Finish; musicality across the range;

Need top end components to bring the best out of it;

This speaker must be one of the best in the world at any price. If your system requires the best then you must audition this.
Sure it might be expensive - more so in the States - but

1. The workmanship is exquisite.

2. It will in years to come it will become a timeless classic.

3. In every hi-fi parameter this speaker is peerless.

Similar Products Used:

SF Electa Amator

I AGREE WITH THE ENTHUSIASTIC COMMENTS BUT AT $20.000 YOU ALSO NEED TOP QUALITY DYNAMICS ie UNRESTRICTED , FULL DYNAMIC RANGE ,FULL BODY IN LOW FREQUENCIES etc etc WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE THE AMATI OFFERS AT THAT PRICE TAG .ALTHOUGH THE COSMETICS ARE TOP CLASS REMEMBER THAT WE DO NOT BUY FURNITURES BUT SOUND TRANSDUCERS.AT THAT PRICE WE SHOULD CHECK THE COMPETITION OF JMLab-SOUNDLAB-B&W-WILSON-GENESIS ONLY TO MENTION FEW

How can anyone write a speaker review on the Amati? These are not speakers! These are instruments. I had the opportunity to spend a few hours listening to them and my, they were really wonderful. Bottom to top, the Amati were smooth as silk. The Amati had enough punch for me. and... forget it, just go and find a pair and listen to them. wish me luck in negotiating with the dealer. if they go low enough, i will buy them.

I heard these at the Stereophile Hi-Fi'99 show. While they are not the ultimatein resolution or dynamics, thus I can understand why someone might not consider
them to be worth $20K, they reproduce beautiful, awe-inspiring music. Vocals
are stunning. I doubt I would go for them if I were into loud rock music, but
for vocal standards, simple jazz, folk, string quartets, and piano, they are
hypnotic. You can hardly stand to pull away without taking them with you.

Allow me to submit a review for the second time. Last time, I submitted a review after I audition them at a local hi-fi store. Now I am writing because they are now in front of me, in my living room, and producing wonderful music.Yes, I ended up buying them.
They arrived only 4 hours ago, took two people an hour to unpack them. They are very heavy, come in three boxes. Each speaker in a box, then a third box holding the stands, spikes etc. It even comes with its own screwdriver.
Anyway, I set them up to be about 8.5ft apart, about 3 ft off the side wall, and 3 ft off the back wall.
The first disc I played was Gould's Bach Goldberg Variations. my, Gould is still alive. Right in front of me. The timber of the piano was reproduced faithfully.
I then listened to Abbado's Mahler #1 (BPO). This has always been one of my fav recordings. The Amati threw a HUGE soundstage, deeper and wider than anything I have heard. The layering was 'tidy'. it handles complex music surprisingly well. But something wasn't quite right. There wasn't much bass. Now I know that bass is not the Amati's forte, but it was even weaker than my previous speakers, B&W Silver Signature. But it was 'there', just quiet, and 'mannered'. Even for Mahler 1 last mvt, the lower frequencies were too polite for my taste. I tried playing with the placement of the speakers... (definitely get someone to help you, there is no way you can move them around by yourself)
I tried moving them closer to the backwall (which is really a tall bookshelf with CDs and misc items). I was afraid that would muddle the bass, but nope. it sounded wonderful. The bass is now 'just right.' It's now about 1.5 ft away from the back wall, toe in slightly.
I then played many many CDs... but i was so excited with what my cds would sound like, I keep on switching them.
As I am writing, I am listening to Mutter's Carman Fantasia (DGG).
The Amati has surpassed all my expectations. The sound is so neutral. So well balanced. The soundstage... wow...
I think I need to give them some time to let them break in first. The sound lacks the warmth I am looking for, but I think that can be easily compensated with careful cables selection.
Oh and yes, the 'cloth grill' is simply gorgeous.
I have absolutely nothing to complain about. They have surpassed all my expectations.

In Use Equipment:
Wadia 6 (soom to be 6i)
Mark Levinson No. 380s
Mark Levinson No. 331
Sonus Faber Amati
(Speaker cables: Ven Den Hul The Revelation Hybrid (on loan from the store))

I will probably write another review after they get broken in more...

the $20000 price tag is totally justified by it's incredible performance, and looks. Some people might say you can get speaker of other cheaper brands, but it's just simple different, they don't have the delicate touch to it. the question is it really worth it? I think, from what i experienced, it is. It is so clear, crisp and at the same time live. awesome set of speakers

I was surprised to see on the 16th of March 1999 a fake review of mine concearning the Amati I want to state clearly that I have not heard the respective speakers and i do not know something different from what the international Hi-Fi press has pblished .it is a disgrace that someone has used my IP Addres 194.219.153.194 In addition I would like to concurr with the forementioned five star ratings.

almost everything

deep bass dept.

Could this be the perfect speaker? The first impression is WOW! they look awesome. The finish, the fit, and the wonderful combination of leather and maple create perhaps the most beautiful speaker ever made. So how do they sound? Hooked up to a Wadia 860, Spectral Reference Pre and Amp they sound like nirvana. Music never sounded so real - and natural at the same time. Strings especially proved the Amati's superior capabilities. I could go on and on about the detailed airy highs, velvet smooth midrange, incredible soundstage and pinpoint imaging... or how these medium size floorstanders absolutely disappeared like a mini-monitor, but you really have to hear them.

The only area where I expected more from the Amati's was the bass. But then again I am just nit picking.

Bottom line - they definitely sound as good as they look.

Similar Products Used:

Genesis (var.)

Smooth & unflappable & musical

understated bass

I was expected the spakers to look good. But I walked in & knew that I would buy them. Pictures don't do them justice & they sounded as good as they looked. Heard them with the Wadia 861x & Musical Fidelity M3. The sound was clinical but relaxed, detailed but not too artificial. The balance between the MF (warmish) and the Wadia (clinical)and the SF (understated) means I think that cables can make a quite big difference because of the clarity of the speakers. Tried a couple of different cables in the $2k to $4k range.
Overall impression easy on the ear for hours on end, precise and detailed and will cope with realistic levels of music unstressed

Similar Products Used:

None

This is my third review on this product.
I have now live with the Amati for some time now. And yes I am very happy.
I ended up mating the Amati with a pair of Mark Levinson No. 33H. They give me much better bass extension than most other amps I have tried with the Amati.
So what are my thoughts? Well I love them just as much if not more than when I first heard them. They are very articulate, very detailed, very smooth. I actually don't have a problem with the bass (which many complain is too weak). rather, I think the mid bass is a little on the thin side. Maybe the mid bass is still not broken in... or maybe that is what I trade off for using a solid state amp.
But can a be happier? Probably not. I have no heard other speakers in this price range that would give me as much joy.