Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor M monitor speakers. w/matching stands. $7,000 MSRP

If we had to pick a pair of monitor speakers that look as good as it sounds, the Cremona Auditor M would be our pick. They are by far, one of the most beautiful looking monitor speakers you can find. They wouldn't even look out of place if they were stationed in a darken room in a museum with just one spot light high lightning them. That's how beautiful they are. Used with their matching stands and they are a tower of beguiling beauty.

Sonically, these speakers need quality amps and proper placement setup. It does make a world of difference (to our ears) as we swap amps around and played with their positioning. Straight out of the box, they sound incredibly clean, transparent, smooth and open. Bass was surprisingly very good considering they are monitor speakers and when positioned properly, created this magnificent soundstage that just made the speakers disappear. Compared to the B&W 805D2, they are a tad less aggressive on the top end but has a smoother more velvety mid-range. Bottom end was a bit less tight than the B&Ws but just as punchy. They can be current hungry at four ohms and a 88dB sensitivity but when you add on the wattage, the speakers open ups even further and the musical presence had a more assured foundation. Frequency response is 50Hz to 50KHz.

Cosmetically, they are in beautiful shape. Minor marks from use, nothing major. We have the original boxes (they are shipped in three boxes) and spikes for them. Contact us for a shipping quote to your place as Audiogon's shipping calculator is based on one box only. Finish is graphite.