I was asking the same question about a year ago. I found that the EA2 will sound good with a wider range of electronics including the high end home theater stuff. The EA1 requires an investment in high current amplification to really bring out its true capabilites. What made the decision easy for me was the fact that the two most knowledgeable salesmen at the local Sonus Faber dealer who can get a great deal on the EA2 for themselves both have the EA1 which they bought on the used market for their personal systems. I've gone the same route and never looked back.
Sonus Faber EA 1 vs. EA 2
I would like some comments about the SOUND and CHARACTERISTICS of the Electra Amator 1 vs. 2. I KNOW that the 1 has the fabled Esotar tweeter and the 2 has the less expensive Scanspeak tweeter (although I have heard that this speaker has been customized exclusively for S.F. and is not just an "off the shelf" unit). I'm more interested in the overall presentation of the different versions...compare and contrast! Thanks, all!