Sonus Faber Guarneri's

The Guarneri's are something very special especially for a second system. They will need an amp with more oomph then 8 Watts. Depending on how loud you like to listen and room size, I wouldn't give them less than 50 tube-watts and preferably more (86.5dB/W/m). The Guarneris like space from the side and front walls to really sing. And need maybe 9-10 feet from the listening position to gell. They sit taller than most monitor speakers (50"), so a 9 foot ceiling height is better than the typical 8 foot height (again even higher ceilings are better). In short, small rooms are out and nearfield listening is less than ideal for these speakers. The older 8 panel versions should be much harder to locate, but some have said they're better than the newer version. They also do not go much below about 42 hertz so you'll need a subwoofer (REL STENTOR?)I have also heard that some Guarneris a few years back have had finish problems (a white film underneath the varnish)in more humid parts of the world. You are looking at a very musical monitor with one of the best midranges ever! Good Luck in your search.