I believe the Sonus Faber Cremona’s Sound a lot more dynamic. I listened to both the Guaneri’s and the Cremona’s side by side. The Cremonas were hooked up to a Krell amp and pre amp. The Guarneri's were hooked to Macintosh's Tube amp. They do sound very different. I also heard the Grand piano homes side by side to the Guaneri's The Grand piano Homes were hooked into the Mcintosh tube amp. The Guaneri's that time were hooked up to a Mcintosh 300 watt solid state. All the amps were matched well with there own top of the line pre amps. I own the Grand Piano Home set-up.
First, the speakers all sound different with different amps. I’ve heard many Sonus Faber combinations. As far as the combination you said to be fair about it, I think in the combinations I heard I would by far rather have the Cremonas. But they stand out in different areas. The Cremonas have this incredible clean and crisp high end. Probably a little more dominate then the Guaneri’s. Not to say Cremonas high end sound’s better.
I personally like the high end of the Cremonas better. Because I like more high end in a speaker. As far as the mid Thats a toss up. The Cremonas kind of sound a little different in the Mids. The Cremona’s are more analytical then the Guaneri’s. The Guaneri’s mid sound is the reason that Sonus Faber became famous, such as a lot of others in the Sonus Faber line. I really love the way the mids are in the Guaneri’s, that are similar to the Amatis.
I feel also foir the money, good mids are in the original concertos. I’ve also heard the new and old of the concertos side by side. The mid in the new line is much more dynamic but not necessarily more musical, which that I feel is they key. Do you like more musical or analytical speakers? The Bass The Cremona’s of course sound better, and go deeper in that area. Both speakers are wonderful products. As for me, I prefer the Cremonas as a over all speaker.
Remember the matching with both speakers that I listened to was highend amplification. The amp’s make a big difference in over all sound. For instance I didn’t prefer the 300 watt Mcintosh solid state hooked up to the Guarneri’s as much as the Guanari’s hooked to the krell 300 watt solid state amp. When I compared the Grand Piano Homes on the Macintosh tube amp they sung. I liked them over the Guanareris, witch that were hooked to the Macintosh solid state amp. Ive heard the Grand Piano’s matched with the 1200 watt Macintosh amps and wow The bass stood out remarkably more then I have ever heard. However, they tended to be very analytical and tiring.
The Guenaries will never be tiring. They are music to my ears. So when we ask a simple question like what speakers are better? You will get many answers. I’m sorry if you don’t have the opportunity to go and listen to many combinations. I have been able to hear a lot of combinations. First, decide what other type of equipment you can afford. Then Maybe look at it like I do : fisrt the speakers make most of the sound then the amp and wire? LOL !! I never heard wire ever make a sound with out speakers or a electrical current??? Personally I don’t worry about wire. Put your money in your speakers then your amp. They all sound different with different amps. Bruce M. Aratigus@att.net
