Looking for new speakers


Just spent $7000.00 upgrading my ARC LS16, PH3SE and Classic 120 mono's at Great Northern Sound with Reference level mods. They are not fully broken in yet and won't be for another 500hrs or so. Steve Huntley has done an oustanding job with this gear. Anyways, it is time to move to the speakers. I have owned a pair of Martin Logan Sequel II for about 15 years. I have 2 options. Replace the power supply assembly along with new panels or get myself something new altogether. I have a short list. Sonus Faber Cremona and Coincident Super or Total Eclipse III. The Classic's produce 110watts/channel. My room is 12'x17' opening onto another room of similar size thru an arch. I listen mostly to Jazz and some Classical & Rock. My front end is a Sota Nova / SME V / Benz Ruby 2H. No digits in my system. All cables are top of the line Virtual Dynamics and PS Audio condioning system. I have heard a lot of goods about both the Cremona's and the Coincident's. Not sure which would work best in my system/room. Was also looking at JM Lab Alto BE and Wilson Sophia but they are bit out of my price range. Decisions, decisions. Any guidance much appreciated.. Sly
smoffatt
I have basically the same dimensions that you have in my listening area and I have the Cremona's. I have had these for about 6 months and I cannot tell you how much I enjoy them. I have listened to many other speakers and I cannot honestly listen to much else out there. other speakers just don't have the holigraphic sound that the Cremona's have. I am into imaging, detail and music that sounds like the real thing. Good luck and there are reasons that this speaker is so well regarded, it is music. Don't listen to those who claim differently. Do yourself another favor and buy a Bluenote CD player and just quit fooling around with anything else. This is a majical set up. I use a V12r and an SLp98 in my system.
As you have some experience now with time coherence from the Martin Logans, at least with the electrostatic panel portion of that speaker, you may well value time and phase coherence. My suggestion is to add Vandersteen first and Thiel second as possible choices.
A friend of mine has a room with the same dimensions as your's and he is using the Super Eclipse III. His associated equipment is a CJ 17LS2, Bryston 4BSST, VPI Aries I/Graham/Benz M2. The sound is very good. Very dynamic and with excellent bass. I must admit I think I preferred this system when it included the Quicksilver V4 amps (tubes) but this is a matter of taste - my friend prefers the Bryston. I have only heard the Cremona at the Montreal HiFi show so no useful comparisons in this regard can be made. Still, the Cremona is also very good.
Your room is not big enough for the Total Eclipse - don't even consider it.