VAC amps and Focal Grand Utopias at $195k a pair

Interesting read, I never heard this specific set-up but look forward to hearing it at RMAF. Appears VAC will have some competition because there will be another pair of Grands paired up with another manufactures gear.

I'm a proud owner of VAC Statement 450's along with using their Sig MK2a pre paired up with my MBL 101E's for a few years now so I'm very familiar and very happy. I'm really looking forward to hearing along with any other manufactures speakers paired up with the VAC gear in general - curious you know. My speakers list for around $70K now and these Grands list for $195K so one would expect that they should put mine to shame. Should really be comparing MBL's Extremes considering all things.

If they do I'll be looking into getting a pair ;-)

I have only heard the Grands once with Devialet electronics and was left very disappointed scratching my head, I have heard the Stella's on numerous occasions with different electronics and most recently with Rowland 925's with same Vac Sig pre as mine but reading above numerous comments mirrors so far my findings. Apparently the Grands are suppose to be in a whole other league in comparison to the Stella's but this depends on who you discuss such with, sure list for allot more.

Anything I write is only my opinion and others may differ, I know shows are far from ideal but at least the tonality should be there. This is crazy money when you look at the complete package so it brings high expectations as it should.

I get tired of when I hear excuses from these show attendees, come on guys set-up your room properly - start by bringing a system that is fully broken-in - step one. I swear some just use this as a general excuse. If you aren't skilled enough then hire someone to do the set-up, bring this or that to assist in taming the room - use the same room over again and again. After two shows if you haven't figured it out what can I say

How many of you guys have gone into a showroom to hear this and that, the set-ups are usually never that great - have you ever asked your self why? Your happy to be back at home listening to your own.

We have a local show happening called the TAVES Show, no Grands present but the Stella's were paired up with the Naim outrageously priced mono blocks "fugly". To date the sound compares to the DEVIALET I heard driving the Grands a few years back, just not sure which one I preferred less.

Follow up to hearing both at the RMAF 2014 show for three days on numerous occasions, my thoughts are below, others may differ. I also listened to the Stella's in another room several times.

I was really disappointed over all with both the VAC and Solution rooms driving the same speakers,I felt both systems were at most average and only producing a 2 dimensional performance between the speakers.

Sonic wise defiantly sounded different, tube vs solid state, one more musical and the other more sterile in comparison in my opinion.

As mentioned above in my prior posting I do have VAC Statement 450 mono's and Sig pre so I'm very familiar with their tonality and capabilities over all - sorry but my system absolutely makes both of these systems forgettable.

Not even in the same league, only wish I had my speakers set-up in such a size of room so I could get even more out of them but that's coming - I'm working on it :)

So I'm wondering what's going on, was it the set-up in general, speakers or associated electronics, cables feeding them, room? I don't know but I seem to be leaning more towards the speakers themselves. I have yet to hear the Stella's or Grand's impress me, always seems to be at the most providing a 2 dimensional performance and such between the speakers.

The Grand's are huge, in my opinion they need to be in a large room - even the Stella's are large.

Gorgeous finish - I briefly talked to the man behind the speakers - these speakers were on my list to own and I went to the show ready to purchase. I found out that in a couple years time a new replacement will be available so that should be interesting.

10-28-14: Fplanner2000
I too was at RMAF and heard both Focal rooms. 2 definitely distinct flavors. I have heard the Grands sound distinctly better at Boulder Electronics' demo room in Boulder. No offense, but I don't think they were set up as well as they can be at all at RMAF. They were not as engaging as I know they are from firsthand experience.

Hearing them in these different set-ups I could hear their characteristics "house sound signature" and even listening to the Stella's in the other set-up that house sound was distinctive. It's not my first time experiencing.

Fplanner2000, I hope yours are more engaging because both set-ups with the Grand's including Stella set-up weren't at all, yawn - boring and where is the bass.

I see these big woofers but they appear to be held back "compressed" anyone notice that.

When I listen to the Grand and Stella speakers in general they just seem to be held back, not transparent and I feel are compressed "don't open up and breath".

Put on some demanding music and you will quickly notice.

These speakers are HUGE as we all know, they really need a good size room - anything less would be a no! no!

I'll be hearing the same model again today but this time in someone's home and designated room, 26' x 35' with a 10ft ceiling - that's a good size room for these.

Going to the TAVES Show tomorrow so there might be a pair there, will see.

I don't want anyone reading to think I'm trying to pick on these specific speakers, just providing my first hand experiences because I did have interest in getting a pair.

Fplanner2000, that's all that matters - that you are enjoying. Hopefully with your new designed rack you won't have the huge tall designed one full of gear hampering your left speaker, hopefully you will attach your flat screen to the wall also - doing this will provide you with marvelous improvements.

Don't know why so many duplicate posting above? sorry.

So I went over to the chaps place I mentioned above in my posting, very nicely done room. I would like my designated room to be like that.

As far as the speakers go best I have heard these sound, most defiantly surpassed the RMAF experience but, here we go.
They still have that house sound, seem to be held back and not open "congested" and where's the bass. I had him put on a few pces of music and listened, clearly demonstrated what I'm referring too;

-Livingston Taylor - Isn't She Lovely and Grandma's Hands
-The O-zone Percussion Group - Jazz Varients
-Erich Kunzel Cincinnati Pops Orchestra - Copacabana

Maybe I'm being too hard on them and because I'm use to listening to speakers that just out perform them but I was interested in getting a pair.

The guy asked my honest opinion so with out commenting said come over to my to my place for a listen and we will play the same music and you tell me. He couldn't believe the difference, far from being happy and now looking to change his speakers :)

Listening to a large encloser box type of speaker I would compare the EA MM3's for example which in my opinion substantial surpasses these Focal's by a far margin and at a fraction of the price, not even in the same league - obviously everything I post is only my opinion.

F.Y.I. I sold my MBL's that same night :)

11-01-14: Mribob
Dev,
Did you really sell your beloved MBL's? What will you listen to replace them? Your friend I am sure got great deal and wonderful speakers. What amp will he power them?
Thanks for sharing your personal experience, I have enjoyed your prior posts. Albert however is loving his focal grands, and I respect his posts as well. Two opposing conclusions, each true, but our hobby is only obtaining sound quality we prefer and enjoy...not one size fits all...many paths to get us to enjoy the music.

Yes I did, I have owned them for 9 years and learned allot along the way - absolutely amazing speakers, hard to let them go. :(

My postings are just that, as you know my own thoughts which have assisted many over the years along with yourself - some saving them the time and allot of added expense, Albert is a great guy whom I like and respect but we just differ on these speakers offerings and that's okay.

I already own Vac Statements prior to anyone in this forum so I have a good handle on their sonic capabilities so when I heard was very disappointed.

As mentioned above I went to the RMAF Show prepared to purchase a pair myself mainly because of the glowing reports. I thought for sure it would totally change my past not so favorable listening experiences. In the back of my mind I thought for sure it must have been the gear but at the same time I had already heard them also with ARC Ref250's and 40th Aniv so I was kinda scratching my head wondering - I NOW have a good handle over all of their strengths and weaknesses.

It would have to be an absolute miracle, night and day from what I have heard.

I spoke with the man behind the speakers and he felt the two rooms at the RMAF were demonstrating his speakers capabilities outstandingly and was very satisfied with lots of smiles while I was talking privately with him. I spoke with Brent and he mentioned in the past they did sound better but it was not a night and day difference.

I have already wrote above and there is no sense of repeating, anyone can read but after hearing them recently in a well designed room and to date the best sounding I was still hearing the similarities clearly, what can I say. It is what it is.

We have a local show going on called TAVES, no Grands but had Stella's which were paired up with those crazy priced Naim mono blocks - same as I wrote of above in my other posts. I was sitting at a table with three others, one absolutely loved is, third kinda and remaining thumbs down.

I have now to date heard these with so many amplifications and set-ups this is a speaker that I would have no desire to own.

If we all liked the same it would be pretty boring, as I wrote back to Fplanner.

I also own a pair of Evolution Acoustics MM3 speakers now going on two years so not too shabby of a second speaker to own - I haven't to date put in the same time as I did with the MBL's so I will do such and see.

11-03-14: Fplanner2000
Dev- To each their own. I am very happy with my Grandes, which exhibit none of the negative characteristics you describe. Best speakers I have ever heard for delivering the "you are there' experience, regardless of performance scale. You seem to have seized upon a few negative characteristics, real or imaginary, and are attributing them to all the Grande's you have heard. While that is your right, it certainly doesn't mean you ARE right. Myself and a whole lot of Focal Grande Utopia EM owners as well as reviewers around the world feel otherwise. As I said, to each their own.

That's great that you are, you seem to be reading and taking this a little personal and you shouldn't but please take the time to read that I wrote it's good that you are happy with them.

I was looking at getting a pair myself, that's why I flew to another country to hear, wasn't expecting it to be perfect.

I am LOL when you write they don't exhibit any of the negative characteristics I have described - well unfortunately every pair I have heard to date clearly does demonstrate these and I'm not nit picking.

I understand it's your opinion, when you wrote;"Best speakers I have ever heard for delivering the "you are there' experience, regardless of performance scale."

I most defiantly don't agree with that statement and have yet to experience.

If you can't hear those differences well that's great, just enjoy! It's only my opinion so it shouldn't matter.

Please share with us some details outlining the differences your system is portraying in comparison to the one at RMAF.

In what areas is your system outperforming what was being heard.

Hi Kzhtoo,

I did ask Fplanner and met him actually at the show but he did not offer for his own reasons and avoided me throughout the 3 days of attendance but that's okay I really don't care.

I have actually heard these speakers prior on a few occasions over the past years but never with the same Vac gear that I have nor with Solution. I'm not a newbee to audio and wasn't looking to be floored listening to them at the show but ..... If you read one of my last postings you will read I actually heard a pair in someone's home after the show, the designated room was very well done but poo poo on the sound again - I heard allot of similarities as I have already voiced. I prefer both my MBL 101E's and my EA MM3 speakers by far and even that Grand owner did when he came over. I spoke to Brent of Vac who has set these speakers up a few times and got his input, I told him what I wasn't liking and he responded honestly. I spoke to the man behind the Focal's with specific questions even pertaining these two set-ups and he also provided his response.

I have asked Fplanner to provide in detail outlining what his system does in comparison to the show set-ups but you can see that didn't happen.

I have no further interest in these speakers and have moved on, don't even comment on any threads when I see postings but when a posting is directed to me I will.

Jwm, really doesn't matter. Just refe4r to his own page - speaks for it's self. - I met up with many others and had a blast, went out for dinner with Albert P - Ralph of Atmosphere, Tri of Tri-planner and numerous others.