Don't see much on Silverline Sonata so..

Just listen to them and decide. If you already have your amplification and source (CD) set, see if you can take them along for the audition. If you can setup a home demo, then all the better.

ME2> Your talking about listening to the new Sonata II's? I've got the original Sonatinas, similar sound to the Sonata's. I love to visit Alan at his shop - have fun.

I have both the natas & the tinas, you will find them very clean, relaxed and neutral. they have a seamless tone from top to bottom. They work well with both solid state and tube amps. I found 75+ watts bring out the best tonal qualities. Using creek & jolidas just didn't to it for me. They sounded good but the more power opened them up for my taste. They play loud with out straining. I run one pair (tinas) with the Plinius 8200, the other with the Bat 500. I swith sometimes to my Vtl 300's. The tinas don't sound as big as the natas naturally but you still forget you are listening to speakers. You just enjoy the sound. If you are lokking for heavy over rich bass it isn't here. You will hear what real acoustic instruments sound like with out being amplified. I love the speakers, great bargains.

I agree with Jazzhelp. I just bought a pair of Sonatas last week and am very pleased. All the reviews are correct including the chills up your spine as mentilned by one reviewer. Accoustic music is where they excel makeing it seem as if the musicians are playing live in your room. However since I listen to a lot of rock and R&B, I was concerned about their bass response. As Jazz has said, they are not overly rich with bass, but I find the bass to be deep, tight and clean. In short if you feed it to them, they will reproduce it accurately. These speakers are smooth from top to bottom. I run these with Conrad Johnson SS amp (200 wpc) and preamp. They are bi-wired. They are great speakers. I think you will be impressed.

(sp) should read "as mentioned by one reviewer."

Me2, what will you be using to drive the speakers? I'm looking into Sonatas for a possible match with SET tube gear and am curious if you are in the same boat.

I visited the Silverline factory showroom. Very plesant
experience. Alan, the President/Designer, is entirely
pleasant himself. Listened to both a high-current 150 RMS
power amp and a 7W SET model of Alan's own design. I heard the SET first, and was blown away. Warm, rich, totally
musical. Seemless sound from what seemed an invisible
crossover supporting this five way unit. The 150W unit
seemed to coax a little more detail out of the Sonatas,
at the slightest cost to the warmth of the SET.

Needless to say, I bought the Sonatas. I am driving them
today with a 100W Parasound HCA-1000. The Sonatas are responding well but can take more than what this amp can
deliver.

Me2> Thanks for the follow up post. I hope they give you much musical enjoyment over the years.

Me2, ditto to what Artemus 5 said. Thanks.

Massvm> If you are interested there is a pair of Sonatas for auction at a rediculously low price $1475.

I heard a pair today.Very impressed.Particularly since thwe amps and source where nothing special.

I had also noticed a shortage of information on these speakers, but became convinced by the Soundstage.com reviews and to a lesser extent audioreview. Emailing people who submit reviews can gather a lot of useful information.

I am very much loving the Sonatina IIs. Supposedly the bass is tighter than the Sonatas, and I really wanted light speakers rather than heavy ones so that repositioning them wouldn't be such a chore. I wound up putting rolled up socks in the ports, just to try it out, but liked it so much that they stayed. I found my subwoofer integrated better using this arrangement.

So, I haven't said much about the Sonatas, but they have the same dome tweeter and midrange as the Sonatina, as well as the same 6.5" mid-bass driver, and there is definitely a family sound, alluded to in the SoundStage reviews as well.
For me, that family sound is remarkable transparency and detail without edginess, a satisfying and non-fatiguing experience.

Good luck!