New Sonus Faber: Amati Futura

[Orb]

Not sure how many know but seems a new high end product range is coming down the line from Sonus Faber, these are using trickle down technology from The Sonus Faber.
Currently only a floorstander, but a standmount is meant in the nearish future.
http://www.absolutesounds.com/index...1&manufacturer=Sonus Faber&manufacturer_id=11

Cheers
Orb

 

[LL21]

Not sure how many know but seems a new high end product range is coming down the line from Sonus Faber, these are using trickle down technology from The Sonus Faber.
Currently only a floorstander, but a standmount is meant in the nearish future.
http://www.absolutesounds.com/index...1&manufacturer=Sonus Faber&manufacturer_id=11

Cheers
Orb

interesting...you mean trickle down from the Fenice? has anyone really auditioned it carefully, btw? i read the recent magazine review. i wish it had comparisons to other SOTA speakers...i got the sense it was very good, but perhaps not as much of a breakthrough in performance relative to the competition. however, that was a quick read thru...not an in-depth read/re-read and re-read again.

 

[JackD201]

What I'd love to see is the post Serblin Futura pit against Serblin's Ktema. That would be very interesting!

 

[Orb]

interesting...you mean trickle down from the Fenice? has anyone really auditioned it carefully, btw? i read the recent magazine review. i wish it had comparisons to other SOTA speakers...i got the sense it was very good, but perhaps not as much of a breakthrough in performance relative to the competition. however, that was a quick read thru...not an in-depth read/re-read and re-read again.

Yeah Fenice is now called The Sonus Faber.
From what I understand Fenice name was already copyrighted to someone else hehe, bet someone got spanked for that at Sonus Faber

Cheers
Orb

 

[microstrip]

interesting...you mean trickle down from the Fenice? has anyone really auditioned it carefully, btw? i read the recent magazine review. i wish it had comparisons to other SOTA speakers...i got the sense it was very good, but perhaps not as much of a breakthrough in performance relative to the competition. however, that was a quick read thru...not an in-depth read/re-read and re-read again.

I have heard the The Sonus Faber in the same conditions I have listened to the Alexandria's - happily (or unhappily ) I do not have to make a choice!

There is one technical advantage of the Alexandria - the 95 dB/W efficiency - but I believe that people who can afford this type of speakers is not thinking about watts.

 

[LL21]

Oh come on, Microstrip!!! i was expecting more comments than that...! You cannot think for a second you can just leave it that you've heard both the great Alexandria and the Fenice under the same conditions....and not actually tell us more than that!!! What did you observe? how did they compare? Even if you do not wish to make a choice, give something for the rest of us to read and enjoy who have not been able to hear the Fenice (let alone compare it in the same conditions as the Alexandria!). if you wish to PM me, that is fine too. thanks!

 

[microstrip]

Oh come on, Microstrip!!! i was expecting more comments than that...! You cannot think for a second you can just leave it that you've heard both the great Alexandria and the Fenice under the same conditions....and not actually tell us more than that!!! What did you observe? how did they compare? Even if you do not wish to make a choice, give something for the rest of us to read and enjoy who have not been able to hear the Fenice (let alone compare it in the same conditions as the Alexandria!). if you wish to PM me, that is fine too. thanks!

I should have been more precise - the same location and placement. But the systems were different - the Alexandria's with the top Krell Evolution's and the TSF (not Fenice any more ...) with the ARC Anniversary and 610Ts. Although both sources were from Metronome, when using the TSF the CA2 tube DAC was also used. IMHO the system for the TSF was better and could influence my opinion.

Curiously the Alexandria system impressed me by the finesse of timbre, scale and homogeneity of soundstage. Cescendos were fantastique, and the scale of chamber musique was very well respected.

But what I found unique in the TSF was the lock-in effect of the soundstage and invisibility - just what we have been discussing in another thread - of the speakers. The width of the orchestral sections was very well defined, and not affected by variations in level. Perhaps not as impressive as the Alexandria, but more like the real think. I heard the some Monteverdi coral music and sometimes during the recital one of the singers sings turned to the back of the stage - in this part of the recital I could feel it clearly in the recording - it was not just an attenuation of level . Voices had more drama - may be it was due to the tube system? Unhappily I did not listen this track with the Alexandria system.

Anyway, two great speakers. May be my opinion reflects more the electronics than the speakers themselves. I listened mainly to classical music - symphonic, chamber and vocal.

 

[LL21]

Thanks Microstrip,

Very interesting! I will say, i have heard the Alexandria Series I with CD7 and Krell Evo Ones/Evo 2 pre...and also X-1/Grand Slamms with CD7 but with Ref 3/110s...in the same room. I found the Alexandrias more technically capable and the treble smoother than the X-1s (which seemed sharper and less refined)...but preferred the X-1/Slamms for their ability to convey musical content/emotion. That is where i probably found my preference was not necessarily the speaker...but the pre/amp combination. Since you have heard the Alexandrias with the Krell 1 also, and the TSF with ARC 610s...i would agree with you that there is a chance it was the electronics at play more than the speakers. (I also generally prefer the TSF's electronics.)

That being said, your comments were still very informative in that it seemed that the TSF did not blow away the Alexandrias. Given SF's 20-year reputation for utter musicality, and their significant advances over the years on dynamics, range, bass (Extrema to SF Stradivari)...i think there was a hope that the TSF might finally match the big dynamic boys for control, volume, bass...and maintain the stunning midrange magic that the SF has always presented. Sounds like it is an excellent speaker...but not necessarily establishing a new benchmark. Is this a fair interpretation of your assessment?

 

[microstrip]

That being said, your comments were still very informative in that it seemed that the TSF did not blow away the Alexandrias. Given SF's 20-year reputation for utter musicality, and their significant advances over the years on dynamics, range, bass (Extrema to SF Stradivari)...i think there was a hope that the TSF might finally match the big dynamic boys for control, volume, bass...and maintain the stunning midrange magic that the SF has always presented. Sounds like it is an excellent speaker...but not necessarily establishing a new benchmark. Is this a fair interpretation of your assessment?

For me the whole system incorporating the TSF established a new benchmark. But I have not experience enough with both speakers to make such a statement about the speakers per si.

Sorry, but I can not support your interpretation - it would be unfair to both speakers and readers.

 

[LL21]

Thanks, Microstrip,

that is clear and very helpful.

 

[caesar]

It's very interesting that in addition to Microstrip, the entire European press has been raving about the TSF. However, it seems the American press has not been impressed by its showing at CES.

 

[Orb]

It's very interesting that in addition to Microstrip, the entire European press has been raving about the TSF. However, it seems the American press has not been impressed by its showing at CES.

Which press apart from Jeff (who I feel has a valid point) ?
Out of interest there has only been one official review of the TSF, and that took nearly a week to setup the speakers in a dedicated well treated listening room by 2 Sonus Faber engineers - this kinds of worries me that this level of intervention is required to ensure it is at its best.
So I am not too surprised listening at show can be hit and miss where it may be setup less than ideal due to its mean complexity/finnicky nature.

I do not feel it is necessarily American press not impressed and European are, probably a mixture depending where and when in the show it was heard and listening position at the time.
Cheers
Orb