Sonus Faber Olympica III Audition

H

Hiker

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Messages
201
Happen to vist my local Best Buy today so dropped into the Magnolia store to see what was going on. The reps were just finishing positioning a new pair of Sonus Faber Olmpica III speakers so I took a seat and begin to listen. They had also positioned a new pair of B&W 804d alongside the Sonus Faber Olympica III and were comparing the sound. Each speaker has a similar driver arrangement.

The cabinet work of the SF was superior to the B&W but I preferred the sound of the B&W. Neither had the resolution and detail of my PMC speakers.

They wanted $6,500 for the B&W 803d and $15,000 for the Sonus Faber Olympica III. For the latter, that is a lot of money for a fairly diminutive speaker.
 
Thanks for the comments. PMC speakers are excellent. I heard them at RMAF and they were one of my favs.
 
I wonder what you'd think after these have had time to break in. Also, do you know what they were being driven by?
 
Lunchy said:
I wonder what you'd think after these have had time to break in. Also, do you know what they were being driven by?
Click to expand...

Both speakers were considered broken in. Powered by McIntosh MC601 and C50. Source McIntosh MCD301.
 
Lunchy said:
Ah okay, describing both pairs as "new" threw me. :) Are you also driving your speakers with McIntosh equipment?
Click to expand...

McIntosh, of course. Their linear performance at all SPL levels compliment transmission line full/extended bass performance at low to moderate listening levels.
 
My Babies are Here !!!!

Ohh !! the Smell of pure leather is intoxicating
The Craftsmanship incomparable
The sound incredible

I'm in love

:D


IMG_8462.jpgIMG_8464.jpgIMG_8465.jpgIMG_8466.jpgIMG_8467.jpgIMG_8468.JPG
 
McIntosh, Sonus Faber and Best Buy in the same sentence. A few years ago never would have seen that.
A sign of the times for these brands.
 
McIntosh, Sonus, and B&W 800 series are only available at the Magnolia Design Centers and have been for a number of years.
 
Beat me to the punch here as I was just about to start a similar thread.

I too spent some time at a new Magnolia in NJ on Saturday. I got to hear first, the MCD301 > C50 > C601s into the B&W 802Ds. This was my first real experience listening to Mc gear and I was amazed, but then at $8k per amp, I better have been. I went on a bored whim while at my in laws so I did not have any of my music. As usual, they had a pile of crap to improperly demo these babies, but the guy had a compilation that the guy from B&W left him with several different tracks. I keyed in on a Joe Bonamasa cut since he was the only familiar artist.

The music just oozed effortlessly out of the 802s and the imaging was awesome. The room was heavily treated, but still several other pairs of speakers to hinder. I really liked what I was hearing, but there was someone in the next room looking at an HT setup with the sub rumbling for a time.

We then started talking about the newer Rotel gear they were now selling and how affordable it is for the sound. I am unsure of the models, but it was a CDP-Pre-Amp driving the B&W 803Ds. It was unbelievable compared to the Mc gear how the music seemed to struggle to get out of the speakers. Even my 20 y/o Hafler-Stratos combo has more life and balls. I guess at a small fraction of the Mc gear, and if you never bothered to listen to the Mc gear, the Rotel setup probably did sound decent.

Then we switched over to the MCD301 - C50, and the 301 amp using two channels driving the Olypica IIIs. I knew the bass would be lacking, but the mids were fine as expected. Very nice speaker indeed, looks and sound. Not so sure the price difference between them and the 802s is equal to the sound, but I would take either if I could afford them.

I did not get to hear any of the Tubed Mcs and need to now that I understand why the cult following of McIntosh. There was absolutely nothing to dislike about what I listened to besides the setup costing more than my new car :)

Not so sure how much of this gear that BB will sell, but the sales guy said he has sold a few pcs since they redid the place a few months ago.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top