Blade 2, Sopra 2 or 3 or Scala Evo?


Having had my NAD C370/Canton Ergo RC-L for two decades, im now up for a very exciting and an serious upgrade. The Ergo is true full range, but a bit sharp in the treble, the combination gives a warm, intimate sound (a bit small soundscape, midrange with drawn, details ok), and by the way my Audeze LCD-2.2 with Burson Conductor Virtuoso sounds amazing to me.

Have spent quite some time auditioning speakers in different sizes, price ranges, brands, both here in Stockholm and last few years i was living in Singapore (Adelphi is a 6 story shopping mall with audio and high end only stores - go there if you get the chance!! ), ive made the following shortlist.

I've narrowed down to these options (for the moment)
- Focal Sopra no 2 or 3
- Focal Scala Utopia Evo (very different from V2)
- Kef Blade 2

i listen to Drum´n´Bass, EDM, Compressed Pop, Contemporary and classical jazz, some blues, opera and classical and modern and old fart rock. No LPs or CDs, only FLAC and lossless streaming.

Music and how the artform and the artists having created the music (-art piece) - moves me, affects me emotionally either by the fun and joy it creates or just being touched. I want the system to communicate feelings rather than presenting facts. Music and musicians play for me in the room, things should feel they happen in the room (in contrast to feeling transported into the recording, to another place) Slight warmth and very slight forgiving preferred to perfect neutrality.
Electronics? my NAD M51 and the Mac Mini + Amarra will stick for a few years but i intend to buy Moon, Pass Labs, MBL, Boulder, Burmester, Bryston, Plinius (also preferably demo or preowned) depending on which speaker i choose.

Live in Stockholm and will buy in europe, either new, demo or pre owned (thus the huge price range from PMC fact 12 to Scala Utopia 2 for example).
havent had the chance to try any of them in my 6,6x4.2 room (32sqm) with 2.8m ceiling.

Have listened to in different rooms, with different electronics (often weeks or months apart .... )


The presentation between the Focals and the KEF is quite different, Focals (That is sopra and the latest scala EVO) being more airy and have higher resolution and KEF more precise in soundstage etc, But I'm not sure which is most natural and gives the most "singer in the room" feeling.

I wonder if the Sopra 3 and the Scala EVO will give my room to much of the bass (I'll be able to position the quite freely, but they need to be along the long wall) or they will be to lose to the back wall or the listener cramping the soundstage, some reviewers note they need space any experience?


thanks in advance, any comments, suggestions or feedback apreciated !

/Pontus
pontusj

Showing 2 responses by ricred1

Your experience sort of sums up the reality of trying to find the best component for your preferences. Comprises! No perfect speaker exist, so we have to make trade-offs to find the best balance to our ears. Good luck and I have you enjoy your new system.