Sonus Faber Guarneri vs Guarneri Memento

Hi George, I heard a Jadis Defy 7 mk1V a couple of years ago with
SF GH"s. It was a very nice match indeed; almost made me sell my
Jeff Rowland model 8. The only thing that kept me from doing that was
that the Jadis seemed to lose a little detail when compared to my 8.
Nonetheless, I do agree that a tube amp is a GREAT way to go with the GH"s.
I am enjoying an ARC D70 mk2 with rolled in tubes right now. This amp seems to have real simpatico with these speakers.
BTW Pinkus, I wouldn't trade SF GM's for GH's, my ears would never forgive me.

Since this thread just got bumped and I'm feeling a growing affinity for Daveyf, here is my 2 cents.

I have owned both Guarneri models at the same time for over a year. Didn't plan that. For years I wanted the H's but couldn't find the "perfect" pair. So I bought a brand new pair of M's. Sure enough, 1 month later that perfect pair of H's found it's way to me. If I didn't already have Magnepans and a very special pair of custom 2 ways, I would have kept both pairs of the G's.

For my house, 3 sets of speakers is pushing it so the 4th pair would have to go. It was the M's, VERY RELUCTANTLY.

I prefer the H's to the M's. Nothing wrong with M's, I wouldn't have bought them if there was something I didn't like about them.

I have different amps and what the H's do for me is sound great with every amp I have mated them with. This runs the gamut with class A ss, Tripath chip, pp and single ended tube amps (the H's have a friendlier impedance toward smaller amps). The H's also sounded better in my smaller room (home office: 14x12 10' high ceiling).

Just to add some additioonal salt to the thread here, I had the chance to chat with Lorenzo, cheif designer for Mastersound in the last CES, I did mention my setup, and when I said Guarneri speakers he asked..."new or old version" for which I replied "old Homage version" he said then that those are indeed great speakers, adding that he has several customers who are as well reluctant to sell their GH to go for the GM in Italy.

Might be right.....

Flg2001, i think a little salt in this thread is a good idea..
It doesn't really surprise me that there are many GH owners in Italy,
or anywhere else for that matter, that are "reluctant" to give up their
GH's for GM's. A backward step is never anything anyone does unless
they do it "reluctantly".
IMHO if people will use their ears when they compare GH's to GM's,
the obvious superiority of the GH's becomes very evident.

Davef,

there are people who on this thread who have listened to both and some prefer the G, and others the H. So I would say it is not a question of one using or not using their ears, but simply a preference for one or the other. Some people prefer the midrange purity of the H while others prefer the versatility and more full range sound of the M.

But you keep insisting that the H is superior ... can you please repeat after me - different strokes for different folks :-)