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Considering Wilson or Sonus Faber floor standing over my Rockport monitors & Wisdom Sub

Hello All,

I have a pair of Rockport Mira Monitors with a Wisdom SCS subwoofer, driven by Audio Research tube amp and preamp.  I am considering a move to a floor standing speaker.  The Wilson Sophia 2 and the Sonus Faber Cremona M or Sonus Faber Olympica III all caught my eyes.

As it is, I am getting very good bass with the Wisdom SCS sub, and great sound from the Rockports.  What will a move to a similarly classed floor standing model over the monitors and sub give me?  I wonder at the ability of the monitors & sub compared to a singularly designed floor standing speaker.

My room is not dedicated, and the living room where the system is opens to the left to a dining area, and there is an open foyer behind the listening position.  The listening area itself affords about 9.5 feet between the speakers, and an equilateral triangle to the listening position.  The speakers are about 4 feet off the back wall.  The left speaker has the open dining room to the left.  The right speaker has about 3 feet to the right side wall.

My Rockports are relatively insensitive at 85db, so a move to an 89db or 90db speaker would be a welcomed one.

Do you think a floor standing speaker on this level (Sophia 2 / Cremona M / Olympica III) will be a dramatic improvement over what I have?

The details of my system can be seen here: https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5421

Thanks!
- Mark
marktomaras
marktomaras OP
544 posts
 
Hello everyone, thank you for the comments, please keep them coming! A couple of updates.  I think the Olympica III are out of my price range.  They are too new and the ones I saw used for $8k are slightly damaged, hence the lower price, but I have tightened my budget to about $6500 - $7500 and the Olympica III will not fit there.  However, the Cremona M is a possibility.

On the Wilson front, I spoke to a couple of dealers, and Wilson themselves about the WP7 & Sophia 2.  The 3 dealers and the manufacturer unanimously and independently thought that the WP7 is the better speaker, and the ARC VT100 mk II can drive both speakers without a problem.  One of the dealers has both the WP7 & the Sophia 2, so I will be listening to them both in the same space soon!

I haven't found a Cremona in the area to listen to yet.

My Rockports & Wisdom subwoofer are officially for sale!  They are on the market here on Audiogon.  I am not in a rush to sell, so we shall see how this all plays out.

I love resolution and detail, so I believe I will like the Wilsons.  Do you think there is another floor standing speaker in the $7k range that I should add to the list?
bubba12's avatar
bubba12
446 posts
 
I'm just your basic music fan and not nearly as experienced as some of you guys. I appreciate all the knowledge you guys share. I recently listened to the Olympica III and Wilson Sabrina in the same half hour. The Sabrina sounded way better to my ears. I'm just a budding audiophile but that's the way I heard it.

soix
9,748 posts
 
If you really like what you’re hearing out of your Mira Monitors I’d hold out for a pair of used Miras. They do come up from time to time. The benefit is you’d preserve the sonic signature you already have but just add more scale,  And I’d keep your sub and just cross it over at a lower point, which I'd think would also allow you to use your amp to successfully drive the Miras. To me that’s the best of all worlds, but maybe that’s just me.  Best of luck.
marktomaras OP
544 posts
 
Soix,  very good suggestion on the Mira.  I will conduct a search.  Though I have to sell the sub to be able to afford the change.  I made a deal with my wife!  Changing the gear is fine, but with a baby on the way, expensive audio purchases are not in the cards!
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I saw your Rockports for sale. Good luck with your sale, the market is very tough out there for a sellers right now.
On the other hand, it's a great time to be a buyer, some ridiculous good prices out there on lots of items.
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