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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
jjss49's avatar
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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.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
These are a stone-cold bargain.
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa20ah-graham-audio-ls5-8-full-range
chorus
976 posts
 
Santa Fe Gestalt HiFi, Mike Phalan owner. One review of the lines he carries tells you
he has an ear for great sound. Furthermore he strikes me a fellow that cares about you
over your $. QLN may work. Shop used too. Now problem may be in finding product in your price range at his shop.
If I were you I would be spending a lot of time there listening and learning. If you must
have something tomorrow, good luck. 
hiphiphan's avatar
hiphiphan
72 posts
 
Duke, thanks for the reply. When I read your first post in this thread, I got the impression you were suggesting emphasizing room reflections from the wall behind the listener. But after reading your second post, I realize you’re suggesting the use of additional drivers that are pointed at the wall in FRONT of the listener. This seems like it would be effective for enhancing the illusion of venue cues that came from the front of the venue. But it’s hard to imagine that this creates the feeling of "envelopment," since the reflections are coming from in front of the listener.
Two other quick questions if you’ll indulge me:
1. What issues arise from simply using two sets of speakers (one in front, one behind), both playing the identical signal from a regular, two-channel recording, but with the rear set of speakers positioned further away? 
2. What about near-field listening? If the speakers are very close to the listening position, almost creating a headphone effect, it seems like might work to create something close to envelopment. 
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