Any WARM, MUSICAL speakers out there?


I have been auditioning a number of speakers in the under $12k category, and I am frustrated at the almost total absence of any "warm", "musical" speakers out there. They are almost entirely the so-called "accurate" or "analytical" variety. Example, to my ears anyway: the Wilson Sophia. Very accurate, analytical, COLD and non-engaging, even through CJ tube gear. One would think that some of the CJ warmth and musicality would have come through, but the Sophia did not alow ANY of that!
I would like to find a musically engaging, warm speaker that does an excellent job with human voices and midrange detail, as the Cremonas do. I will be pairing the new speakers with Conrad Johnson tube electronics. (Yes, they are lush and warm, but that is what I like!)
The ONLY ones providing the warm musicality I seek that I have found are the Sonus Fabers, such as the Cremona. I found the midrange and uppers magical and musically involving.
However, they are not good at rock and roll. Electrostats such as Quads are even worse in that regard. As Sam Tellig pointed out, they (Quads) do NOT rock.

Note: There are no Legacy dealers (for the Focus 20/20) anywhere near me, and the Klipschorn so-called dealer near me only had two of the very smallest models available for audition.

My only two remaining ideas I have are Silverline (as in Sonatas or the new Bolero) and Vienna Acoustics, such as the Mahler or Strauss.However, the Vienna dealer only carries solid state electronics, and I want to hear them through tubes. Does anyone think that either of these might fit the bill?
In his review of the Sonus Faber Cremona in the Aug/Sept. 2003 issue of The Absolute Sound, Wayne Garcia writes,
"...It is one of the few full-range speakers from the non-analytical school (particularly those under ten grand) that I would even mention in the same breath as MartinLogan or Quad." (p.75 of TAS)
Does anyone know what the other "few" might be????!!!
Any ideas?

Thanks
Steve
bigpowerballs

Showing 2 responses by bigpowerballs

Hello again. Thus far the Cremona is the only Sanus Faber I have auditioned. My primary source will be my Musical Fidlity Nuvista 3D CD Player, although I intend to add a turntable system later. I have on order one of the two remaining Conrad Johnson Art2 (tube)) preamplifiers,and a CJ Premier 140 amp. ICs will probably be Synergistic Research X-series Sterling, and cables would be determined by the choice of speakers.
You're probably right about the source, Tok. The source I heard was Mark Levinson 360 cd player/processor- very analytical to my ears.
It would appear that some good suggestions were developed.

Timchen, it would seem (based on the "average retail price of your system" post-inquiry) that on Audiogon, it is SPENDERS that rule, not Spendors!
Thanks
Steve
I bought the Sonus Faber Cremonas. Nothing else can compare with their gorgeous, sweet, warm, detailed, musical midrange. Everything else sounds deficient, once you've heard them....Truly magical!!