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Franco Serblin R.I.P. What happens to Ktema?

Again, my heart goes out to his family and his legacy. I have had the opportunity to listen to both the Ktema and Stadivari side by side. I came to listen to the Strads since i was thinking about purchasing them. The owner insisted i listen to the Ktemas, so i said OK. I attached my modest simaudio 600i integrated and played Traci Chapman. Wow, i immediately heard the separation, the dynamic soundstage and even the precise base. Truly, i felt the sound was a bit bright, but i understand these particular speakers have not been broken in yet. My girlfriend which has no audiophile background nor listen to much music said, the sound is no longer muffled in comparison to the Strads. So i turned to the owner and stated, "by you playing the Ktemas, i no longer want the Strads, unfortunately i cannot afford the Ktemas" needless to say i walked away empty handed, but i really are considering the Ktemas.

So i sit wondering, what will happen to company following the passing of FS? Are the Ktemas limited? Should i think about the availability of replacement parts in the future?

Any advice or suggestions would be highly appreciated.
128x128harris4crna
harris4crna's avatar
harris4crna OP
125 posts
 
Just sent an email to both David Lewis Audio and the authorized dealer here in Italy. I requested a letter from the company stating my warranty will be good and replacement parts will be available in the future. Thank you. This is exactly the response I am looking for prior to purchasing these speakers.
harris4crna's avatar
harris4crna OP
125 posts
 
Well, the seller here in Italy stated he knows the the son-in-law personally, which is the production manager for Franco Serblin. The seller claims production will continue. The warranty will be good and honored. Interesting, i cannot find a phone number to ask them personally.
doug99
288 posts
 
Harris4crna ask him about the drivers in the speakers?
Ask him, If their off the shelf drivers, or drivers made to Franco Serblin's specifications by a driver manufacturer.
Thats the most important thing.
My friend has the Dunlavy 4A speakers and even though Dunlavy no longer exists, the drivers are easy to get cause they were off the shelf Scanspeak and Vifa drivers.
harris4crna's avatar
harris4crna OP
125 posts
 
Doug, yes he told me they were Scanspeak drivers.
doug99
288 posts
 
Harris4crna, he's not giving you correct information.
The drivers were custom made to Franco's specifications.
I'm looking at the drivers and they dont look like Scanspeak drivers.
Now read this.

http://www.bornrich.com/entry/franco-serblin-s-ktma-speakers-are-a-possession-forever/

Franco Serblin ktema speakers 1

Special attention has been paid to not disturb or “soil” the central part of the acoustic spectrum. It’s the part where the harmonic richness highlights the true timbre of the instruments. The speaker cabinet is a triple arch-shaped structure, with the two lateral front cheeks that are concave and a convex woofer compressor. They have used a 28mm soft-dome tweeter created by Ragnar Lian, one of the famous Danish masters of transducer design. The midrange array comprises two custom-made 4in units in a step-compensated baffle for the ultimate music reproduction.

While the woofers are custom 9in metal cone, piston performance-optimized units, the crossover enjoys a coherent spatial radiation design. Other technical specs include an in-room frequency response of 26Hz to 33Khz, nominal impedance of 4 ohm and a sensitivity of 92 dB/W/m.
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