Focal Sopra 2 vs Kanta 2. What does money buy you in HI-FI? (Day 1) 

This is why you are my new go-to Audio reviewer. You explain terms and the relevance as it relates to components better than any of the other folks trying to do this. Go Thomas!

I like your review format. Inserting the actual test tracks relevant to the aspect of sound that you are talking about is something all other reviewers should be doing. Kudos.

"Its all there it's just a question of how much effort you have to put in"....SPOT ON!!! ive been wondering this myself over the last 25+ years and you hit the nail on the head describing the difference between a mass market/mid fi system to a higher end setup. It's all in the details.

Focal speakers are so underrated on Internet, I’m happy we have such an ambassador for them. (don’t make the mistake to listen to your Sopra with an Accuphase pure Class A amp, your bank account will not thank you).

That's the most brilliant explanation why an high-end system only works if all the components are in sinergy, espescially amp and speakers. Thank you very much!

Excellent review!!! The way this review is structured should be modeled everywhere and it is exemplary and more important extremely helpful. I own the focal kanta 2 and couldn't agree more with Thomas conclusions. Thomas, I think this video is your best yet and I've watched many. Keep it up!

I don’t claim to be any type of expert, but, I have spent a lot of time, energy, money and experimentation over the last 35 years, building a sound system which reproduces music the way I like to hear it. You talk about one set of speakers producing too much bass energy for your room size of 300 square feet. That figure doesn’t mean a lot, cubic feet is a more accurate measurement, because with room acoustics you must allow for the height of the ceiling. Anyway, your room sounds a very similar size to mine. My solution, is a pair of speakers with an airy clean top end, a smooth, full bodied mid, a fast, tight, accurate and punchy low frequency not worrying too much about how low they go. Then, you add a pair of good musical active subs. This puts you in total control of the amount of bass energy in your room. It also means that you can get away with a smaller amp, as it will not have to meet the demands of a more bass heavy pair of speakers.

You're a good soul, Thomas. And a true enthusiast.

You are absolutely correct in your statement about higher end gear being much more difficult to get right than lower end stuff. One might think their stereo is broken while trying to get a good setup/synergistic equipment combo/proper positioning, until they get it JUUUSST right. Then all of a sudden - bam! - it all comes together!

The quality of your videos have significantly jumped. I've always enjoyed your content but I guess I started noticing when you finished your room that you come across with way more confidence and more focus, but still maintaining your personable, down to earth overall presentation. The way you're filming has also taken a huge leap forward and again, looking more sleek and focused, still manages to stay down to earth and engaging. Keep up the great work Thomas!

Not only are you very knowledgeable in hi-fi equipment you are a good man God bless you and your family I don’t know if I’ll ever get to the point that I can afford $10,000 speakers but I’m trying to get there

Heard the sopra 2 and 3 with a primaluna dialogue premium HP and they were absolutely singing.

Thomas your doing a great job and you are one of the few RU-vid’ers that has respect for others therefore I have great respect for you . Keep up the great work you’ll be at 100k subs In no time . Excellent review as usual 👍

Yessss. Finally somebody compared them. This was a really useful video. Thanks a lot for it. Stay safe! :)

Thank you Thomas for the long awaited review of the two Focals: the Kanta 2 and Sopra 2. And yes it is your fault that I have the Kanta's now but with No regrets. 😉😉 You mentioned your room dimensions as to why you feel the Sopra 2 produces too much bass and the Kanta 3 would be a better fit than Kanta 2? But the Kanta 3's have 8" woofers wouldnt that be too much too? My music room is 20x16x8 opening up to the kitchen which is another 23x20.. The Kanta 2's give me everything I want. And.....from your sound Demo, the Kanta 2's have more clear detailed sound quality in the mids and hi's than the Sopra 2 with enough bass I can live with. Thanks again for your videos keep them coming, MR. Kanta from NY. 😁

The Sopra 2 sound extremely clean, detailed, precise and you don't hear the box, you just hear the music. The Kanta 2 is muddy all through the mid/lows/highs, has a lot of boxy resonnances and you clearly can hear the box coloration. As someone who use Focal studio monitors SM9, it was very hard to like the Kanta 2, I don't know how they charge this price for something so muddy.

Been waiting for this one. Thank you Thomas 🙏🏾. Just about to get one of them for my home theatre build

I run mine with a modified 555II with OnSemi transistors. They sound fantastic. But they are exclusively used with my Marantz SR7008 AV RX. I sold my Focal 1028 Be’s and traded for the Sopra 2’s. Honestly, kind of spent several thousands more and it’s not a drastic difference. Live and learn. I’ve also powered them with my VTL-IT85 at 60 watts per channel.

Congrats on 30k subscribers, You deserve them all! Thomas great video, awesome work on the commentary. I just received a pair of Emotiva Airmotiv speakers from a giveaway. Have them hooked up to my Parasound Halo P3, and A23. What awesome speakers! Easy to drive, great detail, and clarity. I am rediscovering my music collection, and am really enjoying doing that. Thank you for all that you do, have a great day man!

You deserve the followers because you speak with knowledge and honesty and that goes a long way.

I totally get what you're experiencing. My experience with a ultra revealing tweeter was hearing an Accuton ceramic tweeter. Comparing to a good, but not great soft dome the cymbals sound shimmered rather than sizzled. Clearly, the ceramic tweeter handled it better. Same goes with Emmylou Harris, whose voice can come across as harsh with e lesser driver, but sublime with the better tweeter.

JM Labs / Focal have a long tradition of speakers with superb detail, thanks to the very high quality twitters they use, either Titanium or Beryllium. One of my pairs of speakers is the *JM Labs "Electra 926* with the titanium twitters. When it comes to Jazz or Classical Music these excell well above speakers that cost much more....and they are no less than 10 years old!.. PS: Sorry to hear about the loss of a family member.. We live in uncertain times indeed!

I have being waiting for this video to drop for days

I’m a proud owner of the Kanta 2, but I’m shocked by the difference to the Sopra’s. Those are awesome, could easily hear that through this ugly iPad of mine.. Now I have a new goal in hifi-life.

That grand piano sounds amazing thru my iPad. It sounds even better thru my old well used Technics Mash CD player ($20) Yamaha amp ($1000) Sony sub ($400) and used B&W speakers ($2k) I would never spend more on speakers than I spent on my New Camry but that's just me. Congrats on nearing 30k subs. Great channel Thomas!

Finally the Sopra/Kanta comparison!!! Also love the sound clips, they definitely emphasize your point.

You do great detail in determining best speakers!

I just had audition of Sopra 3/ Diablo 300/ emmlabs dv2+ns1/ synergistic foundation cable. So basically the feeling is like to listen to a show, rather just the music. The sound is so real and made kinda picture in front of you. You do feel the resistance of the string, and the move of the artists hand. Next audition is Scala with Vitus SIA 030. See if they can make another step up.

The fast bass, you are describing, is very similar to how damping factor works. An amplifier damping factor with heavy gauge speaker wires, handles that. The different types of speakers with amplifier combinations changes those numbers. Resulting in fast or slow sounding bass.

I've got focal mini utopias. Great speakers!

Yeah Thomas ... you used the right term, effortless. I love how you explain things 😬👍👍

Hi Thomas, I really love your reviews, they are very informative and helpful when looking for a new set of speakers. This week I sat with a dealer listening to the Focal Kanta 2 speakers. I let him play a few songs, amongst others Fast Car by Tracy Chapman and A Real Mother For Ya by Johnny Guitar Watson. I felt, hmmm, these speakers should sound better. Then the dealer put on Bob Dylan's Man In The Long Black Coat ... and I was stunned. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The quality of the speakers was immense. Big base, big super broad soundstage, clear mid and high, all was excellent. And then it hit me: great speakers need great recordings to shine. If the recording is mediocre, then that is what the Kanta's will show you. That was my key takeaway that afternoon.

Sir Thomas, you are a refreshing soul.

I'm still loving my focal 948 aria

I agree with thomas. Biggest difference to me from aria 948 to sopra 3 is the sopra have authority. They have this presence that is hard to explain. The sound is more full and powerful. They sound better for sure but you can definitely get your money's worth in the older chorus/aria models. You'll need a sub with those focal lines. Dont think you need a sub with sopra. Especially in a smaller room. As cheap as arias are these days there hard to beat. If you ever come across a chorus 836v or 836w on the low. Pull the trigger. Thanks for the video thomas, nice to put a video with the words lol

I just discovered your channel and it’s been a long time since I wasn’t this astonished. Thank you Sir.

Another enjoyable video Thomas Was hoping you were gonna do a sound demo between the two. Glad you did. Took me about 3 notes to know that personally I perfer the Sopra 2's. I'm personally willing to give up that extra bit of detail for that extra bit of musicality. The overall sound signature of the Sopra was more to my liking. Shame that you feel their are too boomy for your room, but I know exactly what you mean.

The Electra Be line which I have in two model lines is absolutely the best speaker I have ever had. Sopra to me is the replacement of the Electra line.

Thanks for a great review, Thomas. I think you bought these at a good time. MSRP on the Focal Sopra 2 is now $23,990.00 CDN.

Thomas good video.good to see you seem healthy.we are all going through crazy times right now.thanks for an entertaining video.gives us folks stuck at home.something to do other than boredom.

Wow! Maybe best video yet. I liked the quiet voice. That background looked really good, too. And you had a rabbit and told a story!

I know this post was long ago but I wanted to pass on a message. You have owned and spoken highly of Focal for a long time. I just traded my Turnberry GR's for Sopra 2's and the early experience is great. I look forward to getting to know the Focal signature better. What I am hearing at this stage is just more. The Tannoy had a strong mid range presence but not the overall dynamics and full sound stage as I have now. Thanks for the valuable information you share with us. I'm running PrimaLuna EVO 400 pre and monoblocks with twin REL S5 SHO subs so there is a lot to work with. I'm not finding any issue managing the bass either. I have a fair amount of room treatments (absorption & diffusion) so so far all is good. My room is 13 x 21 x 9.5 so this helps.

Thanks Thomas ! The drum demo sounding great on my HPM-100 4way supertweeter 12inch carbon fiber drivers ! I be honest they give the Lsim 703 a serious run for the money depending on amp of course 😆 I can't get over These speakers 775.00US in 1978 and they still rock-out but 150 pounds isn't easy putting on 20 inch end tables lol Yeah this year soon as I get back to work I will get me a refference speaker , Student loans are Payed off !! 😆 😆 😆 Thanks Thomas its awesone what your doing to help those in need , theirs not a better feeling !

I'm loving these demo cuts, Thomas.

Great initiative Thomas! ❤️

Hello Thomas you are becoming one of my favorite stereo reviewers

Sometimes after watching equipment reviews I get the bug to lust after a new speaker or amp, but, I just remember Thomas saying “good enough”! Yes, good enough, reminds me that there is always something classier or edgier but what I have is good enough for me. So, I go back to listening to my vintage Heresy’s and Marantz 2275. But, those Focals still look good.

I love my legacy signature se. A great speaker for around 7000.00.

At first my Focal Sopra 1 speakers and McIntosh MA252 hybrid amp did not blow me away. However, with more listening I realized why. No exaggerated bass etc. Just clean, balanced, un-colored sound with every detail present. In the studio like experience......so satisfying.

Love this take! I had dreamed of the Sopras one day but they are out of my buget. I have BIG muddy as you say bass in my RF7 IIs then quick bass with my LRSs paired with a REL 5i. I have been pretty happy while being locked down moving speakers from system to system. Its been fun trying different set ups.

That bass drum test at 9:12 on my Klipsch 280f was intensely masterful. My walls shook with thunderous pounding low bass

I have the Aria 926 and a Focal sub. They have a smooth sound and sound great. Seriously though most of us can't afford or even want to spend 10k for speakers. I have the beryllium tweeters in my Focal Twins in my recording studio. I like them better but the Aria are still great.

Great comparison and description of the differences. Did you ever get your hands on a Kanta 3 to see if it truly was the sweet spot between the Kanta 2 and the Sopra 2?

And upon your reviews, I bought Focal Chora 826. And man, I am impressed. It’s fed with class D amplification. I can play it really loud with no or nominal fatigue in a non-treated room. I need to use panels as I play loud. Thx for introduction to focal. Would you say Kanta 2 is more of a audiophile speaker than 826? I still feel 826 is an excellent HIFI speaker ( still listening )

Several yrs back k listened to the Sopra 1, Sopra 2 and Revel Studio 2. Just didn’t like the Sopra 2, but I liked the 1’s. I went with the Studio 2’s. Then more recently I heard the Kanta 2- excellent! If I were buying speakers today the Kanta 2 would be awfully tempting

This was à News YT-clip that I’ve not seen from you. Thanks. I use Focal 826w, and I have felt that the top was to hasch. I’ve tried a lot of position change, cables, amplifiers and so on, but the top end to hasch. Then tried to mount some Leather around the tweeter, and boom…. The haschness was gone. Some reflexion/timereflexion I guess. Now I need some time to reaudio my ears 😁 The amplifier by the is Rotel Michigan RHB-10. Thanks for your work.

I had talked myself into increasing my budget from R7's to pick up some ElectraBe 1028's on closeout. I've _loved_ them for years, and really like the W driver, or (more likely), the technology and labor behind it. But the dealer had a pair of gorgeous oak/ivory Kanta No2's on floor as returns (for Sopra 2's) for _way_ over my budget, but a _great_ price. So I bought them. SMH. They're in approx 540 sq ft area with a 20' ceiling/slab floors that opens to other parts of house. I can't imagine anything larger. Your demo exemplifies what I felt the differences were, the Sopra exemplifies sheer power and weight, but the Kanta is like a sea breeze that occasionally surprises when a wave crashes on the rocks. I think the combination of flax and 3rd gen Be tweeter is magic. *Great comparison!*

Great video , touching, all my condolences to the familly.

Had Sopra no2. Good, punchy kick bass, but not too much at the bottom in my 20m2 (open a bit at the back) . Very fast tweeter. For small rooms I have to recommend Isoacoustic feets or Towhsend Podiums. Latter works well in my room, bass boom is gone with bigger speakers than soprano2.

My journey ended with Focal 1027be and McIntosh gear. Have not felt like I am missing anything to chase. Ignorance is bliss! 😁

Man, I envy people that can afford these kind of setups and have a house to take advantage of them. Oh well, I will continue to enjoy my Aria 906 in my tiny 16m² apartment and leave the rest to my Focal Clear. Nice video though!

I like that the Sopra is front ported. Makes placement So much easier.

Watching your videos again with my new system and enjoying it😍😍😍 With the wow factor😉. With Out Wife 😂. ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE No one saying turn it down neighbors don’t wanna hear it😂😂

Great one. Love to see ur videos and there is alot to learn out from these videos. Keep going on Thomas. One more question to ask, can you reveiw the KEF BLADE ONE, if you get chance. It will be good to see ur videos in future. Stay safe GBU

Something special about those W drivers. In spite of the AlMg (non Poron) tweeter, my hearing cuts off after 13K Hz and while it can be a bit hot depending on recording, I generally like its' detail, texture, resolution and airiness knowing there is better at a higher price, much higher most likely. My 807W is a big standmount and I've tried to find a smaller replacement that sounds close or at least gives me that emotional high/foot tapping, etc when listening. Tried many under a grand. Considered Triangle Borea 2/3 given the reviews, Monitor Audio Silver 100s on sale now (these might demand more power), even the Golden Ear BRX among others. The synergy of the 807W with its' sensitivity along with a low powered Keces E40 is near perfect for me which makes finding a smaller replacement all the more difficult. Probably the best budget choice are the Borea series. I also found that better resolution such as the Quad S2s I tried lacked the life I was looking for with music, it was good with soundtracks/movies because of the detail but missing alot of what I like for music. The Focal 807W series are really a general, all purpose speaker that's hard to outright beat, let alone match, among many speakers particularly if a more forward sounding speaker is your thing. It's no Harbeth but then again, it can do a few things maybe a Harbeth would struggle with. I also have a Triangle Plasir Zeta (like the Color series) which sound great for their price and being a budget design. I think the fit and finish is a bit better than the Borea series and it has a generally smooth sounding titanium tweeter (which can still show some glare with sibilant passages). If the Borea are a step up, they could work, but given they use a silkdome may not be as airy, wispy with the highs. Some silk domes while detailed show that detail with a heavier emphasis rather than the lighter, wispier metal drivers, in my experience. Perhaps they would have less glare though. Give and take perhaps? While the Zetas lack the texture, dynamics, resolution and detail of the Focals , they aren't so far behind to make them unlistenable. They do alot really well but the Focals give some magic such as wrapping the sound around you at times, more so than the budget designs, some of which just cannot at all. I have Cambridge Minx XLs also and like them for their discounted price-performance. Probably among best speakers around $200 give or take, IMO for a silkdome. Lack the glare you can get with metal drivers but also lack the detail and texure but are easy to drive and can play loud enough. Resolution is at least as good and IMO a small step up from the Zetas, so would make a nice desktop or bedroom speaker. Both the Zetas and Minx XLs work better nearfield. Midfield you lose just a bit, not bad though for their capabilities. If I only listened to the Zetas, I'd adjust and find many recordings enjoyable. but with alot of smaller, budget speakers, you notice big differences in how they handle poorly recorded and/or busy passages. They tend to get hashy while the Focals handle it deftly and minimize problems. If the recording is really bad, they will show it. So many reasons it's so difficult to just outright sell them. Though something between 12 to 14 inches would look a tidier as long as it still produces a nicely sized and accurate soundstage within a budget. I could go higher in price but the choices are still a fairly large standmount 14-15 inches+ and over $2K in price. How much better would I get at the lower SPLs I listen may or may not be worthwhile, but considering the options. For harder to drive options, I do have a Hegel which I could keep, but as one gets older, one perhaps wants lighter and smaller so may sell depending on my speaker decision. System synergy definitely has to be considered. Also, speakers that don't provide good SQ at lower volumes are out. If I really wanted to throw money in the game, I'd get a speaker pair $2K above and perhaps a Benchmark ahb2 (13 lbs) or a Keces S300 (under 30lbs) with a higher end dac with a decent pre section. My Topping D70S may suffice but, if you make that jump to the next level, you don't want any serious bottlnecks. Then there's cables and all. BTW, the D70S and the H160 dac are on par as to level with the D70S being a bit fuller sounding while the internal dac of the H160 is a bit more resolving, with a bit more separation and not as full sounding. I can prefer one over the other depending on music. Both are enjoyable. Could I be happy/satisifed with good enough SQ and even stand pat? Perhaps. Chasing after a unicorn you may end up riding alot of horses. Yea it's fun, but frustrating at the same time. If I stand pat, I'm pretty happy/satisifed with the only caveat being the size of the speakers, maybe wanting a little more of this and less of that sort of thing. Knowing that more expensive gear would add "perhaps" a bit better here and there but could also take away from something I currently like given my listening preferences causes me hesitation. Maybe I'm just talking myself into ending my search. I'm sure I am not the only one going through this. Ah the hours wilted away on reviews...

This is very commendable. Well done!

What an awesome video. Great comparison I also love Focal and have 1028. I would love Sopra 2 but dont have the room or the $$$$ either.

Great explanation video! I was curious about these two.

Love the disclaimer in the end 😂

I am a Harbeth shl5+ owner. I had all sorts of speakers including focals. I can not stand its highs. I feel like someone is hurting my ears with a needle. Focals are not for everyone. As for A/B testing your mind and preconceptions can have a huge impact on your oppinion. A blindtest conducted by another person is the way to go. You might be surprised...great videos though. Keep up your good work.

Very good video !!! I was looking for this comparison between the two ! Good job :)

Well done. I have the Sopra No 3's and yes they can drive you mad in a good or not good way. Definitely game changers. Talk to the chap in London who's system you featured. He looks to have a smaller room with his Focal Sopra No2's. Maybe he can help you get those dialed in for your room. Tx again✌️

Strange experience... watching this vid late night on my headphones and was startled at the vocals at 5:50 over my left shoulder...which is where my main 2 channel setup is. The sound came from outside the cans (semi open back) ... had to jump to check if they were on to avoid waking the kids .. but the song is in your video!

Thank you so much for the detailed review. Its fantastic!!😊👍👌💐.

i really liked that forward kanta sound better in the demo - the sopra was super laid back

Thank you Thomas! Really like this video. How about a video without gears. Can we talk about how you appreciate music as an audiophile/enthusiast?

Just my Focal 1008be II and a pair of Subs are "FIRE" and the cost was cheap for those who can't go Kanta and Sopra Yet can get very close!!!

As a scientist and physician, I am grateful to you for suggesting support of "Médecins Sans Frontières." A great organization - there even was a popular song with a play on their name by Peter Gabriel back in the day called "Games without Frontiers." I like my Wilson Audio Sasha DAW speakers better than the Focals...

I had the sopra 2 like them but up graded to Focal Maestro's and wow the last speakers ill ever need. Each 256 pounds of pure enjoyment.

maybe instead of "upgrading "your equipment ,upgrade your interior . high end audio is all about the next external refinement at the expense of the refinement of the listener . This is true for everything in life . we look to the external world for greater satisfaction while ignoring the one who is having the experiences. everyone remembers when they were younger and full of excitement about music and life in general . we didn't have expensive hifi equipment but the level of enjoyment while listening was unmatched . as we aged that internal joy may have diminished for some resulting in turning one's attention to the outside world to compensate , hence the endless "upgrading of gear / speakers . it is still possible to increase the quality of the listener along with external upgrading and in doing so decreasing the sometimes absurd amounts of money being spent . All of that reminds me of the guy that spent over a million dollars on his system . for that amount of money he could have bought tickets to his favorite artists / orchestras and flown to the concert first class for decades .

I reckon that the biggest difference between the Kantas and the Sopras is the voicing of the speakers. The sopras are definitely softer, more transparent and more refined on voices and fuller in the bottom. A complete crossover optimisation of the Kantas would get them too sound very close to Sopras. With same " cone radiating area" there is no other reason than the crossover design choice to account for the kantas thinner and sharper sound. Bringing down the mids and tweeter by 1/2 DB or so in the Kantas and removing possible breakup modes in the upper mids would allow the tonal balance to approach that of the Sopras. The Kantas also have very ordinary crossover components, no better than what you would see in a 500 dollar loudspeaker, which tells us that Focal purposely design and voice their speakers according to a price point rather than getting the most out of fabulous quality of the drivers and of the enclosures used.

Thomas. Pair the Sopra 2 with the Lyngdorf tdai-2170 or 3400 in your small room and never look back. Im in a similar situation in a smaller room with Focal 2. I tried multiple amps. I stumbled upon 2170 and its perfect. Get rid of your bass traps and just run room perfect.

Love your videos Thomas!

Thank you Thomas! Liked and sub’ed! Now I want to buy the User Audio demo CDs, do you know if they are available in the US?

I’ve enjoyed Sopra 2a in my system over the year what a beautiful built sexy red speaker, this was my first hi end one after klipsch Rf7 iii , went with Martin Logans ESL 15a and its amazing for me , cabinet built quality and paint job on Focal was better I think , I just happened to like electorates I guess , for the money sopras are best sold mine for 8k :) I miss it even though I prefer ML sound :)

I have upgraded my Focal Chorus 826W's, to Kanta nr3's 2 months ago, and I confirm, for a smaller room, Kanta nr3 is the better choice over Sopra nr2's. I'm very happy with my choice. Of course Sopra nr3 would be better :) Nice example of this is that I promised my dad he would get my 826W's, but his living room is 2.5 times the size of mine and man ! what a difference hearing my "little" 826W's in his room. At first I told him you'll probably need a sub later on, but honestly after hearing them in his room, for his type of music (pop music), they really came alive in his room. I never knew those 826W's could play that well once they can release their energy... If you want I can send you some pictures of my setup.

I want to share this quote from Mike Moffat, the co-founder of Schiit. "Human hearing seems to be more integrative than differential, so those small differences between components may be magnified over time, and therefore seem larger and more important than during rapid switching." That was said to the electronics differences during a fully blind testing at Schiit HQ. Listening to the small differences in a test is not like living with the small differences. Same goes with speakers from different tiers. If you have time I highly recommend reading the chapter 3 from Jason Stoddard blog called Lighted by the Blind.

I’ve just set up my Kef Ref 3, Kef Ref 1 and kef ref center 2c. Of course I blamed you Thomas. Ha ha... just kidding. Loved this video as well as all the others....congrats on nearly 30k subs...well deserved.

Hi Thomas. Thanks for another Great review. You seem to have a - possibly unique - way of accurately describing the stuff we dream about and long for. Here's to 100k... and beyond ;¬D} Greetings from the Channel Islands

I just subscribed. Thank u Thomas for explaining things the way u do. I feel out of place here though because I dont have much disposable income laying around. I am trying to replace a stolen system and have about 2500 to start with but I dont know what to get 1st. I have always had integrated reciever/ amp but I want to build a quality budget system. And I'm the rocker type.

I greatly appreciate the video. I am sitting here listening to a pair of 826s and really appreciate the commentary on the detail that is found in the upgrade to better speakers. I also happen to be running a pair of JL e12 subs beside them, all off my Cambridge audio evo150. I suspect that the Kanta 2 or 3 is probably the move for me if I have the base covered by the subs? Not to mention the fact that the choral would also demand more power than my Evo would likely deliver. But what is this about the power conditioning??

NGL the sound demo at the end is night and day. The Sopra sounds like there is more room, more detail, the voice belongs to a human and isn't disembodied... Well pretty much how they sound in the flesh (of course via YT I could only listen with my home setup). My personal dream is the Scala Utopia. :)

Fantastic review video. I am curious about how you feel about Martin Logan Summit X electrostatics. I absolutely have loved the lower priced Focals I've had, but I now have the Martin Logans. I love them with my Simaudio Moon integrated amp and DAC. I'm not sure I have the itch again, but I'd really appreciate any remarks you might have abou the two different speakers. Keep up the good work.

Hi Thomas, thanks to you I've kinda gotten obsessed over getting some Focal speakers. I found some demoed Kanta No.3's for

I hate to say it... the disaster is the overblown reaction from governments and people in general. Isolating elders, making it difficult for people to work and put food on their tables. Nomatter how you slice it, you can't "help" people by isolating them. This includes children, loved ones, and co workers. This over reaction will result in 100x the deaths because of starvation globally, loss of work. There is a wise saying that goes like this. BALANCE IS THE KEY TO LIFE. We have done anything but, and as a result our society is starting to fail from inflation, loss of jobs, and loss of individual rights.

I appreciate your interest in audio. Thats how i got here. But I’d highly recommend reconsidering opinions on speaker cables. It’s minimally objective and might have much harsher critique in the future. Sigh. Either way. I guess. Wish you well on your audio journey.

Thomas, Please compare these Focal speakers to those of the same price from Legacy Audio. They have the nasty habit of being more 'bang-4-the-buck' than their competitors.

Hey Thomas, just came across this video and your channel and I am most thankful someone (you!) compared the Kanta and Sopra...I've been in love with the Sopra ever since I first saw them (and I haven't even heard them yet!), and the used market price is rather good (seen them go for as low as $8k USD)...I saw you had the 836v, and I'm curious if you've heard the 706v (had mine since late 2009, and even repainted the cabinets recently) as well as what amp pairings you recommend for the Focals. Right now I run a Pio Elite VSX-44 AVR (I got it for $43, bargain!) and I also have a Yamaha RX-V465 AVR that I had purchased back in 2009 with my Focals, and a Velodyne DLS-3500R active sub (no room treatment done yet unfortunately).

Hi Thomas, interesting video and comparisons with the 1028 upgrade. I was wondering if you may have an opinion or comparison of the 1038be vs a Kanata 2. Or Sopra. Best regards

I just auditioned the Sopra no2 and loved them and have ordered a pair. I could use an opinion from the community on what to drive them with. Which would be the better pairing for the Sopra's, the McIntosh MA352 or the Hegel H390? Or is there something else in that price range to consider (Naim?) The music source will be mostly HiRes streaming, content will be mostly rock and some acoustic music.