Speaker upgrade for classical music


Hi, I need recommendations for a speaker upgrade. I’m a classical violinist and listen almost exclusively to classical, opera and jazz. No movies, Atmos, etc.  I have a 17x14 listening room (doubles as practice room) with acoustical treatments (phase coherent diffusers at main reflection points and regular ones elsewhere).
Half my listening is in stereo and half in multi-channel (4.0 and 5.1).   All my recordings are either CDs or high-res—DSD and FLAC—audio files. I don’t have a turntable. 

My current system: Marantz SR 8012 amp, Yamaha S1000 CD transport, Exasound e38 DAC and Sigma streamer (connected to the Marantz with analog 5.0 inputs). Speakers: Polk Rti A7 stereo, CSi A6 center, Rti A3 surround, and dual REL T/7i subs. 
What I want: speakers with improved musical detail and clarity that really reproduces the expansiveness of the symphony hall or church. I like a warmer sound than a drier one.  What’s most important to me is to hear what the recording engineer heard. Budget: say 8k or less.

Recommendations?  One other thing: Can I try them out?  And how?  I’m in Santa Fe, not a huge metropolis with lots of audiophile shops. 
Thanks very much. 
ssmaudio

Showing 1 response by andrei_nz

Hello from NZ.  My main listening is classical - Earliest is Buxtehude and latest is Pärt.  Piano to Orchestral.  My current speakers are Magico.  They are nice and do classical just fine.  I do not particularly recommend them but to get what you want I think the following need to be taken into account.  First, you can improve your room.  Judicious use of damping materials and experimentation of speaker placement can in effect largen your room.  Second, there is no substitution for cubic inches.  Yes small speaker manufacturers will claim otherwise - but it is difficult to work against the laws of physics.  Third, do not get ported speakers (possibly a type known as Transmission Line).  Once you lose the woolliness of the port you will benefit from a clear and more accurate sound.  This is not without cost as sealed designs tend to require more amplification.
Finally I endorse upgrading the amplification.  I think the amplification and speakers should really be regarded as a unit.  In fact some manufacturers (eg ATC) do exactly that with the 'active' speakers.