Some Strad Porn

[Alpinist]

The new finish - Amati Red....YUMMY!!!!


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Woe, now that's sexy!

Ken

 

[nile49]

So any speculation on what makes the strads so special? Is it something to do with the total balance? Or perhaps something only achieved through the use of a wide baffle? What are the crossover slopes by the way?

I would just love to have some more insight as to what makes these speakers so satisfying even when pitted against their more expensive more modern brethren.


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[Mike]

Nile - this is an excellent question. For one, all great speakers start with great designers, and arguably, Franco Serblin was one of the best. He had such passion. He viewed the speaker as a musical instrument and he designed it as such. He understood that cabinet resonances are a part of music, whether you are talking about the unique sound of a Stradivari violin or a solid Mahogany guitar. Those resonances are the richness in which we invokes such passion in listening and they need to be properly incorporated in order to "feel" the music and not controlled and eliminated.

Specifically to the Stradivari, from a technical perspective, their wide body Lute shape minimizes standing waves. In addition, I have read, although minimal information exists, that inside the Stradivari is a "bass chamber" which helps reduce bass resonances. According to my research, the Stradivari's include a natural wood acoustic labyrinth chamber with a mechanical anti-resonator which Serblin called an "Acoustic Ambient".

In my research, I found this explanation from Serblin: "The 'soul' of Stradivari is also reminiscent of the construction principles of stringed instrument making, because inside it houses a linking element that unites the two walls, just like the joined plates of a violin. The exclusive cabinet features curved walls. The density of the wood employed to make the walls, the quality and the direction of the fibers even, all have been carefully researched to distribute and control resonances."

To me, The Sonus Faber Stradivari exhibit such soul and passion. They present the music as a whole, and don't dissect it like many modern speakers. Acoustic instruments are beautifully conveyed - better than any other speaker I've heard or owned. The soul of a Stradivari violin or an acoustic guitar or piano is transmitted to perfection.

In relation to "modern brethren" - some designers have abandoned art in favor of science. Without Franco Serblin at the helm, Sonus Faber today, to me, seems to be lost somewhere in the middle. Their modern speakers exhibit a hint of the old, while trying to compete with the new, and in the end, leave a listener wondering where the magic went. Modern designers today believe resonances are best controlled with solid steel frames and solidity of structure. I'm surprised that no one has come up with a speaker that we need to plant into the ground!

The fact that the Stradivari, 11 years later, still remains the pinnacle of what is great about Sonus Faber, says a lot to the longevity of this great design and this great designer. It's important to remember that Franco built many many great speakers and one of his unsung masterpieces was the Anniversario. Of course, we all know how great his bookshelf speakers were as well.

 

[Alpinist]

Terrific post, Mike!

 

[kzhtoo]

Very nice thread. Can't say enough good things about AS in general.

How do Elipsa SEs sound compare to the Strads? Elipsa SEs may fit my room better and I'd love to try it.

 

[Mike]

Very nice thread. Can't say enough good things about AS in general.

How do Elipsa SEs sound compare to the Strads? Elipsa SEs may fit my room better and I'd love to try it.

I hope Bill will chime in here. What he told me was that, as expected due to the additional driver, the Strads have bigger, deeper bass.

Check out the Sonus Faber Anniversario has well. Essentially Strads in a more traditional box.

 

[Elberoth]

To me the Strads are still the very best speaker that bears the SF name.

The graphite finish is amazing. Not sure about the new red. Too Nouveau riche / chineese for my taste.

 

[Myles B. Astor]

To me the Strads are still the very best speaker that bears the SF name.

The graphite finish is amazing. Not sure about the new red. Too Nouveau riche / chineese for my taste.

I'm kinda partial to the Fenice. Simply magical driven by the ARC Ref. 600 or cj ART amplifiers. I just find the other SF speakers just a touch cold and forced in comparison to the Fenice.

 

[crwilli]

Great thread reminding us of a classic. They are on my short list when I leave the 90's technology.


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[bzr]

I remember this system kicking round the net for awhile.

 

[microstrip]

I'm kinda partial to the Fenice. Simply magical driven by the ARC Ref. 600 or cj ART amplifiers. I just find the other SF speakers just a touch cold and forced in comparison to the Fenice.

Myles,

The Fenice, later known as the TheSonusfaber due to copyright issues of the Fenice name, is really something special. I was listening to it again the past week in a system using the ARC's REF 610T and again it was really magical as you say. Listening again to the Monterverdi Vespro della Beata Vergine was a shock. This speaker has the scale of life music coupled with the soul of real music. It is the only speaker that makes me regret my room is not wider of 4 feet.

Did you listen to it using the cj electronics? Do you know what cables were being used in this pairing?

 

[kzhtoo]

I hope Bill will chime in here. What he told me was that, as expected due to the additional driver, the Strads have bigger, deeper bass.

Check out the Sonus Faber Anniversario has well. Essentially Strads in a more traditional box.

Thanks, Mike. Do you know which (Elipsa SE or Anniversario) sounds closer to the Strads? My room maybe able to accommodate both.

 

[Mike]

Thanks, Mike. Do you know which (Elipsa SE or Anniversario) sounds closer to the Strads? My room maybe able to accommodate both.

Real tough question to answer as I haven't spent enough time with both. However, I believe the Elipsa SE was a more popular speaker when both were selling. Specs wise, the Anniversario goes a little lower, but the Elipsa SE has the same "Lute" shape which will help integrated it better into the room by reducing standing waves.

Hopefully some others will weigh in here with their opinions.

There are a couple of Elipsa SE's for sale:

Sonus Faber Elipsa SE | Full range | Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community

Sonus Faber Elipsa SE New | Full range | Hallandale, Florida 33009 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community

I think the last one is Steve from High Performance Stereo. Good guy.

 

[kzhtoo]

Thanks, Mike. Still in the brain-storming stage (may take a little while) but that pair in the first ad looks gorgeous. I'm thinking Salon2, Scala V2 or Elipsa SE for now.

 

[Myles B. Astor]

Myles,

The Fenice, later known as the TheSonusfaber due to copyright issues of the Fenice name, is really something special. I was listening to it again the past week in a system using the ARC's REF 610T and again it was really magical as you say. Listening again to the Monterverdi Vespro della Beata Vergine was a shock. This speaker has the scale of life music coupled with the soul of real music. It is the only speaker that makes me regret my room is not wider of 4 feet.

Did you listen to it using the cj electronics? Do you know what cables were being used in this pairing?

Yes the ART amp, ART series 3 pre and ARC Ref. 2 phono. Everything has been upgraded since I was there last but the amps; sadly am way overdue for a visit. I really don't remember the cables but want to say Transparent Audio.

At CES, Sumiko drove the big SF with the big ARCs and Bill Peugh played an original Impulse I brought along featuring JJ Johnson and Kai Winding. Their trombones sounded oh so real.

I'm surprised Mike doesn't like them. They have that soul that he's always searching for.

 

[Mike]

Myles - do you think a 35 foot SE run is a bad idea for CJ Art Monos?


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[Myles B. Astor]

Myles - do you think a 35 foot SE run is a bad idea for CJ Art Monos?


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Speaker cable?

 

[Mike]

Speaker cable?

IC.


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[socfan12]

I remember this system kicking round the net for awhile.

This seems like eons ago, Kev!

 

[Myles B. Astor]

I really can't see why would be an issue but certainly Lew could definitively answer your question. I can even email Lew if you need.