Sonus Faber... the (excellent) Italian design really equal the audio performance?

[Dibox]

I'm looking to replace my current B&W floor standers with bookshelf loudspeakers. We can no longer give them the space they deserve in our compacter living room. Of course, this is a difficult mission and I've participated in a lot of demo sessions. None of them could really point to a compacter solution where I could live with. However, I can very much with the interesting design of quite a few Sonus Faber loudspeakers. Due to their very recent appearance on the market I couldn't incorporate the Sonetto I and II G2 in my listenings sessions, and now there's also the Concertino which looks gorgeous. While we like a softer, somewhat jazzy-sound, the Sonus Faber's bookshelf loudspeakers we've listened to (even the Mini Amator) felt to be a little bit weak in their bass performance. Vocals felt excellent.

It's no offense but what makes these loudspeakers so extremely expensive? Are you rather investing in a product with a unique design or in an high-end audio-performer with a unique sound?

Digging a little bit deeper in this brand, all of the SF-units seem to be obtained from a variety of third party vendors, the cross-over filters feel to be quite simple and one can suppose the new damping material is also quite low cost. I'm missing a bit the real, in depth technological narrative beyond their better audio quality vs f.i. 'real' do-it-all loudspeaker manufacturers based on a solid in-house R&D and technological expertise in LS-unit manufacturing. This is not a rant, but I find it extremely difficult as quite a bit of resellers in my region were recommending them as a better - possibly best - alternative for B&W, Monitor Audio, Focal, Dali, Wharfedale etc... I'm living in the EU, not in the US.

 

[Ron Texas]

Erin tested a Sonus Farber Lumina II. It did not measure well.

 

[JiiPee]

I'm looking to replace my current B&W floor standers with bookshelf loudspeakers. We can no longer give them the space they deserve in our compacter living room. Of course, this is a difficult mission and I've participated in a lot of demo sessions. one of them could really point to a compacter solution where I could live with. However, I can live with very much with the interesting design of quite a few Sonus Faber loudspeakers. Due to their very recent appearance on the market I couldn't incorporate the Sonetto I and II G2 in my listenings sessions, and now there's also the Concertino which looks gorgeous. While we like a softer, somewhat jazzy-sound, their Sonus Faber's bookshelf loudspeakers we've heard (like even the Mini Amator) felt to be a little bit weak in their bass performance. Vocals felt excellent.

It's no offense but what makes these loudspeakers so extremely expensive? Are you rather investing in a product with a unique design or in an high-end audio-performer with a unique sound?

Digging a little bit deeper in this brand, all of the SF-units seem to be obtained from a variety of third party vendors, the cross-over filters feel to be quite simple and one can also suppose the new damping material is also quite low cost. I'm missing a bit the real, in depth technological narrative beyond their better audio quality vs f.i. 'real' do-it-all loudspeaker manufacturers based on a solid in-house R&D and technological expertise in LS-unit manufacturing. This is not a rant, but I find it extremely difficult as quite a bit of resellers in my region where recommending them as a better - possibly best - alternative for B&W, Monitor Audio, Focal, Dali, Wharfedale etc... I'm living in the EU, not in the US.

SF is known for visual beauty and fine woodwork. They have a large product portfolio, and the higher end models are popular with wealthy customers who want luxurious statement speakers. When it comes to sound quality, I'd say it varies model by model. I think on average, it is on par with the similarly priced speakers from the brands You listed.

 

[Dibox]

SF is known for visual beauty and fine woodwork. They have a large product portfolio, and the higher end models are popular with wealthy customers who want luxurious statement speakers. When it comes to sound quality, I'd say it varies model by model. I think on average, it is on par with the similarly priced speakers from the brands You listed.

Precisely that's the story. Very few of the competitors are able to deliver a product that is comparable to that 'fine woodwork'. Some brands are even a bit of a shame at the prices they go on the market (cheap plastic finish, cheap terminals, cheap covers). Other brands are really getting very pricy to match this kind of attractivity and finishing. I like the Sonetto I and II G2 really from a visual perspective, they would be a perfect match in our interior. But are they really on the market now? None of the resellers I know can demo them, 'they will come'. Someone aware of serious reviews? Do they go the extra mile vs their ancestors justifying the decent increase in price? I did hear the Sonetto II (G1) on a few amps, even MacIntosh (not exactly my budget) and still don't know what to think about them regarding the investment. I listened to them on very different amps in very different rooms from what my living room will be. On some of my listening material I wasn't blow away by them versus f.i. the Monitor Gold 100, B&W 705 and 706 S3, other (more) vocal work they were quite decently performing (but also not more to be the kind of differentiator letting me buy them).

 

[Titurel]

I've lived with a pair of Olympica Nova III for about a year. I can't speak to their bookshelf speakers, but the top end of the Nova IIIs would be a challenge in small rooms. The voicing is decidedly not "near field monitor" - they need room (distance) and toe in is critical. Properly set up, they can throw a vast image with good specificity when fed well recorded and mixed tracks. Solo piano is well reproduced. (My reference tracks run from the Tubes to Mahler, but with no "Metal" nor "Rap" and its kin.)

The obvious price delta can probably be attributed to the quality of the cabinet work.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

I'm looking to replace my current B&W floor standers with bookshelf loudspeakers. We can no longer give them the space they deserve in our compacter living room. Of course, this is a difficult mission and I've participated in a lot of demo sessions. None of them could really point to a compacter solution where I could live with. However, I can very much with the interesting design of quite a few Sonus Faber loudspeakers. Due to their very recent appearance on the market I couldn't incorporate the Sonetto I and II G2 in my listenings sessions, and now there's also the Concertino which looks gorgeous. While we like a softer, somewhat jazzy-sound, the Sonus Faber's bookshelf loudspeakers we've listened to (even the Mini Amator) felt to be a little bit weak in their bass performance. Vocals felt excellent.

It's no offense but what makes these loudspeakers so extremely expensive? Are you rather investing in a product with a unique design or in an high-end audio-performer with a unique sound?

Digging a little bit deeper in this brand, all of the SF-units seem to be obtained from a variety of third party vendors, the cross-over filters feel to be quite simple and one can suppose the new damping material is also quite low cost. I'm missing a bit the real, in depth technological narrative beyond their better audio quality vs f.i. 'real' do-it-all loudspeaker manufacturers based on a solid in-house R&D and technological expertise in LS-unit manufacturing. This is not a rant, but I find it extremely difficult as quite a bit of resellers in my region were recommending them as a better - possibly best - alternative for B&W, Monitor Audio, Focal, Dali, Wharfedale etc... I'm living in the EU, not in the US.

Welcome to ASR.

Sonus Faber make very fine cabinets. There's no evidence that very fine cabinetry has either a positive or negative impact on accurate audio reproduction. Whether fine cabinets are important to a purchaser is totally a personal matter.

It is possible that Sonus Faber speakers are Viblen Goods.

 

[Oddball]

Not really sure what is your goal. You want bookshelves and like SF design? Not really into bookshelves so can't provide much advice, but would suggest to decide what is it you want in terms of design/performance compromise and take it from there. The bookshelf market is very saturated and as I understand many good performing and good looking speakers. I am sure that there is a pair waiting for you out there when you decide the criteria to choose upon.

I did have a chance to listen to Sonetto II bookshelves when they shipped them to me instead of the center a while back and they did sound a bit thin all the way around, but that is probably not a fair comparison as I did not have bookshelves in my system since the elder days.

 

[Moonbase]

The Sonetto 1 & 2 are lovely speakers and I have auditions them and other sf products. They create a wonderful stereo sound stage and are beautifully finished and styled. Thu styling wise the revel m105, m126be or m106 have a similar style and a great build quality too. The revel sound superb too while the sonetto’s sound a bit average for the money.

 

[Titurel]

It is possible that Sonus Faber speakers are Viblen Goods.

The top of their line? Surely, but that's true for most high-end stuff (not just audio gear). The middle and bottom tier SF speaker are probably not Veblen candidates. That said, they may require "audition in situ" more than many competing brands.

 

[DearSX]

I love the sorta of straight forward tweeter, midrange, dual woofer style of the SF Sarafino G2 and Amati 5 speakers with beautiful cabinets. The price at $26k and $50k is ludicrous though. Still many companies suck at making beautiful cabinets.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

The top of their line? Surely, but that's true for most high-end stuff (not just audio gear). The middle and bottom tier SF speaker are probably not Veblen candidates. That said, they may require "audition in situ" more than many competing brands.

One definition of Veblen Good includes "... Veblen goods are typically high-quality goods that are well made, exclusive..." No-one disputes the "well made" and for each 'class' of speaker solution, there are cheaper products which measure as well, if not better - i.e. it's possible to get the same sound quality for less. This price differential puts them into the "exclusive", domain.

 

[Titurel]

One definition of Veblen Good includes "... Veblen goods are typically high-quality goods that are well made, exclusive..." No-one disputes the "well made" and for each 'class' of speaker solution, there are cheaper products which measure as well, if not better - i.e. it's possible to get the same sound quality for less. This price differential puts them into the "exclusive", domain.

Two possible problems with your surmise. FIrst, sound is not everything. Being unobtrusive or attractive may have equal or greater importance for some buyers. Second, not all rooms are equivalent nor are all applications within a room equivalent. If the speaker doesn't "play well" with the room, how it measures is irrelevant. For example, I have a perfectly lovely pair of 20 year old Genelec (nearfield) monitors in my office. There, they work fine. In my living room, they would be both unattractive and insufficient - not bad, just not appropriate for the task.

Labelling something a Verblen Good is like pondefecating* about fools and their money*, which of course compels Aesop to respond with a fable about the brix of grapes.

* Figure it out

 

[Wolf11Man]

Sonus Faber has build many speaker over quite some time now. There are quite a lot that do not fulfill the sonic expectations when you look at the beautiful build quality and price tag. So they have to be seen as a design speaker, not objective high end sound producing machines. In fact many have a very strange response of a kind that no speaker developer would offer to a customer. The problem of in house constructions and egomanic decission makers, maybe the result of saving the money for a professional developer. These have the bad habit to take good money for good work. No all artists understand that.
Some call such weird sound an individual tuning, others just unfinished or unqualified work. I have lost interest in most commercial speakers years ago, because the price performance ratio got absurd. So I can not comment about newer Sonus Faber, but they seem to have improved and today sound matches optics I'm told.
If one thinks about buying SF used, I would take this as a serious warning. Speaker can look as new even after 15 or 25 years, but the sound has not improved over time. So if you listen to an actual model at a dealer and then buy used because you belive into a kind of family sound, you might be very, very disapointed.
Some of the early designs could be nice cabinets to build a speaker from, but are no finished product if you expect HIFI. They were made by talented design artists, but no solid acoustics engineer was present or taken serious. People bought them, so "Quale problema?" (what problem?). They look good and expensive, so don't talk about such triva like sound. If you do, there is no cable or tube pre-stage that can fix a 7dB hole in a response just to give an example. The rule "it was freak'n expensive once, so it must sound good" is not always right with SF. Ask your wife how comfortable it is to carry a 5 carat diamond on her finger. She will accept the inconvenience if you buy her one, you can be sure. See some SF from the same perspective...
The tollerance of audio reviewers for "individual sound signatures" is quite high if you place double sided color pages inside their magazines.

 

[Penelinfi]

Other potential options

 

[analogonly]

Audition the different Revel bookshelves.

 

[dualazmak]

Audition the different Revel bookshelves.

Yes, let me add "different modern and SOTA classical/vintage bookshelves".

I too have been much impressed and fascinated by Sonas Faber SPs for long years mainly because of their craftsmanship-built and aestheticism, but after having my own so many audition sessions to them at various audio shows and HiFi audio shop listening rooms as well as personal gorgeous listening rooms of my audio-enthusiastic friends, I have been always returning to my rather vintage HiFi bookshelf fully converted into "active" in my present audio system (ref. here for the latest setup).

 

[Wolf11Man]

A speaker in a taco shell, an delicious idea. The other ones look a little creepy.

 

[Penelinfi]

Forgot these guys, slightly more "normal" but still with some interest

 

[Wolf11Man]

They design medium quality speaker from medium priced chassis and then take some CNC'd Italian wallnut and glue it on the side walls. I would call the idea revolutionary.
Look at that center speaker, a true marvel in Italian design. Makes me think of that chunk of slightly used soap we have in the guest room.
At least the cladding does nothing bad to the sound. Maybe even a 0.965% improvement in sound. Don't beat me on the last digit.

 

[MarcT]

Wharfedale Aura 2 looks at least decent and gets some good user reviews. Not sure of any quality measurements.