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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
the_kid's avatar
the_kid
465 posts
 
Samcom,

You are so right on with your post. I bet they sound wonderful. I have own three pair of their speakers now and currently own the Grand Pianos and love them. My local dealer (JSAUDIO) has a pair of the Amati Homage on display and to this date; they are the FINEST speaker I have ever heard. They disappear and are voiced so seductively.

Not to mention, the dynamics and imaging are just incredible. Anyway, the good things in life are never cheap. Sonus Faber Speakers are no exception.

Chris
rgs92
958 posts
 
Note that Jonathan Valin, who wrote the cover story (a rave review) in the Absolute Sound for the Stradivaris followed up in the Jan 2005 issue that, overall, he prefers the Kharma 3.2CRMs, at about half the price.
sirspeedy70680e509
1,064 posts
 
J.Valin,to me,seems to be a totally self serving reviewer.I bet he fantasizes about replacing HP as the next great guru.You look at his personal(on permanent loan)stuff and it all consists of the stuff GTT Audio makes the most bucks from. From stupid/sheeplike hobbyists, who get off on seeing the latest reviewed product in their listening rooms.Time to wake up, actually "listen-up".These reviewers are to a good extent only hobbyists,like you and me.But,they do get great pricing!!
slappy
903 posts
 
I heared these a the rocky mountain audio fest... they sound fantastic and look incredible.
I see nothing wrong with flippin the extra cost of the craftmanship and sheer beauty. Of course, i could never afford these myself, but if i could i sure as hell would buy em.

people drop a lot more money than that on pretty things that have no function.
rgs92
958 posts
 
Well, that may be true, but, for what it's worth, his review & continuing comments on the Kharma 3.2s (that I now happily own, partly based on his recommendation) were right on the money, so I respect his ears & writing talents. (Along with Wes Phillips, who wrote very accurate reviews of the Aerial 10ts & Wilson WP 5.1s & various headphone products.) So, regardless of their ultimate objectivity, when a reviewer's observations prove to be accurate (at least to my ears), I give them credence & often take their recommendations, & I don't ask them to be saints.
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