Go for Piano Home, Dont go for the domus |
So, difference between Sonus Faber Home and Concerto Grand Piano is what? Is there a difference as far as sound is concerned? Don't really get this, someone please explain. |
Hi Rijp1987 , I also was debating on upgrading to a Cremona M in graphite. I have the GPH , concerto, and concertinos. I noticed you used cardas speaker cables ... did you like the GPH with cardas. I am thinking of new speakers or upgrading speaker cables to cardas golden ref. |
Wow. I was debating whether to upgrade to Cremona M in graphite but now I am not sure. I have the piano black GPH and I bought them as when compared to very boring B&W speakers these were so sweet and musical over a broad range of music. You can hear a big difference when playing the Eagles Hotel California with the GPH and its wonderful crossover. I added a REL 505 piano black subwoofer which lifted the whole soundstage up. Cables make a big difference. Started with Nordost Blue Heaven and now Tyr for alot more heft. You can grow with these speakers and hear a difference. I went from a Denon to Krell 400xi for a more discrete sound and adding Richard graw power cond and FAT power cords on the amp and subwoofer and to the wall added even more heft and a bigger soundstage. I paid 2700 new for them vs 3600 at time at Tweeter when I heard them. I think the DOMUS line just pushes you to spend more,,Thanks for the posts here |
Hi,
I have been living with the GP Homes for 5 years now trying many amps, sources, cables and so forth.
In my mind, the GPH are one of the best hi-fi bargains out there.
Dismissed by many snot-nosed audiophiles as Home-Theater-in-a-box speakers with high WAF due to very elegant lines, these are very smartly designed speakers:
Light and fast drivers (Glass Fiber/Carbon), narrow and very well braced box (minimal box colorations), low cross over point (200Hz) which prevents the bass driver from blending too much into the mid-range (so many speakers out there including ultra expensive ones like Von-Schweikert Anniversary 5 and including some of the current Sonus-Faber higher line offerings do that and blur the mid), very well designed bass-reflex implementation - most ported boxes sound like a cell phone on vibration mode...:-) not these ones and finally - relatively easy to drive due to 90 db and STABLE 6 Ohm impedance makes them a candidate for many non-traditional tube amps like medium powered SET amps.
They lack the scale and fullness of larger and more expensive speakers but at what they do good (Jazz quartets, small scale chamber music, acoustic guitars, even well recorded pop like Roxy Music's Avalon) they are very hard to beat.
I did not audition the Domus in my room but hooked to some Linn gear I was not impressed at all.
I dislike the new Cremona M as well (boomy and dead to my ears).
After trying the following amps:
NAD 317, Antique Sound Labs AQ1003 DT, Meridian 105's, Meridian G57, Bryston 4B, Simaudio W5, McAlister Audio PP-75 and MB-130, Rogue Audio M150 I finally found the ultimate bliss with JAS Audio Array 2.1 300B/805 A2 SET Amp
(http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/jas3/array21.html) using Joule-Electra LA-100 Mk III pre-amp (http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/rise27.htm)
Highly recommended speakers especially given $1,500 used price which may prevent you from spending money on expensive front end but investing in the front end will transform these speakers from very nice, clear lively sounding speakers to first row immediacy and intimacy experience. In other words - you can grow with these.
Some other speakers that I liked:
Coincident Super Eclipse II, Reference 3A Veena, Acoustat 3 |
Nasaman, when you say leaning to hifi do you mean less colored and more analytical? I am being forced into floor standing speakers by the wife. She wants something more physically stable to reduce the chance of a child tipping the speaker onto her/himself. I am considering one of the Grand Piano's before the Domus series to replace my Sonus Faber Concerto of the Home series that I love so much. I have also thought of the Domus and Toy lines of floor standing speakers. |
You are right Nasaman, there was a pair of maple GP Homes for sale. I tried to buy them. Too late... |
I thought I saw 1 pair here exactly like mine (in wood color) less than 2 weeks ago for $1790.
Regardless of rooms or systems, couple Domus models that I auditioned did not sound the same as my SF GP Homes Series; they were a bit leaning to hi-fi sound. |
For anyone that is interested... Because of a random encounter and perfect timing, I was able to fulfill my dream and purchase a pair of Grand Piano Home speakers. I love the speakers and know I made the right choice. Beautiful speakers that produce flowing music. |
I would tend to agree with Dtc. I owned both of these speakers and can say that the GP Domus is more accurate but the the GP Home was sweeter sounding and more musical.
If I was to make a recommendation it would be to stick to
your guns and wait for a pair of GP Homes to appear. Both speakers are excellent; but I feel the GP Home had a bit more musicality despite not being quite as accurate. |
Good call. From what I've read, that Bel Canto should mate very nicely with the GPs. I have a Classe CAP-101 and am planning on evaluating the Evo2i Gen II for my next amp. It seems like Classe and Bel Canto have similar qualities -- very smooth and musical yet powerful and controlled compared to tubes. |
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I think my mind was already made up in the matter, and you all confirmed it. I should just wait out for the GPs. I have heard many speakers before, and for some reason the Grand Piano sound just stays with me.
I will be driving them with a Bel Canto Evo2i Gen II and a Unison Research CD.
I for one, would be very upset if I got the Concerto Domus and realized the SF "Magic" or coloration was not there any longer... |
Oops, I mean hock the Concertos if you DON'T prefer them to the GPs.
Is there a SF dealer near you? If so, definitely go have an audition. My guess is that you'll firmly decide on holding out for the GPs since you like the old signature sound so much (as do I). |
I second Dtc's thoughts. I just picked up a pair of Concertino Home after dreaming about the Signums for many years. Before they arrived I went to Magnolia and listened to the Cremona M, Liuto, and Concertino Domus. Although very open and detailed I did not feel the SF "magic" -- they sounded more cold and analytical than I had remembered the older SF speakers (very surprising since they were driven by bridged MC 275 tubes). I thought maybe it was just my ears, but then I got my Concertinos and WOW that beautiful emotive bliss is all there. If the GP Home is your dream speaker, don't settle for anything less and be patient. You'll just end up cycling through substitutes and ultimately get what you wanted in the first place after much time and money.
Or, since hi-fi gear retains its second hand value so well, get the Concerto Domus, snag a pair of GP Home when you find them, and hock the Concertos if you prefer them to the GPs. That is if you can spare the extra capital while you're selling of course. |
I would be careful. I have the GP Home (and Concerto, Concertino and also Cremona) and really like them. When I listened to the Domus GP, I thought the sweet musicality was gone. The Domus are more detailed and maybe less "colored", but I thought they were thin and analytical compared to the GP Home. There have been changes at SF and the more recent lines have changed from the original sound. Some like the new sound, some do not. I would recommend listening to the Domus line before jumping in. |
It really depends how large your room is, what you will be using to drive the speakers, what type of music do you listen to, how much bass do you want, and what your budget is?
Maybe you could provide, some additional information.
I know the specs are close, but the extra woofer in the Grand Piano Home (I believe one may be passive) also frees up the midrange driver and provides deeper bass.
What about a used pair of Grand Piano Domus? There seems to be 2 pair for sale. I think that would be a better alternative than the Concerto Domus, since you've already liked the Older Grand Piano's. I haven't heard the Grand Piano Domus, but I have heard the older Grand Piano's and I agree with you that it is a very fine speaker.
Maybe there are others here that have compared them.
Try not to settle if possible. |
