Neuphonix said:
Hi cno,
yes, I think i was possibly a bit impatient.
Although I know the 35i does sound superior but i thought it better to be honest about my usage habbits & so the HT was a must have. & I do have to say it works very well, it is good not to have to consider it when changning the volume during movies & tv. If they were all mastered at the same levels it would great.
I probably should have asked to borrow the 35i before taking the plunge. Oh well, the dealer has been great & we did talk about it at length. So I'll let the diablos break in & then borrow it. If it is a manageable thing then I will go for it. As I said I find it puzzling that MF didn't include this feature in the first place, bit annoying really.
Can I ask what it is that you don't like about the focals? I gave the electra 1038be a run & wasn't all that impressed, not bad but the Diablo utopia were in another league entirely. have you heard them?
I fully understand that when combining AV with 2 channel, there can be competing priorities....and ease of use can be one of them. I even considered using the M6 Pre with the AMS 35P, so as to give me the HT-By-pass.....but the preamp in the 35i is much more capable. For me, sound quality is paramount, hence the no-compromise approach. IMO The 35i is so much more musical than the M6 series.....and now Acalex and Roby agree, having done a fair amount of comparison.
Re Focal - I have heard 3 of the Utopia range (Diablo, Scala and Maestro) on a variety of good electronics ranging from Moon, DCS, VTL, Electrocompaniet, Chord and MF AMS. Not surprisingly, with each step up in cost, brings an incremental improvement in sound.
What I like - They probably have the quickest, tightest and most controlled bass that I have heard, on any speaker of the equivalent size. The sound produced is very clean, detailed, exciting and dynamic, and it shines a spotlight on what is upstream of them.
What I dislike - Even though I respect their talent, I find them too forward for my taste. I hesitate to use the word "bright", but if not carefully matched, I find them fatiguing after a while.....this is why I like them best with Class A. I would worry that the combination with the 500i could become tiring, especially with less than perfect recordings. I would strongly recommend that you have a home demo with the 35i when you get them (if this is still possible).
The problem is, that at each price range, good as they are, I would rather spend the money elsewhere......what other brands have you listened to around that price point?