Stenheim Alumine 3 vs. Sonus Faber Amati G5

I have not heard the Stenheim Alumine 3, but I own Amati Traditional (see my virtual systems). From reading about the Stenheim… they are as different as you can get from the Sonus Faber, both sonically and aesthetically. From the descriptions the Stenheim are a Magico wanna be. 
 

Sonus Faber’s thing is natural beauty in both sound quality and their look. They are simply the most beautiful speaker I have ever seen… or heard. 
 

If you are an older like me, I have gravitated to natural musical systems as I got older… ones that sound like real music instead of pinnacles of technological achievement that don’t really sound that good. My previous system highlighted the venue and mastering over the music… it made many recordings sound bad. My current system draws me in to the music and I forget about the system. That is what Amati does… it’s about the music… getting out of the way. So now that I am retired I listen three hours a day… and have to be dragged away from my system. 
 

I’m guessing the Stenheim are faster and a bit more detailed and will let you hear the third violinist move his foot… but not suck you into the music. 

Hmmm, that's a whole lotta "guessing" about the Stenheim that you never heard...

Used to own Stenheims, I’m not just going off reviews. The Magico comparison is off base.

Incredible speaker, very little innate “sound” to them, meaning they sound like your electronics. With Mac and MSB, I expect that would be a very fine overall balance. if you’re in NE Fidelis would give you a home demo.

+1 @ghdprentice  

Stenheim Swiss more detailed, exacting

Sonus Faber Italy more musical

Thanks, this is very helpful!

OP,

My Amati Traditional throw a sound stage beyond the speakers on both sides and deep behind the wall behind them. The speakers are nearly five feet from the rear wall. The speakers disappear.

It took effort to get here. I started with the speakers crossing the streams behind my head… and now pointed straight out. So, work within my space was required to get them to perform their best.

This is now my third pair of Sonus Faber… the first an experiment to prove they had the musical / natural sound I thought they did after 35 years of electrostatic and ribbon speakers. Then Olympica 3 and finally these. Each step proved more and more that the incredibly natural and musical sound was what I was looking for.

I have run out of auditions of highly detailed and horribly distorted high frequencies with my hands clasped over my ears. Music is what I want to hear, not incredible detail of the violinist in the third row moving his foot while subjecting my ears to over biased amps with all sorts of high frequency hash and distortion. I want to enjoy the music.

Just another perspective but personally I'm not a Sonas Faber fan, yes very musical but just doesn't move me like a Jeff Joseph speaker does. At Axpona this year a pair of Franco Serblin Ktema speakers were one of my favorites. Went back at least 4 times and they never disappointed. Out of my price range but the sound is still in my memory. 

I've spent quite a bit if time with the Steinheims, and besides a small bit of 'bloom' in the mids (giving the a touch of warmth in that region), they are quite natural sounding.

They seemed to be very neutral in all areas (excepting the above noted), and simply got out of the way of the music.

I personally, had no problem forgetting about the speakers, and being sucked deeply into the music. 

If you are near New England  Fidelis in Nashua carry both brands.   They have a lot of Sonus Faber models on display.  

My Dad just picked up a pair of Elecra Amator III and they are an amazing speaker.  Tiny speaker that sounds huge.   The whole line up sounds amazing 

Thanks!  How do you like the Amati’s soundstage?  

I have not heard the Stenheim Alumine 3, but I own Amati Traditional (see my virtual systems). From reading about the Stenheim… they are as different as you can get from the Sonus Faber, both sonically and aesthetically. From the descriptions the Stenheim are a Magico wanna be. 
 

Sonus Faber’s thing is natural beauty in both sound quality and their look. They are simply the most beautiful speaker I have ever seen… or heard. 
 

If you are an older like me, I have gravitated to natural musical systems as I got older… ones that sound like real music instead of pinnacles of technological achievement that don’t really sound that good. My previous system highlighted the venue and mastering over the music… it made many recordings sound bad. My current system draws me in to the music and I forget about the system. That is what Amati does… it’s about the music… getting out of the way. So now that I am retired I listen three hours a day… and have to be dragged away from my system. 
 

I’m guessing the Stenheim are faster and a bit more detailed and will let you hear the third violinist move his foot… but not suck you into the music.