For those familiar with Sonus Faber

I’m also interested in Sonus Farber speakers and have a local dealer who desperately wants to become a SF dealer. I was asking about the Amati g5  and the Serafino g2 and was told there were none in my state. My local dealer said we could drive 250 miles and listen to a pair of Liliums running on a full McIntosh rack. I’m asking about a $26k speaker and she wants to show me a $75k speaker.  I started to laugh and she quickly came back with and I’ll buy you lunch! I keep on laughing. I haven’t decided if the 9-10 hours of driving is worth hearing speakers I’m not going to buy playing on a system I’m not familiar with. But then there’s that free lunch…

The Serafino2 has been out ,I owned the Olympia Nova 3 the Serafino 2 is much more refined .

for less money you should absolutely take a look at the Borresen X3 speakers .

a Ton of trickle down technologies other speakers Donot have . The ribbon with wave guide  1-100 of a gram very powerful neodymium magnets ,and drivers 5x faster by design with type of carbon fiber,sandwich design ,for $11k ,120 lbs each ,comes in only gloss black or gloss white . Read a few reviews I have heard much of their line up . A huge open soundstage,  detailed loudspeaker , with fast tight bass into the mid 30hz range ,btw most recordings don’t go lower  then that. At least read a few reviews then go have a audition. These are much better then the nova 3 I owned . The Sonus Faber are more beautiful To look at that’s their only + .

The Maxima Amator is quite the speaker. I had the Nova’s before and for my tastes the Amator is different but better in the sense of driver integration, probably due to the crossover design, and for how well they stage. The Amators disappear, and vocals, piano, strings are simply beautiful, slightly warm also due to the real walnut box. The Serafino and Nova are much better in dynamics and bass punch. They both fill rooms well, super musical speakers. 
 

I’d think big transistor mono’s for the Serafino or Nova, and something like tubes or class A, like Audio Research or Pass for the Amator line. Generally the SF team uses Audio Research and McIntosh to voice their stuff. 

I love my Olympica Nova V speakers. Sounded just as good as Serafino speakers a friend has. Very clean and natural, with amazing soundstage and dynamics. Using McCormack DNA 225, Levison 5805 (as preamp, DAC, and phono stage), Aurender N200, VPI HW19 MKIV (SAMA & TNT 5 Platter) w/ Fatboy 10 uni and SDS, Sumiko Palo Santos and Shunyata Alpha cables. 

I'm also interested in comparison of the Serafino vs Olympica nova line. From what I can tell, many people claim somewhere in these two lines is where the "real Sonus Faber sound" is, which I feel is a bit nonsensical. SF offers many speaker lines with their name on them, afterall.

If anyone could comment on this: the only experience I have in my own listening area consist of Dynaudio C1 Platinum and Elac Solano floorstand  models. Both of these models are definitely on the polite side. I wonder how similar or different Serafinos would be. Ultimately I'm after a clean, natural, and transparent sound over all else. 

I had a pair of the original Extrema's and they were MAGNIFICENT!!!

I auditioned the Novas and the Amati/Sarafinos.  The Amatis are noticeably just more speaker.  If you can make the stretch to the new version of the Amatis I'm sure you won't be disappointed.  @dayglow makes a good point that the Novas are due for an update.  It might be worth pursuing a timeline for that.  Good luck and cheers.  

Where would you place the Elipsa in the Sonus Faber hierarchy? I heard them at a friend's place, and was impressed, but I have not heard the models mentioned above.

@roxy1927    The Nova series is due for an update so I would wait. Regarding the Maxima Amators, I thought they were overtly "nice" sounding lacking bite/drive, could have been partially due to the Dan D'Agostino Progression amplifier. The current Nova 3 is a much better all-rounder. Hope the next Nova update will improve on bass refinement with added sensitivity and please offer the choice of the highest quality conventional speaker grills.

I had the same question that you did. Between the SF Nova III and a used set of Serafino Traditions. I ended up with a deal on the Serafino that ended up being less than the Nova would have been. Couldn't be happier with that decision. 

I have an Arc ref 10 and a pass 250.8. So I’ve already spent a lot of money there. I was also looking at the Maxima Amators but one woofer? What are massed strings and brass going to sound like? I listen to many types of music.

I do not have a large room but I like my music on the rather loud side it somehow sounds richer but I do not need a strong bass. I prefer the highs and the mids with the bass just as an underpinning. So I am looking for detail, nuance, sparkle and transparency.

Yes, Yes, Yes!!

Budget matters, of course, but so does room size.  I’ve owned both Serafino and Amati’s.  When I jumped up to Amati’s the room blossomed with a much fuller soundstage.  Can’t go wrong with either but best to invest now and not be wanting later.  

I went a very similar route. Sonetto 8’s to Olympica Nova 3’s. I listened to the Amati Tradition but was worried a little about the size of my room at the time so I traded in the Olympica’s for the Serafino Tradtion. This was 2022. I bought the Serafino’s without listening to them…. May I make a suggestion…? Check out the Maxima Amators if you’re able. After owneing the Serafino’s for about a year and a half, I sold them and started on an exploratory journey and landed on a used pair of Maxima Amators…. Wow…! I think they are more musical and nuanced and detailed than the Amatis or Serafino’s. Really lovely bass and the mids are phenomenal. Amazing soundstage and depth with just the perfect amount of siblance. 
 

My electronics have a great synergy with these speakers as well. (Audio Research pre-amp and amp)

for less money I think these are a better speaker to be honest.

My journey is somewhat documented here:

Good luck and reach out anytime if you need to chat.

Yes! Yes!! 

Serafino is a great speaker, a big step up from the Nova 3. I have not heard the Amati as it is out of my price range but I can only dream.

Thanks to all.

Yes… well, depends on the time frame. Dealers will often make you a deal to give you full trade in value on a speaker that is double the cost for a few years. If you are going to be able to afford the Amati in two or three years… then talk to your dealer. I would rather a few years with the Olympica instead of waiting. The Olympica are outstanding speakers… similar sounding to the Amati… just not as.

Sonus Faber are unique sounding speakers, exceptionally natural and musical… a sound I wanted in my system as soon as possible.

I owned Cremona, then Olympica 3 for nearly 10 years and now Amati. Each a great upgrade with the same basic sound.

……second the yes as a previous owner . 

I upgraded from Olympica II to Serrafino Tradition.  I also auditioned Nova III.  I loved my Olympica II and there was a modest improvement in going to Nova III (primarily deeper bass) but a large improvement from Nova III to Serrafino Tradition: deeper bass, better micro dynamics, and  vocals just sounded fuller.  If I had not heard the Serrafino I would likely not have upgraded at all.

YES