Vienna Acoustics The Music vs Sonus Faber Stradivari

Actually I had the chance to audit VA The Music twice and once only SF Amati, not Stradivari in unsubstantial lengthy sessions with total different settings.

VA The music speakers were paired with all McIntosh equipment and SF Stradivari speakers were matched with Constellation mono-block amplifier.

I was not sure that I heard the additional effects from the super tweeters of VA The Music but the high frequency sound/tone of those speakers was definitely different from my expression of smaller VA speakers I owned.

On the other hand, I was so impressed by the ring-dome tweeters of SF Amati and upgraded the tweeters in my then owned compatible 3-way design speakers right after.

Thanks for tablejockey’s input for adding additional sub-woofers in the system. In my sub-woofer experiment period, the coherent synchronization will never be optimal. Actually this is my dilemma, 3 x 9-inch bass drivers of VA The Music or 2 x 12-inch bass drivers of SF Stradivari would have more convincing expression of Mahler’s or Bruckner’s large scale music. Of course, you don’t listen to those large-scaled music frequently.

Again, all inputs are welcomed.

Happy Listening!!!

Hi Greg,

It is SO nice to hear from you again after so many inactive years on my end.

Thank you for your detail inputs.

Yes, totally agree with you that we are all chasing the impossible mission - high fidelity reproduction.  I was lucky enough to attend the live performances of Mahler Symphony No.2, No.3, No. 8 (Symphony of a Thousand), Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 (Organ) and Carl Orff Carmina Burana.  All those performances deem the sound reproduction at home is only dream.  But we, audiophiles, persuade ourselves to chase that dream.  

At my current stage, music coherence is the top priority. Just wanted to enjoy the music as a whole even sometimes I listen to music with the score in my hands.

By the way, the live recordings of Klemperer's Mahler symphony performances are absolutely overwhelming.