Sonus Faber Elipsa SE black / graphite

I am the second owner. The first owner, like myself, was a hardcore audiophile that kept the speakers in immaculate condition (he only sold because he DIY'd his next pair). Only rating the speakers an 8 because of Audiogon grading rules (I am the 2nd owner). I would feel very comfortable rating them a 9.

I rented a truck and drove 400 miles to go pick them up from the first owner personally. I've had them for about a year and loved them while keeping them in immaculate condition. My reason for selling is classic: new home, new baby, and need to fall back on my other speakers with a much smaller footprint.

If in the Pittsburgh, Pa area, I'm happy to provide auditions. Yes - I will slightly discount for a local pickup (or, even more creatively, I will personally deliver and help set up within 400 miles if you want to get creative with the shipping price).

This is NOT an or-best-offer (OBO) situation. The price is firm, where there is room to negotiate is in the delivery / pickup / or shipping options. If shipped, it will be fully insured under the speakers purchase price. I will NOT get creative with the valuation or insurance of the speakers in order to make customs easier for the non-US buyer.

If you know the 'house sound' of Sonus Faber, then you will not be disappointed. I've owned a number of SF speakers over the last 10+ years and heard many more. These Elipsas and the Electa Amator II speakers have been my favorites (value-wise). If you want a bigger bolder sound of the Elipsa go with the Stradivarius Homage. If you want an ever-slightly-more refined version of the Elipsa, go with the Amati Homage. In both cases, you'll pay to play.

In the $10k - $12k zone (used), you would be hard pressed to find a more balanced speaker. Lots of bass, lots of refinement in the high end without sounding aggressive, and an extremely well balanced mid-range. They are certainly beautiful to look at too. The Boulder monoblocks you see in the photos (a perfect match!) will likely be coming in a subsequent Audiogon classified, so keep your eyes peeled. I run low powered tube amps with the Elipsas from time to time (at lower volumes), but these speakers thrive off of amps with lots of power like the Boulders.

The Elipsa was one of the final designs from Franco Serblin before he passed away. Yes, it finds its roots in the Stradivarius Homage, but with both a smaller physical and sonic footprint, it still required a new design in every way. The fit and finish is impeccable. My apologies for the slightly grainy photographs. Perhaps in the coming days, I'll upload some higher quality photos.

Trades? I've pretty much owned all the audio stuff I've ever wanted to own, with a few exceptions. If you've got an SME 30, Brinkmann Balance, or Dobbins Beat turntable, I'm interested. Amplification? If you're looking to get rid of a Vendetta phono stage or CTC pre-amp, you have my attention. Lastly, if you're looking to get rid of a Leica 70mm Summilux-m lens, a Wilson Combat 1911, a National Match grade M1A, a pre-1992 Harley Davidson FXR, or a Bob Loveless knife, lets talk.