Finally, "Affordable" Luxury HIGH-END Audiophile Speakers - Sonus Faber Lumina 1 Speaker review ! 

Hey mate, are those tripod stands SolidSteel? They look sick!

@@trun1979 yep ! they are in the descriptions for you to check out

@Jay, what happened to your Hegel ?

Lumina 1s or your Tektons?

There are audiophiles out there like us, we do exist, we do not try to impress ourselves and others by claiming the purity of the signal is only a direct one-way copper wire, long live the tone controls !

I leave my amp on direct mostly, but there was one speaker pair that worked perfectly with a reduction on the treble control. Otherwise I use the DSP on my computer. But that's mostly for bass resonance in the room

The Sonetto has real leather but it’s also around $2k. There is no way you are getting leather on $900 speakers.

@@jdavis234 My Concertos were 2k 25 years ago and they still used “Naugahyde”.

Does the fake leather on their speakes last or it tends to disintegrate with age?

Surprisingly, they look just like the day they did when I bought them. There is not one bit of evidence of breakdown or disintegration of the naughyde on them. I might add as well that the stuff doesn’t look fake or cheap. They did a good job with it. At least Sonus Faber used good quality materials. Still for the price that they cost, especially in 1997, they should have used REAL leather. If you have your eyes on a pair of these speakers and are able to get them, you won’t be unhappy! Cheers

Tubes.

I will attempt a reply for you, yes the Sonus Faber are a fantastic match for a smaller room, I use a walnut set paired with a Pro Ject DS3 amp and a Tivoli CD player, it’s great micro system with crazy great sound. I would definitely start by just getting the speakers and try them before you get a Sub, as bass on the Lumina 1 is SURPRISINGLY punchy and strong, irrespective of paper measurements! Hope this helps and All the best!

I just listened to them against the Wilson Audia Sabrina X's. They sounded absolutely fantastic!! Super crisp and clean. For my taste I'd have to add a sub, but that's my taste.

Belles Aria should be a fine match for the Lumina I and II.

It’s rated for 4ohm speakers and lumina needs 30watts minimum so yes.

they do. there are two stands I linked. look more carefully

@@Jayiyagi Thank Yo ... I have discovered tham in the next row

You are not in a studio. Many audiophiles choose to be their own artist and master of their systems that THEY enjoy. If you like a reference sound, then thats also an option. But remember, you will never know what it actually sounded like unless you were there during the recording. Also, did you know most of your music is not monitored through a flat speaker but what the engineer is used to or find it pleasing and accurate to them? Think about it. Why have so many studio reference monitors when engineers can just use a simple speaker that has the most neutral property? Cuz we are creatures with unique individual preferences The re is no wrong here. There is no “have to” or “must” Measurement extremists in this hobby thinks that its everything and that they are being extremely scientific. But thats already failed science ! You are measuring gear with gear which is already flawed when the end result is not the gear but the listener’s (YOUR) enjoyment and preferences. YOU are the subject of this experiment and only thing that can measure it is your experience to find your own preferences. It is more about complex neurology than simple measurement of the noise floor or frequency response of a gear. To that point; many enjoy recordings from their childhood or music they have emotional ties to even tho some are poorly recorded. It is NOT about measurement of gear. The subject is NOT gear, it is YOU; the listener

@@Jayiyagi I'm pointing out that the logic is bad concerning the need to use natural materials and wood because instruments are often made of wood. I'm also pointing out that I don't think it serves users to add coloration because it's like adding tint to a TV or seasonings to every food. Genre specific speakers, or colored speakers are not worth it for people who could get a good pair that plays across genres. There arent many people who choose to re-color grade their own TV, or tint the picture. Sound is similar but many aren't aware of it as they just see a bunch of subjective reviews and eternally upgrade or ask things like if a speaker can play a certain genre, not knowing that good, majority preferred speakers that play across genres without issues are available. Studios have speakers that lean neutral, yes, sometimes a few, and also sometimes colored speakers. If they are familiar with how a speaker translates they can make a single speaker pair work. Even better, they can actually have one accurate pair and it will sound as good as it can across all colored speakers because the music won't have a peak or other frequency response issue that lines up with a notable peak on a set of colored speakers.

@@stevenswall I used to work in studios and my background is in neurosciences, heading many research teams regarding human hearing. I can tell you with confidence that your hearing does not work like your vision and how you see color in many aspects. I can also tell you with confidence that Measurement of "gear' is not absolute. Don't get me wrong... it still matters but it is faulty and nothing close to scientific. Start measuring how the human brain reacts to certain stimuli is the only science that matters when it relates to stimuli.

@@Jayiyagi Sounds like we're talking past each other. Of course hearing and vision work differently. That was not the point. I don't think studying the brain as it's stimulated is the only way to develop the art of things relating to sight and sound, or other sensory experiences. Most people can understand and accept color accuracy, yet many seem to shroud the science of sound in mystecism and subjectivity. The latter can be useful in a review, but it's all too common for reviewers not to force themselves to rank things, or to insist that every speaker has a place.

@@stevenswall I guess if people are reviewing speakers by personal preferences, then they really shouldn't be saying things like "it has better bass" or "it's more detailed". Because does it really, or is that just that person's perception?

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Yes

@@Jayiyagi thanks

The lumina 1 bass rolls off quite early and they have a slightly raised treble for a bit more life in the sound even so they are a warmer sounding speaker for sure.

@@PursuitPerfectSystem a bit more life? So everything has to bright in 2021?

I disagree. Not sure how you came to that conclusion but each to their own. Sounds like Focal, magico, b&w speakers may be your thing ! try those out.

I don't like the sonus faber sound, are any of them decent? Sounds like what you are asking Fortunately for you, I've heard (verify!) that more recent models are less warm, so perhaps you might like them. OTOH sounds like you should pick a brand who's sound is more to your liking. No shortage of what I'd consider bright/detailed brands which I'd guess would be more to your liking.

@@Jayiyagi Audiotioned them and they came across this way... dull and boring. As you say they look nice, thats where the budget went presumably... thanks for the recommendations BTW, I really must check out Magico 😀

Says someone who can’t afford them. Troll

Yes. One should be alarmed by that 84db when matching with an amp.

They will eat your amp unless you’re tossing in gain.

Of course there is, but it would be less obvious as everything requires more sensitive listening and quiet environments :)

I do love the totem speakers and I mention totem speakers in this video as well

I own the ma252 and really like it. Power wise it has good control. I would think it would do the job. I have not heard the klh 5 but I own the vintage model 6. IMO the 6 is a good match,it'll need a good sub. I'm a big speaker guy but if I had to scale down I could easily live with the 6. It sounds bigger than it is and images better than my double impacts.

@@donnystrife1908 model 5 is 90db so you would think 100w would be more than enough, especially since I don’t like listening at real loud volumes and my room isn’t too large

@@matthewchrist9082 No problem

Hi Gary. Did you buy the V towers. How are they? Would love to see reviews

In the description!

Solid Steel is the manufacturer .... made in Italy.

Expensive things but they are supposed to be good I guess

I have owned the SF toy in the past 10 years ago! Super excellent speaker, comparable to the Lumina Ones. If you own a pair do not let them go!

Always when i compare them, Dynaudio is sounding like a good machine, Sonus Faber like a good Instrument. Its up to you, i prefere the Instrument

yes !

@@Jayiyagi What about H95, can it drive them well?

@@razkaku7851 Totally

@@paulgolub6823 I currently pairing it with my Evoke 10 and feel it lack of power to control the bass 🥲

Hi Antonino, I am searching a good amp to associate with my Lumina 1. Do you have any suggestion?

@@acarrado atoll 👍

@@antoninoruggeri4312 Thank you. In80 is powerful enough ?

@@acarrado yes I think it is enough 😉

Actually the lumina in my opinon

Presonus is an American company. Sonus is just Latin for 'sound'.

I think what you are describing is the PAST sonus faber speakers. I feel the same way about the past speakers, the ones made today are a lot more forward and lively.

@@Jayiyagi How far past? I listened to several about a year or so ago. Not bad at all of course, just not involving to me. They were set up in professional listening rooms at high end place not far from me, popped in to listen them, Wilson's and some others. I recall well when SF came out, and thought then they were some of best looking speakers I'd ever seen and had very high hopes for them, and was not impressed. Looks wise, SF can't be beat, sound wise for the $? Not so much... :)

I understand SFs can sound a little too relaxed.

@@willbrink same here. They make great statues

@@madcrabber1113 😄😄

i have Naim Atom. The first set was with Lumina I (there was no Lumina II at the time) as the room is 25 sqm. Amazing result. With the advent of the Lumina II, I purchased it and the result wasn’t worth the extra cost. Lumina I manages perfectly even in a larger room. The new owner of Lumina I listens to them in the 33 km.m room and is very satisfied. This would suggest buyers consider the size of the room before deciding which model to buy. Sure, it won’t get any worse if you have a Lumina II, but you really don’t have to overpay.

@@vidaswidas How far can you sit away from them before the sound loses body, SQ, etc? Some small speakers are better nearfield, some further away; it's rare to have a speaker do well in both nearfield and say 2-2.5 meters away, or a bit more. My room is about 288 sq ft or 26.8 sqm.

Under Serblin...

@@juanmillaruelo7647 Franco Serblin was an Italian entrepreneur and designer, known for founding Sonus Faber and popularising the smooth form which is imitated by many designers today. From Wikipedia though....

Teac x10 !

@@Jayiyagi Teac X10. Thanks my man.

Posted on my soundstage playlist on this channel

There's nothing wrong with small drivers. Smaller drivers means smaller speakers and they integrate in rooms better. I live in an apartment and for others that do as well a smaller speaker is perfect. Bigger drivers would have more room interaction and be pointless for me. But yea if I could fit it I'd buy a 3 way floorstanding speaker in a heartbeat.

Elac, Wharfedale and Tekton have a lot of bass in their bookshelf speakers.

@@tcc5750 thank you for the heads up TC but the warmth I'm looking for needs to be coming from the bookshelf speakers, I'm not looking for any extra bass probably because I have stereo Rels!

@@totalplonker824 I had some Whatmoughs that were very warm. Unlikely you'll find some unless you're in Australia. But you can always disconnect the tweeter to get ultra warmth ;-)