2. speakers
  3. 162677-155068

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
terry9
2,354 posts
 
@audiokinesis makes a good case for forward and backward firing speakers. I note that panel speakers, like Magnepans and ESL's, do that naturally. Without phase control of course.

I like that sound very much. A good complement is record or book shelving behind the speakers to diffuse the sound, creating a wonderful ambience. 
sameyers1
140 posts
 
Having read the entire thread, I will comment only on speakers I’ve heard. Agree on Harbeth, but also agree with comment that they are a bit too smooth on the highs, lacking some detail. Own Totem and they are more like the instrument is in the room - like a live performance. I find upper tier B&W speakers harsh and tiring in the treble, but some see it as precision. I prefer the KEF products at comparable price points. To me they sound more natural. A brand no one has mentioned is Aerial Acoustics, based outside Boston. I’ve owned their Model 8B, no longer made, for a couple of decades. The newer Model 7B is also excellent and full range, but Aerial speakers need power. 
I concur with the idea of an amp upgrade. And would encourage you to audition before buying, especially with an 8k budget. But you could spend a good deal less and do fine with KEF or Totem. Also, I agree with view that tone and voicing of instruments is more important than imaging. And it is very difficult to mimic the sound of a venue because of your room’s unique acoustics. Listen and choose. Happy shopping. 
larry5729's avatar
larry5729
1,009 posts
 
I personally do not think of Marantz and audiophile quality.  I use their largest receiver in our family room hooked up to a Definitive Technology surround speakers and a much better system in the living room.  Perhaps you should stretch your budget and upgrade your front end at the same time.  Not sure what to recommend for speakers.  I added a pair of REL S2 SHO subwoofers to my system and they filled in the lower end seamlessly.  Their high level connection technology allows them to act more like woofers.
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
a few comments on recent posts below

sonus fabers have been a quintessential speaker brand for classical music reproduction for many many years

focals would do well too

harbeths can have excellent detail, the overall presentation is warmer though... some folks mistake this for lack of detail

proacs have more ’overt detail’ as the mid bass is dialed back compared to harbeth’s voicing

british speakers from the bbc lineage or close relation thereof -- spendor, rogers, harbeth, kef etc etc -- are indeed very good at classical music as that was mostly what was being broadcast when the whole movement came to be - their lossy cabinets provide wonderful sympathetic resonances that mimic that of many acoustic instruments in symphonies and orchestras

open baffle/dipole/omni directional radiator speakers are very very good for classical as they aid in producing a large airy image and a ’wave of sound’

as always, in ANY of the above, room acoustics and system matching are very important to achieve desired results
bond-san
37 posts
 
About an hour and half away from you in Taos is a audio store, Sound Science, that sells Tannoy, Harbeth, Kef, and a few other good brands. Know nothing about them, but it might be worthwhile to give them a call.
More to discover