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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
willgolf
945 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.  
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
op

glad you got out heard the speakers demo-ed... not easy in this time we are in

curious why you only heard the little harbeths vs tannoys... did the dealer not have the larger harbeths?

anyhow, i agree that harbeths have a warmer presentation... system and equipment matching can help to highlight the treble more if the user desires...

to me the harbeth sound is more mid hall in an symphony hall, whereas more forward (and equally excellent) speakers like proacs or spatials give you more of a 'row 10' presentation

all a matter of taste, which is why so many different successful speaker brands exist

good luck!
sangbro's avatar
sangbro
42 posts
 
Hello, I sent a message. 

I’m in the very similar situation. :) 
headphonedreams
529 posts
 
If you like Tannoy you should try to listen to Fyne also. A lot of old Tannoy people are working there. F702, for example. 
schubert
7,386 posts
 
The attacts and stops are what me listen to Totem Forest’s .
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