Gemme Tanto V2- any thoughts?

Varyat, you may want to check the Naim forum. Some folks use Naim amps on the Katana and the system was said to sound better than all the Sonus Faber range of speakers which include the Elipsa and Guarneri. I'm not sure whether the Katana or the Tanto is the higher model, but your top of the line Naim amps should drive any of them well.

Ckoffend, a very good detailed assessment of the Katanas. In the Soundstage review of the Katanas the Wilson Watt/Puppy7 was used as a comparison too and the reviewer shares a rather similar experience. May I ask which Wilson model was compared with the Katana in your system? Sophia3 or Sasha?

Ryder, I own W/P 5.1s. I own both speakers (W/Ps and Katana to this day). Personally, I like the 5.1s better than the 6s (but recognize this is just my personal preference - not a statement that they are in fact better). I am not as much of a fan of the Sophia 1 & 2s as I am of the W/Ps (I have not listened to the 3s - fyi).

I have not seen the Soundstage review. When I bought my Katana's I couldn't find any reviews on them specifically, only the smaller Tanto model.

I am not familiar enough with the Naim equipment to comment on the synergy between the speaker and the Naim equipment. Though I am not a big fan of the Sonus speakers (for my target and likes - YMMV).

Thanks for the response Ckoffend. It was much appreciated. Similarly I am not a fan of Sonus Fabers although I'ved owned the Grand Pianos for 3 years. I'm surprised I managed to hang on to it for such a long time though. A friend was also having problems with his Cremonas before he switched to something else.

Its funny you say you are not a "fan" of Sonus Fabers either, yet you have had them for 3 years. I know where you are coming from. I think they are a speaker that doesn't due harm and as such, it is easier to compare them to other speakers that while better in many areas, may have one or two issues that are just not completely satisfying. Leaving us with the product that has fewer faults but may not be totally satisfying.

I've been using the Gemme Audio Tanto IIs for about 6-7 months now. Main source is a Shanling SCD-T200 SACD/CD, routed through an Emotiva MMC-1 and IPS-1 amp.

While I'm not as eloquent or technically proficient as most on this board, I can say that the Tantos have a very clean and clear presentation. My wife, who could care less about audio, even comented on how much better they sounded than our last pair of mains.

The Tanto is neither forward or laid back, it presents a natural, wide, soundstage. I also slide the speakers back towards the walls when entetaining and while they do sound better about 18-24" from the rear wall in my room, they seem to be very forgiving of location. They do produce a healthy amount of bass for their size, but they do not sound boomy or "slow". They are forgiving in the sense that most of what I own sounds great coming out of the Tanto's. Granted, my components are decidedly mid-fi, but the speakers are no longer the weak link in my chain.

One thing to keep in mind is that with the Tanto, you're essentially paying for the cabinet. The speakers can be sourced from Madisound for apx. $75. And as you know, there is no crossover inside. I've always been a fan of the Vifa ring tweeter and the fact the Tanto uses one put it on my short list. Buying a couple of replacement units "just in case" is cheap and easy.

This speaker will be in my home for a long time to come. The sound is fantastic and the price I paid, reasonable.

If I could submit one complaint it's that stock spikes, while made from very heavy hunks of metal, make the cabinet tippy from side to side. But, you are able to mount the V3 outrigger style feet to the V2 Tanto. This should solve any tippyness issues.

Robert, the owner of Gemme is also quick to respond and helpful with any questions I've had pre and post purchase.

Best of luck with the search.