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SF Guarneri Homage or SF Extrema?

If you had an opportunity to buy a pair of the Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage (new) or Sonus Faber Extrema (mint used) what would you do? Forget about the cost differential and for now no other speaker recommendations please.

I listen to mostly blues, jazz, classical, and female vocalists. The front end is Esoteric DV-50, Ayre K-3x, and Ayre V-5x running all Cardas Golden Reference.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
crozbo
georgemg
69 posts
 
Well I have only SF guarniere , I do no know any other speaker with a better resolution in reproduction of string instruments, and it have enough bass, depend on amplifier e cables. I thinks this is a speaker to buy and do not sell, is pure art.
howie
230 posts
 
I was sooo close to buying a pair of Guarneries but I missed out on buying a used pair and a new pair locally plus REL sub just didn't seem like too much of a value to me.

Anyhow, I have never heard the Extremas but I have read comparisons and I have heard and love the Guarneries. As far as I know, the Extremas have a warmer tonal balance and weightier feel as many have described, but most would consider that a coloration (not that it isn't pleasing) and therefore the Guarneries are more neutral and necessarily more "accurate". The Extremas do play louder.

The Guarneries do image and soundstage better and floats an image as well as any speaker out there. They are also less fussy in terms of placement (unless you have extremely low ceilings), it should disappear with greater ease than the Extremas. The Guarneries by themselves will reproduce music that has an airy nibleness to it. It's quite unique. You can easily add warmth to the speakers by pairing the speakers with a warm tube amp or a subwoofer with a warm tonal balance such as the Rel subs. It will have a decided edge at low volumes and should be better at small-scale music such as lighter jazz music and female vocals.

For me, the fact that you can buy new and have the warranty (you can also try arranging with your dealer to have the Sumiko boys go over to your place to tweak with setup when they come around) is an added bonus that I do not undervalue.

I think it comes down to musical tastes more than anything.
french_fries
815 posts
 
i've heard both speakers, and i don't have a preference- they're much too close in design and both sound excellent.
but as an aside, i took a chance and bought a sonus faber amp
(the musica) 50w/ch into 8 ohms -- three knobs on the front, no remote, simple. i use it to drive the guarneri's. i turn the volume up to about 10 o'clock, which is loud enough for me. the speakers sound wonderful to my ears. and i see musica's going for $1600 on audiogon... i thought the same thing- it's not powerful enough, or it sounds dry, etc. just the opposite- plenty of power (100w into 4 ohms), sweet, detailed... i like sonus faber alot. they deliver, end of story.
thf
54 posts
 
I own a pair of Extremas and I have also listened to the Guarneris. To my ears, the Extremas are more complete, if I may use the term. However, to make them sing, you need a high quality and a high powered amplifier. Your amp will not do the Extremas justice.
tubesrule's avatar
tubesrule
100 posts
 
I just got Extremas and I have them hooked up to a Burmester 956 MK II amp. They sound amazing..HOWEVER, I think my amp on the Burmester documentation says 200 wpc into 4 ohms, so I believe it may be really a 100WPC 8 ohm stereo amp. Am I leaving a TON of what the Extrema are capable of on the table, and is my amp underpowered for the EXTREMA?
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