Wow, what a setup.

Is it my imagination or is that amp bowing your shelf?

Nice system!

Yes, you're right. :sigh:
I do need to reinforce the shelf somehow to accommodate the heavyweight beast...

Quick & easy solution is to move it one end or the other and get the weight out of the middle.

Well my Focal Sopra No2 speakers finally arrived in Imperial Red. I am currently using a Marantz MM8077 amplifer. It's ok but needs more bottom end. I also used an Aragon 8008x3 amp. This amp had great bottom end but not good for the highs. I have been looking at amps and have narrowed it down to either the Macintosh mc302 or the Conrad Johnson MF2550. The Conrad Johnson sounded really good but was a little laid back where as the Macintosh mc302 was a little more in your face if you will up front. I am most likely going to get the Macintosh mc302. I would love to get the mc452, but if I did I would most likely be eating hot dogs for quite a while. I am unable to hear the mc452 with the Focals. The dealer only has the mc302. Can some one honestly tell me how much of a difference would I hear between the mc302 and the 452. I am trying to justify the $2,000 dollar difference. Thanks for everyone's help. I look forward to hearing your opinions.

Power is obvious, as would be reserve for heavy bass passages.
Is the MC302 fully quad-balanced like the MC452? If not, that would be a significant difference in them.

to me $2000 is a lot of money. I moved up from the 302 to the 452. The difference in power should not result in a significant difference in loudness. However, the 452 has a blacker background, is more quiet. It seems to me the music is delivered with a little more authority (punch?) because the mid/lows were more defined/tight.
Was is $2000 better? To my pocket definitely not! However, if you do like I did, and buy a nice second hand 452 for the same price or little less of a new 302, I think you will get your $$ worth. I think that would be the way to go... IMHO.

A few months ago I bought a pair of Sopra 2's. They sounded fine right out of the boxes but it really took a few hundred hours of play time before they disappeared like my 1028be2's did. They're beautiful speakers but I still need to find the correct position in my room to place the speakers.
I live in a townhouse so the room is wide enough that side reflections aren't a problem but I can't sit far enough back from the speakers when I pull them out into the room.
Honestly, I haven't moved them around that much because I'm enjoying them so much as they are.

Anyone tried using Stillpoints under the Sopra2? I used them under my 1028's with great results but attaching them to the Sopra isn't easy. The base design on the Sopra is superior to the 1028, but I'd still like to try isolating them from the room with my Stillpoints.

/Users/steveisdepski/Desktop/IMG FOCAL copy.pdf

I have the Diablo utopias. Prior to that I had the 1028s. Stillpoints made a decent difference to both. I believe they will work with the Sopras.

Still breaking in a pair of no.3's, been switching between a mc2255 that's been modified (375watts/channel) , and a mc2000. All through a c47 pre. Loving what I'm hearing so far !