I currently have Sopra N1s and thinking of moving to N2 Or N3s. I like the Sopra sound and they are the only thing I am considering after demoing others. I like dynaudio contour legacy but they just didn’t do it for me. Kef Ref 3 were nice but also didn’t it for me. I guess I am just a focal guy. I heard the N3 but not the N2. I really liked them but concerned they might be too much for my medium size irregular shaped room. The speakers sit 23” from side walls (measured from center of Tweeter) and 33” from back wall (measured from front of speaker) and are 9’ apart tweeter to tweeter. The bigger speakers will have to sit close to the same place. I sit 18’ from the speakers but occasionally move a chair closer to 9’. I listen to classic rock and pop mostly. I have attached a pifcture for reference.
3 Likes
It’s been awhile since I heard the Sopra N2’s. With your room I’d think the N2’s would be more than enough. I’m surprised the N1’s aren’t perfect for your space with those great set of boxes(NSS333, NAC332, NAP350’s). Perhaps adding a NPX300 for the NSS333 would be an option. I’ve never heard the N3’s so I can’t really comment on them
I once owned Sopra 1’s, and thought they were great. I have heard the 2’s at a dealer one time and thought they were better than the one’s, but not by much.
Are you planning on leaving those 2 chairs where they are, because they will be right in front of the drivers if you switch to 2 or 3’s?
How about adding a couple of Rel subs like Big Dan just did?
I have a pair of N2’s and they work perfect for my room and layout, i don’t think they would for your room though.
The reason ? those 2 sofa’s in front of each N1. The N1’s may well just about “work” because the bass/mid is about 6" above the arms. With N2’s or 3’s both bass drivers will have the sofa’s within inches of the drivers. My room by the way is 3.35m wide by 5.6m long. Speakers are 880mm from the back wall to the tweeters and 600mm from the side walls to the centre of each tweeter. Speakers are 2.15m apart tweeter to tweeter.
The question i would ask you is what is wrong with your N1’s to make you consider N2’s or 3’s ? in the first place.
4 Likes
The listening position should be a triangle from speakers to listening position. Having two armchairs in front of each speaker won’t work.
I have Sopra 2s and they are both aimed at me.
Great speakers. You won’t need the 3s.
Can you move the armchairs at all?
2 Likes
I also like N1’s and I have 2nd system (SN3 Nx5 XS20) that they will go too.I thought about the chairs when I got 1’s but kind of forgot about it when thinking about 2’s or 3’s. It will take some convincing but I should be able to move them. I have a pair of Dynaudio sub 3’s. The are small 8" subs but very fast and musical.
1 Like
Yes the arm chairs will have to go. I will have to convince the wife but it more my room so should be ok. I relly like the N1’s so I will be moving them back to where they started, SN3 Nd5xs2. I currently have a pair of vintage Yamaha NS1000s in that room now.
Just to add some thoughts on the 2’s issues posted above. Looking up the specs, its appears both the 1’s & 2’s would place the tweeter around the same level when using Focal’s stands on the 1’s. So the top bass driver would be around the same height as the current 1’s woofer. So its just the bottom woofer that will be blocked. While, no this isn’t ideal the upside is that the lower the frequency, the more the wave become omni directional (ie eventually radiates 360 deg around the speaker). So this would likely have less impact then say if you were partially covering up a midrange driver or obviously tweeter. So ideally, yes get the arm chairs out of the way, but if not possible might not be quite as bad as initially thought.
Edit: Should also add, removing the arm chairs would also be a benefit as getting the 2’s further out from the front wall would probably help things as well.
2 Likes
The Sopra 2s are amazing speakers. I use mine with full 500 system DR. I have added 2 Rel 812 subwoofers. I don’t suggest you do that.
The speakers will allow for many upgrades going forwards.
They are superbly built, look gorgeous and work extremely well in my room. In concrete finish I got them for £7k mint, less than 6 months used. Immaculate.
1 Like
I was hoping to get by without subs, hence moving up from the N2 or N3. Why do say not to add 2 Rel 812 subwoofers?
I have a couple of arm chairs where it is open under the arm any below the seat. Still not ideal but would probably be a be an improvement. I have a couple of empty rooms upstairs That I could convert but I feel to isolated (FOMO) as we have a lot of kids and grandkids dropping by. I have five daughter’s and 8 grandkids and they all live within a mile of me.
@naitman Don’t you get too much bass from the Sopra 1s as positioned in your photo or are you using the foam bungs in the rear ports? Thanks.
Not using the foam plugs and no not to much bass. I actually have 2 small subs to help with the low end. What makes you think I might from my positioning?
More because of your room layout. If you get the subs in then all good!
@naitman, you still haven’t said why you feel the need to replace your N1’s yet. So why ?
I was wanting a more full range speaker plus the fact that I have another system that they were originally paired with and I would like to move them back to that system.
1 Like
Just my own experience with these speakers in my room. Good that they work well for you in your room.
Brgds.
1 Like
You need to look at your room. If you look at my system and @kitfit1 we have carefully laid out our rooms. We have both done room treatment also.
Your speakers are in each corner with no bass traps. You will get bass boom from positioning in the corners with Focal Sopras if you play at reasonable volume. Especially if you go for Sopra 2s or 3s. The room set up is important.
I am not sure what the rest of your room is like and maybe it could be set up a little better. It’s so difficult to tell from the picture.
Sopra’s like being away from corners and walls, out into the room ideally. They need space!
1 Like
I would say that N1’s need to be further away from corners and walls more than the N2’s or N3’s. The N1’s are rear ported, the N2’s and N3’s are bass ported and then out the front, so in theory should be more forgiving closer to the walls than the N1’s.
1 Like
I tried my Sopra 2s closer to the walls and they didn’t sound as open or have as wider soundstage as being out in the room a bit.