If this is what Yamaha calls "natural sound" then I'm all in. Not the least bit forward, but rather, alive. Kind of like you're there, which is what this hobby is all about, to me.
@milanmihajlovic8569
3 жыл бұрын
OMG this is the masterpiece. Nothing beats Focal's linearity. The resolution, the clarity, the details, the commitment. One of the few speakers that does not get bored, the music comes to you. With Focal, you can sit for hours and listen without getting tired. My Sopra no1 in combination with tube is outstanding.
@philipgardiner2003
11 ай бұрын
Agree on the Focal Sopra 1. However, I would be cautious pairing them with a tube amp, so was thrilled to hear you say how good it is. I suspect your using a fairly powerful amp on par with Audionote perhaps?
@philipgardiner2003
8 ай бұрын
@geod.429 It has to do with Focal's sensitivity and power requirements. I would not pair them with a SET amp any lower than 25 watts as long as it's Class A. A Pathos hybrid integrated would work well.
@bikemike1118
6 ай бұрын
I think he praises Focal a fair bit too much…
@terryRBNF
Ай бұрын
@@bikemike1118 I know right? in fairness the Sopra is one of the better Focals which means it's an average speaker overall
@bikemike1118
Ай бұрын
@@terryRBNF yeah, average speaker… ✅
@5675492
10 ай бұрын
The Focals are like warm butter melting over your soul . Perfecto .
@nycbass78
3 жыл бұрын
For me ,The B&W’s are for a rainy day listening,cozy and relaxed ,while the Focals would be for a Friday night cocktail party !!😉
@Cherrytea558
3 жыл бұрын
I have the Yamaha A-S1100. These amps sound terrific especially after 40-50 hours.
@tinle142
3 жыл бұрын
better?
@Habitual_Liar
2 жыл бұрын
Two different feels. Both sound amazing! Thanks for the awesome comparison video!!
@derekmann857
Жыл бұрын
The focals sound more fun and faster. Good pairing with the S2200. They really like the Infected Mushroom
@agx502
Жыл бұрын
Im actually more impressed by the Yamaha integrated amp, sounds great as far as i can tell via KZitem.
@TheAlphaAudio
Жыл бұрын
It is a great amp... no doubt!
@philipgardiner2003
3 жыл бұрын
One of, if not the best AB test I’ve ever heard!! Well done! The Focal signature sound is more my cup of tea. I recently bought a new pair of Electra 1008 BE’s. Love them so much.
@bmpbmp9446
3 жыл бұрын
I love the B&W's, I owned an older pair at one point, but I have to admit, the midrange vocal sounds better on the Focal's. It just sounds a little congested with the B&W's. I'm a fan of both of these!!!
@thedrivebygg
2 жыл бұрын
Agree with you, my mate owns the bowers and Wilkins model and they look better, but midrange on the focal sounds incredible.
@comeback7873
2 күн бұрын
Master piece😊
@Dmytro-zj9it
3 жыл бұрын
Sopra gives more air and more refined sound with Yama
@icaniditokyo
2 жыл бұрын
Great job as always, well done. Focal are next level.
@lanx0003
Жыл бұрын
One of the best recordings. Thank you for doing this.
@TheAlphaAudio
Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@RAMIRO61FERNANDES
5 ай бұрын
Excelent side by side!!!!!!!!!!!
@eascctv
7 ай бұрын
This is the first youtube speaker comparison that I can truly understand. Focal=Wow! Thanks so much.
@ryanfuller5
Жыл бұрын
Finally someone uses Adele's Lovesong cover as an audio demonstration. This recording is a masterpiece! Great video!
@TheAlphaAudio
Жыл бұрын
Yes. Love that song... One of the few covers I actually like.
@sinistercollector9223
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for doing this Demo. It's the best A/B comparison that I've ever heard! I felt like I was there with you.
@TheAlphaAudio
Жыл бұрын
That's the idea! :-).
@sinistercollector9223
Жыл бұрын
@@TheAlphaAudioI'm still trying to decide between these two speakers but wanted to ask how far apart you had them so I do something similar?
@adamhindle9215
2 жыл бұрын
Great comparison. Focals are clearly more forward, and brighter. B&Ws are softer, smoother. I can see why some people would prefer the Focals, and certainly they could come across as more 'impressive' in a hifi demo. However, living them day to day might be another story.
@dylancyclotraveller8576
3 жыл бұрын
I prefer the Sopra's
@simplereef4854
3 жыл бұрын
This remains me of an experiment I have along time ago comparing the Focal Kanta against LS50. At first the Kanta sounds better with bigger sound stage, and the KEFLS50 sounds boring. But later on, I found out that the KEF is actually sounds more relax and more coherent. Eventually, I sold my Focal. The Focal sounds like the tweeter and the woofer come from two different places, the KEF sounds like everything comes from one single place.
@Hpr1
Жыл бұрын
coaxial drive
@terryRBNF
2 жыл бұрын
Sopra sounds more energetic with a fuller tone at the bottom end, the BW sounds more refined and airy and easygoing. They both sound great but I'd choose the BW for my prefs.
@AbsoluteFidelity
2 жыл бұрын
Easy to sound airy when you boost the living shit out of the treble.
@terryRBNF
2 жыл бұрын
@@AbsoluteFidelity hehe no argument there, i actually prefer Harbeth, Dynaudio and Proac
@SirMountainpass
Жыл бұрын
I go with the Sopra 1 in combination with the Sopra SW 1000 - plays at the level of the Sopra 2 (or even a tad better)…
@dufonrafal
3 жыл бұрын
They're very different. But it's not that one is better than the other, I mean, we're at the top for HiFi speaker here. It is really just that: Focal vs B&W, France vs GB, two different sound signature. The B&W is warmer with an emphasis on the instruments, the Focal is more focused on reproducing it the way it is with a small emphasis on vocals. I truly believe that the B&W will grab your attention more and will sound better at first, especially to non-audiophiles, but on the long run, I'll choose the Focal.
@dmitriyivanov5199
3 жыл бұрын
The Yamaha A S2200 - Bowers 805D3 is very natural in the classics, and the Focal Sopra is more driving. I listened to this video in BeyverDinamic DT770PRO))))
@thedrivebygg
2 жыл бұрын
Great comparison video. I saw the Focal speakers in a shop today and they look bigger than the 805 D3, and in my view have a better mid range based on the content you played. My friend owns the 805 D3 speakers and they sound incredible, no one would be disappointed and the clarity and base are perfectly matched. Even though the midrange sounds better on the focals, I would opt for the 805 D3 as they will hold a great resale value, and in my opinion look better in my room.
@milanbogovac
3 жыл бұрын
For me, Focal surprisingly beats BW. Great work and thanks.
@petermartin9494
Жыл бұрын
Surprisingly!?!?!?!?!
@marcusaurelius2988
3 жыл бұрын
Bowers and Wilkens are super bright.
@hawaiiguykailua6928
3 жыл бұрын
Didn't think either was bright at all, thought the focals were more forward presentation and the bowers were relaxed especially in the lower mids. Listening via my Focal wireless headphones.
@rktrkt-tw8nd
3 жыл бұрын
Recording too close to speakers will always hide the limitations of set up. If you go to extreme say putting mic directly in front of speakers, it will improve the sound further as no room reverb will be recorded. For that matter recording analog out of dac will sound still better but will be of little use as it will not represent the real life situations. So imho record from seating position if at all you want to convey the actual sound of the system.
@VinnieMoore1986
3 жыл бұрын
B&W Tweeter play Lighter 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 Focal play better Midrenge Vocal .
@fotdss1
3 жыл бұрын
Back in the day I found my JM Labs (aka Focal) paired the best with Arcams Full Metal Jacket integrated. Specially the Daline 3.1s and Arcams FMJ A23.
@robertogarcia-qu9nb
9 ай бұрын
The BEST, Focal for me.
@robertanderson7049
Жыл бұрын
Yamaha makes some great amps.
@TheAlphaAudio
Жыл бұрын
They do!
@fatmanadir1095
3 жыл бұрын
I prefer infected mushroom :) 🍄 Btw Focal's are close to my taste :) both in sound and design
@mer9706
3 жыл бұрын
The Focals seem to have more "going on." Beryllium definitely bested the diamond here.
@optidejyadubenko1165
2 жыл бұрын
Focal wins 🇨🇵💪
@harissamulis2581
2 жыл бұрын
Without doubt Focal beats B&W.
@ralex3697
2 жыл бұрын
Not for me, I like the B&W better
@ralex3697
2 жыл бұрын
The Focal sound thumpy
@WimHulpia
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the Review ! The Focals have a much better dispersion of high sounds. I think the open end design at the back of the tweeter is doing its job here. The piano notes seem to have a longer decay making them sound more realistic. On the B&Ws they might be realistic too, but the microphones are not positioned straight in front of the speakers, and on the recording the decay of piano notes is completely missing. I noticed the same with the electric guitar at 13:54. When the B&Ws are playing that guitar is muffled, and it completely opens up with the Focals.
@juststuff5216
10 ай бұрын
Don't know if it counts for anything, but there's nearly a *_£2,500 or 50% difference in price,_* the Focal's being the more costly. That's quite a difference!
@stevenoconnor5693
2 жыл бұрын
I have a pair of 805 d3 with 2 bowers asw500 subs dialed in perfectly. Mids and lows excellent
@rwmschei
3 жыл бұрын
Mijn voorkeur hebben de focals, ik vind de Bowers (en dat karakter hebben wel meerBowers) te veel in hoog en bas gepusht, terwijl het midden heel duf en rommelig klinkt. De Focal laat meer detail horen, zeker bij de fuge en toch irriteert hij minder (maar dat zal onbetwist ook wel aan mijn smaak liggen) 😊
@chasehatton3691
11 ай бұрын
Focal listener fatigue vs Bowers & Wilkins listening pleasure. Not once during the typically emotive Adele number did the Focal Sopras elicit any form of emotion compared to the B&W 805 D3. The Focals are in fact quite the let down. Aesthetics are wasted when judged alongside sound performance with the Focals. I so really wanted to love the Focal sound , just found it impossible to do so.
@stodiweddinghandmade6683
3 жыл бұрын
Sopra definitely and by a big margin. Good A-B, Bravo!!! Finally good rec with good mic... Sopra is class or two up. Sopra better in everything...
@colindurand102
3 жыл бұрын
Superbe vidéo beau travail Au casque c'est très sympa on se rend vraiment compte des différences, si je devais choisir sur cette écoute ça serait tellement difficile bien que jai l'impression que les bw vont plus loin sur les voix, et que l'on entend plus de choses.. Plus naturelles je dirais..
@TheAlphaAudio
3 жыл бұрын
Merci beaucoup ! Nous sommes heureux d'avoir pu aider.
@adaboy4z
3 жыл бұрын
If it makes sense I hear the bass out front with the B&W and the Vocals out front with the Focal speakers. This was a great sound test I could hear the difference!
@louissimmonds5509
7 ай бұрын
The Focals have a "meatiness" at low volumes that I like
@snagglesmagoo2750
Жыл бұрын
Even listening to this through a pair of Ultrasone sounds incredible.
@respectbigman3133
Жыл бұрын
I have the Lyngdorf s-15 and it knock these out the park
@michelhb1428
3 жыл бұрын
Cooooool 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@philthomas8351
4 ай бұрын
Surprised. The Focals have very good bass impact. Great sound stage. The B&W 805s sound good, but less clear in the demo. Thanks for post.
@damianvitto2776
Жыл бұрын
B&W the Winner, More detail, More Space, Sounds open, projects the room and everything...
@MrRocktuga
Жыл бұрын
Listening here through headphones, the B&W’s are very far from neutrality in the midrange, in what seems to be poor integration between the mid-woofer and tweeter. That has to be on purpose, since B&W has all the means and technical knowledge to a lot better, and they have been following that trend over the last years. I personally don’t like what they’ve been doing, and I feel that without direct A/B comparisons, that recessed midrange can make some recordings feel more detailed on the top end, while others might be just too much. For me, I would choose the Focals all day long, but I feel that their iconic look may trick the brain of many people into buying them, after all, the tweeter on top design is what the big Diamonds on Abbey Road also use (good marketing strategy here). If I wanted such huge deviations from neutrality (for some strange reason), I’d still buy the Focals and use high quality DSP to scoop the response, as it is much easier to start with a more neutral loudspeaker and accomplish that, than the other way around. I honestly don’t understand what B&W has been doing, since a lot of loudspeaker manufacturers have been moving towards a more neutral sound, while B&W has been moving away from it (unlike many products in their past). Maybe they’re trying to create a new “B&W sound” just like they did in the looks department, but for me (and this only applies to myself), they’re only making their products way less appealing to me (as well as the brand perception, unlike what they did in the past).
@gregorytrane7828
5 ай бұрын
Ever since John Bowers died it seems that Bowers and Wilkens have moved from a very accurate and precise source sound to a brighter less natural sound trying to enhance more detail and punch. I prefer the older formula of John Bowers towards accurate realism.
@alhillary2391
11 ай бұрын
Excellent video keep them coming. Focal for me. BMW are also good but Focal sounded better.
@marc6652
3 ай бұрын
Sopra 1 sounds so clear. B&W 805 D3 sounds muffled After listening many videos comparing speakers, I ordered a pair of Focal Sopra 1 + Yamaha R-N2000A. Sure they'll be good friends !
@steelydanfan100
3 жыл бұрын
First of all, I have the AS2100 Yamaha, the direct predecessor to the 2200 you have here. Very happy with it’s performance and it’s all analog, I can play with all of the digital / analog sources , the 2100 takes it from there. I think the Focals have a tendency to be too bright with the Yamaha, I am leaning towards the more neutral Bowers on this competition. Finally, the Focals are a little too “ look at me” with that tangerine 🍊 finish.
@TheAlphaAudio
3 жыл бұрын
The Focals are more neutral than Bowers. We measured them both: the No1 and the 805D3. All - or most of - bowers-speakers have a 'bump' in the high-area to give them 'presence'. You may like that, but I can assure you the 805D3 is more bright than the Sopra No1.
@steelydanfan100
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheAlphaAudio That’s what I have read but to my ears the Focals still sounded brighter , particularly on the Adele track .
@DougMen1
2 жыл бұрын
@@steelydanfan100 That's because their midrange isn't recessed like on all B&W speakers, to give the artificial impression of a deeper soundstage, but it makes vocals sounds like they're coming from behind a blanket in another room
@cwc1628
3 жыл бұрын
excellent comparison
@scottzahn3298
2 жыл бұрын
I’ve listened to many of your videos and the Sopra 1 are wonderfully dynamic but seem to lack detail in the mid bass. Perhaps they would pair well with detailed mid bass amps like Gryphon Diablo and Mola Mola Kula .
@Drackleyrva
3 жыл бұрын
Sopra seems to have more 'punch'. How would they sound with a Luxman 505UXii integrated.
@SUde-vd1qo
3 жыл бұрын
Both sound great listening through my JBL desk top monitors with the Focal a bit more polite.
@jasoncarlson4285
Жыл бұрын
Focal Sopra No1 4 me.
@sarahX..
Жыл бұрын
For considerably cheaper one can buy Revel M126be (sound very similar to Sopra) + a pair of Kef or Rel subs.
@nikehusk3849
3 жыл бұрын
Focal natural sounding. B&W punchy and chirpy.
@SirMountainpass
Жыл бұрын
The Sopra 1 for me any time😉👍
@jizzus3445
2 жыл бұрын
Focal ! By far !
@kokowijaya8642
2 жыл бұрын
Nice combo
@DougMen1
2 жыл бұрын
The Focals are much more dynamic and better balanced. They sound like live music, while The B&Ws sound much more artificial, like a highly compressed digital file
@richardzedman1160
2 ай бұрын
the b&w sound muffeled in the midrange compared to focal
@hudiamichael2791
9 ай бұрын
Beaucoup parle de l’ampli ou des enceintes , faut pas oubliez les câbles , la température de la pièce et du matériel et bien sûr l’acoustique de la pièce et son volume (perso : Maestro evo EM driver par ampli hybride classe AB Macintosh+ Ampli de puissance à chaque enceinte Macintosh ) un régal pour les oreilles et les yeux 👍
@phitur
3 жыл бұрын
The difference with the h95 test seems to be in better mids here, more direct sounding for accoustic instruments and maybe less airy.
@exoticg9
3 жыл бұрын
Listening with my B&W DM603 s3
@JuanLega
3 жыл бұрын
Focal 👍
@user-tk7kz1fl2r
8 ай бұрын
They sound identical on my IPad. Maybe in person it would be different. Your playing music that already sounds nice due to lack of instruments. This is dealers demo music!
@tomdijks689
3 жыл бұрын
Sopra,s favoriet voormij..Ben gek op het dynamische hoog van de berrylium tweeter..
@TheAlphaAudio
3 жыл бұрын
Love em...
@aussie8114
3 жыл бұрын
Those Focal speakers sound nice. But in my country Australia they are listed at $15,500. Probably another $2,000 for the stands. That’s a bucket load of cash.
@TheAlphaAudio
3 жыл бұрын
That is expensive. In The Netherlands it's 9000 euro per set. Incl stands
@patrickverschuren3409
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheAlphaAudio Geen invoertarieven e.d. uit Frankrijk voor ons door de fantastische EU. Australiers betalen die tarieven plus transport e.d.! :-)
@cutiepie3475
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheAlphaAudio lol really? in hong kong just around 5k euro
@TheAlphaAudio
2 жыл бұрын
@@cutiepie3475 is that Sopra No1? Not Kanta?
@cutiepie3475
2 жыл бұрын
@@TheAlphaAudio yes , Sopra no1 , brand new like 5000~euro , second hand like 3500~euro , this price is not including the stand
@SSS-cv7dc
3 жыл бұрын
Yamaha+B&W=Superb 👌🏼👌🏼 Thanks for the great video
@RenanNepomuceno-lk8di
11 күн бұрын
bowers❤
@matthiasschnapka6498
3 жыл бұрын
Mee tooo, I would pick the Focal's over the B&W, and that even through I'm a hugh fan of Brit Speaker Company's.
@t.j.bennett6454
3 жыл бұрын
Well the focals definitely have better off axis dispersion through the entire range but thats all worth comparing when you have it setup like this
@TheAlphaAudio
3 жыл бұрын
What do you mean by that?
@t.j.bennett6454
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheAlphaAudio the mics are off to the side of it and positioned in front of them pointed at them. The mics should each be between your listening position and the speaker.
@TheAlphaAudio
3 жыл бұрын
@@t.j.bennett6454 no they shouldn't. I explained all of it in another post. We measured response and tried tons of positions. This ortf position is most realistic. The are close enough to the speakers - so no audible roll-off - and they still capture the Imaging.
@t.j.bennett6454
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheAlphaAudio roll off occurs greater off axis the further you get from the speaker? Thats just proof that off axis is unreliable as sitting further away on axis doesn't degrade SQ just amplitude
@t.j.bennett6454
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheAlphaAudio i actually did mean to sound like I knew for sure what I was talking about. I just am dumbfounded as to why mics are positioned ridiculously off axis and claim is that it isn't recording a less than capable response. I would love to see these measurements taken outside. Also, measurements aside that b&w tweeter sounds craaaazy far away and as if off axis. I am curious as to why the not have them in line with speaker?
@warsshan
2 жыл бұрын
Adele definitely sounded more nasal with the 805s, the Focals are more laid back and relaxed.
@user-bq6ym2ee6y
4 ай бұрын
Focal
@svenfriedrich1612
Жыл бұрын
Only: Sopra!!!!
@klaymoon1
2 жыл бұрын
Great comparison video! Too bad that Focal Sopra cannot be bi-amped.
@Philear4124
3 жыл бұрын
Wat een controle met beide speakers, voorkeur naar de Focal, ik ben nu ook minder B&W minded, maar ja dat is nu goesting en smaak. De yamaha is dus zeker niet verkeerd, benieuw naar de 3200. Grtz Phil
@TheAlphaAudio
3 жыл бұрын
Ja, de Yamha's zijn fraai. 3200 komt eraan.
@astralboy
3 жыл бұрын
sopra bit more low/mid punch, however that translates to clearer sound on the d3.........listening on a amphion one 18 + amp: cherry king STM
@pcnone
3 жыл бұрын
Focal Sopra No. 1 sounds livelier, more captivating, generally better.
@galaxieafr
Жыл бұрын
chez Bowers le bas médium me semble un peu confus, et je préfère la Focal avec un son + propre,
@galaxieafr
Жыл бұрын
mais les gouts, les couleurs et j'ajoute les sons !
@JL-jq5rx
Жыл бұрын
Bowers 805D3 👌🙂
@Blah-blah-sure
3 жыл бұрын
Fantastic! Where can I get a copy of your playlist. Appreciate the demo,b/c most reviews leave out the audio.
@akva24
5 ай бұрын
In my opinion, Bowers sound more natural; you can hear her inherent hoarseness in Adele’s vocals
@fredfungalspore
Жыл бұрын
They both sounded the same on my Motorola speaker phone 😮
@makaiyee9133
3 жыл бұрын
the funny thing is im listening to the bowers and wilkins speakers on my bowers and wilkins speakers lmao.
@skip1835
3 жыл бұрын
geeze, going against the tide again - I think the B&W's are a better match with the Yamaha. Another excellent vid, recently discovered your channel - I'm subscribing - - Thanks!
@stevenoconnor5693
2 жыл бұрын
Agreed
@tuanto9618
Жыл бұрын
I owned s1200, and i very surprised about bad performance, can not drive 4 ohm 89db speaker floor standing
@TheAlphaAudio
Жыл бұрын
A S1200 can definately drive 4 Ohms. Remember that the impedance is averaged. A speaker can have a 'nominal impedance' of 4 Ohm, but dip to 1 Ohm. That will be VERY difficult to drive.
@stephenlee4704
3 жыл бұрын
Both are fantastic speakers...feel more fatigue with Focal. My personal view...Focal will be better with synth in terms of speed handling. B&W will be an all rounder but may not be a forever partner, may get bored after a while.
@dennisstempher9684
3 жыл бұрын
Jullie Bryston/Pass combi laat beide speakers wat mij betreft nog veel beter tot hun recht komen... Natuurlijk is het prijsverschil niet gering, maar dit toont maar weer eens het belang van goede versterking aan... Ben in dat kader wel benieuwd hoe de Yamaha het zou doen tegen pak 'm beet een Naim Supernait 3 of zelfs een Nait XS 3, die qua prijs dichter in de buurt komen...
@fastskipper777
Жыл бұрын
Both are very very good speakers. However, I can definitely see the Focals will be very fatiguing on a extended listening session. I like my details but that's a little too much.
@RiaTolstoy
3 жыл бұрын
Agreed midrange richer and better on Focals
@freemind279
3 жыл бұрын
Interesting differences between two speakers. Both not fatiguing though.
@user-mf1rs8pw2q
3 жыл бұрын
focal!!!!
@fabrisony7729
3 жыл бұрын
B&Ws more open, dynamic, more rhythmic and way better clarity/separation. Focals sound is squashed, timbre is softer, I find them less emotional.When Adele sings high notes, on B&Ws it's really captivating.
@freemind279
2 жыл бұрын
In reality Everything is opposite what you say!
@AlOne-xg6dv
2 жыл бұрын
@@freemind279 i don’t think so
@carlosgarcia8508
2 жыл бұрын
Found this interesting video, Focal is more spectacular, but Bowers are more precise, voice of Adele is somehow veiled through Focals, but Bowers are also more power demanding... Difficult decision if I had to choose one, but I think that I would stay with Bowers
@user-bk4be1of6i
3 жыл бұрын
Bowers очень красивый верх благодаря их фирменному высокочастотнику.Focal более насыщенный глубокий звук и правильный бас.
@m0rpheus
3 жыл бұрын
бивни подетальнее наверху кажутся, но это может быть из-за смещенного вверх тонального баланса
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