Sonus Faber vs Wilson

I'm sure you made the right choice to keep the SF.  I own the previous Sasha speaker (series 2), which I traded in original Sabrina's for to get a demo pair.  While the Sasha DAW is certainly a great speaker, particularly when you get to this level it really is a matter of personal preference.

What I think you might consider is to upgrade your dCS Bartok to the Rossini DAC (and maybe even getting the Rossini Master Clock as well).  The Bartok is certainly a great DAC and I was considering it when I upgraded my digital front end a couple months ago.  But after doing a side by side comparison of the Bartok and Rossini in my home system, and hearing from a dCS representative on an online forum that there are no current plans to upgrade the Bartok mapping algorithms, the Rossini is a significant step up in sound quality.

Of course another alternative would be to keep the Bartok but add the Rossini Master Clock to it.  From what I've read, that still won't quite equal the Rossini in SQ but it will certainly be closer.

Years ago I installed an expensive system in a customers house - not an audio system.  i went over all the details and exactly what he could expect.  everything went well until about 2 months later he called me and said that he needs to move one of the units that went on his roof.  Apparently, from just the right angle in the kitchen if you looked up through the skylite you could see a small portion of the equipment.  I told him we put it was exactly as described and that it would involve crane work and multiple trades to move it even a foot. He fully understood and expected to pay. I still remember his response: " it's cheaper than probate"  so is it cheaper than probate?

My wife and I also auditioned speakers at the OP dealer's showroom at the Biltmore earlier this year.  My wife is an experienced classical musician -- a soloist who has performed with some of the world's greatest orchestras, has made numerous recordings, and is intimately familiar with the acoustics of live music, and with recording studios.  

We heard Sonus fabers, Focals, and Wilsons, all with quality sources (DCS) preamp, and amps.  

My wife hated the Wilsons, finding them utterly artificial.  We wound up purchasing Sonus fabers, though from a different dealer.

I have to wonder whether audiophiles who prefer the Wilson sound are actually deeply familiar with the sound of live, unamplified classical or jazz music.  When you spend years performing and/or listening to live, unamplified music of some complexity and richness, speakers like the Wilsons we heard don't make a good impression.  They don't sound natural, organic, or musical -- they sound "hi-fi."

I realize there are many passionate adherents of Wilson speakers, and I'm not attempting to offend.  I love rock as well as classical, and I can understand how Wilsons, and perhaps similar speakers, can do a good job with music that is amplified and was not created primarily for live performance.  

I've run into a similar phenomenon in shopping for a new car recently -- many of the optional audio systems seem designed or optimized for rock or rap music, and perform poorly with classical music, particularly orchestral and operatic.

Well, GG107, I’d say your wife’s opinion only shows that the tastes (and ears) of musicians are as varied as they are for everyone else. There are certainly plenty of musicians who have a different opinion about Wilson speakers and find them to be wonderful. As an amateur musician myself, I also know that the perception of the music is very different from the stage, and behind your own instrument, than it is from several rows out in the audience. Which is one of the reasons I often ask friends to play the Flamenco guitar I had built by a Luthier several years ago - it sounds very different from across the room than it does when I’m playing it.

I’d also point out that Peter McGrath of Wilson audio is a highly respected recording engineer (including of Classical music), and certainly doesn’t share your wife’s opinion.

Your wife’s opinion is certainly valid - for her and perhaps you. But to suggest that those of us that don’t share that opinion are unfamiliar with the sound of live performances is, in fact, rather offensive. It’s simply a matter of different tastes.