Post by cooksferry on Feb 25, 2019 6:55:42 GMT 12
As per Owen's request moved any discussion around my "new" speakers to it's own thread.
Yet another trip to Dunedin on Sunday, this time to collect the Auditors. These had belonged to John Ransley of Totally Wired, the long running Dunedin audio shop. . As stated in the Klipsch thread the speakers are in very nice condition, only real signs of wear is on some of the threads that make up the speaker grills. Other than that everything as I'd hoped. I had the speakers and stands broken down and boxed for the trip south and was surprised by the weight of each box. There's some serious heft in the stands especially.
All the original packaging was provided along with nice cloth bags to protect the cabinets from sunlight(not a problem in my room) and a good half bottle of the speaker wax/oil in the Sonus Faber bottle. Almost like buying new.
The stands went together easily although I had to give one of the spike threads a chase over with an 8mm die for a smooth fit.
Once assembled I left the amp on for around an hour so everything was nicely warmed up before doing any listening..
For starters I had the speakers pretty much with the same toe in as the Tannoy XT6F.
First impressions- good extension and integration through the range. Surprising bass response from such a small speaker and I think the sub , which is not connected, will get the axe. Yes, it doesn't have the weight/heft, whatever of a big box speaker but what is there has satisfactory depth for my small room without things getting boomy or exaggerated.
Treble and upper register is good enough to have some bite and edge to electric guitar without getting too edgy. I find it difficult to handle very high treble peaks for any length of time now. too fatiguing, so appreciate a little softening around the edges.
I think the mids and vocals are where the Sonus Fabers are really going to shine . I went back to the Cowboy Junkies ep (neath the covers) that I used duing my earlier audition and once again Margo Timms vocals really shone through. The higher I cranked the volume , the better it sounded. Don't know how the neighbors felt, but I must have been approaching concert levels by the end. Glorious stuff.
Biggest surprise for me has been just how much the speakers vanish, images just float and hang in the air.
Still playing around with setup. I can't do much around overall positioning but moving the speakers from point at the seat toe in to more straight ahead has really opened up the sound stage. Much more playing around tto do and I haven't started on the tilt of the stands as yet.
Overall no regrets.
I did think that my amp might find the speakers a more difficult load to drive but as with the Tannoys maybe my small room helps as going by last nights trial I'll be rarely going past 9 on the volume dial.
Will add some photos once they make the 10cm journey from my phone to the computer.
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Post by michaelw on Feb 25, 2019 10:58:32 GMT 12
 what a journey you've been on, gives strength to the old adage "be careful what you wish for ". many folks want more bass etc but once they get it they find their room can't support it.
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on Feb 25, 2019 11:33:44 GMT 12
Hi Cooks,
Thought that you might find that a pair of standmounts would work well in your room. I'm a bit of a minimonitor fan myself, have fond memories of a mates system with Proac tablette signatures in a small room that sounded awesome. Would love to find a pair of response 1sc at a price I could afford, in the meantime my small speaker collection is limited to a pair of Triangle titus ex which I run in the lounge downstairs and a pair of Keesonic Kubs (anyone remember them ?) that I keep as a spare pair in case the quads go up in smoke...
Happy listening.
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 25, 2019 18:43:34 GMT 12
what a journey you've been on, gives strength to the old adage "be careful what you wish for ". many folks want more bass etc but once they get it they find their room can't support it. Mostly a case of not taking advice from wiser heads and not trusting my own instincts.
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 25, 2019 18:43:49 GMT 12
sleeping bags for well behaved speakers. A quick chorus of O Sole Mio then tuck them in for the night 
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 25, 2019 18:53:52 GMT 12
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Post by Owen Y on Feb 25, 2019 18:54:16 GMT 12
Beautiful - Italians know that if it doesn't look beautiful, it doesn't pass square one.
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Pundit
Post by raveydave on Feb 25, 2019 19:08:07 GMT 12
Owen, couldn’t agree more... they are Gorgeous!!!
Cooksferry, thanks for the pics and review.
Sonus Faber are a marque I’ve long been curious about.
Sounds like they’ve hit the right spot for you.
(And I really need to check out that Cowboy Junkies covers album!)
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Post by michaelw on Feb 25, 2019 20:01:41 GMT 12
beautiful. what's the left one look like 
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Post by colinf on Feb 25, 2019 21:44:26 GMT 12
Beautiful craftsmanship from S-F. I had Guarneri Homages for a few years and never got sick of looking at them. They had more bass than you’d expect out of a small speaker as well.
AMR-iFi R&D
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Post by Citroen on Feb 26, 2019 17:16:51 GMT 12
Was gobsmacked at how deep the Guarneri's went, and at how magnificent they looked.
I bet yours sound and look even more stunning in real life. 👍
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Post by michaelw on Feb 26, 2019 17:27:09 GMT 12
sonus fabers were always cannily voiced, their real world performance exceeding paper specs.
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Post by Citroen on Feb 26, 2019 17:35:47 GMT 12
And I'm a sucker for anything that combines wood, leather and straps.
Sumptuous midrange.
Looks like you have plenty of room around those speakers, Robin
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Post by Owen Y on Feb 26, 2019 18:49:12 GMT 12
Wood, leather & face masks
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Post by colinf on Feb 26, 2019 23:44:59 GMT 12
I liked the fact that the Guarneris had an underhung voice coil. Ie the coil is shorter than the magnet length it's immersed in. Very low dynamic distortion. It had a wonderful openness and soundstage stability that was very enjoyable to listen to, and sounded better than the specs on paper would have you believe. They instantly turn your room into an art gallery! Bet the Cremonas look superb in the wood too.
AMR-iFi R&D
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 27, 2019 6:19:33 GMT 12
And I'm a sucker for anything that combines wood, leather and straps. Sumptuous midrange. Looks like you have plenty of room around those speakers, Robin Hopefully positioning will work. They're about a metre from the rear wall and not quite equidistant from the side walls, between 1/2 to 3/4 of a metre. I can't really move them any further back as the access door opens in towards the left speaker and I need opening room. Adding the tv into the room has complicated matters but I like having it there, finally getting to watch all the video content that's built up over the years. I also have a bit of a fetish with wood on audio gear. Not so long ago I had 4 Audio Technica woodies, one Grado (Rs1) and 2 Audeze with an honorable mention to the Yamamoto HA-02 amp . Foveaux is bringing down one of his Sanders amps shortly and we'll see what a lot more horsepower does to the Sonus Fabers. A lot of conflicting opinions around desirable amps. I see some owners very happy with a tube amp rated around half my Melody while others say they're best with a big solid state amp. I have my fingers very firmly crossed that there's no significant improvement with the Sanders or I could be heading of on another tangent.
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 27, 2019 6:32:02 GMT 12
I liked the fact that the Guarneris had an underhung voice coil. Ie the coil is shorter than the magnet length it's immersed in. Very low dynamic distortion. It had a wonderful openness and soundstage stability that was very enjoyable to listen to, and sounded better than the specs on paper would have you believe. They instantly turn your room into an art gallery! Bet the Cremonas look superb in the wood too. You're not wrong about the art gallery with the Guarneris. Those factory stands look like they've been made to display an art piece. After finally seeing both in person I find the Cremona /speaker stand combo works a little better. for me being more integrated and having a lighter touch. 
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Post by foveaux on Feb 27, 2019 8:51:07 GMT 12
Countdown is on Cooks..."Foveaux is bringing down one of his Sanders amps shortly..." It'll be a posse of Sanders: Pre, x2 Magtechs power amps. They travel in pairs 'cos they're monos.
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
850 posts
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Post by deano1974 on Feb 28, 2019 6:18:38 GMT 12
Cooks, so are you happy? Are these finally! Your end game What have you been listening too, and whats the biggest differences your are hearing Cheers
Manager & Product specialist at Rapallo AV & HI-FI
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Post by cooksferry on Feb 28, 2019 7:16:31 GMT 12
Cooks, so are you happy? Are these finally! Your end game What have you been listening too, and whats the biggest differences your are hearing Cheers I hide in shame deano. Only listened once so far, Sunday night after I set them up. Most week nights I'm generally so mentally stuffed that I just nod off around 7.30 . Weekends are music time. But yes, these speakers will be my end game. I have heard enough in the short period of listening to know that I'll be happy. Some days I may just chill out in the chair and admire the woodwork with a mellow red for company  Will do an update after I've run some more time on them and sorted out a final positioning setup.
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on Feb 28, 2019 15:02:44 GMT 12
Those are lovely cooks, i'd also experiment with losing the spikes too.
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Post by michaelw on Feb 28, 2019 17:00:18 GMT 12
no love for spikes ?
i need them here, thick carpet and underlay cover my concrete floors
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Post by deano1974 on Mar 1, 2019 6:45:10 GMT 12
Cooks, so are you happy? Are these finally! Your end game What have you been listening too, and whats the biggest differences your are hearing Cheers I hide in shame deano. Only listened once so far, Sunday night after I set them up. Most week nights I'm generally so mentally stuffed that I just nod off around 7.30 . Weekends are music time. But yes, these speakers will be my end game. I have heard enough in the short period of listening to know that I'll be happy. Some days I may just chill out in the chair and admire the woodwork with a mellow red for company Will do an update after I've run some more time on them and sorted out a final positioning setup. Looking forward to your more in-depth review By the way the look absolutley beautiful!
Manager & Product specialist at Rapallo AV & HI-FI
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Post by cooksferry on Oct 27, 2020 8:04:17 GMT 12
Time for a quick update. After living with the speakers for a year and a half have my thoughts changed.
Not really, they do some things really well and seem to like the valve Melody amp V the Yamaha. The latter I find a bit more congested and sound a little rolled off at the top end. For those who like that mythical warm analogue sound that could be their preference.
Complaints, well more nit picks. Occasionally I do miss the floor vibrating thump I got from the MA speakers although the SF respond pretty well for a small box.
Nit number two is as much to do with my room as the speakers. They really spark up with a bit of volume but there's a very fine line to tread there before they start to overwhelm my small space.
Sometimes It does work well as with the Classic Records Led Zep I played yesterday. That breakdown line seemed non existent so maybe recordings come into play as well.
For most of the time I had them toed into virtually aimed at my seat but have changed that to a more straight ahead position which has opened the soundstage a bit. Have played with spiked up,down and removed and feel they're best as per factory setup.
I'd like to try the speakers in a less cluttered, bigger space so it's wait until management heads back to Italy and I can drag an amp and speakers into the lounge.
It goes without saying that they remain a visual treat and I do admit to an occasional visit just to sit and look.
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Post by Owen Y on Oct 27, 2020 10:10:28 GMT 12
Is 'management' hoping to travel any time soon to Europe during these Covid times?
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Post by cooksferry on Oct 27, 2020 10:33:22 GMT 12
Is 'management' hoping to travel any time soon to Europe during these Covid times? I think it was planned for next year Owen but that's very unlikely now.
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Post by Owen Y on Oct 27, 2020 10:57:37 GMT 12
With maybe an affinity for fine things Italian, did your Sonus Faber choice meet with any approval from management?
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Post by cooksferry on Oct 27, 2020 11:03:34 GMT 12
With maybe an affinity for fine things Italian, did your Sonus Faber choice meet with any approval from management? Not enough to get into the house Owen.
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on Oct 27, 2020 14:21:46 GMT 12
whoa, tough crowd. If she wont give house room to those lovely looking things theres no way she would countenance the ugly old radiators at my place.
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Post by cooksferry on Oct 27, 2020 14:29:16 GMT 12
whoa, tough crowd. If she wont give house room to those lovely looking things theres no way she would countenance the ugly old radiators at my place. Some days I'm not sure how I get a house pass. The speakers are better looking. ,😁
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