Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage vs Extrema


Looking to complete a second room for 2 channel system only. The room is 14' by 16' with 9' ceiling. Probably will not use a sub, but will remain an open issue. Music is primarily jazz, female vocals and small classical pieces. Any opines and/or experiences always appreciated.

Thank you, Dave.
1985tqc

Showing 2 responses by twilo

My friend owns the Extremas and I'v heard the Guarneri Homage.
The Guarneri Homage has a really nice midrange.
They sound really smooth.
The only thing, they lack bass.
Your definitely going to need a sub with them.
Personally I would rather have the JMlab Micro Utopias.
The Micro Utopias are the 2nd best monitors i'v heard behind the Extremas.
On the Extremas. Those speakers are incredible.

Here's what I can tell you about the Extremas.
The Extremas having no capacitors in their crossover and require some hefty amplification
They also use a unique Skanning midrange.
Skanning makes only Polyprolene midbases and woofers.
On the Guarneri Homage speakers, they use a 6 inch Skanning polyprolene midbase driver with the Dynaudio Esotar tweeter.
The Skanning 7 1/2 midbase woofer on the Extremas is a Polypropelene driver with Carbon Fiber.
The Carbon Fiber part of the midbase driver is made by Sonus Faber, not Skanning.
The Carbon Fiber made by Sonus Faber for the Extremas uses the best material.
This Carbon Fiber when combined with the Polyprolene has a sound that has to be heard to be believed.
The Extremas when powered by a good powerful amp or amps will sound unbelievable.
They have a sweetness in the midrange that I never heard from any speaker.
The speakers are very sweet and articulate sounding.
The bass is fast and tight.
A great amp on the Extremas is the Meridian 557 amps bridged.
This is what my friend is using.
The 557 amps bridged are like 800 watts.
One 557 amp couldn't power the Extremas.
My friend and I tried it.
But when you use 2 Meridian 557 amps bridged.
Holy Moly did these speakers sound incredible.
It was night and day when you bridge them compared to using 1 557 amp.
1 557 amp just wasn't powerful enough.
DaveyF, your right the Skaaning on the Guarneri's is a custom made Skaaning driver.
I was looking at a pic of the Skaaning midbase driver they sell on Madisound.
It looks totally different then the Skaaning midbase driver on the Guarneri's.
I found a really good post by Alex on using a sub or subs with the Guarneri's.
Here's the link.
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/frr.pl?rprea&1045413633&read&3&4&