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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 desktopguy

desktopguy
397 posts
 
One word: Vandersteen. The best, most consistently pleasing sound I’ve yet heard from multi-driver speakers came from Vandersteen.

This is how you get that slightly warm, spacious sound in a room: the 6 dB/octave crossovers & set-back driver placement assures time coherence of all sound arriving at the ears. It’s superb for classical music recorded in real space--and quite revealing of that space.

In your room you would do well with either of the 2 models linked below (which are also available used, depending on location):

https://www.vandersteen.com/products/model-2ce-signature-iii

https://www.vandersteen.com/products/model-3a-signature

Note: unless you listen to lots of organ music, no subs are needed with either of these models IMHO.

Note-2: If the size of either Vandersteen is an issue in your room, then consider Harbeth (I second this recommendation others here made). I've heard both the 30.2 & 40.2 stand-mounted 3-ways, and that is a truly lovely sound for classical music. Neither is a budget speaker and there are fewer F.S. options available (in Santa Fe as everywhere).
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