Help me find WARM speakers a la Sonus Faber

A local dealer recommended Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Grand

Assuming this is the Concert Grand, it appears the dealer was not considering your MC275. If you look at measurements in the Stereophile Review, it indicates the speaker is not suited for a tube amp, even suggesting a result of increased treble, which would seem to work against what you are looking for. Also, measured sensitivity was nearly 4db lower than specified. This also makes me question this comment,

If he cannot and is truly being a good guy by recommending a speaker that you would have to buy from a competitor dealer, then I applaud him and would take his advice. He has given you a good suggestion.

So, are you just looking for this dream speaker, and if it doesn't work well with the MC275, you're fine to replace it with a solid state amp?

or

Are you looking for a dream speaker to use with the MC275?

The 2nd will definitely have a more limited selection. IMHO, if you want to use the MC275, I would make sure the speaker is tube amp friendly before spending 10 grand on one.

Sonus Faber speakers are warm, beautiful sounding speakers. My advice would be not to settle for an imitation. Sonus Faber has been making speakers for decades. People who buy them take care of them. Get a used pair! You'll never regret it. For ten grand you could find a pair of Extremas or even the original Electa Amators (for much less) and you will always tell yourself how smart you were to follow this advice.

This is why I love this site…great responses. I could go with the Cremona's or Cremona M's for approx. half the price of the Olympicas; that is tempting. And if I don't like them, I could sell them without taking a huge hit. But, the Olympica's, in my opinion, are much better looking speakers. Also, I am tempted to go with the Beethoven concert grands, which are also beautiful speakers and are less than half the cost of the Olympicas. Still, it is hard to pull the trigger on something so expensive without auditioning. I heard the smaller Vienna Accoustics, and I was not blown away (I was blown away when I heard the Olympica's).

Tls49: i missed your post before I responded. I am pursuing the second, more narrow option. I do not want to replace my MC275, which is almost new. And, I should say that when I heard the Olympica's, they were being played on a MC275. In fact, I was at a store looking for a preamp, when I heard them being played and I heard them from around the corner and I was instantly in love. I just loved that sound…I felt like I was swimming in the music.

Elegal, that's great! If you have heard the Olympica/MC275 combo and it works well, then I agree with Chayro, find a way to just make it happen. It doesn't sound like you will ever stop thinking about or wanting them. Good Luck!!