What are the risks of buying a very high-end set of Cremona m speakers used from a private party in Poland and shipping them to Texas, US? Maybe for some, this isn't a big risk/investment, but for me, this is huge and I am considering going way over my budget! I was originally looking to buy B&W PM1's (upgrading from my B&W XT2's) but have branched out and am very impressed with the SF Olympica. There's no way for me to budget $6-$10k for a pair of speakers, so I'm looking used for great sounding / looking SF's. If you have any feedback on these, let me know....but also looking for expert guidance on the concerns below.
I have many concerns and looking for some experienced council on how best to proceed.
- how to ensure they are authentic and not black/grey market or copies? - should I confirm if they were originally purchased at an authorized dealer? - how do I confirm the production year? - should I be contacting SF in advance to check serial #? - should I require a copy of the original receipt? - how do I know if SF will service them or if there is any warranty and if not, doesn't this drastically reduce their value? - how do I confirm if they are in perfect condition and perform perfectly? - how much should it cost to ship from Poland to Texas? - what is the best way to pay $thousands before I confirm this and before the seller ships (seller won't use PayPal) - these are the ? I can think of. If you have other insights to share, please do.
12-27-13: Davt Caune11, try Magnolia hifi, part of BestBuy, for close out pair. They are likely trying to get rid of their Cremona's to make way for the Olympica.
One of the pairs up for sale on A-gon is from Magnolia AV. In fact, it's the pair I heard a year ago that so impressed me. Unfortunately for the OP, it's maple. Still, your suggestion is a good one: Contact a Magnolia AV and have them search their national inventory for a graphite pair. Last March or so a few graphite pairs showed up on A-gon. Maybe some will show up again.
Since the OP is starting to think about the Venere 3.0, perhaps he should look for some Liuto towers in graphite (also discontinued).
Rudge, Yes, a few pairs on sale in maple finish. I need to find graphite (not from Poland or other countries where authenticity and commerce ethics are a concern).
The aesthetics (as well as sound experience) are critical as I moonlight as an interior designer and these will end up in my living room and need to fit the design and get spousal approval. My decor is mainly monochromatic grays (floors, walls, furniture) with pops of white and blue. The maple finish just won't work. I'd be great with graphite, but could certainly do a Sf walnut finish as well. From what I know, the Cremona m only is offered in maple or graphite. To do walnut, I'd have to consider Olympica (out of my budget), Liuto, or the new Venere 3.0.
I'm going to audition the Venere 3.0 tomorrow. Not sure they will hold a candle to the Cremona m. But I will try to keep an open mind.... Still seeking the silver bullet (graphite Cremona m). Thanks.
Why? I want what I want! :) with everyone's focus on the Olympica range, seems like many Cremona m owners would be looking to upgrade, or shops trying to aggressively close out old stock/demo gear. I can wait more than 30 days if necessary. I know there are speakers in the price range that others may sound or perform better, but I can't fall in love with the shape and aesthetics of any of them. Thanks
It is hardly every possible to optimize all needs simultaneously. You want a specific model, specific finish, at a steep discount, in 30 days. Are you in congress?
SF discontinued the Cremona line. Look for closeouts. They also show up used in good condition in the classifieds here. You *might* be able to score a pair domestically for $5K. They're worth saving up for and I'm with you about SF Cremonas vis-a-vis the B&Ws.
Here's an entirely different approach you might find attractive. It worked for me: A pair of Magneplanar 1.7s with one or two fast subwoofers to give you linear bass down to 40 Hz (or even below, depending on the sub). I liked Cremona Ms, couldn't afford them, got 1.7s and already had the subs. Couldn't be happier with my setup now.
Merry Christmas audiogoners! I'm in the market for a nice set of Sonus faber Cremona m's in graphite finish. If you know of any avenues to hunt, let me know.
There is widespread believe that the Polish listings are either gray market or outright fraud. The first ones I saw many years ago were for a pair of Strads from a "school" that said that they were given the speakers by Franco Serblin himself and that they were selling them to support the school. As I remember, that story was shown to be completely false and the ad removed. All the Polish ads seem to be for 25% or more below going rate. And most of them stay on sale for 30 days. Nobody is biting on the ads. Maybe some of the ads are real, but nobody in the US wants to take the risk to find out.
Finding any used speakers in graphite is hard. Graphite is a very small portion of the original sales and you rarely see them up for sale. I believe that the Cremona M are being discontinued so you might try other dealers. But, my guess is that few have demo ones in graphite, unfortunately.
SF just introduced the Olympica line, as a replacement for Cremona, I believe. There is a bookshelf in the line that comes in graphite. I think it lists at $6,500, although you probably also want a stand. You might look into that. I have not seen or heard them.
Thanks very much for the consistent feedback. Elizabeth, Hgeifman Ren-audio, and Telescope-trade, this is what I feared. After listening to them today and comparing to 805d and 804d, my heart is set on Cremona m graphite and was not sure if they'd go on sale used anywhere in the US regularly. I see many reviews, but have only seen the one listing and didn't know if it would be the only deal in my lifetime. I am not interested in the maple or other finishes. I only have one local dealer in my area and he quoted me an obscene deal on a brand new pair of demo floor samples for only $1800 more than the used Cremona m graphite currently listed on agon for $4250...but they are maple and won't go with my room. He can order the graphites, but can't discount those so they end up being $5k over my max price.
Is it widely known that SF speakers being resold out of Poland are grey market? What makes them so? Any thoughts on how to proactively find a good deal on a great pair of used Cremona m "graphite" in the next month? Or any other suggestions on fantastic speakers that not only sound amazing but look just as sexy as they sound (in the $3k - $4.5k range new or used)? I really fell in love with the Cremona m sound and sultry form and graphite finish and think it would be a great match for my contemporary house. Thanks.
PS, I don't have audiophile grade equipment to drive them...just Marantz separates (AV7701 and MM7055).
Paladin - Last I knew, Sumiko will service speakers as long as you can prove they were purchased from an authorized dealer in the US. To be sure, if buying in the US, find out where they were originally purchased and call Sumiko.
Sumiko established this policy due to grey market speakers including sales from places like Poland. There used to be a guy on here who sold grey market speakers he somehow got from Europe.
Obviously, as everyone else has said, buying from Poland would be very risky.
Not no,but H. E. double hockey sticks NO!! There are plenty of those that pop up here all the time. Just wait a bit and do not do any thing you will regret!
Boy, wasn't I looking at the same speakers, but I won't go for it, regardless of price. The shipping risk alone is immense and Sumiko is refusing even selling replacement parts for speakers not purchased from an authorized dealer. You asked for advice, here it is. Do not buy them.
I strongly recommend you NOT buy Cremona M Speakers used from a private party in Poland. All of your above questions raise too many red flags regarding this purchase. It is not worth the grief and aggravation you are going to have if anything goes wrong. You will be much better off purchasing them used from a local retailer.
Buying these speakers from someone in Poland is not worth the risk regardless of the selling price or other claims regarding this transaction.
Continue to look on here for local Cremona Ms or ask your local dealer if he has any used ones. I know my local dealer often takes in trades toward a larger model and he is a Sf dealer.
SF/Sumiko will be of little to no help as you are not the original owner = No info or service or warrantee. Sending $,$$$ to Poland & shipping cost will not be cheap. There must be a pair of Cremona M's here in the states that you can afford, but like I stated earlier SF/Sumiko will be of little help.
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.
