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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 movinshow

movinshow
1 posts
 
Hello,
I don’t normally respond to posts on this forum, because I don’t consider myself to be in the same league as others. However, I have been through this myself. I also listen to mostly classical music and here’s what has worked for me. I have been through a lot of gear over the years, and this is my current setup. I am using a Sansui AU-919 amp (the black-flag capacitors have been replaced), a Linn Sondek LP12 TT, an NAD 516BEE CD player, and 2 sets of speakers: a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 10s and a pair of Paradigm S2s. The Paradigms are mostly for chamber music and the Monitor Audios are reserved for big orchestral works. My room is 20x24 with no special acoustical treatments. I am using 16 gauge speaker wire that I bought at Home Depot. I probably have about $7,000 into the whole works.

Here’s the test. Listen to the Chicago Symphony/Pierre Boulez recording of Stravinsky’s Firebird.

Good luck.
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