Best Floorstander Under 10K?

Dodgealum...I'll see what I can do. The Focus Classic Series has that kind of finish, and they did want the Signature Series to have a markedly different look. If you (or anyone else) have particular wood tones that you think would be of particular interest to you, please do let me know.

And thanks for the kind words re: our room at the show!! :-)

Philnyc. I think a distinguished loudspeaker requires some distinctive woods. I feel like the standard maple, cherry, rosewood, etc. would be a little boring (I know, this from the guy who thinks the glossy too loud!). The euculyptus done by Harbeth and others has a really nice look, a honey oak perhaps, and what about something like the rose walnut offered by Aerial Acoustics? Just my two cents. By the way, where can I hear the Focus speakers again in the NYC metro area? Given the moniker I'm thinking Philnyc must be around here somewhere?! I'd really enjoy checking them out once more now that I have had the opportunity since the show to listen to a variety of other speakers. It would be a good opportunity to recalibrate since I remember the Focus speakers pulling me in the way others have not. Then perhaps a finish option will pop up in the future that I can live with!

Dodgealum...I agree with you regarding the need for a distinctive finish, and yes, that's what the folks at Focus were going for with the gloss. :-D Anyways...yes, I am in the NYC area, in NJ about 10 minutes north of the GWB (I'm a home-based dealer, and I used to be in NYC - thus the "PhilNYC" ID - but family matters required a move to the 'burbs...). Shoot me an email at phil@sonicspirits.com if you want to set up an appointment to come out. If you're in the city and need transportation, I can probably help with that too (although not in today's snowstorm! :-)

Just for the record - I don't understand how you could find the Parsifal unmusical Dodgealum - unless it was not run in when its upper mids are pinched and recessed. I find my Fidelios quite un-hifi, much less so than my Merlin VSMs or my Thiel 2.4s - much more like my friends Sonus Faber Guarnieris than any other speaker I have had. But I don't doubt that is what you heard.

Dodgealum...so it turns out that Focus *can* make the FS-888 (or any other Signature Series speaker) in a satin wood finish (instead of the gloss). It does take a longer lead-time (2-3 months), but it does not cost any extra. Note that the gloss finish does act as a cabinet damper, so the satin wood finish will sound a little softer than ones with the gloss finish. However, according to the folks at Focus, some people actually prefer the sound!

Most readily available for wood choices are the birds-eye maple and rosewood finishes that they make for the Focus Classic Series (see www.focusaudio.com to see what those look like).