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 2 responses by goose

I would recommend a pair of used Vienna Acoustic Liszt speakers.  I have them, listened to probably 15 different speakers before I bought them.  I listen to rock, classical, jazz and roots music.  Mostly classical and jazz.  Some really like the Harbeth speakers but I find them too creamy and recessed in the upper ranges.  Other speakers just saw my ears off in the upper frequencies especially violin.  They will reward you with good electronics.  Subs probably not needed.  I really didn't care for the lower level Vienna speakers, just my two cents on what I hear.

Why not start with digital and then determine if you really want to go the analog route.  You will always be in the hunt for good vinyl.  if you can tolerate the pops, clicks, hiss and warped records then that's fine.  You might as well forget new releases since they will be digitally recorded for an analog record.  This limits you to old releases or new ones made from the master tapes.  Others may disagree but I have found that you may need to spend a lot more on an analog setup to get "better" sound than digital.