Ktema vs. Guarneri Evolution

[Milimetr]

As an foremer owner of Guarneri Memenot I was looking for possible upgrede patch. The impulse for change was audition of my own gear in my friends room on Wilson Audio Sascha speakers. This experience made clear how much Guarneri Memento were limiting performance of the electronics. I was started looking for speaker upgrade and looked mostly into floorstanding speakers.
The only monitor I was intended to audition were Guarneri Evolution as a natural upgrade patch over previous Guarneri Memento. I was able to make some interesting comparisons. Stay tuned.

[TommyC]

Did you get a chance to hear the Accordo? I know it's not in the same price range, but was curious.

Edit: Which electronics were limited by the GM?

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by Milimetr

As an foremer owner of Guarneri Memenot I was looking for possible upgrede patch. The impulse for change was audition of my own gear in my friends room on Wilson Audio Sascha speakers. This experience made clear how much Guarneri Memento were limiting performance of the electronics. I was started looking for speaker upgrade and looked mostly into floorstanding speakers.
The only monitor I was intended to audition were Guarneri Evolution as a natural upgrade patch over previous Guarneri Memento. I was able to make some interesting comparisons. Stay tuned.

Hi Milimetr,

I am very interested in your findings!

Thanks.

[Milimetr]

No, first delivery of Accordo are scheduled for January.
In fact each electornic is limited by speakers that are not full range. It does not matter how good they are. When I had GM I felt that I do not miss the bass. But after living for a while with good floorstanders it is hard to get back to monitors.

[Dafos]

Hi milimtr, did you consider the amati futura?

[Milimetr]

Ok. First of all I took some photos directly comparing both speakers to post them here, but I just foud that not being subscriber I cannot post attachements. It is odd approach when posting attachements is a priviege for a writer. I alrady know that pics and thought that posting them is rather privilege for readers. OK, never mind.

I must say right from the beginning that I preferred Ktema. From many reasons. Appearance, sound, marketing policy. To be honest Ktema have had handicap because it is floor standing model and I was looking for more bass. I took a bite that new Guarneri has more bass, but these speakers arrived to me after listening of Ktema for longer time so in direct comparison the bass was still missing from GE.

Ktema is an odd speaker. The bass drivers (2x Scan-Speak Revelator with aluminum cones) are rear firing, still supported with rear firing double bass reflex. This fires the sound onto the curved wooden baffle board and then to the listener direction. I have never seen such construction and wonder that the biggest challenge was to ensure phase coherency and sound coherency with other speakers placed on front wall.

Ktema is 4-way design. Bass is performed by pair of 220 mm drivers, mid-bas is performed by front 100 mm front driver, mid is performed by second 100 mm front driver (probably custom Seas) and tweeter is Scan Speak D2905 driver.

In my opinion Ktema is not a speaker for everyone. Require careful setup in the room and precision matching of components. I have to make long tube rolling before I got satisfying sound. I ended with vintage Mullards ECC82 to add a lithe mid bas richness and french RT EF86 and EL84 in preamp power supply section to maintain transparency and resolution.

At the beginning Ktema can sound overly bright (too much treble extension), a little lean (loo little heft to male vocals and left hand piano). I also found that some mid bass energy is lacking. It negatively affected drums rhythm, and punch of the rock music. Also Ktema would perform better in room a little bigger than mine (4 meters x 6 meters) in more free space position.

After correct speaker placement and tube rolling I tamed overly bright presentation and added a little mid bass energy. The results were very deep bass when demanded, extremely clear, transparent and resolving mids and very extended and shining trebles. The sound was very spacious and musically involving. Directly compared to Wilson Sophia 3 the sound of Ktema was much more sophisticated and mature. It was the sound for music connoisseur ;-) rather than audiophile. Maybe less spectacular then from Wilson but definitely interesting. The sound of Ktema resembled me mostly the old Guarneri Homage with added bass department.

Then the Guarneri Evolution arrived. It turned out that this comparison were a little pointless as GE being monitors and cheaper speakers have had no chance in direct comparison with Ktema, especially in bass department. The better would be Amati Futura, but I did not have them on hand.

Overall right from the beginning GE sounded with better tonal balance and required much less changing to the position and tube rolling. Ithing that differences n tonal balance can be because of afferent components used in crossover. Ktema uses Claritypand sound very clear, and GE probable still uses Mundorfs with little warmer presentation.

I would like to avoid to much of criticism to GE on this SF forum, but GE do not do it for me. I have auditioned all Guarneri models, owned GM for more than two years and honestly the most impressed me the first one Guarneri Homage. All other iterations go toward more modern and more technically evolved sound (more bass, more trebles, more resolution, better instruments separation, better soundstage), but FOR ME are less and less musically involving. Maybe it is something wrong with me...

At the end of my post I would like to mention that during my searching for new speakers I explored some exotic direction. I have auditioned Tannoys Westminster, the best Lowther driver in Imperator enclosure and some French speakers with build in 20 kg 15" Dual Concentric drivers - the name I cannot remember. I must say that it is completely opposite direction then all modern speakers (Ktema, GE, Wilson, etc). Less technically perfect but much more musically involving. For example with this french speaker with 15 inch dual concentric driver I first time heard percussion sounding right on home speakers. It was simply amazing. Speed, rhythm, extension, separation of the individual drums, punch, wow.
All those speakers (except Tannoys) looked only so, so and I am rather not ready to follow this way yet, but I can strongly recommend to looking to some exotic (and usually cheaper) speakers with great music presentation and not astronomical prices.

[rustdino]

Originally Posted by Milimetr

At the end of my post I would like to mention that during my searching for new speakers I explored some exotic direction. I have auditioned Tannoys Westminster, the best Lowther driver in Imperator enclosure and some French sackers on 20 kg Dual Concentric driver - the name I cannot remember. I must say that it is completely opposite direction then all modern speakers (Ktema, GE, Wilson, etc). Less technically perfect but much mre musically involving. For example with this french speaker with 15 inch dual concentric driver I first time heard percussion sounding right on home speakers. It was simply amazing. Speed, rhythm, extension, punch, wow.
All those speakers (except Tannoys) looked only so, so and I am rather not ready to follow this way yet, but I can strongly recommend to looking to some exotic (and usually cheaper) speakers wit great music presentation and not astronomical prices.

Hello Milimetr,

WOW what a review, thank you so much. I am also in a similar position as you owning a pair of Guarneri Mementos. I love the sound so much, but same as you have found to be missing out on the low end and general weight of sound compared to floorstanders.

Two questions if I may:

1) Have you auditioned Vienna Acoustic Klimt "The Music" speakers? I have found them to be most impressive and involving floorstanders. If you have, I would love to hear you comparisons with the Ktema and the GE.

2) Are the Ktemas available for purchase? I thought there were only going to be 30 of them made and that all have been sold?!

Thank you for your time and please post more as you listen more. And I hope you will be able to post some pictures.

[Masterlu]

rustdino... Welcome!

[rustdino]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

rustdino... Welcome!

Thank you sir, you are most kind.

[AudioNut]

Originally Posted by Milimetr

Ok. First of all I took some photos directly comparing both speakers to post them here, but I just foud that not being subscriber I cannot post attachements. It is odd approach when posting attachements is a priviege for a writer. I alrady know that pics and thought that posting them is rather privilege for readers. OK, never mind.

Easiest answer is to become a subscriber . . . Doesn't cost very much and helps to support this wonderful forum site. Plus, you are obviously a very well informed and articulate listener and reporter on what you listen to . . . So, please, join us, become a subscriber. We want you here!

By the way, I, too, own Guarneri Mementos and have found that the addition of a good sub woofer (or two) transforms these superb little monitor speakers into a full range system that rivals most of the big boys in the price range I can afford. (And, if you look at my signature below, you'll find that I also own a couple of pairs of the better "big boys".)