Sonus Faber Cremonas or JM lab Diva

Hi again, I have actually sold the Jolida and replaced it with an AA Prima mk2. Disclaimer - All these comments refer to their use in MY system: In a way, I miss the Jolida - the AA is very very detailed almost to the point of being distracting from the music. It makes the noise floor of every CD apparent which I am not too sure I like.

On the other hand, the resolution is off the charts compared to the Jolida which in hindsight kind of glossed over a lot of information. Having said that, I wouldn't say one is really better than the other (when comparing the Jolida with NOS 5751s), just very different styles. The AA is kind of nervous and impatient whereas the Jolida is relaxed and composed. I wasn't expecting such a difference actually.

I am coming around to the AA though and it sounds sublime with my Kora Explorer 90 which can use a little speed and detail. They are a fantastic match - better than the Mc/BAT for the above reasons. Incidentally, BAT doesn't design anything that sounds muddy. I think my preamp contributes a lot to the over-the-top-detail issue which is a problem I never had with the Jolida. It is all about system synergy!

I have not heard of the centers being used for LR. Kind of a novel idea but the centers do look like mini Utopias so don't see why not. But then again, aren't their crossovers biased towards the midrange?

One last note is that some people I know who visit this site prefer the previous Utopias (with Tioxid tweeter) over the new Be Utopias. Since you liked the 926s better than the 927s, you may also be in the boat. In this case, there are fantastic deals available and you may want to choose this route for the highest value.

But then again, are you unhappy with your SFs or do you just want a change? If the latter, in what ways?

Arthur,

Nicely put, I agree 100% with your comments. My time with my JMs was a love & hate relationship. I use a CARY SLI-80 with a NOS tube setup for an amplifier so definately not a slouch. The JMs would absolutely give you goose bumps on about 1/100th of my CD Collection.

However, I mainly listen to Rock & Roll (Social Distortion, Wilco, Radiohead, Paul Westerberg, etc) which is unfortunately never recorded perfectly. The Tioxid tweeter was just not friendly to say the least. I even went as far as to play with the crossover points to lay it back slightly.

This worked but was not enough. A good friend purchased these speakers from me and still has them. They sound great in his room and he is using a Creek 5350SE. They still get schrilly with a bad recording but it is a trade off. However they do deliver the goosebumps on stellar recordings..Such a trade off..

Personally, I am in this hobby for my LOVE of music. The Sonus let me enjoy everything I listen to with no boundries. Are they the ultimate in resolution? NO, but they recreate enjoyable music with reference quality.

Thanks for your input! I enjoyed your perspective..

Nice System BTW..

Chris

tedmcq, the grand piano is a world class speaker if you value flat response, tonal accuracy, and weight. in the entire sonus fabor line they are the best all-rounder, and nail all types of music better than lots of other so called hi end speakers costing much, much more. certain speakers are just 'right'. most audiophiles (i've been guilty of this many times)have a desire to experiment themselves right out of a great music system. the most respected audio engineers in the world hardly ever listen to music through a top-of-the-line anything. talk about listeners who can hear the difference. the cary's are excellent, but having a primo ss amp too, is a great way to experiment. i think you're there already though. cool system in my book

I am not unhappy with the SF at all, quite the contrary actually. I am probably not going to get rid of the SF's but I have the means and the go ahead from the wife to upgrade when I sell a few items that I have, so I might keep both. I also owe this discussion a retraction of an earlier comment. The electra 907be's are much more enjoyable than I origianlly thought. I had then being pushed by a Audio Research Dual 75a which was not the best choice for those. My SF's love the AR but the JM Labs sounded better connected directly to my Poineer Elite Reciever which is the flagship model but I have no other amp or pre amp until my Cary and First Sound Arrive, so they they are connected directly and sound good. I thought about just using these in my HT set up with Lexicon gear.

The reason I was thinking about the BAT sounding muddy is not because of their equipment but becasue I have the First Sound Tube Pre Amp, Cary Tube Amp, Looking at a tube tuner, and now the tube CD seems like I stand the chance of a muddy sound from so much tube gear.

I am not unhappy with my current speakers and do not really "NEED" anything new and could stand to save the money. On a personal not however I will say this about myself. I read your previous threads and saw the the joking about how buying equipment and tweaks is reducing your budget for "other things" and in my case that is actually true. My point is the time and money I spend is much better than the ways I once did it, so It is actually
kind of theraputic to me and a better use of my spare time. I guess I am one of those people who enjoys not being perfectly satisfied but always trying to get there.

Ted

I feel experimentation is really the only answer and so armed, I just make purchases on a whim to see what they are like and sell what I don't care for. If I wait for a good used deal, it's no different than having money in the savings account since I can resell with little or no cost to me.

Knowing the boundries of the possible "soundscape envelope" is the only clear way of determining what your musical tastes are. Of course, there comes a time when it becomes a moving target and I used to fret over that but now I just go with the flow and am much happier doing it. Speakers are physically tricky to just impulse-buy so I agree with you that seeking some outside advice can limit chances of winding up with a speaker that isn't your style but in the end, exploration will be the ultimate source of information and, as a distinct bonus, will yield a direction for your future upgrades. Good luck! Arthur