Best speaker in nearfield listening

wjones, yer experience is why i prefer to buy used & get more bang for the buck. sonus faber extremas, @ $4300 used, may not have let ya down the way the electa amators did. i've heard the *relatively* less-expensive sonus fabers, & got a similar reaction as you - they *were* nice, but i want it *all*! :>) the extremas can give ya that, w/careful ancillary equipment. even used, they're beyond my budget now, but they'd be on my short-list of speakers to audition in that price-range, especially if nearfield listening was contemplated...

doug s.

Sedond,

I have heard the Extremas need lots of juice. I have monoblocks at 150 watts per side. What is your experience with these speakers? What equipment was used when you heard them?

hiflyer, it's been a couple years since i've heard the extremas, &, to be honest, i don't remember the specifics re: amplification. i *do* remember they were great, & that they *do* require lotsa juice. yer monoblocs, at 150 per, may be enuff, especially w/nearfield use, but more important than watts is *current* - how many amperes of current can yer amp output? for example, my electrocompaniet aw60ftts that i'm now using, are only 60wpc, 110 into 4 ohms, but they're stable into loads below 0.5 ohms, & put out >60 amps of current... the extremas *do* demand lotsa current to sound their best.

doug s.

Does anyone have any comments on Jean Marie Reynaud Trentes or Offrandes?

Hiflyer: I use the less expensive Reynaud Twins MKII which work just fine in the near field (they easily out perform my old Rogers Ls3/5a's in all areas including the midrange). The Trente however has a top mounted tweeter (bottom mounted on the Twin). Try contacting Elliot @ Acoustic Image in Studio City, CA as he has had them set up in the near field in his listening room. Maybe it's just my setup, but I do not find it necessary to toe the speakers in when listening in this manner, which is a bit odd I think. If you go to the Reynaud website, it will link you to O.S. Services (the US rep) who can put you in touch with Elliot (he may be listed on the web as well under his business name). I got the impression that Elliot is not only into the music, but into properly matching gear as well and he will give you the straight poop.