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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 2 responses by terry9

terry9
2,354 posts
 
I say Magnepans. I have owned several, and for symphonic music they have no parallel. ESL’s are more detailed, but you need at least two pairs to do a symphony properly IMO, which is my current system.

Bryston amps work well with either. Not state of the art sound, but very good, and bulletproof, with superb factory support. Bryston owners sleep better. I used them until I went DIY and recommend them highly.
terry9
2,354 posts
 
@audiokinesis makes a good case for forward and backward firing speakers. I note that panel speakers, like Magnepans and ESL's, do that naturally. Without phase control of course.

I like that sound very much. A good complement is record or book shelving behind the speakers to diffuse the sound, creating a wonderful ambience. 
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