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Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage?

i would like to know if the sf strads(or anything really) sound good enough to
justify the price. with tad audio, wilson maxx's, avalon
eidelons, rockports, etc. in that price range, imho spending $40k defies rationality, unless you're trying to move enormous am'ts of air in an unusually large room. if i was a loudspeaker manufacturer, throwing everything i know and the best materials available at the project, i feel i could come up with a pair of speakers for under $30k that could do 20-20 with the utmost transparency and musicality, look beautiful, and complement most living rooms with "average" attention paid to acoustics. i trust m. fremer's descriptions of the sf strads (they image like a "3d curtain wrapped behind the baffles??") about as far as i can throw a piano. the sf amatis at $24,000 didn't make enough bass "in his (stupid) room".
THAT review ended with something like "they were to die for". then he sells those and gets wp-7's. however, the rockport antares, uglier than two 600 POUND(!) gorillas, are his "reference" by which everything else must be judged. so much for s.phile's choice of speaker reviewers... so could any MUSIC lovers who actually owns sf strads comment on their sound, and/or why you chose them over something else? should sf have put a 10 in. woofer in the amati's (i think so.)
should m.fremer do something about his freaking room before they hand him another pair of $40k speakers to review? (i think so.)
btw, have a happy and a healthy....
french_fries
kops's avatar
kops
478 posts
 
French Fries a very interesting post btw.
As for me... I believe that Amati is the best good-looking Sonus Faber (which haunts me) speaker, followed by the Cremona (which I have). I think that here in Europe for 17000 euros Amati is among the best choices. Also like Verity audio and Avalon (very overpriced in Europe though)
For the time being haven't heard a good setup with Kharma (which I appreciate) also I would never bring in my home a Wilson...brrrr it's Neadertal compared to any Sonus Faber or Verity , Avalon IMHO.

Finally Stadivari is THE best sounding Sonus Faber speaker IMO.
howie
230 posts
 
The one thing I keep hearing about these speakers is that they sound unbelievably good considering its room and placement. As statement speakers, if they could perhaps be placed in a position where they look the best and still sound as good as it's capable of sounding, then that would be a real plus. Ya they're super expensive, but they will still be available ten years from now and I bet they'll hold their value and be in more demand than other 40K+ speakers available today.

The more I learn about this hobby, the more I disappointed I am in reviewers and their reviews, especially speaker reviews. I really don't like reviewers who are so sure of their observations that they leave no room for error in terms of mismatched electronics and horrible room acoustics. But I never get mad at them. They're all simply personalities to me. But I think we're best to trust our own ears and judgement. I always pay more attention to reviewers who shares my tastes in what constitutes as good sound. You really got to learn each other's biases.
deltavert
5 posts
 
I have heard them recently and I could have stayed there for hours
no only they are beautiful but they sound marvellous ,rich and warm,natural, you are surrounded by the music
having the money the order will have been placed without
any hesitation,
in one word it is magic
deltavert
5 posts
 
Sanmcon
Without being indiscrete if the guarneri homage are for the computerroom? what have you for the listenning room?
igor01
2 posts
 
I have listened to them several times with different electronics (Gryphon, Hovland etc.) and found that they are not worthy any asked sum, even if they price would be half of the 40.000 euros. Personally I would not spend more then 11.000 - 14.000 usd for a pair of loudspeakers, which is the cost of the Vandersteen 5. The music from this speakers is easily the Best in absolute terms, i did not compare them in the same time with the same electronic, but sincerly the Vandersteen is so much better than any comparison will be time losing. I personally have owned Sonus faber speakers(minima- electra amator) and have in my current sistem the Guarnieri homage,
toghether with Vandersteen 2 ce and Maggies 1,6. All of them are great speakers, but mostly i'm listen to the Vanderteen's at 1.500 usd a pair. Money is not everithing.
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