$20k top, full range speakers?

Crossover networks degrades the music! Crossoverless speakers sound much more musical! That's why I only listen to my BOSE 901 series 6 version 2's now!

The offer astonishing dynamic range at low levels, a trait that is inherent with Transmission line loudspeakers.

Can you explain why TL designs are so effective at lower levels?

What happens at higher levels - does the TL design compress dynamics?

Level8skier: I'm looking for some feedback on the Elipsa. Near impossible to listen to speakers in this price range these days. Any experience with them?

I've heard the Elipsa speakers at several different shows, and they always sound great no matter the electronics. Very involving, a slightly "warmer" presentation than the Dynaudio speakers I have always owned (C1s currently).

I've been told that the Elipsa speakers are easy to integrate into problematic rooms because of the wide baffle, whereas the Amati can be more difficult to integrate because of its bass (analogous to the Dyn C1s vs. C4s, which require a large room, as JA noted in his Stereophile review).

I understand that the Amati, which I have not heard, is quite a step up in performance, but it's also $30,000, or twice the cost with the current sale price of the Elipsa. Also, there is now an Amati Futura, which I will hear at SSI in Montreal in two weeks -- a completely new design derived from the Fenice (called TSF now).

I've read that the Amati Anniversario is not being discontinued, but find that hard to believe, given the current plethora of models currently listed for sale here.

If it were me, I would try to listen to both Amati and Elipsa as you could probably place either in your large room. If you like the Amati, maybe you can get a dealer demo for close to the price of a new Elipsa. For that much money, it's definitely worth getting to a dealer to listen. Or going to a show. SF will be demonstrating the Amati Futura and the Stradivarius at the Montreal show.

Going to a dealer and listen.....therein lies the problem. I live in Atlanta, you would think that a city of more than 5 million would have more than 2 decent dealers, but that's what we have to work with when it comes to expensive loudspeakers. One carries Vandersteen and Thiel, so that's not a problem, and another I'm familiar with carries Verity Audio. But when it comes to Sonus Faber and especially Avalon Acoustics, doesn't look like I have much of a choice. I'm going to AXPONA, but neither manufacturer is on the exhibitor list. I REALLY want to listen to a pair of Avalon Indras or Eidolon Visions, but hell, Avalon won't call me back to give me the name of the nearest dealer, I've contacted them 3, yes 3 times to no avail. This is really getting frustrating.