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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
movinshow
1 posts
 
Hello,
I don’t normally respond to posts on this forum, because I don’t consider myself to be in the same league as others. However, I have been through this myself. I also listen to mostly classical music and here’s what has worked for me. I have been through a lot of gear over the years, and this is my current setup. I am using a Sansui AU-919 amp (the black-flag capacitors have been replaced), a Linn Sondek LP12 TT, an NAD 516BEE CD player, and 2 sets of speakers: a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 10s and a pair of Paradigm S2s. The Paradigms are mostly for chamber music and the Monitor Audios are reserved for big orchestral works. My room is 20x24 with no special acoustical treatments. I am using 16 gauge speaker wire that I bought at Home Depot. I probably have about $7,000 into the whole works.

Here’s the test. Listen to the Chicago Symphony/Pierre Boulez recording of Stravinsky’s Firebird.

Good luck.
havocman
350 posts
 
I think you need to upgrade all the other equipment before you think of speakers,that's not very audiophile quality equipment.
jon_5912
605 posts
 
I definitely think trying fundamentally different types of designs is a good idea.  If you had a chance to hear some Martin Logans or Quads that'd be great, Magnepan is a different spin on the panel design.  There are some cone speakers that use small, light cones that sound a lot closer to electrostats than most speakers.  Think Thiel's 3" midrange or ATC's 3" mid dome.    
4vintplay
7 posts
 
The pursuit is endless and hard to tell where to start or end. I personally have a set each of Acoustic Zen Cresendo II and Adagio speakers that I listen to everyday. Primarily jazz, blues, classical and do venture out elsewhere. For the dollar the Adagio are unbelievable for separation, soundstage and detail for classical (not bad on Pink Floyd stuff either). Robert Lee is a great guy to talk with and work with. Worth the look before spending.
Just my thoughts!
desktopguy
383 posts
 
One word: Vandersteen. The best, most consistently pleasing sound I’ve yet heard from multi-driver speakers came from Vandersteen.

This is how you get that slightly warm, spacious sound in a room: the 6 dB/octave crossovers & set-back driver placement assures time coherence of all sound arriving at the ears. It’s superb for classical music recorded in real space--and quite revealing of that space.

In your room you would do well with either of the 2 models linked below (which are also available used, depending on location):

https://www.vandersteen.com/products/model-2ce-signature-iii

https://www.vandersteen.com/products/model-3a-signature

Note: unless you listen to lots of organ music, no subs are needed with either of these models IMHO.

Note-2: If the size of either Vandersteen is an issue in your room, then consider Harbeth (I second this recommendation others here made). I've heard both the 30.2 & 40.2 stand-mounted 3-ways, and that is a truly lovely sound for classical music. Neither is a budget speaker and there are fewer F.S. options available (in Santa Fe as everywhere).
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