Please save me from an expensive mistake! Sonus Faber Amati Futura longevity concerns...

To the OP. If you are that worried about their useful life before failure, look elsewhere. That issue will always be in your head.

To the OP. If you are that worried about their useful life before failure, look elsewhere. That issue will always be in your head.

True, but if the OP is so worried about speakers (which don’t wear out, per se) from Sonus Faber (which has higher than average odds of being around in 20 years), then that means he probably shouldn’t buy high-end audio at all.

A propos of nothing, my speakers are 43 years old, they sound excellent and they quite properly shake the walls. I rebuilt (and modestly improved) the crossovers. I have no idea if any drivers were ever refoamed and I’m not going to worry about it. If something bad happens, well we’ll cross that bridge.

@phusis regarding electrolytics in crossovers, sometimes large value caps are used in series with woofers to extend bass response and smooth out rolloff. My crossoyers have both 600uF and 1600uF caps, and it would be challenging to use anything but electrolytics in that application (picture a 1600uF film cap bundle!)

I thought foam surrounds were a thing of the past? If op is truly concerned about longevity I’d suggest reaching out for a spare pair of tweeters(bought from manufacturer, not dealer. If a speaker fails due to amplifier short or clipping odds are the tweet will be what fails and having a spare pair offers security against being discontinued.

Modern Woofers and mids just don't fail and if you order strait from scanspeak/seas/morel...whoever supplies that specific model the price will generally be half! The 'custom driver' or 'built to spec' generally means cosmetic change for appearance, I find the purchase worthwhile.

I own a pair of Gen1 Guarneri Homages from 1999. 27 years and going strong. I would be worried about the cabinet condition and the leather baffle. Both need regular maintenance. The cabinets need a light buff with a high quality micro fiber cloth once a month to prevent fading and dust from damaging the finish. The leather baffle needs leather conditioner at least once a year to prevent fading and cracking. Unfortunately, as the cabinets age some cloudy discoloration will occur on the edges where the cabinet meets the spine. I believe it a natural aging process and there is no cure. So I am ok with it. I would recommend using the factory supplied cover. It will prevent sun damage and reduce dust buildup.

Some encouraging comments lately, thank you all. I took the plunge and payed for this pair of Futura. I'll get them home in a few days, after that the (long, as far as I was told) process of burning in those woofers will start. Anyway, let me know if there is any interest in some listening impressions.