First Impressions on Sonus Faber Stradivari Speakers- Unimpressed?
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- čas přidán 10. 01. 2024
- Here are the honest first impressions of the Sonus faber Stradivari speakers, priced at $50,000 USD. Watch for detailed insights into this modern rendition of the Stradivari. Drop a comment below on your thoughts!
Links mentioned:
Sonus Faber Stradivari Unboxing:
• Sonus Faber Stradivari...
Sonus Faber Amati G5:
• WORLD PREMIER REVIEW: ...
Accuphase E-5000 Review:
• Reviewing Accuphase E-...
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Audio Excellence Inc. is a high-end audio/video store in Markham, Ontario, Canada, a suburb of Toronto. We've been in business since 1991.
Check out our interviews with designers and audio luminaries like Daryl Wilson of Wilson Audio, Paul McGowan of PS Audio, Paolo Tezzon of Sonus Faber, Wendell Diller of Magnepan, John Atkinson of Stereophile, Dan D'Agostino of D'Agostino Master Audio Systems, Nelson Pass of Pass Labs and others.
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Edited by: Alison@audioexcellence.ca - Zábava
Another great review! Looking forward to the in depth review!
Thanks!
What a great review! So interesting to listen to.
Keep up the good work, Adrian!
Thanks!
I auditioned the Stradivari g2 during my Taiwan trip. In the beginning we used a MA12000 integrated amp and the sound was lifeless. When we switched to a pair of Mc1.25 1200 watts monoblock amp and that totally changed the sound into a smooth and lived and airy presentation! It’s a very good speaker.
If you can use a 20k Amp and stillll need 35 k Amp to not make a speaker sound lifeless you need a different speaker
@@markw7303 it just means that the MA12000 is severely overpriced and has an embarrassingly small filter capacity. While the 1.25s are true high end product and can hold it with the big boys.
Great review, Adrian!! It's really nice to have some music suggestions back in these.
Thanks Paul
Another great review! Love your honesty :)
Thanks
INTERESTING ! So much for the acoustic theories related to narrow front baffles for proper dispersion of the highs ! BTW . . . looking forward to your comparison of the under 20k integrated (the Maria) that was left out of the "race" the other day :-) Super enjoyable review - as usual! With thanks!
It’s the marketing costs that are expensive, not the operation costs.
I hope you noticed that the front baffle is curved or has a radius to it. It’s not a flat surface so the effects of a wide baffle I’m sure will be different.
@@peterw2714 Yea you must be right . . . Adrian certainly liked them . . .strictly visually speaking though, they are certainly not for me. But maybe that notion could change if I ever saw them in person :-)
@@davidbee8178 I think that’s the same way Adrian felt. Didn’t really like them until he saw them.
love it Adrian... will you get the FR30? would be an interesting comparison
Great observations. It will be interesting to try other powerful amplifers at a more modest price range.
Hi Adrian, I would really like to see a review of the Sf Strad vs Wilson Sasha V since they right around the same price point.
Cheers,
Great review. I nearly bought the original 20 years ago so this must be mega special. Next stop for you - SUPREMA!!! I think the late great Franco Serblin used Spectral as one of his test amps. Thanks for sharing
Thank you
I enjoy your videos and learn more from you than the other internet reviewers. I though your unboxing of these speakers was going to turn into an x-rated video. I'm glad to hear that the speakers are as good as you hoped.
lol, thanks
The description of your journey through the various Amplifiers was very interesting👍 It seems like these speakers have a difficult impedance load for some (many?) amplifiers to drive. Would be very interested in seeing the impedance graph on these📈🧐. Watts can help the situation. There is no substitute for current; which is what the D’Agostino’s provide effortlessly - kinda like a Krell😉. Isn’t that what the Krell’s of yore were originally designed for - Ribbon Speakers with 2ohm loads?!
Hi Adrian!
I'm hoping to see a video in which you sit down with the other guys to give your comparative impressions of the most expensive speakers in your store, ideally including the Sonus Faber Aida and the Wilson XVX. Obviously most of us could never afford them, but it would be immensely enjoyable to very many of us to see such a video!
Great review! I’m sure you may cover this in your full review, but we’ve always been told that a wide baffle causes reflections from the drivers. How does Sonus Fabor overcome these issues if it’s an issue at all and continue to put out great content!
How would you compare with Liliums, Aida2s ?
Interesting to see that you chose the Sumiko setup over the WASP from Wilson. I'd be very happy to know more about your experiences in that area (even as a dedicated video).
Hello, if you must choose between those Stradivari and the Dali Core with a Mcinthosch Mc462 + C12000 , what's your favourite, please ?
same with the dali epicore 11 ?
Don't know, we don't sell Dali, I have no experience with them
Hi Adrian , I highly recommend the Audio Research Ref160 Mono blocks and the preamp Ref 6 SE for the Stradivari speakers . It pushes the details ,bass and dynamics very well that is what I am using . You won’t disappoint the results .
Thanks Adrian. It's great when you share the tracks you listen to when reviewing gear. One track that is amazing to showcase the soundstage is Chocolate Chip Trip by Tool. Sounds hit you from all directions.
Yes great track, I did play it. Wonderful!
Quick question, you mentioned that you still needed to adjust the rake on the speakers as part of the fine tuning process. Do you have any general guidelines you use when adjusting the rake? Thanks - Dan @@adrianlow2114
Auditioned today while bringing in my B&W 803 D4 for repair. What a wonderful speaker. I auditioned them with a full McIntosh chain.
What caught my attention is how realistic the stereo image is, and it does not change as you move your head half a meter to the left or to the right! Never heard that before. I wonder whether that has something to do with the wide baffle.
My B&W 803 D4 cannot definitely do that. Thank God I am a solo listener 😅
Congrats Sonus Faber, well done 🎉
That was a very enjoyable review.
Thanks!
Yes, break-in for Stradivari G2 is a very long process, the sound changes completely and yes, power is very important, even if you listen at lower volume, but IMHO that applies also to Serafino and Amati, that sounded horrible to me driven by MA352, but shine with MC462. Sensitivity is high at 92 dB for the Stradivari, so it’d be very challenging for your ears to run MC462 at full speed. I cannot do it. Maybe they would sound even better with more powerful amps, but room acoustics and recording quality get the upper hand, if you listen in a living room.
Thanks for the review from Italy!
The conclusion of this video is fascinating. Because in the Wilson Audio Alexia V video, the step up from the Mac electronics to Dan Dagostino was not so apparent with the Amati G5’s. So the Stradivari is so much more revealing than the Amati G5?
Wait until you hear these new Sonus Fabor speakers with top of the line Audia Flight Gear OMG.. PERFECT MATCH They sound HEAVENLY with this gear !!
One of my favourite combinations that I’ve heard is SF with Krell
I’m waiting on my review pair. I knew immediately you had the wrong amp on them. SF love power. Put a great solid state amp on those. They will really light up.
Can’t wait to get them.
Hello Fellow Audiophiles And Friends: Thank you Adrian for your initial impressions of these limited addition Stradivari. If you say that these speakers love power well maybe you could hook up some Mac 1.2k mono blocks. IMHO you will not find a better solution. God Bless, stay safe, & be great as always, TMP from N.J.
Yes will try that soon
Whatever effect that was there for the overlays is gone now. =)
Im guessing the videos are scheduled to launch early morning .. and here I am still awake after my shift. ( going to bed at 7:30 am ) hahah
I'd still like to hear them - I REALLY loved the Amati / Serafino sound.. This is interesting.
Hey - Adrian ... Suprema for the store? .. hahaha =)
Not for a while .. no space!
I’d love to see it with a Rel 6 pack. When I attended Sumiko Master, John Hunter was doing a demo on the previous Stradivari with a G1 6 pack…incredible!!
Now was the time to try the Hegel H600, which is better match for Sonus faber than more clinical speakers like Wilson.
Yes will be trying that as well
I agree. I don’t know what the sensitivity is on the strad, but I own the sonus faber guarnieri evolution monitors that are 86db, 4ohms speakers. I am powering it with a Krell 402 power amp. Anything below that made it sound bad , as if there was a bag on top of the speaker. These speakers need power. With the Krell , it’s the perfect combo for me. Dagostino made my Krell before leaving the company. Krell has power, clarity, detail and is solid state. Pair it with a Melow, sweet speaker like the Sonus and you have the perfect sound :) so I understand why the Dagostino worked!
The amount of power needed is daunting. What explains that? Efficiency in dbs doesn’t say enough to explain why so much current is needed to come alive
No idea. All I can tell you is that my Guarnieri Evolution monitors won't play with an integrated amp with normal power, or we even tried class A Audio Note tube mono blocks at 8W and it was a joke. However those mono blocks were the best amps to power Avantgarde trio speakers. Best sound I've heard. Because they only power mids and highs on the Avantgarde. Power demanding speakers are hard to match, but once you find the perfect match, it's magical. @@JoePalau
Stradivari sensitivity is 92 dB
@@user-mh7dn4cr4m wow that’s a light load for amps.
How do they sound compared to the Amati G5?
Will compare at some point
All well & good, but it very much begs the question of what the midrange driver & similar bass ones sounds like with a Beryllium tweeter that SF makes - in the form of the SF G5 & you have in store. Only that would make this & related SF commentary complete & provide just the kind of enlightening context you otherwise provide when you enlighten in these videos.
Awesome review so far 💪💪. Wonder what a similar priced Wilson; How it would compare 🤔
Will try that!
Great sound with Accuphase.
I auditioned them recently but wound up with a used pair of elacs from facebook marketplace for 375$ Not a tough call tbh. Glad the rich have these toys i guess. enjoy your energy
To test this pair with a large number of control conductors in the lower part, a minimum of 1000 hours is needed and the Accuphase will begin to sing!
Great looking speakers eh? I know that wide baffle speakers are not in fashion, but oh boy! these guys look like furniture. Good to know they sound as good as they look.
Must say I miss the 3 person reviews tho.
I own the impossible to find wonderful to listen Dahlquist DQ 32 floor speakers. Good medicine for the ears…Appreciate your review with graphics… “sweet to a fault…”:reminds me of an old girlfriend decades ago.
Sonus Faber!! Beautiful!!!!!
Call me cynical but as someone who is involved in a manufacturing business AND a previous owner of SF amatis (and a current owner of 3 other SF models). To me upon launch the Stradivarius seems like two amatis attached side on side - just as the smaller ‘flat’ speaker looked like two cremona cabinets attached side by side.
In other words I wonder whether the design was a pragmatic use of existing parts rather than a ‘bottom up’ development. The original company was a smaller artisan type business - even the original Guarneri was produced in limited numbers (originally 500 extended to 2000 from memory). The existing company is bigger and certainly marketing plays a larger part. Bigger is not always worse - but certainly it’s different.
The old stradivardi used audio technology mids, scanspeak mids and seas 12 inch bass drivers
I think the McIntosh Mc 901 or Mc 451 would drive the Stradivari speakers very well.
For $50,000 usa, a person should not have any of the mentioned issues. Even car engines of this 🤑 caliber are usually broken in at the factory before the customer takes delivery. Plenty of under $10,000 speakers that dont need 80% of the stuff mentioned to sound good.
There is some satisfaction for breaking components in believe it or not.
Sound good vs next level? Thats a tough one 🤔
speakers are not 'broken in' at the factory.
let's see your list of $50K speakers.
I suspect the comment meant that drivers are sometimes "broken in," not the assembled speakers. My $2000 speakers came with drivers that had been broken in for 200 hours and the designer has stated that 7, 8 even 900 hours of use would continue to show some improvement. And yes, there is no way my $2000 speakers are likely to sound as good as a $50K speaker.@@stateniland
While in principle I agree that all products should be broken in before we get them, unfortunately they aren't in most cases. Also, I am not aware of most cars broken in when you get them. All my cars need breaking in, per the manuals
They are stunning on yt
The sound description is VERY similar to what I experienced with Gen 1 at my dealer back then. For me personally: disappointing.
But only listened to the setup that was built up… didn’t „experiment“…. but still.
P.S.: as far as I remember they where € 20.000.- back then.
you could be right about the price.
I haven't been by in a while. Think it's time to come listen to some of the new products you have in.
In part 1, it just feels like they are trying to do whatever it takes (more expensive higher power amps) to make these speakers better to get over the initial disappointment.
No, just my observation that the speakers need/like power. No agenda at all
Great channel, but try and use We instead of Me, just a small tip that builds more team spirit and coherence for your team:-) if you bought these personally, and had them at home, you could use Me. If the store bought them, you should use the term We. Yes I know you own the store, and that what's makes it important. Words have power!
Chris Rea's song ""Nothing to Fear"" is a good song to test on HiFi
Sonus Faber has made 40 pairs in each finish (Red, Wenge and Graphite) to be 40 Anniversary Edition.
Ah! Thanks for that
Fun to watch as an average Audiophile. As we all know in this price range, nothing plays a role anymore. So having a dedicated Amp/Preamp match seems mandatory and if it costs €50k or €200k, doesnt matter. On the other hand, it shows that in this higher-/ultra-highend range, the speaker designer doesnt care anymore about serving many amp types, just give me current 😊 So that's why I stepped back from commercial speakers to highend DIY for my needs 😊. Thanks for your time and to see those kind of hifi gear, which is for me still a show-off and not for someone enjoying music, sorry 😅
Happy for you that you enjoy DIY. I built and designed a number of speakers years ago and quickly understood that I have no talent in both!
@@adrianlow2114 absolutly understand and therefore no issue with commercial gear! But here in Germany we do have a very strong DIY community and the last 3y it gets a lot of attention, because also some well-known engineers have joined as well to provide some insights. Lot of fun and learning a lot on a weekly base 😉
@@gerihifi Good for you! Perhaps one day I will revisit this when I have retired and have nothing else to do except chase my wife around the house!
Obviously… several followers do not realize that this game is not for them! Those speakers are not for people with a 12 X 12 space, or have to choose between a Kia or a speaker! It is like to imagine a trip at 100$ a night or 5000$ a night! It is not for me either… but, I like to know that it exists… With those videos, I learn also how it may be sensitive to choose the right components if you want to optimize your system… and that thing is more and more difficult as technology moves faster and faster… Thanks Adrian..
My pleasure, thanks for your feedback
Instead of starting out with the nice, cute, Accuphase integrated, you should have started with the brilliantly powerful and incredible sounding Hegel H600 integrated.
Will be trying this combo
Stunning ! But @$50K, seems priced for the 0.0001% . $$$ wise, something is not quite right... $50K for a pair of speaker or $50K for lower end SUV from Japan or Korea.... Hmmm...
It's certainly a fair point. However, like all luxury items, you can make the same point.
You need to hook up the Mac 1.25ks with a 12000.
For people crying about the price. Remember this an audiophile channel. Compared to the Nike Air Yeezy 2 Red October, these are a bargain 😂❤
These songs are not in your playlist 😆 Keep the track suggestions coming!
*Should have bought MAGICO speakers* 😂🎉😂
there isnt 50,000 dollars worth of parts there. its more like 200 dollars in total for the drivers + wood
That simply cannot be true Professor . . . 200$ in total just for the drivers would not even buy you the two midranges . . . then there is the cost of the wood which is not your ordinary ply wood you pick up at Home Hardware . . . then there is the hand crafting aspect of manufacturing . . . then the high HIGH costs of factory overhead . .. then the distributor markup . . . then the dealer markup and the marketing etc etc. I'm not trying to defend the 50K price tag - I'd never go there for that speaker even if I had that kind of cash :-) It's just that when you write 200$ for the drivers and wood, you must be living in an alternate audio universe LOL
I would put the $200 toward groceries instead…
@@andygrenn680 hahaha . . . well said . . . me too! Just think of all the chocolate and ice cream we could buy for desert :-)
@@davidbee8178 Most of the money is being spent on stuff other than the speaker itself. The beautiful hand crafted finish makes zero difference to sound quality. The costs of running a factory do not justify $50k. I can buy a speaker for $100. How come the factories making those can afford to do it for that price then?
Why are you even watching? You’re the same guy who’s going to apply your value proposition logic on; Ferrari, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Wilson Audio, etc. Google Nike Air Yeezy 2 Red October.
Stradivari G2 is a speaker for vocal, string music, and jazz. It is not a great speaker for dynamic music like electronic music.
There's no way these can be paired with tube amps, especially McIntosh. They will sound terrible.
The “grill” remains hideous. Without, it shines.
Without doupting you as professionell- i think a 20000 dollar amp is not enough in this league of speakers- i learned from my Wilsons there is always Space to Level up a good speaker will Show you the results - sorry for my english
Thanks for your feedback. I'll be trying a number of different products to get a better idea of the sound
So the OG strad is better
not for me it isn't
Most speakers should be paired with amps, source, and cables & accessories that are similarly priced. Why would anyone buy $50,000 speakers and use a relatively cheap front end? Better to spend half as much on speakers and upgrade the rest and if you are going to start with an expensive component, then start with the source because...garbage in, garbage out! Speakers can't fix inferior electronics and spending money on the rest of your system isn't snake oil as why would only speakers be exempt from being tagged as overpriced?
I've never heard Accuphase, but I do know they are way overpriced.
玩物喪志
For $50,000 they need to sound better than sound
these speakers are designed to sell the eye SF speakers have never impressed me.
RIDICULOUS PRICE!!
This speakers are not the same quality as the first Stradivari as sonus faber Franco serblin make art this speakers are to make money they lost the mystic cloud that they have and for me the sound is worse in every way
Way overpriced furniture!
Boring 😂😂😂😂
It's incredible that the consumer is prepared to pay 50k for something that costs 5k to produce.
Welcome to high end audio, where achieving miniscule differences can cost more than a new car. Or two new cars.
What a stupid comment- you have no Knowledge of Production and Business- next time you Tell you can Build same quality for less Money …
There ist Development Production quality Control and selection- Shipping - taxes- and at least even the dealer should earn money- you dont consider none of these facts- go buy cheap you deserve this 🎉
The idiot parade the only biz where value for money dont matter but somehow looks do?!?! For audio ?!?!?!? Even in this area these are sadly overpriced@mrk8212
That’s true with pretty much everything nowadays, from cars to audio to watches, there’s always going to be a massive markup, even more so on niche products like high end speakers. The hundreds of special edition Ferraris that are several million each certainly didn’t cost even half that to produce. Markup is typically relative to total cost of the item and how many of said item
The company expects to sell.
Without coming across the wrong way, I would love to see you produce these speakers for $5,000, and run a business doing so
Hmmm. “I know…I’m biased…I sell these speakers. But that’s not true! I didn’t like them at first!” Ok fine. But you knowingly chose what was a sub optimal amp pairing so you wouldn’t appear to be shamelessly gushing out of the gate. And if you didn’t know that was a bad amp pairing, there are other issues to discuss. Now, you’ll say (and did say to try and head off this observation), “but the accuphase was already in the room- I just used it because it was there.” First, that’s not a good reason and second, so was the Mac. You are going to have to be a little more clever than this. At least Kevin Deal freely looks and acts like a used car salesman, so one is under no pretense of objectivity when one listens to him. That’s actually more refreshing than this poor attempt at verbal sleight of hand.
Sonus faber are furniture speakers. They sell you on looks more then sound. Same as McIntosh they sell you on their name, lights and VU meters. Wilson audio, magico and borrenson speakers are my top 3 picks. Wilson audio are the best selling speaker brand in the world.
@@Prometheus1979 oh, I’ve got a feeling brands like KEF and Klipsch outsell Wilson by a considerable margin. Not to say they are better- they most certainly are not, but they move far more units than Wilson. By far.
Probably, but I’m talking about same price range. That’s comparing apples to oranges.
Sf is a luxury good, especially at this level. I don't think you can get a value based speaker as well finished as this. The actual sound is just one of the features it ticks, not the only one.
What exactly is your argument? That he didn’t use a valid method to experience and evaluate the speakers when first getting to know them? He’s a local salesman who shares his more or less arbitrary ways of experiencing the things he sell. It’s absurd to measure his methods in relation to standards beyond that.