the potential client is me and in fact it I'm about to become just client without potential as I am placing an order for a pair of Mantas and a single SBS.1 to use as center channel (behind an acoustically transparent screen) in my under construction Home Cinema/Hi-Fi room (rest of the equipment will be Marantz AV10 processor, Kef Q4 Metas surrounds and Atmos ceiling speakers and 2 x Arendal 1723 2S subs).We had a potential customer from Italy audition both the SBS.1, Manta and Saranna during a 2 hour session the other day, and he said that he doubted he would have been able to distinguish between the Saranna and the Manta in a blind test. So the Sarannas are starting to get production ready.
Personally I find them to sound slightly different, but I'd be hard pressed to say that one sounds better than the other.
Indeed both the Mantas and the Sarannas sounded very similar (and great!) to me, not sure I could tell them apart in a blind test to be honest (probably not, maybe only if i had a lot of time to listen to both of them extensively beforehand). Perhaps the Sarannas had a very slightly more prominent mid range and perhaps tiny bit more forgiving highs, and hence very slightly "fuller" sound (as in tiny less neutral), but we are really splitting hairs here in my opinion... hence my comment that I don't think that I could tell them apart in a blind test.
My main reason to go for the Mantas is that I already own a very competent pair of subs that i like (the Arendal 1723 2S), that I can get them by June instead of by August being already and stock and last but not least the possibility to complete the front 3 channels with identical tweeter and mid range, hence keeping perfect tonal balance.
Both sounded amazing, with great imaging and very detailed but not harsh or fatiguing in any way.
In fact I even auditioned in stereo the SBS.1 and whilst not to the exact par of the other 2, to be honest they sounded not too dissimilar and are probably 90% there (the imaging whilst still very good is slightly less holographic), making them a relative bargain if you ask me! And I really think they will shine as the central channel in my home theater set up.