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
Four recommendations.
If you can swing it, Harbeth 40.2.  The regular 40.2 model is now superseded by the Anniversary edition and the 40.3 XD, but the real difference in performance is minimal.  Which means that the 40.2 becomes more affordable, if you can find a NOS, NIB, demo, or gently used example.

Otherwise:
A Spendor from the Classic series, starting with the Classic 100.  I cannot recommend the D series.
Vienna Acoustics Liszt.  This would work very well for you.
One of the models from Fritz, combined with those two REL subs.

Auditioning.  This was difficult before the pandemic.  Do you travel for work?  The options are limited.  I can't think of anywhere that does home auditions on the brands/models I recommend.  So you're reduced to audio shows (none currently being held) and audio tourism, visiting shops (if open) in big cities when you pass through.
If you don’t mind getting used, give Alta-Audio Celesta FRM-2 (or the newer FRM-2M) a listen. Most amazing speakers I’d heard with string instruments & classical music. Truly a heaven matched. Also seem to be great fit for your room size. And use remaining budget to upgrade your amp. The speakers deserve/need quality power.

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2018/7/25/my-new-reference-loudspeakeralta-audio-celesta-frm-2
I play trumpet in an orchestra (although I sometimes slum in Big Bands 😎🎺).

The speakers that I have are Martin Logan Spires. They deliver what you are looking for.

I power them with either solid state or tube monoblocks.

My s/s monoblocks are Soundcraftsmen PM860’s from the early 80’s. They put out 900 W at 4 ohms. They can be found for under $600.

My tube monoblocks are Golden Tube Audio SE-40’s from the early 90’s. They put out 75 W. I completely rebuilt these so I wouldn’t recommend them unless you can find ones that have been.

Both amps sound musical but different. The s/s amps have a lot more punch.

Your Marantz is perfectly capable of driving MLs.


I thought of a fifth recommendation.  The Graham Audio LS 5/9f.

Read this (for once) accurate review of the speaker, and see if it doesn't hit your desiderata.
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/graham-audio-ls5-9f-loudspeaker