Gilbert Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 MSRP IS $100,000 for the pair..... Egaaads! I have the automotive variety of the Focal Utopia line (Pre-Berrillium), and I can honestly say that I have never heard better sound quality coming from a car. Anyway, my speakers were a drop in the bucket (less than a grand) compared to these baby's. Anybody ever listen to a set? Anyone ever seen a demo set? $45k, Incredible!! UTOPIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I haven't heard them. The price is just hard for me to wrap my mind around. When you can get a pair of Palladium for $15K, who would jump for those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert Posted March 25, 2008 Author Share Posted March 25, 2008 Because you've never listened to a pair, and more importantly, you probably don't have an extra $100,000 underneath the sofa. I haven't heard them. The price is just hard for me to wrap my mind around. When you can get a pair of Palladium for $15K, who would jump for those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The Grand Utopias are $100,000. The "Plain old Utopia Be" are somethign like $40K. You can find them used for about $20,000, still quite a big chunk of change. There is a pair of pre-Be Utopias on Audiogon for $13.5K right now, but they are in Singapore. A mint pair recently went for $11,000 in less than one day. Expensive toys, that is for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundbound Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The best speakers I ever heard. If I win the lottery, I'll be buying me a set of these! You have to experience these. My jaw was hanging open the entire time and I had to force myself to leave the room. It was like heaven. I never imagined speakers could sound like that and I've heard a lot of speakers. Just perfect beautiful balanced music in every way. The lowest lows, mids, to the highest highs. All so very crystal clear. All instruments sound like real instruments are in the room and the singer is in room too. Drums sound just like drums, bass like perfect bass and so on and so on. You have to sit back some to avoid the singer's spit from hitting you in your face coming from out of these speakers. I'm not one to even think of going out to buy these high $ speakers, but these I would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The grand utopia's put an appearance in at every high end show in Athens. Personally they are not my cup of tea. I am not sure why - it is a bit like the Lamm amps for me - they dont quite do it either. You do need a huge room for these things but at this price I would seriously look at a pair of Avantegard Trios and some basshorns - imho they stomp all over the Grands.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 In 2002 their list price was $80K. But hey, its audiophila - the land where belief is more important tnan physics - and hence the obscene increase in price is totally justified for anyone with more money than brains who wants to buy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Who says a Audiophile has brains? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 $145k or so. Mark,That model is so expensive because they also serve as in-home ATM machines, coming pre-filled with 20's. BTW, one of the 1st gen BBs would look good in that room, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Or... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 If I did have that kind of money, I'd spend it on traveling to hear the music live at LaScala in Italy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Can I get them to match my new red Ferrari? That would be cool! Actually.. I will just keep the Ferrari! hahahahaha I want the Palladiums in a full system! Now I have $$ to buy the great gear to go with them too! Maybe some uber expensive speaker cables too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 An Audiophile does not need brains, just deep pockets. They remind me (in appearence only) of Wilsons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtkinney Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Isn't or wasn't Focal, Kmart's store brand for cameras and electronics? I can't seem to get interested in spending $100k at Kmart, unless it's a blue light special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 If I did have that kind of money, I'd spend it on traveling to hear the music live at LaScala in Italy. I'm with you Dee. I would probably never feel the need to spend that kind of money on speakers, no matter what I had in the bank. I do like that room the speakers are sitting in though! Yeh. I was thinking the same thing about the room. Excellent feng shui. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Pretty decent Wang Chung, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsu99999 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The only way I would pick these unit's up is if I were a billionaire. I have auditioned these at my local Hi Fi shop. All I can say is WOW. They sound truly amazing. The depth you hear in vocals and the clear stage they present is unbelievable. You can hear a pin drop in the background of the recording studio.. I will say this however - for the money, the lower end Focal's are a much better buy. If you can hook up a set of the Focal 836's to a solid power amp, the sound will blow you away as well. Granted there is a HUGE difference between the Be's and the 836's, I would honestly say the 836's are the most impressive speakers I have heard under 10k and they only have a street price of 3500. Check em out if you get a chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.4knee Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 The grand utopia's put an appearance in at every high end show in Athens. Personally they are not my cup of tea. I am not sure why - it is a bit like the Lamm amps for me - they dont quite do it either. You do need a huge room for these things but at this price I would seriously look at a pair of Avantegard Trios and some basshorns - imho they stomp all over the Grands.... Interesting info Max, I am inexplicably enamoured with the Trio's but can find no place to listen to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev313 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Interesting...I've never heard the Focals, but my guess would have been they are wildly different than the Trios. I HAVE heard the trios as well a several other of the Aventagrds. Hate 'em. My these ears, my Oris horns sounded better and the bass was better integrated. Bear in mind, I got rid of the Oris due to bass integration issues so... In any event, I truly do not see where the money goes with the Avantegards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spongeworthy Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Fini, Great call by the way. Those Wilson's look exactly like Rosie, the maid from the Jetsons. Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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