Looking for speaker advice-$10-20k


I'm upgrading speakers and am soliciting opinions. 16x27 ft room, Anthem STR Integrated. Mostly Jazz, accoustic, country, classic rock. No electronic. Looking at Sonus Fabre Nova III or V, Paradigm Persona 5F, Magico A3, Dynaudio 660i, Focal Kanta 3 or Sopra 2 or Totem Wind. I've heard the Totems, will hear others this weekend, but would appreciate informed opinions. I need the support of a good dealer, so used not really an option. That also kind of limits brand choice-not comfortable ordering online and trusting my (nonexistent) skills when things go wrong.

Thanks!
kerrybh

Showing 1 response by trig

Nice list, I’d add some Revels too (f228 be to start with). I recently listened to the Focal Sopra 2s and Sonus Faber Olympica Nova I (bookshelf speakers not the towers, they had sold all the Towers) at the same dealer but different rooms/rigs. The Focal’s had so much detail in the higher frequencies that it was hard to stop staring at those Beryllium tweeters. I’m not sure if it was in a good way or not yet. I’m going to go back again and spend some more time with them. They were powered with a Huge Mac tube amp, I had them swap in a solid state amp since I am running a Parasound JC5. The amp swap didn’t effect the high frequencies as much as I was expecting. I listened to everything from Steely Dan, Eagles, Beatles, and Zepplin, to Mozart and Chopin with some Diana Krall in between. The sizzle on snares was unlike anything I’d heard before. But I couldn’t stop listening to The Sonus Faber Nova I...I fell in love with them. These were just the bookshelf version, but they were quite seductive. Everything was smooth and effortless. The music was just there in front of you. The speakers disappeared. They certainly couldn’t compare to the sopras in most bass/thump/kick drums but mid bass frequencies like upright bass were more impressive than I expected from a bookshelf. I’m searching out an audition for the first pair of Nova III and 5’s that I can. I think I’m on the hunt for the first used pair of Nova 5s I can find. But who knows when that will be...I have a line on a great used pair of Sopra 2s, so I’ve got more time behind these speakers before I can justify laying down that kind of cheddar.