I am looking forward to blasting the 500DR. I like my music loud and want to see what it can do. Love a bit of jungle, drum n bass and heavy metal. Want my house rocking and neighbours kicking off. Lol 
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So are they floor standers?
Sopra 2s are 4 way. 2 bass drivers, 1 mid and 1 tweeter. The Focal Scala Utopias are seriously expensive dude. Have you considered Sopra 3s? Or maybe other Focal speakers.
Look the more expensive the speakers the better.
I am alright with my Sopra 2s. They are ÂŁ15k speakers and I paid half that for 6 month mint.
Get best deal you can on them.
My way of looking at things is this. If you really really want them. Get them. Donât worry about anyone else. You only live once. Live your dreams and get whatever you want.
Just do it. Because they are no second chances sometimes.
This is why I got my 500DR. Just do it mate.
i try and have a 6 month rule on expensive purchases, if i still want it in 6 months then i really want it, seems to work for me. have wanted a pair of those for about a year!haha
I have diablo utopia now which is the bookshelf version, used to have sopra 1 which were brilliant but was offered a really good trade in on them against diablo so just did it.
Mate you have done so good with that NAP500, im actually excited for you. its going to be so good that
I have just seen the speakers you want for ÂŁ21k used, saving ÂŁ14k. And I bet you could negotiate on price bud. Itâs worth doing. Get the speakers and system you want. No compromise bud.
mate iv seen them for that sort of money aswel, my logic is telling me to get to 500 series first so i might do what you have just done and try and pick up a 500 then just go for the speakers
no compromiseâŚyour right there mate. as Nike sayâŚjust do it
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Do the same as me get the power amp. Then get the speakers. You can pick up a 552 later. The 500s are going cheap. The 552s arenât just yet.
The 252 Supercap DR with 500DR sounds really good when I heard at dealers. Their 552 was away at that time and I liked combo.
So many on here say 552 first but if you want to drive speakers surwly the power amp comes first with a great amp like a 52 or 252?
My biggest upgrade was my Sopra 2s. I had 82 at time and the speakers were bigger upgrade than 252.
The LP12 upgrades with tonearm, cart and phonostage were also huge upgrade.
Speakers are a huge upgrade on system. Some on here focus on electronics and see speakers as secondary. This is not the case.
I am very happy with Sopra 2s and they are worthy of consideration in your set up.
This is what im thinking Dan, i think most quality speakers would benifit from a nap500dr, i love my 252drâŚits just very picky on setting it up, it took me so long to get right. i used to have one stack of fraim but when i saw your 3 stack that was the point i did two stacks, the difference is big because it allowed me to have everything positioned right. having a gap between nds and 252 was a surprise
you are right on the pricing, i think 552âs might come down in a year or so.
Sopras are brilliant, iv not heard the 2âs but when i had my sopra 1âs especially with quality electronics they were just brilliant
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I got a great deal on mine in concrete finish for ÂŁ7.5k. Maybe get the Sopra 2s to start with and upgrade to higher end Focals later down the line. Sopra 3s are even beefier.
The Scala Utopias would be better. See if you can negotiate in prices and get them if you can.
There is no right order on getting your kit. You obviously have a system in mind. Get whatever speakers you really want.
I brought my 55kg Sopra 2s into my house by myself. I bought them in Birmingham and transported them in my van boxed. 55kg is alot of weight to manoeuvre.
The Scala Utopias weight 85kg each. Which is roughly what I weigh. They are seriously heavy to move around. They are serious speakers bud. But you will absolutely love them.
He already has Diablo Utopias which are a higher level than Sopra. Although, a bookshelf.
I think theres always a deal to be done mate, its a buyers market.
Id love to buy a pair of Scalaâs new and get the service, delivery, setup etc but we shall see
exciting times, lets get back on track with your 500DR!
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If you getting the Scala. What color will you be after. The ash gray just looked so sick to me.
Thanks Dan, yes, current system is great, but always looking for the next step. I was in two minds at the time whether to go NC or add a 252 to the 300DR and as you see I went NC. I didnât even contemplate 500 series though and seeing the prices now, adding a 552 might have been the smart move.
Near term I have some things to do in my room to optimise the current set up and then Iâll consider my options later in the year. Most likely route is to add 2 x 250s and go active with the new Kudos crossover, but who knows. Trouble is I want pretty much every system I see on here 
Wishing you all the best.
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Itâs immaculate. And includes powerline which I didnât expect. Heavy though!
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It is, and isnât easy on the fingers to grip (watch off time etc). â which is another reason not to put on a bottom shelf. And I always hook up the burndies as I go â and relax them as best possible.
My reco would be to resist the temptation to contemplate changing 'speakers before upgrading a pre-amp (esp. to a 552DR), as youâll find that the âletting more throughâ aspect can include much more bass, albeit itâs often tighter â and that 500DR is so different to 135s 
Itâll start out detailed and not very punchy, perhaps have a wobbly few days, and after a week or so just get in to stride, with even more to come
p.s. Powerlines were standard on later 500 series models
It was a 2000 build? The PL was not included back then since it wasnât developed yet. You lucky b 
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lovely, going to be a slow day at work mate
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Forgive the question, but are there DR stickers appended to one of the units (I think the head unit IIRC), as (it seems) these arenât visible on the pics on âyou know whereâ?
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