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 willgolf

What is your budget?  If you don't provide that then you are going to get a hundred different suggestions all across the board.  
Sorry I missed your budget initially as I am functionally blind. You have a lot of very nice suggestions but I agree that you need to upgrade your amp and speakers.
Right in your own town of Santa Fe is a speaker maker named Viking Acoustic.  David Counsell, is the speaker builder and you should give him a call. He just delivered a pair of speakers to me and I couldn't be happier.

He also builds and sells integrated amplifiers that would go extremely well with the Viking speakers.  You can go to his studio and listen to what he has.  A super nice guy and incredible craftsmen.  

For the money, you can't beat the Raven Blackhawk integrated amp.  You should also look at the Raven line of speakers.  They were designed by a classical musician.  I have owned the Raven amplifiers so I can speake honestly about them.  Same with Viking Acoustics.