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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
 
@jon_5912 and @skywachr, I get what you’re saying about spending too much. I’m thinking of spending maybe 3k on speakers (am partial to the Tannoys Or used Graham Audio for now—am going to listen to them today), 4k on pre-amp plus amp.
Regarding vinyl: two reasons I’ve been hesitant to go down the path. 1) I’ve been aware of the deficiencies in my current system and didn’t want to have another set of things to spend money on and 2) to be honest, I’m not sure I can hear the difference between digital and vinyl.
I don’t want to start this wonderful thread on the rabbit hole of the age-old digital vs vinyl debate, so let’s leave it there. I’m willing to give vinyl a try and change my opinion after I’ve addressed the current deficiencies In point #1 above. (BTW if you have reasonably priced turntable recommendations you can send me an email at ssmbogus at gmail plus the com part. )

ihcho's avatar
ihcho
612 posts
 
I’m not sure I can hear the difference between digital and vinyl.
Analog folks would chuckle. LOL
To feel the depth and width of orchestral music and to get accurate timbres of all orchestral instruments with digital media, you would need to spend well over $10K for speaker, amp, and CD/SACD player.
However, $10K vinyl system would easily prove you that vinyls sound better than CDs. Jungson int amp ($1200) + Speaker (Harbeth C7 ES3, $4000) + Turntable ($2000, cartridge included) + phono preamp ($1000) + cable ($500) + cleaning system ($300)  + SACD player ($1000)  would be a nice setup for classical and jazz music. If you need more bass, you can add a $1000 subwoofer later.
goose
707 posts
 
Why not start with digital and then determine if you really want to go the analog route.  You will always be in the hunt for good vinyl.  if you can tolerate the pops, clicks, hiss and warped records then that's fine.  You might as well forget new releases since they will be digitally recorded for an analog record.  This limits you to old releases or new ones made from the master tapes.  Others may disagree but I have found that you may need to spend a lot more on an analog setup to get "better" sound than digital.  
ssmaudio OP
71 posts
 
To all of you who recommended Harbeth and Tannoy. So I went on a road trip to Taos and checked them out at Sound Science. It was a Harbeth P3ESR and a Tannoy 6f with a Lyngdorf amp. I did like the Tannoy sound better. Don’t get me wrong, the H was magnificent, but it seemed to me that it was trying to make the sound warmer than it needs to be. The Tannoy was a bit harsher, but it reproduces the original with greater fidelity. Anyway, that was my impression.

I listened to my favorite recording of Bach’s solo violin pieces (esp the mighty Ciaconne) and the Tannoy definitely was the better for my ear. The Harbeth rounded the sound too much—I couldn’t hear the attacks of the chords or double stops that I expect.

I think this may be the difference that my ear hears because I know how it’s supposed to sound having played a lot of these pieces myself and having heard all those pieces many times live and in recordings.

The search continues for the speakers. 
Regarding the amp. Anyone have any comments on the Lingdorf SDA 2400?  
willgolf
939 posts
 
Sorry I missed your budget initially as I am functionally blind. You have a lot of very nice suggestions but I agree that you need to upgrade your amp and speakers.
Right in your own town of Santa Fe is a speaker maker named Viking Acoustic.  David Counsell, is the speaker builder and you should give him a call. He just delivered a pair of speakers to me and I couldn't be happier.

He also builds and sells integrated amplifiers that would go extremely well with the Viking speakers.  You can go to his studio and listen to what he has.  A super nice guy and incredible craftsmen.  

For the money, you can't beat the Raven Blackhawk integrated amp.  You should also look at the Raven line of speakers.  They were designed by a classical musician.  I have owned the Raven amplifiers so I can speake honestly about them.  Same with Viking Acoustics.  
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