Silverline audio speakers are phenomenal bargains... in the used market you cant touch the performance/price. As to the previous "reviewer", I'm sure the speakers were not purchased direct from Silverline, and obviously you were ripped off by the seller, since they were not factory sealed at all..
Trust in the brand, its a heck of a good product

I have the 2005 version of the Silverline Panatella III that was purchased new old stock. These speakers were factory sealed new in boxes. Once open it was to my surprise that one speaker grill was absent and the other speakers tweeter was non functioning. I tried to get remedy with the Silverline Audio factory and was given a sorry we cant help you the speakers are not available any longer. What a crock of shame. I will never buy from Silverline they do not support their product.

NOTE: ORIGINAL SONATA MK 1'S

I usually just review a product, and not mention anyone elses comments, but this time I will need to. I've had these speakers for about three months now and have really enjoyed them. They are a little colored, which I do not think is a bad thing. I've had totally neutral speakers before, like vienna, wilson's, and I've found them a little dry and uninvolving. Not necessarily fatigueing, but a little emotionless. I've always had a soft spot for tower speakers that have dome midranges.
So, after the usual trials and tribulations of buying speakers that just do not work for me, or my listening room. I think I am really happy. It was difficult to get rid of my ATC towers(50's), but they had to be played at such a high level to sound good.... Unfortunately, with my penchant too be really critical of speakers, I only buy used. That is because there is a greater chance of recouping my investment when the inevitable happens, I become totally depressed from the dissappointment. I bought a set of dali's mentors that were new, and I was able to get just a little over 25% of the cost back out of them after 6 months of total shrilling ear fatigue(great fast bass, though).
Back to the review. After making a great deal on Audiogon(1200) for these speakers, I couldn't lose. Just imagine what 1200 would get you in a stereo shop these days. A nice set of 6 inch monitors maybe, or some lower level klipsh towers at best buy. In fact the build quality is truly astounding even at their original list price. The speakers that were tempting me before I took the plunge on these were the same price as a loaded Audi sedan.
The driver layout was my first selling point, the second was the efficiency rating of the speakers. That is because I swap between three amplifiers and two preamps. My preamps are audio research sp-8mk2 and reference one, my amps are a custom made 16 watt set tube amp, My trusty old audio research d79, and a krell fpb 600. These pieces can be intermixed easily, and will always provide truly excellent results. I just needed a speaker that could work well with the three(not have three sets of speakers hooked up). And, hopefully have a Dome midrange. Enter the Sonata.
Also, let me list my sources and interconnects. Lately, I have been mostly using a computer based music server with a wireless link to a dac to the preamp of choice, or even directly to the power amp. But a tube preamp, like the reference one, can even out the different recording levels, which can be annoying to have a 30 decibel jump between recordings. I use two different Dac's for the system. First is a Esoteric dac that is used for the cd transport (esoteric also). This Dac wouldn't handle the 24/96 signal from the wireless reciever, so I bought a Music Hall 25.3 dac for the music server. This Dac is truly surprisingly good, a true bargain in the not-so-bargain oriented industry. Also, I use a ps audio gcph phono preamp for my music hall 7.1 turntable. Unless I'm using my sp-8 preamp which has a superb phono section. For connections, I primarily use synergistic research, mit, audioquest. I really tend to hoard gear, I should be on that show about hoarding. My basement storage area has a better lineup than most higher end shops. I run two different rooms, my main living room, and a smaller office set-up. So, I am constantly moving gear back and fourth between the two (the Krell is on a custom stand with casters- a must have).
Now, when I recieved these, I had no help, a big mistake! They are a very awkward 175 pound speaker. They were placed according to everyones recommendations, at least 2 feet from the walls. I hooked up the sp-8 and the set amp first. Very rewarding. These were the first speakers that really worked well with the small powered amplifiers. I could now see what everyone was raving about. I ran it this way for about a week, going between vinyl and the digital sources. No big orchestras or hard rock. The sp-8 just doesn't like the busy stuff. But the nuances with the smaller groups will make you tear up. I moved them around a bit, and felt I got things pretty good after a while(I have a strange room). It was like a warm comforter and a fire when it is blizzarding outside. Just relaxing and inviting. Something about a Steinway and that dome midrange, a match made in heaven.
Now, after a while, I get the bug. Time to start trying dome different things out. I started with the reference one. A little tighter bass, a little bigger soundstage. More detail and attack. Time to bring in some different amps. I brought in the d79. Things changed fast. there was bass, there was speed. The timbre changed, and i thought it was just as good as the set amp, but a little bigger, and they breathed a little more. Now for the big guns.
I hooked up the Krell. They were not the same speakers. This is where I have to disagree with some of the previous reviews. The Krell seemed to create a different speaker. The 600 is notoriously dark with some speakers, but with the sonata's, a match made in heaven. The soundstage, forget that, it's like swimming in music! Not really a wall of sound that beats down on you, but it envelopes, floats, engulfs you in the experience. The high current amplifier matched with a super efficient tower was not what I expected. What is truly amazing is how the sound level carries through the whole house. If you walk a few rooms away to talk on the phone, unfortunately, the level doesn't really change, even at lower listening levels.
Subwoofer? I had my Rel strata hooked up for the smaller amps, but not necessary with the Krell. In fact, turning it on and off, I couldn't even tell it was there. Atounding bass, I'm not kidding. Hard Rock, no problem. Alex Van Halen kick drum on "Hot for Teacher", Mind blowing. And the big orchestra's just sang. My God, the bass! It was all there! Not just adequate, but WOW!
In comes the WAF(ATC's will never pass this teat, Don't even try!), "They are almost in the middle of the room!" Now the intereting part. With the high current amp, placement was addressable. I was able to move them to within a foot of the wall, and there was no loss, period. Like I said, they weren't the same speakers. And, yes Solid state does work well with them. I might have to buy another pair for my office to replace the speakers in there.
With the money I saved, I didn't feel bad about buying the Audi RS4 I mentioned earlier!

Coherent. Magical mids when paired with quality SET amp. An Avalon wannabe's dream speakers. The cabinet quality is the standard that many are measured against at this price class.

Not placement friendly as some people may want. The high doesn't sound right. Hostile to solid state equipments in my test (bright). Low wife acceptance factor (WAF).

What other people raved about the Sonata (Mk I) is correct ----- if you have the right room for it. If you cannot have about 4ft from the backwall and the side wall, don't waste money on this - you aren't going to get 1/2 good sound. Also, I found it very surprising that even it's technically an Avalon rip-off in cabintry - which may mean high WAF - many female spouses *hate* them. I simply cannot explain why. They all said it's short and fat. (?????) Sonic wise this is an marvel at this price. Although the high is a bit colored, and bass is lacking substantially (an quality sub is an must), the mid range sound is simply magical. Don't try to feed this with any Chinese made crap, however. My buddy was so elated to play with my Sonata that he drove his Ming Da SET all the way - and had an disasterous listening session. Good speakers like this will make cheap components sound extra bad, period. I had been waiting for an deal on this for almost 2 years, but shortly after I got them, I am forced to sell because of my wife's complains, and I just don't have room for them to sparkle.

Similar Products Used:

Paragon REGENT; B&W; Magneplanar; Alon; .... too many to mention!

detail, micro dynamics,tonal balance

very sharp spikes that screw in on the bottom of the speakers.

My quest is finally over! I've been searching, and after 2 years in search of the perfect speaker found out that there is no such thing. However, I was fortunate to audition the Sonata IIIs. I was amazed by the detail and micro dynamics these speakers reproduced. I heard things happening on stage that other speakers cannot reproduce, for instance, a wooden chair creaking as a guitarist shifts his weight while he plays, as well as instruments being played in the back ground. I feel that what these speakers do best is reproduce stringed instruments. Guitars sound so natural. On the other hand the bass is very full and not overly tight. There is no need for subwoofers for these truly full-range speakers. Great speakers for JAZZ and NEW AGE music But not to good for heavy rock and ROLL, Light ROCK sounds very good These speakers do not like corners and they need a lot of air around them to give them their tonal balance. I always felt Dynaudio made very good tweeters and these Esotec tweeters are no exception. They are very detailed and clean. I auditioned many speakers in the same price range as the Sonata IIIs ($7,200) but the Sonata IIIs just blew the competition away. To get the same quality of the Sonata IIIs you would have to be looking at speakers in the $20,000 range and the higher in price the bigger the speaker and, again, these speakers with their 12 by 12 footprint is quite small for the large sound quality it reproduces.My listening area is 12 by 25 and they fill the room with no problem on the other hand a bigger speaker would of caused to much sound pressure to work in my room.I am very happy with them and they are not fully broken in yet so it must get even better! Give them a listen you won't be disappointed.

Similar Products Used:

Mcintosh Ls-360,B&w 801, 802,

Transparency; imaging; balanced, lifelike presentation; tight, precise bass; simple, dignified appearance; high efficiency (93db)

Oversized binding posts require banana plugs; bass sacrifices some depth for precision

Now that a newer generation of Silverline speakers has come out, the Sonata II is an outstanding value on the used market. I considered several floorstanders in the $4k - $7k range, including Soliloquy, JM Labs, Meadowlark, Legacy, and Aerial. The Sonata II at its list price of $6500 was my clear favorite. If you are predominantly a music listener with a preference toward jazz or acoustic instruments, such as piano, guitar, or strings, you will have to look hard for a speaker with a clearer, more lifelike presentation. If you are into action movies or need to fill an enormous room with gut-wrenching bass, you may not be the right owner for the Sonata IIs. Don't get me wrong - they can rock very hard when you need a jolt, but there are other speakers in this range that will disturb your neighbors in ways that the Sonata IIs won't.

Similar Products Used:

Soliloquy 6.5; JM Labs Electra 926 & 936; Meadowlark Heron i & Osprey; Legacy Focus 20/20 & Classic; Aerial 8B & 7B

Consumate musicality, detail and balance. Outstanding tonal accuracy - full and lush mid-range that simply grips your attention. Gorgeous design and finish. For my listening range: classical, jazz, acoustic pop -these speakers are about perfect. And on the occasions when I feed them some hard rock, boy do they deliver some gut pounding sound.

None for me. I own speakers with bigger woofers and more detailed tweeters (see below) but none that make music as well as the Sonatas.

I purchased a pair of Sonata 3's for use in may main 2 channel system after being blown away by a pair of Sonatina 2's I purchased for front speaker duty in my home theater. The Sonatinas won me over with their gorgeous midrange, and the Sonata 3's provide that and much more. Aside from the superb workmanship evident in both speakers, the only driver in common between the Sonatina 2 and the Sonata 3 is the 2" LPG dome midrange. That is a good thing, because it produces a "luminosity" and sense of visceral presence that is spellbinding. As an amateur cellist and life-long opera fan I am usually very disappointed by how "reproduced" sounding vocals and strings are with most speakers. Not the case here. The Dynaudio Esotec tweeter provides incredible detail and airiness without being edgy or sharp. It blends in beautifully with the other drivers and does not specifically call attention to itself to distract from a harmonious unity. The Dynaudio midwoofer and woofer fill in the lower frequencies with incredible authority, yet provide excellent tonal authenticity. Listening to such legends of the jazz bass like Ray Brown and Chalie Haden is a revelation on the Sonatas. Colorations I have only heard in live performances are right there in my living room. Vocals are breathtaking. Covering the spectrum from Renee Fleming to Bryn Terfel the Sonatas provide vivid, life-like music. With a good recording, I simply have to stop what I am doing, sit down and listen. The Sonatas provide an over-all sense of balance that is right on target, and they pull me into the performance. The soundstage is excellent. I have the speakers placed about 12 feet apart and a foot away from the back wall in a large rectangular room with a very tall cathedral ceiling, and they provide terrific imaging. Whether it is a string quartet, jazz combo or the Berlin Philharmonic, the soundstage is wide and deep with excellent spatial localization. The bass is robust, and I have never felt like the Dynaudio woofer needed any help. In fact, I originally had a sub-woofer in the room, and it has now been relegated to another of my systems to provide low end extension for a pair of Tyler Acoustic Linbrook monitors. The physical aesthetics of the speaker are first rate. They are very solidly built, and the burlwood veneer is simply beautiful. The workmanship is excellent. The seams in the veneer are pretty much invisible. The binding posts are sturdy, and the floor spikes are sharp enough to penetrate metal, literally. I put pennies underneath the spikes so as not to damage my oak floor, and the spikes went right through a couple of the pennies when I applied some pressure. Needless to say, position the speakers before adding the spikes. The bottom line: Alan Yun at Silverline Audio has created a wonderful pair of speakers that are not only a work of art in themselves, but produce music that makes you forget you are listening to a recording. I have worked my way through a lot of audio gear in my day, and rarely has the price/pleasure ratio been so clearly tilted toward pleasure. Not that the Sonatas are inexpensive, but given their performance, I think that you would be crazy not to give them a listen if your price range is anywhere from half to triple their price. They are so good they might make you spend more than you bargained for, and if you had been planning on spending more, the Sonatas will give you reason to pause.

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I currently own Silverline Sonatina 2's, Dunlavy Alethas, Tyler Acoustics Linbrook monitors, and Tag McLaren Calliopes - and the Sonata 3's simply make music better than any of them. I listened to a host of other speakers in audio stores when I decided to replace the Dunlavy's in my main system, and nothing that cost less than a mid-size sedan sounded significantly better than the Sonatas.

Smoothness throughout the audible range, which has been cited millions of times, so I will not want to add more adjectives to it.

Seems weak in low level resolution. I listend to a CD at a friend's with a JBL horn speaker comparing to the same CD I brought. His bass was so impressive. The same CD, same track, played on the Sonata II doesn't even present the timber anywhere close to the JBL. The Sonata II comes out with only a very slight hint of the rich timber of the track as played on the JBL. My prior speaker was a Joseph RM22Si. Enya's Watermark track has a certain low passage came out very strong even on the Joseph RM22Si; the Sonata II just doesn't have it. My higher hi-fi buff told me it has to do with the design of the speaker also. Within my system, given only the speaker as the variable, everything else the same (equipment-wise), even the Joseph reaches lower than the Sonata II, which is more massive in terms of size. Sizes sometimes doesn't matter? Also, should you need support, you may be surprised. Silverline is pretty much a 1-person operation, owner-designer-techncian-admin.-etc. is on one shoulder, perhaps not so desirable. One wonder how the co. can manage so much. But then speakers don't need too much support, right?

The speaker is very easy to accept. It will not impress you with the overly enthusiastic highs (colorations, whatever one may call it); it's simply a good all-round performer.

Dynamics, detail, soundstage and imaging. Absolutely stunning midbass-midrange.

makes me want to try other equipment...and subsequently spend more money.

I have literally had the Silverline La Folia's for less than a week and I'm already bowled over. This is my first step into "high end" speakers and it has completely opened my eyes. You'll read review after review saying that they need at least 2-3 months of non-stop playing to really get the best out of them, but I thought that out of the box they sounded amazing. So naturally, I can't wait until they're completely "broken-in". I've found alot of the what I've read about the La Folia's is true. They are VERY revealing of the rest of your system. I had never experienced anything quite like that before. I could finally notice the sound difference between a cold, unwarmed-up pre-amp and one that that was warmed up. At first, the sound was a bit choked back and squished together. Despite this restriction, they still sounded great. It sounded effortless, from the high pitched triangles to low playing standing basses. After about 15-20 minutes, after the pre-amp had had some time to warm up, the sound began to open up. The orchestra became more coherent and fit together like a puzzle. I was listening to the 3rd movement of Mahler's 1st and the bass sounded amazing. You could hear the air vibrating through bass and the rosin'ed bows sliding back and forth across the strings. Imaging and dynamics came to life. There was definite depth and height to the music, unlike anything I'd heard before in my room. Violins were properly placed to the left while various wind instruments were placed behing them and across the stage with bass stringed instruments to the right. Even at low volumes, the smallest of details were very much present and clearly conveyed. Overall, I think the sound is very sweet and effortless without lack of detail. I've read some reviews describe the drivers as analytical, but the combination of the drivers, electronics, and enclosure make it all come together beautifully. And considering their price, absolutely the best at that price point, out performing speakers that cost thousands and thousands more and that require equally expensive components. HATS OFF TO ALAN YUN.

Transparency, dynamic range, tonal capabilities, wide frequency response

None

The Sonatas replaced B&W N802's in my system, which is saying more about the Silverlines than the B&W's. The B&W's are fine speakers but compared to the Sonatas they are not as coherent, transparent, extended in the low and high ends and, hard to believe, don't image as well as the Sonatas, which border on the fantastic. Both the B&W's and the Sonatas have wondeful tonal qualities in my system. Acoustic instruments such as strings and piano sound great as solo instruments, orchestras sound great and so does rock. Seems like a good place to mention the components that make up my system: CJ Premier 16LS, Premier 12's and VPI/Wheaton/Tranfiguration Temper, Aesthetix Phono stage, Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1, Tice cables everywhere (soon to be replaced with Silverline's own cables), Marigo Apparition power conditioner and Zoethecus Reference stands. The Sonatas sound is just wonderful, especially with the Premier 12's. While the speakers will work with SET's, they absolutely thrive on high power and will play loudly without distortion or compression. Cabinetry is also very nice with my pair finished in Birds Eye Maple. There might be better speakers than these, but for the money, I don't believe they can be touched. I am not sure what there is out there that is better period. Very highy recommended.

Similar Products Used:

Legacy FOCUS, B&W N802's