Sonus Faber Stradivari

As has been said, do try and hear the Strad's first. They're a great speaker for sure but coming from ceramic drivers you might find them a little ponderous.

They'll show you tone and beauty but they arn't the last word in dynamics.

Thanks everyone! I'm leaning toward the Strads right now. Just have to sell some other things first!

Tannoy Westminsters ahhh

There two very different sounding speakers. The Salons are very neutral and an excellent all around speaker, hard to fault. The Strads are warmer sounding and probably the best I've heard, not being quite as neutral there a little harder to get right, expect to change other components, but when you do get them setup right plan on hearing music with a magical twist.

YG...very anti-musical (not for me)....Tannoys or Vandersteen 7 (ahhhh)

Mbovaird,

If I were looking in that kind of price range, I would also look at some "unconventional" speakers, particularly the high efficiency speakers that can deliver dynamic and lively sound, even when played at quite low levels. Many horn and other high efficiency speakers that can deliver great dynamics have tonal balances that are way off from conventional sound, so taste/tolerance is a BIG issue. But, some are not so extremely colored. Maybe they are not for you, but, you should at least listen to a few of them. I would recommend listening to the following:

Horning Eufrodite--a three way system that utilizes a Lowther driver as only a midrange (does not suffer from the "honky" coloration that plagues Lowther systems using the driver full range.

Classic Audio T-1.4--a large speaker system that utilizes field coil drivers. Nicely balanced sound, great dynamics, and very easy to drive.

Surreal Sound Fifth Row--a new speaker, from a new company, that utilizes a full-range Tangband driver as a midrange/tweeter and multiple low range drivers to deliver incredibly tight and powerful bass and very fast and dynamic mid frequencies from the full range driver.

A somewhat more conventional speaker that is reasonably efficient and quite nice sounding is the DeVore Orangutan. It delivers a lot of the immediacy and vividness of high efficiency speakers, while being reasonably balanced tonally.

And now, for something completely different--YG Acoustic Carmel. While I usually like the diametric opposite of modern speakers (too lean and brittle sounding for my taste), the realistic tonal balance and depiction of harmonic structure that I heard with the Carmels did impress me. I had some issues with the somewhat lean, ultra detailed, and "dry" sound (not as harmonically saturated and dense sounding as old school speakers), but, their strengths at least have made me interested in the brand.

IMHO the only thing that Focal Maestro Utopia and Sonus Faber Stradivarii shares its upper bass warmth. Otherwise its diferent speakers especialy in midrange resolution and speed -Maestro is much better. Strads on the other hand have slight more extended and crispy very top high frequencies(but most people dont hear that)

Thanks Larry. I agree. I'm also looking at the Focal Maestros. My dealer called me last night with a deal that is almost too good to pass up. I'm going to go have a listen to them. He also sells DynAudio and some other things, so I think in that price range, there are a boat load of options. What I need is to find a high efficiency speaker - like the Strads or Focal Maestros - to go with my 2301's.

Mike

A friend has a pair. I have listened mostly to jazz on his setup (he is both and avid jazz listener and a jazz guitar player). This speaker sound very, very good--very natural and realistic tonal balance, rich and saturated harmonics, and lack of artificial "edge" to the initial attack of notes. This is certainly one of the better conventional dynamic systems I've heard.

The main downside is that it does not have the kind of speed and dynamics and lively sound of really great horn system, but, then again, NO conventional dynamic systems do either.

In the Sonus lineup, this is an "old school" sound--rich and musical (sacrificing some clarity), while something like the Futura is more modern sounding--a touch leaner, more edge to the attack of notes, more detailed sounding.

I have only heard the Salon 2s briefly. I liked what I heard--open and airy on top, but not overly strident. At this kind of level of performance, one really has to hear the speaker because it is a matter of personal preference--there is no obvious superiority of one vs. the other.

I'd say first hear the Strads and see how you like them.

If possible, you could buy the Strads before selling the Revels, compare them to the Revels and keep the speakers you liked best. No lingering doubts that way.

Thanks - just read it. Seems like there is a lot of love for the Strads.

Cant answer about the Revel Salons.
But you can read what 2 posters said about the comparisons they heard when hearing the Stradivari to the Sonus Faber Amati Homage and Wilson Alexandra II. Just scroll down to the posts at 4 26 12

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1284891448&openfrom&38&4#38