Sonus Faber Grand Piano Home audition...

SkyLounger

SkyLounger

Super Member
tomorrow afternoon.

It will be the first time I get to audition speakers before I decide to buy them. Those are the 2005 model, oak finish and leather baffle.

I'm really excited, because from what I've read online, they correspond exactly to what I'm looking for in speakers for my living room setup, in which I listen to a lot of jazz and chamber type music.

Anything special you guys think I should look for?

As it stands now, I would be driving them with an Atoll IN80 integrated (see my sig).

Appreciate any insight...
 
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Enjoy. I've always been fond of Sonus Faber designs. In fact, Sonus Faber is on my short list for my next speaker purchase.

Sent from my SHV-E300S using Tapatalk
 
Art K. said:
Were you not auditioning to buy?
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Oh yes Art, that is the plan, but it's not quite like buying a pack of gum.

This was my first time hearing SF speakers and I wanted to make sure what I'd be getting into. The audition was in a private home, a work colleague of mine, so we also had a glass of red while listening to those glorious speakers.

Now my fear is that, as awesome as those speakers are, the rest of my equipment won't do them justice and that I'll end up having to change more gear, but it's probably just me...

Anyway, the speakers are in like new condition, he bought them new in 2005 and he's just replaced them with Cremona Monitors M. He's driving them with a NAD M3 Reference, sources being a Rega P3/2M Black through a Graham Slee phono pre and Rega PSU, and a Linn Classic CD player, Audioquest cables and Shunyata power conditionning... VERY different from what I'd be driving them with!
 
Been listening to my Paradigms all morning and up to now, and can't get past how good the Sonus Faber sounded... I think the bug bit me pretty hard.
 
SkyLounger said:
Oh yes Art, that is the plan, but it's not quite like buying a pack of gum.

This was my first time hearing SF speakers and I wanted to make sure what I'd be getting into. The audition was in a private home, a work colleague of mine, so we also had a glass of red while listening to those glorious speakers.

Now my fear is that, as awesome as those speakers are, the rest of my equipment won't do them justice and that I'll end up having to change more gear, but it's probably just me...

Anyway, the speakers are in like new condition, he bought them new in 2005 and he's just replaced them with Cremona Monitors M. He's driving them with a NAD M3 Reference, sources being a Rega P3/2M Black through a Graham Slee phono pre and Rega PSU, and a Linn Classic CD player, Audioquest cables and Shunyata power conditionning... VERY different from what I'd be driving them with!
Click to expand...

This line of thought puzzles me. You went to listen to some mega buck speakers, and now you wonder if your gear is going to be good enough? What did you think he was driving them with? Did you not have any idea at all? So if you have reservations about buying expensive speakers and running them with your current gear...and don't want to upgrade those pieces-or the price that is associated to do that....why go listen to them at all?

VERY different from what I'd be driving them with!

So if you did know the system was several grades above what you are planning to use, why audition them at all...since you would say...well its the gear that makes them shine. Or my gear could never make them shound like that! You already knew what what kind of gear you would be bringing to the party, and would be cognizant of the price disparity between them and the SF speakers. Now if you just wanted to hear a nice system, well that is a different story. But we seemed to be talking a consideration to purchase.

For what its worth, your table/arm/cartridge combo is quite nice. I would argue that the phono stage is shortchanging the table. The Atoll amplification is quite respectable. I don't see why those parts can't stay in place for the time being. The CD player I am not really familiar with, so have no opinion. Decent quality cabling can be had off the used market for reasonable prices also. It is my opinion..and just an opinion that your rationalization to not buy them due to your current gear is a bit misguided. Could those SF speakers support better electronics? Sure, but you still doing OK with what you have, and getting quality speakers at a discounted price due to them being pre-owned. are But what do I know? I am just a simple pig.

Regards
Mister Pig
 
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SkyLounger said:
Been listening to my Paradigms all morning and up to now, and can't get past how good the Sonus Faber sounded... I think the bug bit me pretty hard.
Click to expand...

Ask you friend if you can bring over your Atoll amp to see how it sounds with his GP's. The pairing may be fine or at least be nice enough that you can do things in steps "if" you should want a different amp.
 
Mister Pig said:
This line of thought puzzles me. You went to listen to some mega buck speakers, and now you wonder if your gear is going to be good enough? What did you think he was driving them with? Did you not have any idea at all? So if you have reservations about buying expensive speakers and running them with your current gear...and don't want to upgrade those pieces-or the price that is associated to do that....why go listen to them at all?

VERY different from what I'd be driving them with!

So if you did know the system was several grades above what you are planning to use, why audition them at all...since you would say...well its the gear that makes them shine. Or my gear could never make them shound like that! You already knew what what kind of gear you would be bringing to the party, and would be cognizant of the price disparity between them and the SF speakers. Now if you just wanted to hear a nice system, well that is a different story. But we seemed to be talking a consideration to purchase.

For what its worth, your table/arm/cartridge combo is quite nice. I would argue that the phono stage is shortchanging the table. The Atoll amplification is quite respectable. I don't see why those parts can't stay in place for the time being. The CD player I am not really familiar with, so have no opinion. Decent quality cabling can be had off the used market for reasonable prices also. It is my opinion..and just an opinion that your rationalization to not buy them due to your current gear is a bit misguided. Could those SF speakers support better electronics? Sure, but you still doing OK with what you have, and getting quality speakers at a discounted price due to them being pre-owned. are But what do I know? I am just a simple pig.

Regards
Mister Pig
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Wow! I never thought my post would be met with such passion.

I was merely expressing my concern WRT the capacity of the Atoll to drive the SFs, in the sense that I was so impressed with their sound paired with the NAD that I'm hoping they will sound as good when they are in my living room.

Accepting my friend's invitation to go and audition them was as much an occasion to have a nice listening session with good people as it was to sharing a good bottle of wine.

But thanks for the lesson, and your compliments on my 124.
 
If I ever run across a good deal on a pair, I will buy them. One of the few speakers that look every bit as good as they sound.

eta: But I can sympathize with the remodel. Wife has decided "we" need to re-do the master bath and bedroom. NOT looking forward to this.
 
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