Sonus Faber Honors Antonio Stradivari

I find it hard to believe, but only in the last 5 or 10 years did the museum in Cremona, Italy, where famed violinmaker Antonio Stradivari was born in 1644, receive the first violin that Stradivari ever made. To honor the occasion, Sonus Faber loudspeakers has issued Il Cremonese ($45,000/pair), whose price is far lower than that violin. An extension of Sonus Faber's Cremona and Stradivarius series, Il Cremonese incorporates technology from the company's higher-level models. Paolo Tezzon custom-designed all drivers to achieve greater accuracy and coherency.

Through Audio Research electronics and Shunyata cabling and power treatment, the sound on Ivan Fischer's R2D4 recording of Mahler Symphony 9 (Channel Classics SACD) included excellent low bass and violins that sounded lovely. I would never have expected such fine string sound in such a small space, especially given that the speakers were flown in at the last minute to replace a damaged-in-shipment pair, and were not adequately broken in.

COMMENTS
volvic's picture

I would quit my job stay home and catch up with all my software. Audio Research gear has never failed to move me every time I hear them.

Nellomilanese's picture

I just love AR gear! everytime...anywhere..doesn't matter the room or the hi-fi store or the gear the Audio Research always sounded amazing to me!

John Marks's picture

No fooling. He had mailorder customers in Europe and even in England. Some correspondence remains or at least contemporaneous copies remain. I think the lack of hometown honor might have to do with, gee, the Napoleonic Wars (supposedly some of Napoleon's generals picked up some nifty violins, whether at bayonet-point I know not) and all the later bad stuff in European history.

I also think that unless violins are both shown and played, it kinda misses the point.

I played a Strad--once. It was as though I had gotten out of an Oldsmobile station wagon and into an Indianapolis car... Memories.

JM

sunnyhtms@gmail.com's picture

To be fair in comments I am a dealer for Audio Research and have had a chance to compare several products that have come by the store.
The newest Audio Research Reference 6 is sublime and truly Spectacular.
I have this same setup in my store with much smaller speakers costing much less but the performance is truly fulfilling. It sounds like you're at an event. Good Job ARC. Let's sell a few Preamplifiers now.

Gallichio's picture

The sound of these speakers delight my senses every time I sit and listen. Detailed ,smooth and just outstanding beautiful sound. The build quality is also amazing. Paolo Tezzon created some serious magic in the Il Cremonese. A fitting product to honor the master violin maker Antonio Stradivari.

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