Owned the Extremas for eight years, and still regret selling them (which decision seems today to be completely incomprehensible). One of the truly great classics. I saw a pair recently here in Singapore, and my heart went into palpitations.
That said, thirty years have seen much progress in the art of speakers. They were also almost impossible to drive well, very demanding of the partnering power amplifier (from experience, tube amplifiers don’t work, the bass becomes much too flabby). As well, even with powerful solid state amplifiers (I used a Norwegian Adyton Cordis 3B in those days, which with small modifications became the Forsell Reference), as a two way with a passive radiator in the back, the bass was either a little bit too flabby or a little too restrained (depending on the membrane tension adjustment of the passive radiator).
Very demanding and frustrating in the long term, since they would go “off song” with any small change in the system, with a concomitant long period of adjusting the system, and changing components, cables, and/or power treatments, to get them “on song” again.
By way of comparison, I also owned the Sonus Faber Stradivari Homages for all of thirteen years, as well one of the truly great classics.
Today I own the third generation TAD CR1 TXs (driven by TAD’s M700 mono amplifiers) which, although a three way, remind me very much of my long gone Extremas. Some similarity in overall concept (massive state of the art stand mount speakers). In fact, the TADs may be my attempt to recreate the “Extrema experience” after all these years. Objectively (although my heart protests loudly), the TADs are better speakers (thirty years of progress do make a difference), more resolution, and much better bass, amongst other things.
So keep your great memories of the Extremas in your heart forever, they really deserve a high place of honor there, but, purchasing speakers today, I would (very reluctantly, I admit) rather look at a modern state of the art speaker. Not the new Sonus Fabers, which seem to have lost their “soul” after Franco Serblin’s departure (despite what the reviewers say), but, depending on your personal taste, TADs, YGs, etc.
But I am still in love with the the Extremas, and will remain so until my dying day.