Sonus Faber Guarneri Recommendations / Help


I am looking to change my speakers to smaller monitors since downsizing. I have a dedicated listening room that measures 11 feet 6 inches by 15 feet 6 inches. I am currently using Krell Evolution One and Two Power Amp and Pre-Amps. I have been interested in Sonus Faber since I heard their original Extrema’s in Florida driven by huge Krell Amps about 15 years ago or so. I was blown away.

I am leaning towards bringing these into my system and was wondering which model of the Guarneri line would be best suited with my room size and electronics. Since the room is dedicated to music I have good room treatment with absorption and reflection. No issues with speaker placement since my wife is never in the room.

Haven’t had a chance to hear any of the line up and none are available where I live and would have to be bought online used. I have done a lot of reading but would like to hear from those that have personal experience with some of these speakers.

I am interested in the Homage versus Memento versus Evolution.

Should I wait for the odd pair of Extrema’s that come available from time to time.

I heard rumor that the Evolution have been discontinued and soon will be replaced. Anyone hear the same???

Thanks and I look forward to reading your input.
shpritz
You may be waiting awhile for those Extremas to show up here on Audiogon. I settled for the SF Electa Amators many years ago as the Extremas were just out of reach, though I have never regretted it. You didn’t mention your budget in your post but, if it were me, I’d strongly consider the SF Amati Homage. They can be had for around $10K (used). Like the Extremas, they are rock solid and will make a great visual statement in your listening room. The SF Amati Anniversario are also nice, but come at a higher price.
Shpritz, I have been using the original GH' s for a few years now. I believe them to be the cream of the Guarneri crop. While the new Evolutions may fill in a larger room, I do not think that they have the magic that the GH's bring in spades. The later Mementos are imo a speaker that is somewhat of a let down compared to the earlier model and the later E's. As to the extrema's, they are very nice, but a little less resolving in the midrange than the GH's...although more able in the bass. Add a subwoofer to the GH's, as I have done, and I think you have the best of both worlds. 

Extrema's rule, it about the only dynamic speaker I could live with if I didn't have the big ML ESL's.

But the Extrema's didn't come alive till we put on a Krell KSA-250 up them. That Extrema  Esotar T330 tweeter is gem also because of it's very hard to drive "Sine-Cap" xover which can look like a short to the amp.

The B139 passive radiator (ABR) on the back still has it's voice and magnet, so by five switch-selected resistor positions are available across it gives different damping properties around 50hz, which make it very room tuneable.

Cheers George