Method said:
Any of you guys know anything about them and can give me an educated opinion? I have seen them and listened -- They sound beautiful. Was thinking bout pulling the trigger on a pair that I found for very cheap (which is still ~ $5k, but not the retail price f $8K).
Anyone know anything about them?
I listened to the Focal 1007 (smaller version) with Beryllium tweeter and I thought it was an interesting speaker - obviously the tweeter is fantastic. The one thing I would make sure before buying that 1027 Be is that you can live with the emphasis of the tweeter. I found the 1007 to be very resolving of issues with my components, and also found the tweeter to be the dominant force of the speaker, in most cases overpowering the other driver.
With components that are too bright, or in the wrong room, I think that the 1007 (or possibly 1027) could make a great first impression but not be pleasant to live with. In a moderately damped room and with the right mix of components, it is obviously a fantastic speaker. The question is whether for your mix of components and listening environment, it will be a good long-term match. And it could very well be.
I also recently demoed the B&W 805S which is a great floorstander. Unlike the 1007 Be, it sounded good even with not so great stuff hooked up to it (the 1007 Be needs to be matched with really good components imo,) and the B&W drivers are better integrated and balanced (no tweeter emphasis.)
You may want to demo an 803D and compare B&W's diamond tweeter and overall presentation to that of the 1027 Be, if possible. It will be a useful and educational comparison and give you a feel for what your options are, and help you specifically define what direction you hope to go with your new speaker purchase.
Personally, I am leaning towards B&W, as I want a speaker that has no obvious emphasis on any one particular driver, and that's something that the latest batch of B&Ws does very well.
Oh - and make sure you test the speakers in your listening room, hooked up to your gear. I think this is important for any speaker, but particularly for the Focal Electras.