Kharma Exquiste Midi 3.0 vs Sonus Faber il Cremonese ex3me ?

[agencal]

Hi everyone.
I am a long time Sonus Faber user and love the brand because of its great deap soundstage but some times it is too warm and lack of treble detail. My speraker is at the reference line and limited to 50 pieces all over the world and has a düamond like berilium tweeter but it is even lacking some treble detail. I am using CH Precision C1.2+ X1 + M1.1 stereo (will add L1 soon) with all kubala sosna eletion cabling. My dealer suggested me to change my speaker with Kharma Exquisite Midi 3.0 He will try to bring it at my home to try but i want to know what to espect from this upgrade. Or is it really an upgrade
Thanks

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[Gregm]

Hi. Before I begin, let me say that I listen to and judge by classical, I like dynamics and a subjective sense of "speed", and resolution when I can get it. I.e., mu sound is not "relaxed" by any stretch of the imagination... Finally, your amplification is highly resolving.
SO: the two models you're comparing have very different voicing; the Kharma will produce more clarity and draw attention to detail, and the frequency response is not tailored to sound "warm" (i.e. a little extra in the mid-bass). You might even find they lack bass compared to the SF.
The only useful advice I think is this: listen closely to the Kharma to determine if you like this type of sound. If you do and want to investigate further, you have a range of constructors with similar approaches (Avalon, Marten, Tidal, etc -- they are far from identical, but they share characteristics).
The SF sound is special in its own way.
Regards

 

[agencal]

Hi. Before I begin, let me say that I listen to and judge by classical, I like dynamics and a subjective sense of "speed", and resolution when I can get it. I.e., mu sound is not "relaxed" by any stretch of the imagination... Finally, your amplification is highly resolving.
SO: the two models you're comparing have very different voicing; the Kharma will produce more clarity and draw attention to detail, and the frequency response is not tailored to sound "warm" (i.e. a little extra in the mid-bass). You might even find they lack bass compared to the SF.
The only useful advice I think is this: listen closely to the Kharma to determine if you like this type of sound. If you do and want to investigate further, you have a range of constructors with similar approaches (Avalon, Marten, Tidal, etc -- they are far from identical, but they share characteristics).
The SF sound is special in its own way.
Regards

Thank you for your quick and informative respond
What can you say about the soundstage and imaging-seperetion ?

 

[AudioLibertarian]

Hi everyone.
I am a long time Sonus Faber user and love the brand because of its great deap soundstage but some times it is too warm and lack of treble detail. My speraker is at the reference line and limited to 50 pieces all over the world and has a düamond like berilium tweeter but it is even lacking some treble detail. I am using CH Precision C1.2+ X1 + M1.1 stereo (will add L1 soon) with all kubala sosna eletion cabling. My dealer suggested me to change my speaker with Kharma Exquisite Midi 3.0 He will try to bring it at my home to try but i want to know what to espect from this upgrade. Or is it really an upgrade
Thanks

​

Try to get different cables first....Kharma Midi 3 are amazing, but make sure their soundstage height is to your liking, both when you are sitiing and when you stand up, if you are sensitive to that particular aspect of the soundstage. If you sit too close to the speakers, the soundstage might seem too miniaturized. Again depends what kind of music you play and your room. Sonus Fabers have taller soundstage.
Kharmas have astonishing tone colors and tone differentiation capacity, especially with great tube amplifiers, that no other dynamic speakers can match in my experience, which to me is most important aspect of high fidelity speakers, especially if you are classical music lover. Also, you can order the Kharma DB 11S with diamond tweeter option from the company, and these play really BIG, and less money. You may even like the DB-11 with their beryllium tweeters more than Midi 3. Also, If I were you I d try to use Cardas Clear Beyond speakers cables with Kharmas.

 

[Gregm]

Thank you for your quick and informative respond
What can you say about the soundstage and imaging-seperetion ?

Typically, the SF have a more laid-back soundstage than the Kharma. You might also find that the Kharma sound more detailed -- but again, you'll have to decide if you like this type of sound.
Regards

 

[agencal]

Typically, the SF have a more laid-back soundstage than the Kharma. You might also find that the Kharma sound more detailed -- but again, you'll have to decide if you like this type of sound.
Regards

Thank you.
I am mostly after a deep,wide and holographical soundstage. I did not get it when you say laid back?

 

[Gregm]

The Kharma soundstage will be wide and precise, but the SF will probably seem deeper.

 

[Golum]

Try to get different cables first....

I would second this advice as per my experience with KS they tend to "sound" exactly as you described what bothers you and what You miss. Of course, in some systems that is perfect match but not it yours.
Lending and trying other cable loom might be much less costly and difficult exercise vs swapping the speakers.

 

[agencal]

The Kharma soundstage will be wide and precise, but the SF will probably seem deeper.

Then this is gonna be missed. As you said il cremonese has the deepest soundstage i have experienced but it is not focused pin sharp.

 

[Hiempie]

Hi everyone.
I am a long time Sonus Faber user and love the brand because of its great deap soundstage but some times it is too warm and lack of treble detail. My speraker is at the reference line and limited to 50 pieces all over the world and has a düamond like berilium tweeter but it is even lacking some treble detail. I am using CH Precision C1.2+ X1 + M1.1 stereo (will add L1 soon) with all kubala sosna eletion cabling. My dealer suggested me to change my speaker with Kharma Exquisite Midi 3.0 He will try to bring it at my home to try but i want to know what to espect from this upgrade. Or is it really an upgrade
Thanks

​

Hello,

I recognize this because I have also been using Sonus Faber speakers for many years. A few years ago, my listening friend took me to listen to a pair of Avalon speakers at a friend's house. I was struck by the beautifully detailed highs and when I got home I missed that enormously. Long story short, he only used pure silver solid single-wire cables. I tried that at home too and voilà now I also have a wonderfully beautifully detailed high and much more. So my advice is to try that. Of course, I don't know what kind of cables you are playing with now.

All cables, so power cables, interlinks ,speaker cables and internet cables for digital audio.

Greetings Hiempie

 

[agencal]

Hello,

I recognize this because I have also been using Sonus Faber speakers for many years. A few years ago, my listening friend took me to listen to a pair of Avalon speakers at a friend's house. I was struck by the beautifully detailed highs and when I got home I missed that enormously. Long story short, he only used pure silver solid single-wire cables. I tried that at home too and voilà now I also have a wonderfully beautifully detailed high and much more. So my advice is to try that. Of course, I don't know what kind of cables you are playing with now.

All cables, so power cables, interlinks ,speaker cables and internet cables for digital audio.

Greetings Hiempie

Thank you for your informative reply. That is a great idea to test. Now i am using all Kubala Sosna Eletion cables. They are great copper cables especially for soundstage, detail and bodied sound but not open as silver ones.
You said pure silver solid single-wire cables but did not mentioned a brand. Is there a special brand and model you can name for me?
Best

 

[leyenda]

IMO the kharma exquisite midi 3.0 has one of the most beautiful mids/highs (only listened to them driven by tubes though, not sure how those diamonds react to ss power). I have owned sf amati anniversario back in the days and have listened to a few newer sf. Again, imo, the sf cannot touch the kharma. Its the bass that still gives me doubt about the kharma so no home audition yet. I'm sure you will enjoy the audition.

 

[Hiempie]

Thank you for your informative reply. That is a great idea to test. Now i am using all Kubala Sosna Eletion cables. They are great copper cables especially for soundstage, detail and bodied sound but not open as silver ones.
You said pure silver solid single-wire cables but did not mentioned a brand. Is there a special brand and model you can name for me?
Best

I am living in the Netherlands and before I used MIT cable topline speaker cable Oracle Matrix SHD 120 and interlink Oracle MA-X2 very prices are over the top but sound quality in my opinion bad. I needed to use it because I use Spectral Audio amps. Then I went to triple C copper cable (Pure cable Dutch company) and now for more then a year Zilplex prices are normal about 90% lower then MIT but quality much much better. You can try Kimber cable KS1136/1036 and KS 6068 this are mulit conductor solid silver cable. I don't know where you live but you also can try to find a local cable maker with solid fine silver cable with one massive cable in teflon tube. sound is the same but price is a fraction in oposit to Kimber cable.

BR