Sonus Faber Guarneri vs Guarneri Memento

Pinkus, Read the review more carefully from Fremer. He states he has not heard the GH's and that the mid-woofer is a Audio Tech in the GM. It isn't... Look at the SF site and see that it is sourced from Dynaudio.In the review MF also states the mid-woofer in the GH is a Scanspeak, it isn't either, it's an AudioTech. Reviewers are not infallible; they make errors just liked everbody else and as for KK-- Well there was a time that he liked the NHT's better than any other speaker he had ever heard! Like everyone, he is entitled to his opinion, BUT I personally do not rely on reviews by audio mag writers as anything more than just cursorary information. I like to use my own ears to determine their sound and that is what you might want to do as well... Before picking up this post again, go and compare the two speakers ( the GH vs GM) and then reply. I know you own the GM and want to defend them, just make sure that your position is defensible prior to posting!

Dave,

I am going to take your advice and listen to the older G. And get back to you.

I am going to leave you with a parting thought. Technology moves on ... what was good 15 years ago can be bettered with modern technology. Excellent designers such as Franco improve their craft over a period of 15 years.

Enjoy your G's.

Pinkus, while I generally agree with your comment about modern technology, this is not an absolute. For instance, most 'philes including myself would argue that analog LP's are a superior medium for sound reproduction than digital systems.
When Franco designed the G, I believe he did so as his
'statement' product next to the Extremas. Today, the statement product is the Strad and then the A Annerversario and then the GM in that order (although some would say the Elipsa comes before the GM, I wouldn't). I also wander if the 'bean counters' and the 'marketing people' at SF don't have more of a say in the product than in the past.
Franco is no longer designing the product and to me there has to be a good reason for that.
I will look forward to your opinion as to the differences between the GH and the GM once you have heard the two.
Good thing it is easyish to sell GM's on the 'Gon. ..:0)

I have lived both cases... old McIntosh (275 in this case) sounded better to me than the re-issue one, old JBLs (L65 or L300) sounded better to me than new models - but the other case also applies, many examples cover this story.

The point is, not always a reviewer has the last word, have you checked their personal tastes and setup?, previous reviews? etc...

I have heard both versions of the Guarneris and I like them both, which is better? depends on the questions above among many others, no absolute terms here...(including this last phrase) :)

Both GH and GM uses Audio Technology midwoofer. Audio Technology is a new name of Skanning, so effectively they use similar drivers. Audio Technology might not make their own cones, instead they only make the coils, spider, and magnets and that's why Daveyf mistakenly think GM midwoofer is sourced from Dynaudio. I am 100% sure it's Audio Technology. How do I know? I have a spare driver.

I have owned just about every single Sonus Faber made including EA1, EA2, Cremona Auditor, Cremona, Extrema, Amati Homage, GH, GM, and some of the lower lines. To say Dynaudio T-330D is the best tweeter ever made indicates you have not heard what newer technology has to offer. I have lived with Extrema for years where T-330D was considered very well executed there. I had Extrema, Amati Homage, and GM all in the same room once and everyone walked away ranking Extrema lowest because of its top end deficiency. Lack of air, lack of micro dynamic, and lack of extension.

Scanspeak Revelator, even the old 9900 in Amati Homage was considered more detail than Esotar T-330D. The new Revelator is simply in a different league, by a long mile. When I owned GH, people liked the sound because it was coherent and smooth. Now I own GM, people LOVE the sound because it offer everything GH has to offer and much much more. I will even put Scanspeak Revelator tweeter up against ribbon, I also own Aerial 20T which has one of the best ribbon tweeter in the business, it's a modified Raven R-2 that cost $1k each.

GH reminds me of Roger LS3/5A, pleasant to listen to but you should know its limitation. GM reminds me of a BMW M3, an all purpose sports car that you can live on the edge.