x 18 x 6.5 ceilings. The Tritons have a lot of bass so it seems to handle it well after a lot of experimentation in placements of speakers. They are 7 feet out from the front wall and over 3 feet from side walls and about 7.5 feet apart.

128x128fthompson251
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,525 posts
 

I listened to the Sopra 3’s at a dealer’s showroom and liked the sound very much. I think, the 3’s will give you more bass response, but it may be too much for your room and limit placement within the room. The tweeters were kinda bright for a while but mellowed out nicely with more hours on them.

I ended up buying though the Sopra 2’s and I am very happy with that decision. Placement of the smaller Sopra 2’s was easier and important for soundstage.

Either one is excellent though.

BTW, I also own (4) JL F-113 subs.

ozzy

bigtwin's avatar
bigtwin
1,236 posts
 

I've just sold my Sopra 2s.  Was running them with a 50 WPS Triode 845 Class A amp.  It was a great combination and I liked the speakers very much.  I also used a pair of Rel s/812 subs to give that extra bass "feel" that most speakers lack.  I think the Sopra 2 is a good speaker if you can pick up a set slightly used at half the list price or better.  I would not have been as happy if I had bought them new.  Then I would have thought they are very much over priced for the performance.  IMO.

lak's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
lak
4,676 posts
 

+1 ozzy & +1 bigtwin

iasi
115 posts
 

I would go with Sopra 2's. They should have enough low end in your room. Mine are in a 14x20x8 listening room and they fill it up nicely. I've never used tubes on my pair, but they should sing with the VAC pre/amp combo. Good luck!

fthompson251's avatar
fthompson251 OP
476 posts
 

It's kinda disheartening to hear that a set of subs is required with them. (Sopra 2) A pair of REL 812's would be $6K.  My Triton 1.r's really don't need them at all. They are actually really good speakers especially with my particular amp. Sandy Gross used tube amplification with his.

More to discover