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Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage?

i would like to know if the sf strads(or anything really) sound good enough to
justify the price. with tad audio, wilson maxx's, avalon
eidelons, rockports, etc. in that price range, imho spending $40k defies rationality, unless you're trying to move enormous am'ts of air in an unusually large room. if i was a loudspeaker manufacturer, throwing everything i know and the best materials available at the project, i feel i could come up with a pair of speakers for under $30k that could do 20-20 with the utmost transparency and musicality, look beautiful, and complement most living rooms with "average" attention paid to acoustics. i trust m. fremer's descriptions of the sf strads (they image like a "3d curtain wrapped behind the baffles??") about as far as i can throw a piano. the sf amatis at $24,000 didn't make enough bass "in his (stupid) room".
THAT review ended with something like "they were to die for". then he sells those and gets wp-7's. however, the rockport antares, uglier than two 600 POUND(!) gorillas, are his "reference" by which everything else must be judged. so much for s.phile's choice of speaker reviewers... so could any MUSIC lovers who actually owns sf strads comment on their sound, and/or why you chose them over something else? should sf have put a 10 in. woofer in the amati's (i think so.)
should m.fremer do something about his freaking room before they hand him another pair of $40k speakers to review? (i think so.)
btw, have a happy and a healthy....
french_fries
igor01
2 posts
 
I have listened to them several times with different electronics (Gryphon, Hovland etc.) and found that they are not worthy any asked sum, even if they price would be half of the 40.000 euros. Personally I would not spend more then 11.000 - 14.000 usd for a pair of loudspeakers, which is the cost of the Vandersteen 5. The music from this speakers is easily the Best in absolute terms, i did not compare them in the same time with the same electronic, but sincerly the Vandersteen is so much better than any comparison will be time losing. I personally have owned Sonus faber speakers(minima- electra amator) and have in my current sistem the Guarnieri homage,
toghether with Vandersteen 2 ce and Maggies 1,6. All of them are great speakers, but mostly i'm listen to the Vanderteen's at 1.500 usd a pair. Money is not everithing.
mtkhl567
157 posts
 
For any readers of this thread interested in almost new SF Stradivari, mine are 1.5 years young, really only just perfectly run in...and available. I'd consider any reasonable offer under the current retail price of $45,000. Send me a mail.
downunder
1,328 posts
 
Why are you looking at selling??

ARe you moving to something more expensive or a sideway's move?

I would be interested in your opinion on what the Strad's do well and not so well. No such thing as a perfect speaker.

regards
mtkhl567
157 posts
 
Shane, its all a matter of perception and experience. It's not that i couldn't live with the Strad's longer, its just that I've developed a different taste. Read my page for some impressions, and yes the Elipsa (aka baby Strad) just received a Golden Ear award...someone is going to get very lucky getting a set of immaculate Strads for well below retail.
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