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Speaker upgrade for classical music

Hi, I need recommendations for a speaker upgrade. I’m a classical violinist and listen almost exclusively to classical, opera and jazz. No movies, Atmos, etc.  I have a 17x14 listening room (doubles as practice room) with acoustical treatments (phase coherent diffusers at main reflection points and regular ones elsewhere).
Half my listening is in stereo and half in multi-channel (4.0 and 5.1).   All my recordings are either CDs or high-res—DSD and FLAC—audio files. I don’t have a turntable. 

My current system: Marantz SR 8012 amp, Yamaha S1000 CD transport, Exasound e38 DAC and Sigma streamer (connected to the Marantz with analog 5.0 inputs). Speakers: Polk Rti A7 stereo, CSi A6 center, Rti A3 surround, and dual REL T/7i subs. 
What I want: speakers with improved musical detail and clarity that really reproduces the expansiveness of the symphony hall or church. I like a warmer sound than a drier one.  What’s most important to me is to hear what the recording engineer heard. Budget: say 8k or less.

Recommendations?  One other thing: Can I try them out?  And how?  I’m in Santa Fe, not a huge metropolis with lots of audiophile shops. 
Thanks very much. 
ssmaudio
ssmaudio OP
71 posts
 
I did hear the Turnbury. Wow, blew my socks off. The details and imaging were amazing. That’s more of a true Tannoy sound. 
With the aim of not letting the perfect stand in the way of the good, I’m leaning towards the XT 8F and then upgrade to a “true” Tannoy in a couple of years.  The true ones are out of reach for me right now.  Will try out the larger Harbeth and Graham Audio then. Can’t really now with all the Covid crap going on. 
pch300
56 posts
 
I see a lot of good recommendations above. I don't see Ohm mentioned. These are great for 5.1 and normal 2-channel. I use them for both. The company has several combinations of HT setups well within your price range. They also have a long audition period in your home (120 days). I suggest you call them and discuss your needs - they are very helpful.

What I find useful is the Ohm's wide area of imaging, so people not sitting on the centerline between the front pair of speakers can enjoy good imaging too. I have not heard other speakers do this as well as Ohm, yet. This is the primary reason I use these for HT.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano
2,412 posts
 
I am a former classical musician, who has exactly the same taste that you have in my listening.  I have a pair of GoldenEar Triton 1 speakers which are excellent for classical and Jazz.  With your budget you could try the GoldenEar Reference speakers, the next category up from the Tritons.
fusian
129 posts
 
Another string player here (violist) who has gone to planars.

I have heard Maggies, Apogee ribbons and my custom made planars, and there is so much less "thickness" to the sound, than the cone drivers I have heard (not exceptional speakers, but I have owned Linn Isobariks, Tannoy dual concentrics, and Goodmans).

As someone mentioned above, however, planar type speakers are not great for extremely loud volume levels, like 20th century orchestral stuff and rock. I am now used to the more transparent sound of my planars, and find my cone speakers too congested and thick sounding, as attractive as this sound can be.

But I do think thin membrane speakers sound more like the master tape (I listen mostly to vinyl).


movinshow
1 posts
 
Hello,
I don’t normally respond to posts on this forum, because I don’t consider myself to be in the same league as others. However, I have been through this myself. I also listen to mostly classical music and here’s what has worked for me. I have been through a lot of gear over the years, and this is my current setup. I am using a Sansui AU-919 amp (the black-flag capacitors have been replaced), a Linn Sondek LP12 TT, an NAD 516BEE CD player, and 2 sets of speakers: a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 10s and a pair of Paradigm S2s. The Paradigms are mostly for chamber music and the Monitor Audios are reserved for big orchestral works. My room is 20x24 with no special acoustical treatments. I am using 16 gauge speaker wire that I bought at Home Depot. I probably have about $7,000 into the whole works.

Here’s the test. Listen to the Chicago Symphony/Pierre Boulez recording of Stravinsky’s Firebird.

Good luck.
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