Sonus Faber

I get to spend my summers with a pair of Sonus Faber Cremonas. They, along with a Cary SLI-80, come with the place. I'm not at liberty to move the furniture around too much here, nor do I really desire to, but they're probably not set up optimally. That said, I enjoy them quite a lot. As someone mentioned upthread, they do seem to shine with acoustic music, female vocals and the like. However, when I run one the elliptical machine I crank them to Billy Idol, the Doors, etc. and they can rock quite nicely. I feel like I could easily live forever with them.

 

I have Sonus Faber Concerto, Concertino, Solo surround sound system and to me it sounds fantastic. The finish and quality especially the piano finish and the fine leather (not sure if its real) is special. I prefer the softer sound of silk tweeters and there is no need for a sub even though I have an REL. I bought the marble floor stands (1/2 price). I have been extremely happy with the speakers even though I have a Sony STR-DE 1075 driving them which I plan to replace soon.

 

All depends on what you like. Wilson makes an excellent speaker but I'd take these Ellipsa SE's or a pair of Strad's over anything Wilson makes. Just my preference. I'd take an Aston Martin over a Ferrari any day of the week too. Doesn't mean a Ferrari isn't an awesome car, I'd just rather have an Aston. At that price level, you have to find what you love.

 

I remember hearing a pair of Sonus Faber speakers and an amplifier (separately).

The speakers were something like this (can't remember exactly the model but the desing and shape was similar)



The sound was good but a bit too polite, IMHO. Lacked balls, in other words

I remember thinking "I can't really rock with these ones"

 

I haven't heard Thiels for five years, but based on how things were, if you're considering both Thiels and Sonus Fabers, you have a split personality.

I like the .5 and 1.5, but the higher end models are too bright. And you need a lot of power.

Sonus Faber never sounds bad. Very smooth and beautiful. I can't comment on accurate but it's a very pleasing sound, even their smallest ones. Like there is no distortion at all. I'm not sure I'd want them as mains, but it would be nice to have a switch on your stereo that says "Sonus Faber" and would make things sound like Sonus Faber for a while.

 

I was a happy owner of Sonus Faber Grand Pianos for many years and it's still to me a fantastic speaker for it's money and size. So naturally I auditioned the newer and higher end SFs. I was really disappointed in both Cremona and Amati's colored sound and I listened to both in different home systems. They simply cannot rock. I never auditioned Stradivari but was utterly disappointed with Ellipsa at the dealers. The same dealer had Vienna Music that just blew it away. And he had B&W 801 that sounded just like music should sound. That was the end of SF in my book.

 

Well I must have heard close to a dozen Sonus Faber systems now. They have been driven with all sorts of things - Krells, Levinson, Audio Research, Conrad-Johnston, Musical Fidelity, and more amps than I can remember. I concur with the general feeling of this thread - they sound soft, never harsh, and quite pleasing to the ear. Unfortunately - they also lack excitement and macrodynamics.

 

Generall speaking, people choose speakers based on their musical preferences. People who are not interested in any kind of music beyond rock are unlikely to go for Sonus faber. Which is OK, as hifi is a broad church.

However, perhaps it is worth mentioning that Sf as it is now has little to do with the old SF, when all speakers were designed by Franco Serblin. At some point in 2005 he sold Sf to a group that owns Audio Reasearch and what not. Serblin has since set up a new company called Ktema:
http://www.francoserblin.it/home.php?lang=e

Basically, Sf before and after 2005 are two different companies, not unlike Krell w/ or w/out D'Agostino, or Mark Levinson w/ or w/out the man himself.

 

And this is what makes this hobby bizarre - although Sonus faber seems to have been the same company all along, it is not. Similarly, those who listen to rock only, have very different ideas about how a speaker should sound from those who actually listen to instruments like the lute or perhaps female vocals like Maria Callas. On the surface, they are all hifi enthusiasts, but underneath that facade lies a rift.

 

Actually, I am 100% classical. But I still don't like Sonus Faber.

 

I did not want to imply that Sf speakers are meant for classical. My point was that they are not ultimate rock speakers, but rather targeted at a different audience.

I actually agree with the opinion that they somehow try to make music nicer than it is, although in my book that is a lesser sin than analitical presentation.

 

Before I got my KEF i auditioned the Amati Homage Anniversario and I did not like them at all.

 

While we're on the subject, how do you pronounce Faber? Is it Fabe-er? Fab-er? Or Fab-air? Please pardon my ignorance.

 

More like Fab-air - I am VERY happy with my tiny Toys. on good stands with proper cables and a M3 Musical Fidelity amp they deliver the full range of a natural recording. Playing Atlanta Rhythm Section - PARTLY PLUGGED a 25 anniversary recording I am more than happy with the way they sound. Acoustic lead guitars, vocals piano, bass + drums - all exactly like you would expect it to sound and I don't even got my 2 sub-woofers fired up. There is an airy mellow nice touch to the music BUT besides that I get what i want from these speakers.
I listen to electronic music, Rap and a LOT of Reggae & Dub as well as opera, piano, classical symphonics or chamber music.
Even AC/DC Hells Bells reminds me of how they sounded in early september 1979 at the Zeppelinfeld in Nuremberg standing less than 15 meters from the Marshall stacks on the left hand side of the stage.
Drums sound explosive with the right subwoofers and best of all is the way the instruments are placed in the imaginery sound stage.
A fine combination-with Tubes they even sound much more grown up with extended bass whoomp - EL 34 15 watts and Miles Davis + Van Morrison seemed to be in the room with me..not to mention HOPE by Hugh Masekela - coal train impressive
Great speakers esp. for the little price tag !

 

I own a pair of the Sonus Faber Concertro Domus speakers and have been quite pleased with them.

 

Guys,

do you prefer Tubed or Solid State electronics w/ your SF speakers?

 

I've always liked Sonus Faber sound in general, and they are some of the prettiest speakers out there IMO. I haven't heard the very best models such as the Stradiveri, but I absolutely loved the sound of Cremona M's I had the chance to listen to.

 

Depends on the Speakers and the Amp.

Using the new Ellipsa SE's and they sound fantastic with both the SS amps I've tried as well as the tube amps. They have a particularly synergistic sound with the ARC REF 150...

 

I've auditioned the Liuto, there nice looking speakers, but for the money I can do better. The sound was kinda warm, with some nice detail. I just could not justify the price for them, for what I was getting.

 

What speaker did you like better -Wasatch?

 

I have a pair of Sonus Faber Gand Piano Home hooked up to a Tandberg TR 2075 in one room and a pair of Concertino's paired with a Rel Storm 3 in another room hooked up to a Marantz Sr 8002. Have had them since 2003 (Concertinos) and did listen to many other brands before choosing the SF. I could of lived with a lot of the other speakers I auditioned but the SF just stood out in my opinion. I love the way they image and the abitlity to "see" into the recording(if that makes any sense). Im very happy with their tonal balance also. I did have them all hooked together along with a Solo center channel in one room until a move forced me to hook them up as above,

 

My Thiel 7.2s are not bright. They measure flat in my room except for slight bump at 38hz, which I have corrected with room treatment.

"Audiophiles don't like flat" "Audiophiles don't want flat"

 

I compared a pair of Cremona floorstanding speakers (can't remember the name) and went with B&W 803D's. I've upgraded both turntable and amp since then, but I have never felt the need to replace the 803's. But, about a year ago, I saw a pair of Amati Futura (?) speakers that were just beautiful and sounded magnificent. I wasn't sure that a MC2000 with 130 w/channel could manage them, and the price in Japan is about 80% higher than in Europe, so I passed. Maybe I'll look into buying a pair and ship them myself . . . . .

 

Futuras are incredible. Beautiful too.