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Focal Sopra 2/3 vs Harbeth SHL5 Plus

Has anybody compared the Sopra 2 or 3 to the Harbeth SHL5 Plus? Which is a more involving speaker, not only being detailed, fast and dynamic but having the capability to portray voices and instruments in their truest timbre and tonality. The Harbeth is one of the most natural sounding speakers I have heard by far. Voices and sound of instruments sound just like the real thing through them. Once I switched to other speakers music didn’t sound as real. I was wondering if the Focal Sopras could match the Harbeth in the areas of tonality and timbre.

I presume the Focals do not sound as warm or lush as the Harbeth with their leaner presentation.
ryder

Showing 1 response by ejr1953

ejr1953
895 posts
 
I spent much of 2015 auditioning a number of speakers, eventually purchasing a pair of Sopra No2's.

Though Harbeth's are "not my cup of tea", I understand why people love them, as said earlier, for that "British sound".  I would characterize the Monitor 40.2 as a more direct competitor to the Sopra No2, not so much the HL5 Plus.

I'd characterize the Harbeth as being "warmer" and the Sopra's as being more "dynamic" with the "artists in the room" sort of soundstage, unlike any other speaker I've auditioned.

I also suspect that the Sopra would need a "smoother" sounding amp behind it, more so than the Harbeth's.
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