Anyone here have experience with the Sonus Faber Guarneri, especially the latest version the G5?
I have owned a few SF speakers in my time. I am now using the Electa Amator III and love them. The Guarneri G5 are a step up, but I cannot demo them; as my SF dealer does not stock them. I have an unexpected pay raise, and I love the way the Guarneri G5 look.
Does anyone here have experience with them? I would be powering them with a SN2.
Not tried the G5 version but got very, very close to buying Guarneri Memento back in the day and also tried the Guarneri Evolution, which has much, much more resolution & deeper bass.
Both were driven by a pair of serviced NAP135s and needed at least that level of grunt/control.
Guarneris are blessed with a level of musical beauty in their presentation (not a very hifi description, I know) that you recognise as soon as you hear them. They are captivating when set up well.
Best to demo.
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Not too many users it would seem. Anyone using previous generations of the Guarneri?
@jejese1 wrote in another thread:
Happy Guarneri Tradition owner here, at the back end of a 272/XPSDR/300DR.
I listen mostly to classical and opera. They truly produce a magnificent, well rounded, and very elegant sound. Listening to vocals, there in no harshness and shrill in upper registers. Large orchestras are superbly presented, with expansive soundstage and precise instrument placement.
Is this a lie? There is indeed a certain “beautification” of sound. Very Sonus Faber. Some people might not like it, preferring a more “analytical” sound.
Yesterday night I was listening to Murray Perahia’s version of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The beauty of reproduction of the sound of the piano was breathtaking. For a moment I stopped listening to the Goldberg’s, but instead listened to the Sonus!!
Bass a bit lacking though. I therefore complemented them with a small REL sub.
And god they look stunning!
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@Akron , March 23:
I agree. There is no end to improvement, and I would add that even if the speakers are not up to par, it means they will be performing at their maximum potential.
Over time, I’ve learned that even an imperfectly balanced system can bring great satisfaction, because it’s not always about “sounding good or bad,” but rather the characteristics of that specific combination. So it will sound in its own way, and there will always be a “better” and a “worse” somewhere.
The important thing is to enjoy what you hear, and over time, understand which characteristics to look for in a particular speaker and/or component, to make more informed choices.
For example, look at my systems: I use the Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolution with the Old Classic series and the more modest B&W 783 S3 with the new series. This is because I really liked how the new trio managed to make the 783s sound, previously driven by a 250.2, and that this brings lovely things also in the AV context. I know very well that they would have also brought great benefits to the Guarneri and perhaps it would have been a more balanced system, but I’m already happy with how the old system sounds with the Guarneri. Instead, I needed to elevate the potential of the 783s.
@RvL , February 22:
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I recently auditioned the NAP 250DR for a good week. My planning was that it would replace my 200 driving Sonus Faber Guarneri Mementos. This took a bit of an unexpected turn. While the 250 is without question a ‘better’ amp, both my wife and I preferred the more lively, quicker & lighter sounding 200.
This somewhat strange outcome triggered the question if I should re-evaluate my SF Guarneri’s. They are getting close to 14 years old. Over the years, I tried a number of other speakers at home. Mostly out of a combination of curiosity and opportunity. But none of them ever came close to consider buying. But the last time was a few years ago and triggered by the amp comparison, I wanted to hear where the Guarneri’s stand today against some of the current leading compact two-way speakers in the same 10K -ish price range.
Enter the first ‘contender’ - the Vivid Audio Kaya 25.
Their unique shape without any edge, corner, straight line or flat surface takes some getting used to. They look more like sculptures and don’t go unnoticed in a room, that’s for sure. I love the way they look. After 3 days, my wife is still observing them with a ‘I don’t know yet’ look.
To add to my previous post that was unearthed by @frenchrooster . I have slightly upgraded my system since I wrote that post. The XPSDR went away to be replaced by a 555PSDR. And eventually the 272 went also, to be replaced by a NC222. Each time the difference was very noticeable, the speakers revealing each time even more what they are capable of.
One thing I would say is that SF speakers are known to be power hungry. They need an amp that’s going to show them who’s the boss. No problem with a 300DR. I’m even considering transitioning to mono 350s. I’m not entirely sure an SN2 would get the best out of the Guarneris though.
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