Sonus Faber’s many new Sonetto G2 loudspeakers
By Jason Victor Serinus
In a large Atrium showroom, Sonus Faber introduced their five new Second Generation (G2) Sonetto loudspeakers. Though I didn’t have an opportunity to audition any of the new models which comprise the company’s most affordable and popular series—speakers that are priced far, far lower than Sonus Faber’s Suprema flagship ($750,000/pair—I was privileged to end up face-to-face with Florian Marmisse, the acoustic engineer who designed the line’s drivers and crossovers.
G2 models I saw included the Sonetto I ($1999/pair), II ($2749/pair), III ($4499/pair), V ($6499/pair), VIII ($7999/pair), center channel ($2499/pair), and wall mount ($1499/pair). After noting that the speaker’s characteristic lute shape is intended to optimize sound dispersion, Marmisse said that the Sonetto line includes technology trickled down—way down, I presume—from the Suprema.
The white midrange paper cone is intentionally not dyed to keep sound and elements as natural as possible, and the midrange’s Camelia shape helps extends its range and lessen distortion. Sonetto baskets are also more organically shaped than in previous models, and there’s a new concrete base to provide superior stability and better vibration management. The Sonetto V and VIII models have cork chambers to enhance midrange resolution and sound quality. The silk soft dome tweeters utilize D.A.D. (Damped Apex Dome) technology which, in the company’s words, “refines high-frequency playback by adding localized dampening to the dome’s apex, known for causing anti-phase behavior in soft dome diaphragms.”
“The look changes as the technology changes,” Marmisse said. You can find all the specs here.