Focal Aria 948 - thoughts

[smr]

narrowing my speaker search down to the Focal Aria 948 ......very few is any brick and mortar stores here to actually do some listening, but have been doing on line research for many months now ... and would certainly buy from a reputable dealer with a good return policy - my system is - pro-ject debut turntable , pro-ject tube box S2 (love it !), NAD C 165 bee pre amp, and (1990) B&K ST202 amp ...... thanks in advance for any input ...(speakers to replace are 1990 Mirage 760 floor standing ... like the sound, but is there more????)

 

 

[ecwl]

I suspect you’ll love the Focal Aria 948. Modern speakers have great improvements in reducing distortions and resonances so I think you’ll hear much better transparency and clarity with more microdetails and soundstage depth which adds to the realism of the music, compared to your old Mirage. Like you, I personally prefer a relatively neutral sound. So in your price range, other than PSB speakers, I can’t think of a better/similar alternative set of speakers than the Focal Aria. 

[botrytis]

I have compared the Aria Stand mounts to Revel (I mean the Beryllium line - for stand mounts it was the M126Be) and others. The Revels are way more balanced than the Aria's, to my ear. Same with the floor standers I tried. It is the classic French sound, which is a little darker than most.

[Revelation]

I love this Focal line. I have the 926's and the 948s go even deeper. Great high's details, mids, and lows. They look great, and the tweeter is not harsh but smoother than B&W. Oh yeah, take off the covers when you play music as the black mesh affects the sound a little. I also have mine on carpet, I use the screws on the base and lifted them off the carpet a little and the sound opened up even more. 

[SalR406]

Six years ago, or so, I visited my local audio shop to audition the Revel Performa3 F208 speakers I had read about here on the boards. I really expected to love them, but they didn't "wow" me. I have a 20+ year relationship with this particular salesman at the shop and he invited me back to hear another speaker he thought would better match my tastes - the Focal Sopra No.2s. Let me tell you... those "wowed" me. Absolutely wonderful sound. I left that day having decided the Sopras would be my choice. I just had to figure out how to stretch my budget. A lot.

 

Another day I was picking up some Salamander rack parts I had ordered and the shop was empty. My salesman offered the listening room for another audition/enticement. I had started with the Sopras when I noticed another pair of speakers in the room that wasn't there the last time - Focal Aria 948s. He connected them up and I spent an hour with them. To my ears, the difference in performance between the Aria 948s and the Sopra No.2s was uncomfortably small. The Sopras are much cooler in design and appearance. The fit and finish on the Sopras is exquisite. The Arias are plain boxes by comparison. But sonically, they're an excellent value.

 

I never did reconcile my budget before all the Focal prices went up so dramatically. I focus much more on my desk-side headphone system these days. I still think about those speakers, though.

[smr]

23 hours ago, Revelation said:

I love this Focal line. I have the 926's and the 948s go even deeper. Great high's details, mids, and lows. They look great, and the tweeter is not harsh but smoother than B&W. Oh yeah, take off the covers when you play music as the black mesh affects the sound a little. I also have mine on carpet, I use the screws on the base and lifted them off the carpet a little and the sound opened up even more. 

thank you for the advice - what are you powering the Aria's with?