Sonus faber adds to Homage collection

Italian loudspeaker maestro Sonus faber has unveiled four new additions to its Homage collection, three decades after the range debuted in 1993 with the Guarneri. The newbies follow their predecessors in paying tribute to the musical instruments that inspired the collection’s creation – honouring the lute-making tradition, which has its roots in Cremona, Italy.

The four new introductions include the Guarneri G5 (5th generation) two-way standmount, Serafino G2 3.5-way (2nd gen) and Amati G5 3.5-way (5th gen) floorstanders, plus the Vox G3 (3rd gen) centre channel for home cinema setups. The four models are available in red, wenge and graphite finishes.

The company explains that the new range has improved cabinets, which now feature: “class-leading technology”, helped by Sonus faber’s 2021 acquisition of the De Santi woodworking facility – its supplier for the past 35 years. Improvements include a better bracing and porting system while the midrange and tweeter chambers have been updated and the metalwork modified to feature smooth, rounded edges, with a graphite grey anodised finish.

The Amati G5 and Serafino G2 make use of Intono, a proprietary Sonus faber technology which the company says: “addresses the drawbacks of ported cabinet and sealed enclosure designs, yet plays to their strengths”. Intono uses a midrange driver ducted into a further sealed enclosure, which is tuned just above peak pressure frequency. When the port unloads, or goes below its tuning frequency, the pressure is equalised into the alternate chamber, with the aim of reducing impedance peaks.

The Amati and Serafino also benefit from a new 150mm natural fibre midrange driver with a neodymium magnet, plus a shorter and wider voice coil, which Sf says makes for greater control, faster response and more overall force. The suspension has been improved, too, with optimisation for greater speed and control.

The Serafino’s bass driver has been updated with a new coil and spider material, optimised for greater air movement and bass extension. The entire system has been mass loaded to counterbalance resonant vibration.

Amati benefits from a new 220mm bass driver with a 23.6 percent increase in force. Two separate ultralight CCAW voice coils are implemented in a custom-formed neodymium slug featuring two air gaps for maximum speed, with an integrated heat sink for improved power handling; the Finite Element Method was deployed to give the Amati what the company is claiming is unrivalled bass performance in its category.

Sf continues: “Tuning of the Guarneri’s 150mm driver has led to improvements in control and has tamed resonance right down to 15Hz. A purpose-built neodymium motor system, combined with a new tuning frequency, allow for deeper extension without distortion. The entire system has also been optimised, balancing mass to reduce modal vibration.”

The Homage range features Sonus faber’s new hybrid crossover system, which the company claims has evolved its proprietary Paracross topology and Interactive Fusion Filtering to: “next-level status”. Hand-selected Jantzen inductors, custom specification Clarity Caps, plus Mundorf capacitors and resistors are hand soldered on custom PCBs in a bid to ensure maximum clarity, high power handling, a low noise floor and long life.

Sf also says the new Homage drive units are time aligned and phase correct on every driver: “This phase coherent driver array not only means greater impact, but considerably better three-dimensional effect for a more immersive sound”.

The Homage models also feature established Sonus faber technologies, including the DAD reference tweeter, cellulose pulp midrange cones and sandwich cone mid/bass drivers. In addition, aluminium ‘dampshelves’ are used at the top of the cabinet to increase rigidity and reduce resonance, while the proprietary UltraFlex anti-resonance porting system maximises airflow.

The Guarneri G5 has a 28mm DAD Arrow Point tweeter combined with a 150mm mid/bass neodymium magnet system mid/bass driver and claimed sensitivity of 86dB (4ohm). It costs £13,000 with its Guarneri stand an additional £3,200. The Serafino G2 has the same tweeter and midrange driver, plus two 180mm bass drivers. It has a claimed sensitivity of 90dB (4ohm) and costs £22,000. Finally, the Amati G5 ups the size of the bass drivers to 220mm with 91dB quoted sensitivity and costs £30,000.”

Available to buy now, you can find out more about the Songs faber Homage range here .

COMPANY INFO
Fine Sounds (UK distributor)

X