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Speaker upgrade for classical music

Hi, I need recommendations for a speaker upgrade. I’m a classical violinist and listen almost exclusively to classical, opera and jazz. No movies, Atmos, etc.  I have a 17x14 listening room (doubles as practice room) with acoustical treatments (phase coherent diffusers at main reflection points and regular ones elsewhere).
Half my listening is in stereo and half in multi-channel (4.0 and 5.1).   All my recordings are either CDs or high-res—DSD and FLAC—audio files. I don’t have a turntable. 

My current system: Marantz SR 8012 amp, Yamaha S1000 CD transport, Exasound e38 DAC and Sigma streamer (connected to the Marantz with analog 5.0 inputs). Speakers: Polk Rti A7 stereo, CSi A6 center, Rti A3 surround, and dual REL T/7i subs. 
What I want: speakers with improved musical detail and clarity that really reproduces the expansiveness of the symphony hall or church. I like a warmer sound than a drier one.  What’s most important to me is to hear what the recording engineer heard. Budget: say 8k or less.

Recommendations?  One other thing: Can I try them out?  And how?  I’m in Santa Fe, not a huge metropolis with lots of audiophile shops. 
Thanks very much. 
ssmaudio
ssmaudio OP
71 posts
 
Thanks for all the recommendations! This is fabulous. As you can tell, I’m new at this.
I did read the LS/9f review. (Can my Marantz power It?) It sounds very interesting. I’ll read about the other recommendations next.

Question: One reason I have the Marantz is so that I can listen to multi channel. If I wanted to replace it, what should I do for multi channel recordings? (The Marantz does have pre-outs.)


jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,123 posts
 
Ssmaudio have you come across with Tekton speakers, with your budget you can buy the Tekton Encore but it’s a long wait.
elliottbnewcombjr
5,469 posts
 
General, not specific recommendation.

1, Make high efficiency, sensitivity 90 db or above a strong factor, will keep the power needs/cost down for any future amp.

2. Efficient speakers then keep you in the more affordable power range of 25-30-35 wpc tube amps, less money, less heat, less weight, less location restrictions.

3. Consider two systems, tube amp for 2 channel listening; 5.1 amp for surround listening.

I used to compare/demo 3 systems for myself and friends: mono tubes; tube receiver; SS.

I put a permanent 4 foot run from my speakers to female banana that I can lift and reach standing up, then drop down behind the speakers. Select from 3 color coded speaker wires.

Nice WBT connectors.

http://www.wbtusa.com/pages/products.html

Of course purists don’t like extra anything in a signal path, but I don’t believe in being limited by imperatives when I cannot hear differences.


wolf_garcia
6,708 posts
 
"Music Style Specific" speakers should be avoided, or at least the idea of such should be ignored as ANY good speaker will reproduce whatever you put into it regardless of music genre. Great for classical will be great for Death Metal, Jazz, or Mumblecore (although I'm not sure what that is). The key things are range, coherency, and efficiency. I've heard some amazingly dynamic sound come out of a pair of LS3/5a little speakers, and some delicate stuff from gigantic horns...
middlemass
917 posts
 
Sanders Model 10e.
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