The last year has seen Sonus faber updating its product assortment, focusing on the attributes which initially built the brand: technological innovation, long term listenability and Italian craftsmanship.

New launches have included Sonetto and Palladio Collections, a new line of Gravis subwoofers, the Electa Amator III and the Minima Amator II.

Now the Italian speaker firm has reinvented the Olympica Nova collection.

 
The new Olympica Nova embraces the authentic values that inspired the original Olympica line while adding a substantial amount of freshly developed technology. Here you will find new drivers and crossovers as well as new cabinet structure and internal volume tuning, not to mention a fresh exterior look.

Of the seven models in the collection, three are all-new to the Olympica Nova line, including an on-wall model, a third and more powerful floorstander, and a larger centre channel.

Design

The walls of the new Olympica Nova collection are made with eight layers of curved wood, providing the cabinet with extreme rigidity. Inside the cabinet, carefully placed structural ribs are used as reinforcement to reduce vibration and to handle the overall power of the transducer’s movement.
 

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have spotted that where the original Olympica’s top panel was leather, there is now a walnut or wenge wood panel set in a solid die-cast aluminium plate.

Reflex

The outer part of the Stealth Ultraflex porting system is fabricated from a solid piece of extruded aluminium, and it is inherited from Sonus Faber’s Homage Tradition models.

Apparently inspired by sea waves, the system facilitates airflow through the duct while controlling its speed and reducing distortion-causing turbulence.

Organic

Meanwhile, at the front baffle comprises of hand-finished natural wood, enhancing the entire enclosure.

 
Naturally, it wouldn't be Sonus faber if there wasn't some genuine leather featuring on the product. Here it is applied around the woofers. As per Sonus faber tradition, the leather is applied by hand in the brand’s Vicenza production facility.
 
The organic, asymmetric shape of the cabinets allows for versatile positioning of the speakers for efficient bass response tuning in any room. Additionally, the lack of flat and parallel walls improves enclosure performance.

Finally, the wholly redesigned supports (bottom plates and stands) are crafted from solid aluminium billets and paired with steel spikes, guaranteeing increased strength and solidity.

Sound Technology

The new Olympica Nova collection merges tradition and innovation, featuring advanced solutions that enhance Sonus faber’s trademark performance.

 
The tweeter features the DADTM technology (Damped Apex DomeTM) on a 28mm silk dome diaphragm and a magnetic motor system that integrates “Neodymium Cap Design”. Furthermore, the arch and the ring of the DADTM system have been redesigned and obtained from a solid piece of aluminium die-cast.
 
The midrange and mid-woofer transducers are both tweaked versions of those used in the Homage Tradition collection.

Following the traditional Sonus faber structure, air-dried, non-pressed blend of cellulose pulp and other natural fibres Kapok, Kenaf gives the cone a slightly rough surface of varying density. That characteristic reduces resonance, guaranteeing a natural sound with increased transparency and detail.

Additionally, the die-cast aluminium basket is designed to allow maximum rigidity and airflow, enhancing detail.

The moving coil is made with CCAW (Copper Clad Aluminum Winding), a special copper alloy that reduces moving mass and improves dynamics and power handling. Also, the Phase Plug is made of aluminium with a copper ring, helping to eliminate intermodulation distortion and enhance micro-dynamics
 
The woofer features a cone constructed of two sheets of cellulose pulp encased in a hi-tech syntactic foam. This low-mass, high-rigidity sandwich provides fast and powerful sound reproduction while allowing total coherence with the mid-high units.
 
Finally, the cross-over network implements Paracross Topology, making it less sensitive to radiofrequency interference, improving transient response and lowering noise floor.

The filtering topology of the entire line features new exclusive Clarity Cap capacitors, customised for Sonus faber.

Hear the Sonus faber Olympica

If you are at RMAF, the new collection is available for viewing at the Red Rock 1 Room, Colorado Ballroom, Level 3 of the Convention Center.

Price and availability

Olympica Nova V, III, II, I will be available worldwide from September 2019. Olympica Nova Center II, Center I and Wall will be available from October 2019.

• Olympica Nova I: £5,950 per pair (optional stands £995)
• Olympica Nova II: £8,950 per pair
• Olympica Nova III: £11,950 per pair
• Olympica Nova V: £14,900 per pair
• Olympica Nova Center I: £4,500
• Olympica Nova Center II: £6,500
• Olympica Nova Wall: £3,500