Sonus Faber Stradivari ....

Jazzhead

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Aug 26, 2012
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joe ... I already see a Strad mentioned , come home to roost have they ?
 

vagabundo

New Member
Apr 25, 2015
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Hi Gents,
I have one question which tease me for long time.
How is the bass in Strads? How these speakers are playing harder and faster music where the bass is important?
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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Hi Gents,
I have one question which tease me for long time.
How is the bass in Strads? How these speakers are playing harder and faster music where the bass is important?

I owned and loved the Strads...i am a self-confessed bass freak. I dont like mushy bass, but i cannot say i am the world's most exacting bass freak either. But listening to deep house, as well as kettle drums or kodo drums...i do like to hear the snap, the finish, the roll and decay. The Strads can do all of these things very well, PROVIDING your amp is able to add the discipline and control. I didnt play with tons of amps, but i tried a few and generally my favorite result was with the Gryphon Antileon i had at that time which was pure Class A 150 watts/channel (into 8ohms(, and doubled all the way down to 0.5ohms with double that again for peak power.

Mid-powered tubes are/were wonderful in my system, but compared to the Gryphon, i did lose that control and once i'd heard it, i would not give it back. Hence the Gryphon. My two cents. Good luck...surely one of the great speakers out there particularly when you want to listen to a full-range human voice, jazz ensemble...as well as enjoy the splendid dynamics and attach of larger symphonic works.
 

vagabundo

New Member
Apr 25, 2015
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I owned and loved the Strads...i am a self-confessed bass freak. I dont like mushy bass, but i cannot say i am the world's most exacting bass freak either. But listening to deep house, as well as kettle drums or kodo drums...i do like to hear the snap, the finish, the roll and decay. The Strads can do all of these things very well, PROVIDING your amp is able to add the discipline and control. I didnt play with tons of amps, but i tried a few and generally my favorite result was with the Gryphon Antileon i had at that time which was pure Class A 150 watts/channel (into 8ohms(, and doubled all the way down to 0.5ohms with double that again for peak power.

Mid-powered tubes are/were wonderful in my system, but compared to the Gryphon, i did lose that control and once i'd heard it, i would not give it back. Hence the Gryphon. My two cents. Good luck...surely one of the great speakers out there particularly when you want to listen to a full-range human voice, jazz ensemble...as well as enjoy the splendid dynamics and attach of larger symphonic works.

Exactly this kind of answer I expected! Thank you very much!
 

joeinid

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2011
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Extremely well said Lloyd. I agree with your assessment and I can personally give up a little in the bass department to get everything else I love about my Strads.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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Exactly this kind of answer I expected! Thank you very much!

Extremely well said Lloyd. I agree with your assessment and I can personally give up a little in the bass department to get everything else I love about my Strads.

Happy to be helpful if i can...Vaga - do you own them? If not, it seems you are considering them? Would be interested to hear more if you dont mind...those are truly very special speakers.
 

vagabundo

New Member
Apr 25, 2015
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Vaga - do you own them? If not, it seems you are considering them? Would be interested to hear more if you dont mind...those are truly very special speakers.
Correct, Im consider the Stradivari model. The point is that Im looking for warm, relaxing sound but also resolution, a lot of space and good bass. I think about Sonus Faber for a few years (!!) but nowadays models are... well, its not the same as old models. I had WA Sophias for now and just need somethig diffrent, more engaging and charming for many hours of listening sessions (BUT also with good bass. Of course I know that WA are devils in bass and SF are way way diifrent).
Stradivaris... well I only heard once for two hours with Kondo amp and dCS Puccini. And you know what? I remember this sound for 7 years! I think Im in love.... but just choose the wrong lover from Wilson Audio :)
P.S. Sorry for my English. Hope you understand me well.
 

ddk

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2013
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Correct, Im consider the Stradivari model. The point is that Im looking for warm, relaxing sound but also resolution, a lot of space and good bass. I think about Sonus Faber for a few years (!!) but nowadays models are... well, its not the same as old models. I had WA Sophias for now and just need somethig diffrent, more engaging and charming for many hours of listening sessions (BUT also with good bass. Of course I know that WA are devils in bass and SF are way way diifrent).
Stradivaris... well I only heard once for two hours with Kondo amp and dCS Puccini. And you know what? I remember this sound for 7 years! I think Im in love.... but just choose the wrong lover from Wilson Audio :)
P.S. Sorry for my English. Hope you understand me well.

The original Sophia speakers weren't very good, dark and muddy sound, the new ones are much better but imo still not in the Stradivari class of speaker, you need to go up the Wilson line for that. Problem with speakers is that they're inefficient and power hungry, like Lloyd mentioned you need high powered, high current amps to bring the SF's to life.

david
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
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I believe i understand you perfectly. Many of us have experienced a sound years ago...and still remember the impression of how that sound made us feel...and we carry that impression with us. Time to revisit that sound, i think!

I have an incredible amount of respect for DDKs opinion which he just posted, and i also personally found that the SF Strad is an incredibly good speaker for what you describe as your personal goal. I cannot tell you how many non-audiophile friends came over, fell in love with how they look, and were transfixed when i pushed 'play'. Over dinner, during drinks, just stopping by...not serious listening, just being in the room...it was fun to observe their reactions. It always put a smile on my face.
 

vagabundo

New Member
Apr 25, 2015
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The original Sophia speakers weren't very good, dark and muddy sound, the new ones are much better but imo still not in the Stradivari class of speaker, you need to go up the Wilson line for that. Problem with speakers is that they're inefficient and power hungry, like Lloyd mentioned you need high powered, high current amps to bring the SF's to life.

david

I know that. Ive heard that SF is great match with Luxman gears and I want to try Stradivaris with top of the line Luxman M-900u with pre C-900u. If this sound will not be satisfied then I will go higher, maybe something from Accuphase. In main system (cabinet/library) I had Magico S5 exactly with Accuphase and this sound is great. BUT I just moved to Spain, I sell all my gears for my friends and now just looking for all new one and only system. I am bored with these explorations for years, now I want to make a good sound and enjoy the music.
Yes, I could get the new bigger Magico or Wilson but I came to the conclusion, that sound.. yes it was great.. but some kind of performance, like at concert. 2 hours of euphory but then... I was tired. Now just looking for relaxing lifelike warm sound with stunning and natural mids and good bass foundation. You know... drinks, woman, chill and jazz :) (and sometimes some louder and harder music)
 

vagabundo

New Member
Apr 25, 2015
8
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0
I believe i understand you perfectly. Many of us have experienced a sound years ago...and still remember the impression of how that sound made us feel...and we carry that impression with us. Time to revisit that sound, i think!

I have an incredible amount of respect for DDKs opinion which he just posted, and i also personally found that the SF Strad is an incredibly good speaker for what you describe as your personal goal. I cannot tell you how many non-audiophile friends came over, fell in love with how they look, and were transfixed when i pushed 'play'. Over dinner, during drinks, just stopping by...not serious listening, just being in the room...it was fun to observe their reactions. It always put a smile on my face.

You read my mind!! :)
 

ddk

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2013
6,261
4,040
995
Utah
I know that. Ive heard that SF is great match with Luxman gears and I want to try Stradivaris with top of the line Luxman M-900u with pre C-900u. If this sound will not be satisfied then I will go higher, maybe something from Accuphase. In main system (cabinet/library) I had Magico S5 exactly with Accuphase and this sound is great. BUT I just moved to Spain, I sell all my gears for my friends and now just looking for all new one and only system. I am bored with these explorations for years, now I want to make a good sound and enjoy the music.
Yes, I could get the new bigger Magico or Wilson but I came to the conclusion, that sound.. yes it was great.. but some kind of performance, like at concert. 2 hours of euphory but then... I was tired. Now just looking for relaxing lifelike warm sound with stunning and natural mids and good bass foundation. You know... drinks, woman, chill and jazz :) (and sometimes some louder and harder music)


Is that drinks, woman or women and chill?:)

You should look at the Lamm M1.2 amplifiers & pre, easily more musical and capable than the ones you named.

david
 

vagabundo

New Member
Apr 25, 2015
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Is that drinks, woman or women and chill?:)

You should look at the Lamm M1.2 amplifiers & pre, easily more musical and capable than the ones you named.

david

WomAn, only one yet :)

Honestly Im a bit sceptical with tube amps... but it can be just low experience. I know one thing - I want Stradivaris and I hope that the last amazing audio journey is waiting for me.
BTW. Stradivaris are still avaivable as new?
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,377
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WomAn, only one yet :)

Honestly Im a bit sceptical with tube amps... but it can be just low experience. I know one thing - I want Stradivaris and I hope that the last amazing audio journey is waiting for me.
BTW. Stradivaris are still avaivable as new?

Yes, i believe Strads remain on their website of existing products.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,377
2,497
1,398
I know that. Ive heard that SF is great match with Luxman gears and I want to try Stradivaris with top of the line Luxman M-900u with pre C-900u. If this sound will not be satisfied then I will go higher, maybe something from Accuphase. In main system (cabinet/library) I had Magico S5 exactly with Accuphase and this sound is great. BUT I just moved to Spain, I sell all my gears for my friends and now just looking for all new one and only system. I am bored with these explorations for years, now I want to make a good sound and enjoy the music.
Yes, I could get the new bigger Magico or Wilson but I came to the conclusion, that sound.. yes it was great.. but some kind of performance, like at concert. 2 hours of euphory but then... I was tired. Now just looking for relaxing lifelike warm sound with stunning and natural mids and good bass foundation. You know... drinks, woman, chill and jazz :) (and sometimes some louder and harder music)

Hi Vagabundo,

I have been giving some thought overnite to your stated goals, and the amps you have been discussing here (tubes, SS, Luxman, etc). Some additional thoughts for your consideration (one man's opinion as always):

1. I have observed over the years and countless communications with various SF owners that there appear to be 3 basic schools of thought here:
- Mid-Powered Tubes: Luxuriate in the smoky jazz club, the rich palette of tonal colors, the fulsome bottom end and enjoy Franco Serblins full-range masterpiece
- Class A SS: Pass, Gryphon, Luxman. Bring the current. Whether it is the series one level down or the Homage Series, high power, high current seems to wake the SF's up. The 'fulsome bass' became (for me) dramatically tighter, more propulsive...but so too did attacks, delineation of multiple tracks of musical lines all at once, the ability for the speaker to really separate out complex passages, depth, etc...

But there is another 'slight division' in the approach which is whether you wish to push the SF Strad towards a more crisp presentation, or encourage its smoother lines.

- Luxurious, Velvety: McIntosh, Luxman, Transparent Ref Cabling
- Crisper, cleaner yet still very much an SF: Berning Quad Z amps, Soulution, Valhalla cabling (which a lot of people use)

Pardon the pun, but this is 'stereotyping' into broad categories, and some may select different name brands to illustrate these stereotypes (if they would even agree in the first place)...but this too is an important decision for you to consider.

Relative to some speakers, the Strads seems LESS affected by such changes...(ie, it is genuinely hard to make an SF sound strident)...but in terms of your own personal long-term enjoyment of the Strads, i just wanted to make sure you gave some thought to my comments as you evaluate the Strads and mix your own alchemy of equipment to get your personal best out of them. The above is based on my own time with them, along with knowing, speaking with a number of fellow Strad owners over the years personally or on the forums.

Good luck. Get it right, and they are absolute magic. Get it 'slightly wrong' and given what you state you are looking for, i still think you are going to find them pretty extraordinary. A good place to be! ;)
 

vagabundo

New Member
Apr 25, 2015
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Thank you, LL21.
All of your reply is similar with my tiny experience - in my opinion the best results we can have with strong SS amp in AB Class, like you said - McIntosh (MC601 is really great high end amp), Luxman or Accuphase. OR (like you said :) ) with tubes.
Im pretty sure that SS amp will be my choice, even if jazz trumpet gods sounds the best with expensive tubes :)
I will inform about progress in this topic.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,377
2,497
1,398
Thank you, LL21.
All of your reply is similar with my tiny experience - in my opinion the best results we can have with strong SS amp in AB Class, like you said - McIntosh (MC601 is really great high end amp), Luxman or Accuphase. OR (like you said :) ) with tubes.
Im pretty sure that SS amp will be my choice, even if jazz trumpet gods sounds the best with expensive tubes :)
I will inform about progress in this topic.

There are a number of people who have SF Homage Series including Strad who use McIntosh, Luxman or Accuphase...and particularly with McIntosh...i notice they keep that combination and stop looking around. I have never tried the combination myself, but i do recall specifically that combination and how often people seem so satisfied that even years later their system has not changed. Good luck.
 

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