Of the speakers in this group test, the Ophidian's are the brand that's new to me. Mojo's overall a more engageing sound. Given their diminutive size they sounded bigger more fuller than you'd expect. The bass on them dig deeper hit harder. Now I wonder what their other speaker bring to table. And if their available in the States.
Thanks for this Demo. It was a really good one and i enjoyed every minute of it. Both speakers performed well. Please keep posting this kind of video's
I've got an impression that MOJOs have somewhat more bass but the LUMINAs provide more defined and punchier lows. Also in the midrange MOJOs sounded somewhat more effortless / less strained.
Hi Terry another fantastic sound demo/comparison.i listen to lots of reviews music and with hand on heart I don't think many if anyone comes close to your work.with decent headphones it's mind blowing what you achieve.really do like those ophidian they remind me of a pair of chario speakers that I once owned bass wise.
Only listened to the Mojo by track 3. Night and day difference. Do you SPL match levels prior to testing? I only ask as the MOJO seem so much more present (not in a bad way). Like a big sheet of cloth that was in front of SF's was lifted off for the Mojos. Weird. Love your work and appreciate the time you put into these.
Of all the sound demos you've made in this group test, this is the one with the clearest winner for me: the MOJO 2. Very impressive for the size. I hope Ophidian will come up with a larger standmout model using the same double woofer concept.
For me it is clear the Ophidians are free of the glassy edginess present in the Fabers, it is a more natural presentation. This edginess many people perceive as ‘detail’ but is not an accurate representation of acoustic, analog music. This also means I would be most likely enjoy longer listening sessions with the Ophidians as they would be less fatiguing.
Huh,, way closer in sound than I could ever have imagined. In this end of the chain anyhoo. 🤔 As always Terry,, cheers and thank you again and again,, 🍻😎👍!!!
Its not really that close Irene, the Sonus sound good, nice and smooth and inviting, but the Mojo 2 open the sound right up, there is much more expression space and clarity in the music which is the sign of a higher resolution speaker, but they are still smooth sounding in doing it which is why I liked them so much - clear and smooth
Bearing in mind the Mojo 2's cost 50% more than the Lumina 1's, it isn't that surprising they sound better. Especially on the Christine and the Queens track, I could hear more clearly what was going on behind the bass line - percussion and cymbals in particular, and the sound stage seemed wider and more open. All in all, a more refined sound across the board, especially with voice/instrumental timbres. The Lumina 1's initially impress with their bass, but they sound a bit compressed to me, and muddle up the bass, mid and treble -- I don't think they're near as balanced as the Mojo 2's. Fine for a party, but the Mojo 2's seem more suited to serious involvement in the music. Any road up, that's my opinion for what it's worth.
Hallelujah, for twice the money it is not an even battle. In EU, thanks to import duties, the difference is more than 2x in price so what this has proven is that Lumina is a great value proposition. I didn't expect to ever say that :)
Hi Terry thanks again for the sound comparison. yet again your channel is the most reliable audio compare place there is. Now, i was looking forward to listening to the SF Lumina, but after seeing your review i instantly knew that they'd be underwhelming. Given their size and build, together with woofer diameter, they instantly scream i can't go deep, may not have a big soundstage etc etc. otherwise they do sound nice but they do get blown out by several others in this lineup. Do you think that they actually had a place in this lineup, now in hindsight?
Thanks for the kind words about my videos I really appreciate it. You can look at any situation in any number of ways, I think for starters some people have preferred the sound of the SF in this video which doesn't surprise me they have a warm inviting sound that I know some people will gravitate to. I try and look at the merits of each speaker for what it is and some people might not want a larger speaker, might not like the look of the LS50 Meta for example or they may still be too big and then they might not want to spend as much as the MOJO 2. The group test really is just a reason to look at a whole bunch of similar speakers making comparisons possible and this was my first SF review so yeah it was worth it :)
I took an instant dislike to the Lumina 1. It sounded thin and compressed. The Mojo 2, for a bookshelf, had a tone, warmth and clarity that meant you could listen to these for hours. Clear winner.
The Lumina has that midrange sparkle that I prefer; the mojo is very close ! The new Lumina 2 has just been released ; more in line with the price of the Mojo . Might be a very interesting comparison!
Thanks for having the SF Lumina I in this shootout. I was hoping this is what a Sonus faber speaker would sound like. I have been looking for a speaker that has this type of good tone and natural sound. It makes the rest of the speakers sound broken or distorted in comparison. Stripping the sound of its soul and character for the sake of "openness, transparency, or detail' isn't my cup of tea. I hope the Lumina III sounds just as good. I would want the bigger speaker.
Funny/strange how opinions/tastes vary. For me the clear winner is the Sonus Faber! The Sonus Faber sounds clear and has adequate bass. The bass is also tight, more controlled. Overall the Sonus Faber sounds more detailed. The MOJO has more weight and bass but sounds muddy and the voices are pushed back/dissapear behind the bass and they sound muffled compared to the Sonus Faber. That's how i see/hear it :)
Mojo wins it for me. More realistic and natural tone and image size esp on vocals. SF sounds thin and smaller by comparison. Not saying SF is a bad speaker but the sound quality of this particular model would be one I would avoid at all cost. I have tinnitus quite bad and I hear a "feathery" HF distortion (piercing) that's ever present on vocals and strings of the lumina. To my ears... it's very obvious on the "stand by me" track. Whenever I come across equipment that has this feathery piercing high pitched sound signature....it often equates to listening fatigue for me. It could very well be that the lumina is more accurate as the piercing sound is present in the recording or is generated by upstream equipment. Just saying it's a deal breaker for me. Listeners without tinnitus aren't bothered by it...ime.
I'm most amazed at how good you've got each of these relatively inexpensive speakers in the tests sounding. Chapeau! Edit: And regarding this battle, spotify vs tidal comes to mind.
Thank you for showing the SF Lumina 1, what a great sound...Now I have Sonus Faber Principia 5 floor speakers, I am moving to another home where the living room will be a lot smaller. So I am thinking buying another book speakers for the size of the room, Sonus Faber I love that sound, it goes very well with classical music, I only listen to classical music. So I think buying Lumina 1 or 2. Greetings from the Netherlands
are you sure 4k video playback has best audio ? i read from youtube that it has independant audio and video stream, audio always being opus 251 160 kbits, regardless of video resolution playback
Ophidian Audio MOJO 2 better for my tastes! Especially with classic music. The presentation more refined. But, hey... we are listening through internet... who knows in reality...
Seems like the Sonus Faber low frequency response is not as good, but the MoJo had alot of distortion most noticeable on Stand By Me. Could also be that I was listening on AirPod Pros or the Mic. Would be curious to know if others noticed this?
There is no distortion in the recording equipment or the mic or the speakers what your hearing is what's on the track very clearly - as I said in the review not everything you hear is pleasing but your hearing what's in the music with lots of clarity not being smoothed over. If there was distortion you would hear it in everything not isolated things - that is how you know the difference
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Thanks for the explanation. I should have watched your review of MoJos before I commented. Based on your reply, the MoJo's sounded better to my ears, but not for the price. Being price is a consideration, I would go with the Lumina 1's and add a subwoofer. And I am really enjoying your speaker reviews!
I like both of these designs very much, and nearly equaly. The Sonus surely has a lift in the top end, though its subtle and siky enough not to trouble me much. Overall it's the more airy and and creamy sounding to me, but the Mojo 2 has beefier bass, and enough definition and refinement to make it close. Sadly, as with the Neat Acoustics (wich I also like) they are not distributed in the U.S., wich makes both already pricey models, not such great values here. What made me laugh, is the bass drivers in the Mojo look *Exactly* the same as the drivers of the very inexspensive (but not cheap sounding) Micca RB42's I use in a small bedroom. While it is X2 per speaker in the Mojos, they have the same beefy sound signiture as well, minus a touch of mid-bass, (wich a higher quality crossover might do) and I have a strong feeling they are the same driver. The Mojo has a superior, higher definition tweeter for sure, and is a better speaker overall, but it costs maybe ten times as much in the States.
The 4" (102mm) bass driver in the Micca RB42 is not the same as the 4.52" (115mm) mid bass drivers in the Mojo although I agree there are similarities in appearance. Micca is a Chinese brand and I would expect that all their components are of Chinese origin, perhaps even manufactured in-house. If you ask Ophidian I'm sure they will give you more information on their drivers.
Thank you Paul, for that information. I actually discovered the discrepancy in the diameters of the drivers by referencing my spec sheet for the Micca's, and was about to post a retraction of my mistaken assumption myself. They do look strikingly similar, and seem to share sonic characteristics, but are clearly not the same. Thank's again.
I no longer have to retract my incorrect hypothesis that the Ophidian woofers are the same as Micca's. Been done! But I will retract my preference for the SB's over the Mojo's. Still like the Lumina 1's texture, but I think the Mojo's do have a more natural and revealing midrange, and stronger bass. Most of the LS50'S best qualities with a bit more meat on the bones.
The Mojo 2 reproduced the more detailed, spacious, dynamic and engaging presentation in eveery track. The Lumina II at GBP 999.999 would have been the more logical match-up. Extremely impressed with the Mojo 2. Unique design, UK built, excellent crossover engineered with high value components. Arguably, the best overall speaker.
I prefer the sound* of the life experiences that had, most probably, brought the designer of the Sonus to his outcome. Sounds more like Sex Drugs and Rock&Roll.
The Sonus Faber have a significantly better upper midrange and lower treble frequency response and vocals were more natural and emotive than the Mojo. The Lumina II low frequency may not have the weight of the Mojo but the bass is more nimble and articulate. I also heard more detail and resolution in the upper regions from the Lumina II.
That "Stand by Me" track is an ultimate detector for cabinet resonances or anything else close to speakers what might rattle once stimulated. Sometimes it's the radiator, sometimes it's the shelf boards, or others. With this track I almost feel overwhelmed by annoying rattle and resonances from both speakers. Is it the the stands or the top plate of the stands? I guess so. To me one more (suspected) proof that "overbred" lightweight speakers with powerful drivers inside will never work properly. Despite their strength which is (female) voices. - Where to place them, how to ever get these cabinets under control? Anyway, overall to me the SF sounds a little more realistic or neutral so to say. IMHO.
I believe the resonance you refer to in 'Stand by me' is largely the double bass on the track itself resonating. It's mainly in the recording. I personaly don't hear cabinet resonance in the Sonus Faber at all. Perhaps the slightest trace in the Mojo 2, but listen to the song on Terry's demo of the ATC SCM50's and you'll hear it in the track. You don't think those speakers cabinetes or stands create such audible resonances, do you?
@@williammiebach1798 yeah or a room resonance that the mic picks up that you don't really hear in person. The mics I use are brutal honest not made to glamourise the sound that's for sure :)
Poor Terry can't win, really. If he plays different tracks, some might complain they can't compare different videos. If he plays the same ones, some might complain of earworms ;-). For my money, it's better to be able to compare at least some tracks for a consistent yardstick. And if they're all the same, then you need lots of variety, which is what Terry has provided, God bless his little cotton socks. No complaints from me!
Sorry, but the Mojo 2 is a muddy sounding speaker compared to the Sonus, Meta, AE 500 SCM 11. Unfortunately, the Mojo 2 is outclassed by the majority of the rest of the speakers. Decent speaker, but overpriced. KEF Meta with a REL T9x, or better yet two, would likely outperform most $10k standing towers. Thank you Terry for your excellent work.
Niether. The Sonus F. sounds better over all, much better tweeter with more presence, better definition but it has serious problems reaching low with that small woofer, it sounds small, especially in classical music. The Mojo sounds bigger, more integrated but does not have the tone or the detail of the Sonus F.
I have done both and if you see what I say in the video review I bet you can hear it here. If you can't get anything from recorded audio hifi is doomed think about it
