✅ 🛒 *SONUS FABER HERE: **bit.ly/3QlTiCR* ★ *QOTD: Which non-US speaker company would you like to see more of and why?* ★ *COMMENT RULES: Please be respectful. No outside links, URLs, email addresses, etc. Violations are automatically deleted.*
The non us speaker that I would like to see your review on is Canton. I am interested in the reference 5K but would love to hear your thoughts on how Canton sound to you both! I used to own some older Canton speakers and really like the sound. Wondering how new ones sound these days with the ceramic tweeter
I've got to say, the conversations with Kristi are now a core part of the review for me. I appreciate Kristi's ability to tease out aspects of the review that may have been a bit vague or even not talked about (nothing against you Andrew!). And it's actually refreshing to see some disagreement between your perspectives and hearing how you tease out those differences really helps in understanding the product. The back-and-forth between the two of you is very unique in the review space!
Great that you actually listened to my recommendation! Sonus Faber is great. I have the beautiful Sonetto V and am really happy. At first I thought I'd go for the BW 702 signature because they sounded better in store, but when I was able to take them both home and compare them the sound of the sonetto was much more pleasing while the 702 could sound a bit harsh and bass lacking. Im driving them with a Vincent Sp-332 amp. Great product which is definitely recommended!
Feel super fortunate to have a set of Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor’s which happen to be the last speakers the founder Franco Serblin designed for the company. Those paired with McIntosh is heaven to me.
Just paired these with the Audiolab 9000A and they sing! In my smallish room they are really amazing. Punch way above their price. I compared with other highly rated speakers a fair bit more expensive and these were way more engaging. Glad to see these getting the attention they deserve!
I'm like Kristi, I love the Luminas II...Clean no hard base for me, beautiful design 😍 I respect and appreciate your work, I identified and can relate.
Wow... Impressive feedback. Rave review from both you and Kristi are rather rare... Must be truly special! Good news is, it's quite easy to find in Europe. I will try them for sure! Keep on doing this post-review conversation, you guys are great together!
Definitely more Sonus Faber. I also would love to see Vienna Acoustics reviewed. Great review. The demo of SF I heard at Sumiko (their west coast distributor) was the most amazing soundstage I've ever heard.
I am very glad when some new or mostly unknown companies are shaking the hierarchy in the audio community! Some companies like KEF, B&W or Focal are so dominant that sometimes we don't even take the time to search and listen to other brands. Thanks Christie for your input!
Great review ! I’ve yet to hear the Twos but having heard both the ones and floor standing Threes I’m not surprised That you like them so much ! Sonus Faber prides themselves on workmanship and attention to detail ; one would think they would cut corners with their “budget” line but not so! They share the same tweeter as their higher end series and the build quality is outstanding like all the rest of their lines .
im new to your channel but kristy or christy said something touched my heart about highend audio salesmen which i used to be many years ago and i always treated all customers the same even if they spent money or not, my goal was to find what they really liked in sound from a speaker even if had to hookup 10 pair with their cds or records, from vandersteen , sonus faber , dali, avanguard, epos, b&w , amps creek, nad , bat vk60-75, classe ca 150, cam 350, conrad johnson , marantz to name a few, i tried to treat customers like i always wanted salesmen to treat me when i was a customer lol!! but sadly shes right about a lot of salesmen , the owner of the store tells me when we talk that not hardly a day goes by that customers dont ask about me and how im doing, for me thats priceless, just thought id share that with your channel, god bless you!
Andrew I'm addicted to your channel but I am a total beginner. It would be a huge service if someday you do a video on the meaning of all the words you use to describe what you are hearing. Dry polite warm reserved engaging forward lean bright harsh for example 😄 I know the definition of the words but I'd love to understand what they mean in the context of audio. I ask a lot i know but I've learned so much already from your channel and I suspect I'm not alone in my remedial grasp of audio speak. I truly love your channel Thanks for all you and Kristy do.
Now that I’m older (61) I need that lift in the tweeters, which is probably why I find a lot of speakers sound a bit dull. I’ll check these out for sure. Not all dealers are created equal.
....When you got to availability.... I felt it was important to note. I went to buy some, and nearly 2 months later - im still waiting. I think it'll be SO worth it. I did go for a listen demo of the Lumina 5 ... OMG. AMAZING. ( on my channel ) Love the review.. I appreciate the energy in responses you've both offered here.
I have had the Lumina V at home for exactly 1 week and I must admit that they are simply amazing for the price. Especially if someone likes listening at lower volumes, they can do it absolutely brilliantly.
@@marcelpastor3678 ...Absolutely. when I demo'd them (and I have videos of that on my channel here) ... they were SO brilliant and transient!.. Ive never really been able to hear this level articulate details and get the smooth performance .. its like the best of joth Silk And Metal.. D.A.D. is a stunning technological solution. #DaddyIssues
Hi David, I'm looking to pair my Lumina II with a NAD C368, I'm wondering if this amplifier is sufficiently powerfull to manage a consequent volume for a 25m2 room, what do you think ?
As noted in a couple of other comments, Sonus Faber are available for online sale in a number of European countries. The accessibility problem does not seem to lie with the manufacturer directly, but with the distributor/retailer ecosystem in each country. In the UK there are several specialist retailers with both bricks and mortar and significant online sales presence that are supplying SF online and carrying a nearly full range of products. In contrast, in Italy the home of Sonus Faber very few retailers are carrying the Lumina series and nothing online. It seems the Italian retailers don't in general have a volume mindset and existing retailers remain focused on the more expensive, high margin products. Perhaps this is also true in the USA. Some distributors and retailers need to rethink how they deal with Sonus Faber.
I love you two. I trust you guys more than any others. I don’t need new speakers . I have way too many pairs right now but with that said. I would be interested in these but there far away from me in florida. Closest is 3 hrs away. Don’t need them that bad.
As a Liuto tower owner, anda a previous Concertino monitor owner, I highly recommend always putting Sonus Faber loudspeakers on the final listing list. Keep safe. Greetings from Portugal.
Great video Mr Robinson and Cindy, I also appreciate the overall discussion of how this products are distributed and made accessible. Because to enforce your point I'd only encountered one pair of older small Sonus Fabers speakers if not for that particular individual selling I would have not had a chance to experience and have exposure to the brand. It was very enjoyable btw
You have never released a more timely review for me! These were already top on my list. This put me over the top. Luckily I have a local dealer in Audio Advice. Now to decide between the 2 and the 3 towers 😬. Great review as always!
I've heard the Lumina II's and agree with your review. Having the Focal Chorus 706 I see your comparison. And to your QOTD, I'd love to see more reviews of Paradigms. These have always been great speakers and have the full line from entry level to true audiophile.
Outstanding as always and I do love your conversation/outtakes. I'd like to see a Paradigm review. I've been rocking 1st gen Studio 60's & Studio 20's forever and would like to see a review of their newer speakers. Thank you and keep up the great work.
We found you Andrew and love your videos, we have been in the market for a new system and your reviews have been very helpful! We listened to some Sonus Faber’s at a local dealer, first a Sonetto Il, then a floorstanding speaker Sonetto V’s. We have been waiting to purchase while we are remodeling our listening room. I was so thrilled to see you finally review some Sonus Faber speakers, we would love to know what you think of more of the line! The Sonetto’s and the Olympica Novas in particular. We are looking at floorstanding speakers. Have you had the chance to listen to these? We fell in love with the sound, the musicality of these speakers, as well as the craftsmanship. we are not expects by any means, but something about these really speaks to me. Thanks!
Really liked the Sonus faber introduction to this channel but you made the point: I live in the same city they're built (Vicenza, Italy) and even here you cannot find them so easily; despite that, they're respected as the holy grail of audio. Quite a shame IMHO
I can't wait to get them. They are on the way. I am coming from a 150$ a pair home theatre speakers.. :) It's going to be fun. Got a 920 EUR deal shipped from Italy.
I agree with your point regarding availability of Sonus Faber speakers. Online availability for their entry level products would expose them to a greater audience and likely bring them new customers. I am fortunate to have a nearby dealer, and a really good one. They have been there for me for over 25 years, and I have always been treated with respect. They never balk when I ask to audition a product, even though they know I can't afford it. They have saved me money when I inquire about a product that is not an upgrade to my current gear. I have brought several entry level friends to them, and each of my friends has become a loyal customer. They ordered a pair of the Lumina II's for me to audition, and I can't wait for their call. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for the excellent review. I just had a demo with Lumina 2 v Sonetto 1 v Dynaudio Evoke 10. Both Sonus Fabers blew the Evokes out of the water. The Evokes left me completely cold, struggling with bass and midrange expression. The Sonettos have a bigger sound, and the curved wood is gorgeous, but surprisingly I found the Lumina 2s better all-rounders. Just a more enjoyable listening experience for every genre I listened to, from classical, jazz, female vocals, hiphop, to rock. Amazing quality and 200 euros cheaper per speaker than the other two.
That's a useful comment, as I have a hard time findind anyone comparing the Lumina II and Sonetto I. I thought the Sonetto would be an upscale of the Lumina line, but apparently not so much with what you say. In what city were you lucky enough to be able to hear these two models side by side ? I'm in Los Angeles and I have a hard time finding an audio dealer having the Lumina II, let alone along with the Sonetto I...
@@tbonet859 I couldn't be happier with them. I enjoy a wide range of genres from classical, jazz, indie and hip hop - all sound great to me. Some reviewers say you might need a sub, but I love the quality of the bass and it's plenty for me, though I do have a relatively small room.
Excellent review !! Details, presentation and images, all communicate perfectly !! The associated hardware amps and furnishings adds alot of mojo to this 1st class speaker review. Thanks..
Hi Andrew, great review as always! U guys seriously deserve more subs! Could you give us some reviews or insights on PMC speakers? Just found out we have a local dealer importing them.
My intention was not to provide an exhaustive list of Canadian brands. Only the ones that I have used and that I like. Brands that are not as mainstream as Paradigm and PSB. Don’t get me wrong, both companies makes great products.
Andrew and Kristi, once again you inspired me to a try a pair of speakers and they met 150% of my expectations. I have three rigs: the first uses the Heco Aurora 1000, the second the Klipsch RP-600M ii, the third the Sonus Faber Lumina II. Everything you said in this review I agree with 100% after spending a month with the Lumina IIs. They work well with all my amps: a Willsenton R8 using KT88s and all NOS tubes , a Reisong A50 using 300Bs and, again, all NOS tubes, and a Schiit Aegir. None of them show the emphasis on the high end you said could be present in the Luminas. Synergy is everything. Perhaps contributing to it is using a Denafrips Ares II DDC and a Pontus II DAC. My preamp is the Schiit Freya S running in buffer mode. The Luminas are so well balanced I only need to use EQ with the Schiit Loki Max on truly bright recordings. It took some doing to position the Luminas to achieve a huge stage and bass output as you so well described. It was well worth the effort. The icing on the cake was that the Spouse-Acceptance-Factor went up significantly with the Luminas. My choice was between the Lumina IIs and the Project Speaker 5 S2s. It was not at all easy to forego the green. I love green! I'm a fan of the Green Bay Packers. Given that, I would have had to buy two pairs of Project speakers since my second most favorite color is yellow. It was not to be. Once again, many thanks!
I really love the minimalist design. They're just beautiful speakers that would work in so many spaces. Great review. I'm really looking forward to what you have cooking for 200k.
Totem Acoustic from Canada! They seem not to be keen in being reviewed online, but have a huge following. I’m listening to a pair right now and am drawn to them, not understanding why. They seem to have a bit of magic that none of my other speakers have. Maybe in imaging and tone (I’ll call it flavour). They also seem to not measure very well, but when I listen to them I can’t stop. Would love to hear your thoughts and explanation of what you like/dislike.
Sonus Faber don’t make enough speakers to compete with B&W and Focal, hence the dealer network sales model. You can buy online in the EU and UK, but their production capacity isn’t big enough to do so globally. Not every manufacturer is interested in volume of sales, some are happy to make a profit and grow at a sustainable rate. I think that Sonus Faber have probably got it right, for their brand.
You are both bang on with getting the listeners early. My father got me a 5.1 set of Focal's for my wedding present (great, right?) and I've been a Focal fan ever since even though they are just Focal 716 tower's, still think they are second only to a pair of these Braun speakers I got for free from 1962. Get 'em early and get a fan for life! I do still think the B&W 802d3's are the best speakers I've ever heard but I can't fit nor afford them. Been trying to scratch that itch for years!
I know your approaching this from a NA point of view, but here in the UK we are able to buy Sonus Faber on line through quite a few dealers. Its only when you approach their 25K+ (GBP) offerings that a dealer visit is required.. cant wait to see if you get hold of a pair of their Olympica Novas.. beautiful in every respect.
Its the crossover point which is lower than many speakers and gives the tweeter more range before activating the other speaker, and of course the style of tweeter that SF uses. Not everyones bag but enjoyable to my ears.
I had the same experience with their Sonetto tower lineup. It surprised me how well it performed coming from a kef LS 50 wireless. I was afraid that it would sound a bit too warm but it had that treble thingy as well as you mentioned with the Lumina. I sold my pair a month ago since it was a little too expensive in the end and sold them. But it was a really nice pair. Definitely, something I am coming back to when I have everything settled.
I ended up purchasing a pair of Lumina 2s based on this review. I absolutely love them! Incredible speakers. Unfortunately, I forgot to use the affiliate link when purchasing so if Sonos Faber is watching, know that it was Andrew's review that pushed me to make a purchasing decision. Thank you!
Excellent review, thank you, and with Sonus Faber you have Chosen an excellent Brand to present. I very much liked Christy’s comment about the hard of hearing 🧏♂️ issue, as I am on this route too. Is Audiophysics available in the US? I decided for one of their models after comparing them at my dealers to B&W and KEF some years ago. Very precise (“no loss of fine detail” is their slogan) but not fatiguing.
Hi @Andrew Robinson, great review as usual. You definitely add a touch of class to the hobby. I’m surprised more individuals haven’t requested a review of the Wharfedale Linton Heritage..
I had a chance to listen this just yesterday. It just blew me away. Writing having an audition, is impossible to express how is this. Interestingly, after listening is even difficult to explain properly. It's amazing and unbelievably musical and addicting
Would love to see reviews of some Parasound amps, preamps, or integrated amps. As y'all do both music component reviews with a side focus of home theater, Parasound is one of the few companies creating pre-amps with home theater bypass and bass management for all levels of their products.
Are you planning on reviewing other Sonus faber speakers? The Lumina speakers are great, but not really the typical reserved Sf sound. Would be interesting to see your take on the Sonetto's which uses the same drivers, but are voiced completely different.
I wasn't a fan of the Sonetto 1 speakers ($1,800 pair USD) when I auditioned them last November. They felt a bit thin in the mids, and bloomy in the bass, though not particularly deep. Lacked mid-bass texture and detail. They were airy, and the soundstage was very impressive. But the rest was so disappointing...
Sonos faber is amazing. I got to listen to the nova 5's yesterday. I don't think I ever heard anything better. The sound stage is unlike anything. Absolutely brilliant. Love this brand.
I have the Sonetto 5 which are just insane sounding. I became a fan of Sonus Faber since.¸ I find it funny you compare them to Focal, B&W and Klipsch, which are, to me, much more foward and "agressive" top end. I exchanged a pair of Tannoy for the SF because I didn't like that top-end-"horn"-ultra-detail sound. Sonus Faber is much warmer than anything I tried from these other brand.... but with a good touch of fun and detail without being fatiguing. Also, Sonus Faber is owned by McIntosh Group, whcih is also not selling online unless you torn an arm to a dealer. Old mentality.
Great review👍🏽 I remember when Best Buy/Magnolia use to carry them. But B&W I think took their place. Sonus Faber are more boutique speakers which suck for us. Maybe it's a manufacturing issue. However , they are fantastic looking and sounding speakers!
Oh I didn't know this. That's very interesting and now I'm curious as to what happened with that deal. These speakers are serious stunners! Thanks for watching!
You are now ruined, and won't be able to listen to anything else in the $$ range. Went to a dealer to hear the Paradigm Founder, dealer said "...listen to these...". Done. B-L-O-W-N A-W-A-Y by the Olympic Novas!!!
Definitely good, Sonus Faber, very likeable. But hey; High End European, look into Dynaudio or Vienna Acoustics. They both have different ranges. But PLEASE look into Dynaudio Contour/ (Confidence). I have had absolute excellent time, with older Contour models and some Vienna's. Wondering if a new set is worthwhile. Nb. I subscribe from Denmark. And I love the sound of my system. 😉... but are never the less constantly questioning myself what to change or try or look for.. really appreciate your channel. Thanks. /Ulrich.
The one of the reason they are dealer only and not going mass market retailer or online web site is may be supply. A company has only so much production capacity and so can not supply the number of units that a Best Buy would need to stock each store. Also a company is going to stock it's best sales market first.
Agree - I have personally reached 4 different dealers or merchants in the area to see if they will invite the Sonus Faber- Lumina (price point product) into the stores so that people will see them and hear them. From what I hear, and only limited info from working with 1 global brand, .. the budget to support dealer network .. OR .. direct online services ... seems like it's a 'one or the other'. I wished that I had a more inside view of how the business functions ..but I do know there is a thick veil between the consumer side and the business side for privacy and security reasons. When I first was introduced to Sonus Faber back in 2017-18 - I was at a show where The .. Aida II .. were on display paired with all the McIntosh gear you can imagine (local shop named Audio Excellence hosted) ... and clearly it was a mind-blowing experience. ( where I also met William Kline, a SF Rep) .. That SF voice .. is truly stunning ..especially on the Aida. That year, Olympica Nova was launched ..and those are incredibly stunning to observe. SF makes speakers like artwork.. not just sound-producing objects. ( big thanks to Livio and Paolo ) It all changed that day .. I may have been fortunate to work with a local brand for a few years ... but I kept dreaming of Sonus Faber ...and now Lumina means I can reach that dream - On to sophisticated and a refined, pronounce sound profile. I love them and I haven't met them yet.
Great review! I just auditioned the Lumina 1 and 2 along with new Dynaudio Emit 10 and 20. If you have a big room to fill the Emit 20 sounded full and beautiful. I was surprised how big they sounded but still retaining stunning detail. Lumina 2’s highs were a bit too much for me but as you said, they we’re still in control and not harsh. My room is small so I’m bringing the Emit 10’s home to try out. They still sounded big and incredibly dynamic for such a little speaker. Interested to see how they compare with my Denton 85ths.
Xavian speakers. Italian designer manufactured in Czechoslovakia. I have a pair of XN185 which I bought in 2002 for my Naim separates. I’ve since sold the Naim (too many boxes) but kept the Xavian speakers. They are that good.
I’ve always been a big fan (and owner) of PSB speakers and I’d really like to see them on your show. Good value, good sound! Also, it seems that there’s never been a better selection of good quality budget gear. I have have a fondness for Schiit products…partly because I like their corporate attitude and of course because I like the quality…and price.
Fantastic review. In fact listing to you and Kristi say so many good things about the Lumina II speakers I had to get them. Fortunately a local audio shop is an authorized dealer of Sonus Faber. But as you went in depth about, not being able to get this brand easily. That being said I have a pair coming in the Wenge finish. Wait for it..... December 17th shipping date.
The port placement in the false stand on the speaker is a really interesting detail. It definitely makes it come across as a smaller speaker visually in comparison to the typical front-ported 6” 2-way.
Hey Andrew, found your channel today and went deep into your past videos. Really great stuff - intelligent, great focus on different price points for your audience, great delivery. Really polished and authentic. Question: Is the art work on your set/home available anywhere? I loved the piece ms and curious if you could point me to the place you bought them. Moving out of the “ posters in a plastic frame” and would love to get better works on the wall. Thanks, subbed and loving it.
Andrew and Kristi, you've heard so many great speakers now. How would you feel about making a tier list video? It could be a shared list, or one list from each of you. The personal ranking and discussion would be really interesting. All fully subjective of course.
That's kind of what we did with our Product of the Year video in 2020 which I'm guessing we will do again at the end of the year. As for a running list or a "leaderboard" - probably not.
Lumina lll's are on my short list. Your spot on with your reference to the Martin Logan. The lll's also lack in the bass/lows. My plan includes a pair of subs so it's non issue for me. The clarity of these speakers is what attracts me the most. To me they compare to a higher price point.
Dynaudio is a good one as well. Honestly, they did not come to mind when putting together my list in the opening. Ooops. Thanks for tuning in this morning!
*UPDATE: We're so excited that you can now purchase these speakers online here: **bit.ly/3QlTiCR* We still love ours and love knowing that more people can now easily try them too.
I have a question for you Kristie :) Time ago you did in the channel an excelent comparation between bookself and floorstanding speakers that came to the conclussion that nothing is simple (surprise!). Today you have compared in your ever interesting extra time these Sonus Faber speakers with KLH model 5, that are significantly bigger and, probably, soun also "bigger". My question for you is, from a purely emotional approach, in which sense are diferent the Sonus and the KLH? Is it something that you would associate to a color, a feeling, an emotion?... or it is just... complicated ;) Thanks and congratulations for the work.
I can’t imagine to buy a speaker on line because I need to hear them and have a good listening to them. The last pair of speakers that I bought were from a factory I never heard of. My dealer said you must hear this speaker maybe it’s something for you. And it was love at first listening and it was in my budget. With that same dealer I had the same experience when I bought my surround system. I was struggling to find the right speakers and he proposed me speakers of a German brand. He had the CD player that I had and also receiver that I had and still have. So I could have a direct idee how they sounded. My dealer is big player on the Belgium market. Although he is specialized in real high end he sells also good audio products on a lower price point. He has clients not only in Belgium but also in France, Germany and The Nederlands. There is brand you really want to hear and the they name is: Amphion a company based in Finland and they have a wide range of speakerlines al hand made and for every budget. I love your reviews but I don’t always agree, I have a subscription to your U tube channel. Greetings, Ludo
Strongly agree, If I have to walk into a dealer showroom to make a purchase It's just not happening for me, at that point I'd rather buy used or buy another brand new that doesn't require a dealer visit. You can order a tesla from your cell phone, the time is now.
