Italian artistry and world class sound...the world of Sonus Faber

[Steve Williams]

Davey I owned every model Acoustat right up to the 6's

[DaveyF]

Steve, that's very interesting. Did you ever hear the mighty 8's? On one occasion I had the pleasure of hearing the 8's....that was a memorable experience..more so for the fact that I wasn't as impressed as I was expecting to be, since the room they were in was too small for them and it was HUGE!. That's the thing with Acoustats, they had such great potential, BUT I never heard them sound that great. I tried everything possible with my model 3's from stiffened frames along with all kinds of mods to you name it, but I just couldn't get them to sing. I do remember selling a pair of Maggies to get the 3's and after about a week, I was pretty sure that the Maggies beat them hands down, just couldn't accept this and so went on and on with the trials. BTW, I bought my pair from one of the very best dealers at the time and whom I still respect GREATLY today, and that is: Gene Rubin in LA.

[dafos]

Dafos, That's very interesting about your friend. Do you know what year his GH's were built? I was told by my dealer that mine were some of the last pairs imported into the US when I bought mine new in 2006. They were "Annoe'd" in 2004.

Also, you bring up an interesting point, amazing that the GH can go toe to toe with the "high tech" mini. To which I say, it's not always the technology that is important in the 'art' of speaker building. I think Franco's thoughts on this are evident by the way he named these speakers. Even today, there are no massed produced or "high tech" violins that can compete with a real Strad or Guarneri del Gesù

My friends GH is "Annoe'd" 2004. Well it's not exactly NOS having been previously owned by the previous local SF dealer whom we know barely used it and just kept it in it's crate. The marble base is still pristine white and the speaker came with all original packing, manual and even a set of spare string grilles. Considering the condition of these particular pair of speakers and the cost of new Evoluzione, it really was a damned good bargain. Btw, the current owner previously owned a Guarneri Memento and he swears that while it was an excellent speaker in it's own right, it didn't have the "magic" of the original. While it's not that difficult to source a used GH and they do occasionally show up in audiogon, I doubt if one can find a pair as mint as these particular pair.

Btw, as electronics have improved since 1994, the GH's seem to respond positively. My friend is powering his with a Pass XA 100.5 and it's one of the sweetest sounds I've ever heard.

[DaveyF]

My friends GH is "Annoe'd" 2004. Well it's not exactly NOS having been previously owned by the previous local SF dealer whom we know barely used it and just kept it in it's crate. The marble base is still pristine white and the speaker came with all original packing, manual and even a set of spare string grilles. Considering the condition of these particular pair of speakers and the cost of new Evoluzione, it really was a damned good bargain. Btw, the current owner previously owned a Guarneri Memento and he swears that while it was an excellent speaker in it's own right, it didn't have the "magic" of the original. While it's not that difficult to source a used GH and they do occasionally show up in audiogon, I doubt if one can find a pair as mint as these particular pair.

Btw, as electronics have improved since 1994, the GH's seem to respond positively. My friend is powering his with a Pass XA 100.5 and it's one of the sweetest sounds I've ever heard.

Dafos, I totally agree with your friend. When SF brought out the Memento's , I believe that they threw out the baby out with the bathwater, as they say
I haven't heard the new E's BUT they had better be pretty amazing to beat out the GH's.
Your friend sounds like he got a very good deal on the GH's, particularly since they included a spare pair of string grilles. ( that's a BIG bonus).
I am of the opinion that even today there are few amps up to the ability of the GH's. As I have said on other forums, IMHO there are VERY few speakers that can compete with the GH's. None that I know of that are stand mounts.
BTW, I agree with you,like your friend, I too was VERY VERY lucky to source a new pair when I did.

[microstrip]

(...) BTW, I agree with you,like your friend, I too was VERY VERY lucky to source a new pair when I did.

DaveF,

I was even luckier when I could source a mint used, already burn-in, Guarneri Homage pair at a low price from someone who had moved to the Mementos's !

[jadis]

Davey, I'm with you in my respect for the GH. I've lived with one for an extended period of time and have subsequently heard later iterations of the GH, the Memento and the Evoluzione, both of which are excellent in their own right. Very recently, a close friend was lucky to have acquired what I would consider a NOS GH which was actually offered to both of us. At a recent extended session at his place, my respect and admiration for this speaker has only grown. Having said that, I'm also the current owner of a Mini 2 which was the reason why I passed on the aforesaid GH. We have not done a one on one shootout between the two speakers but my impression is that the Mini may be the more accurate speaker BUT NOT NECESSARILY the more musical transducer. Whatever, the fact that a 20 year old mini monitor can go head to head with the high tech Mini, a speaker that some quarters have claimed to be the greatest mini monitor at least prior to 2010 shows how truly great a speaker the GH is. I salute Franco Serblin for what I believe may arguably be his greatest achievment, without in any way downplaying the greatness of his other designs like the Strads, the Amati and even SF's current generation of speakers which are no longer Serblin designs. Heck, Im still kicking myself in the foot for having passed on the NOS GH that was offered to me....

After yesterdays session with dafos and the owner of the GH, I must say that the system was the best GH sound I've ever heard. In the past, the GH had always struck me as really lacking any sort of bass and sounded even a bit lean but this GH driven by Class A Pass Lab mono blocks is really something else, and erased my previous impressions of the GH. It has the classic sultry and lush mids that Sonus speakers are well-known for, strings are one of the most liquid I have heard, and the musical portrayal is highly emotive and brings out a feeling of wanting to listen on and on and on without fatigue. And the bass, wow, I would have thought that the GH had 8" woofers and is very satisfying on most musical genres save for rock and full range classical music. Simply amazing. And just like one of Dave Grusin's album title on Sheffield, I have 'discovered again' the true beauty of the GH's. It's something I can live with.

[jadis]

Btw, as electronics have improved since 1994, the GH's seem to respond positively. My friend is powering his with a Pass XA 100.5 and it's one of the sweetest sounds I've ever heard.

Agreed. Now I must say that the Pass XA 100.5 monos are one of the sweetest solid state amps I've ever heard. I have to put them on top of the old Krells and FM Acoustics.

[lloydelee21]

Of all the speakers i have owned or know well, the one pair i would consider buying second hand just to own again...because they make magic...is the SF Guarneri original.

[DaveyF]

Phil, one thing I have to say about GH's is I don't think it is possible to get truly deep bass out of them. Down to maybe 50Hz clean, at best. Not too surprising given the size of the mid/bass driver.
Which is why I now use the very quick and musical sub...the REL T5. The combo in my small room makes great music.
BTW, if you get a chance to hear the GH's again, this time with a great tube amp up front, I think you will hear how amazing these speakers are in their portrayal of not just strings, but human voices as well.

Lloyd, you should indulge yourself and go for it if a pair pops up on the used market....I know you cannot go wrong

[jadis]

Phil, one thing I have to say about GH's is I don't think it is possible to get truly deep bass out of them. Down to maybe 50Hz clean, at best. Not too surprising given the size of the mid/bass driver.
Which is why I now use the very quick and musical sub...the REL T5. The combo in my small room makes great music.
BTW, if you get a chance to hear the GH's again, this time with a great tube amp up front, I think you will hear how amazing these speakers are in their portrayal of not just strings, but human voices as well.

Oh yes, Davey, the human voice. Indeed the GH render them almost sublime, in artistry, emotion, and feeling. It is just magical. I hope to hear them with something like an ARC 250 Ref one day. It should be very very interesting. It might drive me to hunt for a used one too and commit 'heresy' to my Magnepans.