Thread: Sonus faber speakers. Need opinions.

Greetings to all. Great forum.
Read for a long time, but registered only now.
Have a question about SF speakers.

There were times when I owned a pair of beautiful Guarneri Evo.
But unfortunately, I sold this pair.
The time has passed, and now I am looking at new speakers.
I choose between the Guarneri Tradition and Olympica 3.
What do you think about it? What would you prefer?
I like Olympica 3 - a big three-way speaker. Good musical scale, and convincing bass.
But I also love musical presence and charisma of Guarneri’s.


This choice is not as easy as it may seem at first!


I listen to a lot of different music: jazz, techno, ambient, pop music, rock of course, and sometimes classical.
My room does not have acoustic panels, and rather complex shape. It's approximately 20-25 square meters.
If I go with the Guarneri, then maybe in the future I will add a subwoofer in system. What about Gravis?


I appreciate all your thoughts.
Thanks.

Hi Stereosignal
I currently own the SF Olympica 3's and know the range quite well. When I purchased them I was also choosing between them and the Guarneri Evo. So I know both speakers.

The Guarneri Evo look and sound unbelievable. But the new Guarneri Tradition do not begin to compare, IMO.

Personally, I would not put the Guarneri Tradition in the same conversation as the old Guarneri Evo, let alone the O3. The entire Homage Tradition line seems like a step backwards from the old Homage range, IMO.

If you were choosing between the old Guarneri Evo and Olympica 3, that would be a valid question of preference. But the choice between the Guarneri Tradition and Olympica 3 is easy: Olympica 3.

I owned almost all Sonus Faber speakers models with the exception of Stradivari, Aida and limited edition models. Currently own Amati Tradition. I disagree with digitalvynil regarding Tradition line. I extensively heard all of them in my house/system. Guarneri tradition are terrific speakers, with great midrange and airy articulated highs . If you don't need fully fleshed bass, the GT are great. I did not want to deal with subs and after careful evaluation decided on Amati. The Evos have a great midrange (rich and warm) but bass is bloated on top is less airy and extended than Traditions. The same goes to Futura.
The Olimpica line is not in the same league as Evos/Futuras and current Tradition line - not even worth comparing.
To me the tradition line is step up to the more dynamic/articulated and airy sound with better highs than previous GE and Futura models.
Those who like warmer sound( in midrange) may prefer Guarneri Evos or Amati Anniversarious or Futuras. But new Tradition line is overall better speakers. If OP listening only jazz and classical (like me) I would go with SF any time. But for rock and techno I think Magico may be a better speakers. Talk to Mike on getting Magico A3. Great speaker for the money and will sound better than any Olimpica model.

I actually agree with most of your assessment and descriptions of the differences, MyJazz123. Though I do not agree that the olympica and tradition lines are not worth comparing. To my ears, they are far more similar than different. I do not think I am the first person to say that?

A few years ago I was choosing between the O3 and GE as an upgrade from Cremona Auditor. I loved the Evo, but I chose the O3 because it did everything well and was a complete change from bookshelf speakers. And as much as I lusted for the Futura, I could not bring myself to spend the money.

So, I've made the choice the OP is sort-of asking about, and I chose the O3. That is why I say I would choose the O3. ;-)

From my experience with the Guarneri Tradition, the choice between the O3 and GT is like choosing between the O3, or the Olympica 1 with better speaker cables. That is about the magnitude of difference between the Traditions and the Olympicas, IMO. Some people might describe that as a huge difference. But its still essentially the same sound and nothing like the difference from the old Homage line.

With the new Guarneri Tradition, everything about it is smaller than the Evo. The box is smaller, the mid/bass driver is smaller and the sound is smaller. It is a great looking and sounding standmount speaker, no doubt. And it has aspects of its sound that are superior to the old Evo. But its more like the Olympica 1 than the old Evo.

TBH, I have been so underwhelmed by the step up from the Olympica to the new Tradition line that, after 25 years of SF speakers, and getting all of my family into SF speakers, and being unable to find any new old stock of Futuras, Im leaving the SF brand. I've ordered a pair of Wilson Benesch Resolutions. The Traditions are wonderful speakers, but they are not that big of a step up from the Olympica's and they just do not seem to have the magic the old Homages had. They certainly do not have the looks. Its a shame because I do love the brand. Maybe I need to get into classical music? ;-)

Originally Posted by joeinid

I owned a pair of Evos and they were awesome.

What’s your front end like? Amp/preamp/source?

Nothing yet. I'm thinking for Jeff Rowland, Constellation, Gryphon, KRELL.
Or maybe something in class D (HypeX).

Originally Posted by Mike

Welcome to the forum. I would suggest you try to find a pair of the new Sonus Faber Minima Amator II to try. They sound great to my ears.

Yea, I know this speakers. I will listen to them, thank you.

Originally Posted by digitalvinyl

Hi Stereosignal
I currently own the SF Olympica 3's and know the range quite well. When I purchased them I was also choosing between them and the Guarneri Evo. So I know both speakers.
The Guarneri Evo look and sound unbelievable. But the new Guarneri Tradition do not begin to compare, IMO.
Personally, I would not put the Guarneri Tradition in the same conversation as the old Guarneri Evo, let alone the O3. The entire Homage Tradition line seems like a step backwards from the old Homage range, IMO.
If you were choosing between the old Guarneri Evo and Olympica 3, that would be a valid question of preference. But the choice between the Guarneri Tradition and Olympica 3 is easy: Olympica 3.

Interesting.
I heard opinions that Olympica 2 sounds more clean and correctly than Oly 3.
3 ways and 3 drivers. Nothing extra.
What do you think about it?

Originally Posted by myjazz123

I owned almost all Sonus Faber speakers models with the exception of Stradivari, Aida and limited edition models. Currently own Amati Tradition. I disagree with digitalvynil regarding Tradition line. I extensively heard all of them in my house/system. Guarneri tradition are terrific speakers, with great midrange and airy articulated highs . If you don't need fully fleshed bass, the GT are great. I did not want to deal with subs and after careful evaluation decided on Amati. The Evos have a great midrange (rich and warm) but bass is bloated on top is less airy and extended than Traditions. The same goes to Futura.
The Olimpica line is not in the same league as Evos/Futuras and current Tradition line - not even worth comparing.
To me the tradition line is step up to the more dynamic/articulated and airy sound with better highs than previous GE and Futura models.
Those who like warmer sound( in midrange) may prefer Guarneri Evos or Amati Anniversarious or Futuras. But new Tradition line is overall better speakers. If OP listening only jazz and classical (like me) I would go with SF any time. But for rock and techno I think Magico may be a better speakers. Talk to Mike on getting Magico A3. Great speaker for the money and will sound better than any Olimpica model.

Thank you.
Perhaps Magico is the way... A3 is good, but what about Magico S1 Mk I?

Originally Posted by Stereosignal

Interesting.
I heard opinions that Olympica 2 sounds more clean and correctly than Oly 3.
3 ways and 3 drivers. Nothing extra.
What do you think about it?

I found the O1 and O3 to be fanastic speakers, but the O2 was lost in the middle. It seemingly sacrifices some of the sweetness and imaging of the O1, while gaining none of the weight and scale of the O3. I thought it was a no-brainer to go for the O3 over the O2.