Avalon Indra vs Sonus Faber Cremona M

I totally agree with you. In the product information pamphlet, Sonus recommends a high quality amplifier that does not necessarily mean more power. However, these are not the first Italian speakers I have heard that like power. I had listened to Diapason's Diamante and they too were not nearly as romantic without solid state amplification behind them.

However, given my unexpected penchant for tubes, the Sonus were the wrong match...I had initially demoed them with Ayre electronics, but something about those amplifiers left me a bit "nervous" or jittery after a listening session.

It is all really subjective, but I can only highly recommend an audition with the Indras.

Bob

Hands down, my favorite speaker...
Spent some quality time with them (I actually did a lot of the woodwork on the cherry prototypes in all the marketing shots!) At lunch time, I would sit in front of the Indras in a dark room and just melt. I'm convinced that Neil is on a different level when it comes to cross over design, having seen the guts of the Indra and Isis. I'll say no more, but just hope you enjoy them!

jordanmoretti-

I hope you got a new pair because the finish is spectacular.

I'll second the praise. I heard the Indras and Isis. IMHO Isis is the most spectacular speaker I've ever heard. Of course at $65,000 they'd better be right?

They're both really clean and holographic. Now that I've heard them I think everyone else plays on a 2 dimentional world, and Avalon lives in a 3 dimentional one. I own Aerial 20t's and they're great but not 3 dimentional like the Indras or Isis.

Not to mention that they are tonally excellent and are easy to drive and all of your components to shine though.

I also listened to the Isis and it is a larger version of the Indra (or vice-versa). Listening to each one in the appropriate room size, I could not tell the difference between the two.

I will say this, however, they did not sound nearly as magical with CD (what does) versus vinyl.

I listened to the Isis on a shindo/VTL setup with a I believe the top of the line Naim CD player. Very nice CD sound, but my 500$ turntable with a decent LP sounds much better and really exploits the strengths of the Indras.

All in all a very special and very heavy product.

As they say in Italian, complementi!

Bob, are you seriously talking about the Naim CD 555?

I am by no means trying to be inquisitional or sarcastic as I can sense your passionate enthusiasm, but in case you are referring to the CD 555, can you please tell me what your turntable/arm/cartridge is? I may want one of those for myself.