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Nice one, Erin. It was interesting to see after watching Danny's upgrade - with a nice shout-out to you. Where you showed the Woofer peak around 1kHz (which Danny also showed as stored energy and ringing - but your port measurement also showed a cancellation around 900Hz. Maybe the interplay of the Port cancellation and woofer resonance is what resulted in that nasal quality you noted from the listening tests..
Please try to test the soon to be released Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator so we can see what difference if any the changes they made to the crossover have made. Great job!
I have never purchased or not purchased any speaker based testing results. I’ve had a pair of Lumina II speakers and have been very happy with them. I’m giving them a lot of power with a Hegel h360 integrated. My room is large, has a very large soft sectional and area rugs. The speakers are not near and side walls. I have no argument with any of you test results, however in my case, I find the Lumina II to be among the most engaging speakers that I have ever owned.
Great analysis Erin. I really enjoyed this video. When I was a young man(20's) I loved boosted treble. Now I'm in my 60's and I CANNOT tolerate it. This is why I was sitting here watching your vid and thinking "this is a young man's speaker". There's always a "target market" in the design process.
as an audiologist, i can say, what you hear does not trigger episodes... most people have permant ringing that they mentally block out in order to function, oh well.@@ErinsAudioCorner
Guess it could go the other way around as well. That is if you have hearing loss in the higher frequencies for any reason you may end up liking such design more.
Before I heard the Luminas myself, I heard many people saying the midrange on them was pure chocolate. When I heard them, I was left wondering were did all that chocolatey midrange went. My way cheaper Diamond 12.2 had a way more chocalatey midrange, hands down. After seeing full spins of these speakers, now I know where the chocolate went. Thanks for reading my chocolatey story.
Hey Erin, I think you should do more comparisons in your videos. I think most people would appreciate that. Like it compares to the popular r3s, even though the price bracket may not be exact, we still appreciate that
Once I got to grips with the Lumina range, I found that they prefer interconnects and speaker cable that doesn’t have any silver content or plating. They also really sang with a good vinyl front end. The Chord Qutest also sounded good through them because of its rounded, natural analogue tone. I really like the Lumina range, I think it offers excellent value for money
1k range Elac UBR 62, Concentric = no more sweet spot anxiety. stand or sit, move a little left or right it don't matter. Front ported means it sounds like standing tower more than a bookshelf.
I wish more manufactures would attempt to design speakers that have a linear frequency response and let the purchaser decide with PEQ how to voice them. I like the bbc dip but prefer to eq that in myself to my specific taste and uses. There are many speakers I would have preferred to purchase based on looks but there wonky sound ended that dream.
I prefer the "d'auteur" sound... each manufacturer having its signature sound. If you want linear response you have Revel and most home theater speaker manufacturers.
@@net_news I have both the 126 ,226 revels as well as kef ls50 metas. If I want a boosted top end I can do that through either roon or my lyngdorf integrated. It is much harder to smooth out a nonlinear speaker than it is to boost a poor performer for a different presentation.
@@matthewfrazee3352 sure, but that's using DSP and DSP is not for everyone. If Sonus Faber start to sell flat speakers... well that's not Sonus Faber, they have a tradition and I like it that way.
I took my time listening to a lot of speakers before choosing these and two years in, I'm very happy with them. I had KEF before, but they only sang when the volume was cranked up. In my apartment, the Luminas are perfect: a rich sound at low volumes and plenty of oomph when the neighbours are out. The bass is more than adequate and I completely disagree on the brightness. I use a Rega amp which is very neutral and that sounds fantastic on these speakers. After a month or two they really come into their own. I can listen to these all day. Kef about a half an hour.
@elmowedgewood @raymoore8435 I’m so glad to read this. I’m very excited about this speakers and thinking about changing my Dali Oberon 3 for this ones but I was concerned about my amp that is also Rega, mine is a Brio but haven’t heard or read about someone’s experience with this match. I know Oberon 3 has been very good with the Brio and they may be totally different with the lumina, but my space is very small so I don’t really need a big sound, I’m looking for more refinement and exciting sound, without tiring my ears, and my concern was the highs, but with the rega brio I also thought this shouldn’t be an issue. Do you think it is worth the change?
@@dinoplativolo I don't know the Dalis, but I think you'll like the Luminas with your Brio. All the Rega amps have a family sound, so I think you'll get the same as I do with the Elex.
Wow, 4db trim is a lot of trim. Most good speakers I might adjust 1-2 db to taste but my last few speakers (from Harman) did not need adjusted above the bass (I run subs).
As Always nice review Erin! Thanks for your free content :D im interested If the new Lumina ll Amator will be more neutral. Got some Venere in my Office room, Just because theyre so a beautiful piece of Art, but sadly not as good as my LS50..
Great video Erin! You werent too harsh on the speaker for having lifted highs. I dont mind it when Its a solid speaker in most other catergories and I know I can also run dirac on my reciver to level that out. I prefer boosts over dips. Plus it looks great which you also gave some credit to. I appreciate you also talking about the time delay issue you encountered.
Sonus faber are furniture makers first sound come second! We need a collaboration between KEF and Sonus faber! Just imagine the KEF R3 Meta built by Sonus faber.
tired old ears lose sensitivity in the higher frequencies so boost there may help us to hear what was intended of the mix originally ... not sayin' its best but we probably go there anyway
Its interesting because i would rather have sonus faber speakers over kef any day. Ive tried kef on as many amps and rooms as i possibly could and i just dont like how it sounds. Its clear but not engaging, and vocals always sound like someone is cupping their hands around their mouth. Sonus faber is so warm and inviting and makes me want to listen to more music. To each their own but make sure to go out and listen in person and if you prefer a certain sound then keep going in that direction. The data is important but your ears and preferences are the most important factor i believe.
Keep in mind that not all speakers from a manufacturer sound the same. This particular model doesn’t sound “warm” at all. You might be surprised. Maybe the other SF sound that way but this one does not.
@@ErinsAudioCorner Maybe lumina is the exception then, I think the sonettos are more cold / neutral leaning based off of the time I have spent with them. Still learning my terminology but I would love to see you review some more Faber products if you get the chance too.
I preferred these over LS50 Meta in the same room. The SF are more exciting and alive than the stale metallic tone on the KEFs. Similar size, price, output. I have KEF towers in another room that I love as great all arounders.
@@FRL2000 The kef definitely do a lot well, especially if it's a larger rooms open to other parts of the house the sound will be more consistent not in the main listening position or if you are more active
Would be nice if you could get a pair of sonetto line speakers. I have considered the sonetto iiis. They didn't seem boosted to me when I listened to them at the store. Unfortunately, couldn't demo them in my room.
With all of the raving reviews, I somehow missed yours 😞. I just received the Lumina II's today and while the overall presentation swept we me away, I noticed the treble right away and like you, it was a bit too bright. I took your advise and lowered the integrated amplifier treble a hair and problem solved. Thanks for the advice!
It would be interesting to compare this to the recent "Amator" version of the Lumina 2. Essentially the same speaker with a completely overhauled crossover filter. According to some reviews it doesn't have the treble bump and overall sounds more precise.
Thanks Erin. Unfortunately, I'm not surprised one bit. I always found this Lumina line to be absolutely stunning when it comes to aesthetics and finish. I listened to some and found them to be very bright and coloured. I then noticed a few measurements from Stereophile that undoubtedly confirmed this. On the other hand, I was surprised when I listened to their Stradivari and active Duetto at a show, both sounded way less treble heavy. But these Lumina (whatever I, II, III, IV, V)... Nope. Juste nope. 📈
I can tell you a secret :) I have many times noticed that some hiend companies specifically wont let you play something outside programm material at expos. one of the reason is that they have a little trick with corrected phase and frequency so that a speaker perform better that it actually will. of course there are other things why. but yeah I wont judge from expos if not possible to put on music that I know exactly how it sounds.
Erin, I had this crazy idea. I don’t know if you will see this post or if anyone else even cares, but I thought it would be interesting to measure the speaker output of an iPhone. In my case an iPhone14. The Max size has a bigger internal speaker. I don’t have the Max. If you cup the speaker output with your hand you can significantly amplify output to your ear. It seems very flat to my ear, just no low end. You can buy phone stands with built in horn enclosures, $10 -$20. Reviews seem to indicate issues with many of the stands though.
These bright speaker may sound "detailed" at lower volumes but when you crank them up its just bright treble mush. Ive heard many bowers wilkins speakers and sound was horrible when listening louder.
Hey Erin I am writing to you for the first time, first of all thank you for making these videos I guess I have learned so much!! Here is my question, i recently bought Sonus Faber Lumina 3 because i like sparkles, running on MF M5SI Amp paired with JL E110 sub crossing over around at 70. Here is a problem the sparkles that I hear in my car and in my other speakers is missing in this one, I do hear if I get close to speakers at certain angle, how do I get those sparkles more louder so that they are audible.. thank you in advance!!! My best Sunday morning relaxing show, keep it up and thank you again!! Hope you don’t miss my comment and I get to hear something back from you!!! Best
Pretty worrying that technical reviewers are cashstrapped and "thumbs up shills" are rolling in $. Not just this industry, not just recently... Erin and others in ASR are a veritable becon.
Well, I am not surprised. Erin does not like bright speakers. I know Lumina II received rave reviews from reviewers who like bright speakers such as B&W, KLH, etc..
Hi, great video! Could the higher crossover of the “Sonus Lumina 2 Amator” version make that speaker more balanced - neutral at (dip at 500 and high frequencies) than the Lumina 2 in this video? Cheers and keep the good work!
I’ve been asked that by a couple others, but the truth is I really don’t know. I’m not sure what their intent was with the updated version. Or they trying to just change a couple little things over the overall sound signature? And I don’t trust the other reviewers to know the difference to be honest. So I would have to get my hands on them to find out for myself.
Thanks for your prompt response. A more balance (amator?) version would make for a stronger value proposition. They look great but they have to sound a bit better.
@@ErinsAudioCorner I have auditioned the standard lumina ii and I bought the Amator lumina ii and I have to say the speaker sounds more balanced for me, less forward in the treble. It is still not a neutral speaker but I *love* them and I listen in nearfield just to give context-I also run a JL d110 with the speakers.
At 8:46, any port, tube or pipe has a resonance (standing wave) by defintion. So it will and must be at least that. Very typical frequency for a 2-way system. Good looking speaker (as Sonus Faber always does), not really impressed by the performance.
@@ErinsAudioCorner I am talking about non-intentional resonances. Not about the low-end, but every tube or pipe has a higher frequency resonance. It's called a standing wave.
That theme at 14:30 seems that delay of 1.5 milisecons at 500hz show about 75-80% of phases wave in that point . In 2miliseconts you have an entire full length of a wave of 500hz hm......
Do you also have a 1mtr measurement of each driver? From what I can see, they didn't do a good job on the crossover. I've heard a set of Sonus bookshelves a year ago on an audio convention and they did disappoint. Btw. I design and build loudspeakers for over 35 years now. I don't own a Klippel setup but I can do MLS measurements.
Funny how the cheap Polk xt20 outperforms nearly all of these 'high end' bookshelves. I got mine after Erins review and having owned many other more expensive bookshelves and havent looked back
Erin! you should design a stand mount speaker in collaboration with a really good speaker designer what a great project that would be! Thanks for all your hard work in reviewing. Best wishes for you in the new Year. 😊
Plenty of shops do this, and nothing wrong with that. Toeing out just increases the soundscape, and speakers disappear way easier. Most of KEFs Ive heard had zero toe in, almost no shop Ive been to had the speakers directly pointed at the listener.
Hey Erin, I would love to see you test some of the german brand Nubert. Because everyone always refers to you and don't recommend stuff you haven't tested :D
do these manufacturers have their own method to accurately measure their speakers? You'd assume they do, but judging by many of these measurements it would seem like they don't. I'd be surprised if any speaker manufacturer saw a measurement like this and was happy with it. I don't really buy the whole "some people like it bright" argument to justify a speaker that has boosted treble response. Most amplifiers have basic tone controls, it's way better to start with a neutral response and use tone controls than to start with an arbitrarily boosted frequency range and then not be able to accurately fix it with tone controls.
I work in the industry. Unfortunately, that is actually the case. There are plenty of companies that would tune the speaker to have a specific sound with the aid of measurement. Making an acoustically accurate speaker is not the end goal for this type of company commercial-wise, it is more important for them to make something that sounds "special" and attractive to a certain group of customers. And yes, a lot of customers really like bright sound...
@@airyfidelity475 100% agree. This whole "I want he hear what the artist intended" is just a big giant myth. If people really wanted to hear that, then every audiophile/music lover would be buying studio monitors that music producers & mixers would use in their studio. Then most likely you won't enjoy that sound. This is why we have so, so many speaker manufactures. As everyones tastes & wants are different.
Sonos faber making great speakers especially for two channel stereo, personally I prefer the dyo Emit20 over this. I've listened the sonos Faber lumina ll at the stereo shop and the Chario delphinus. I was very impressed by the Chario. Italian knows doing good stuff 😊
well done! I bought my son a pair of the Lumina IV towers, they sound pretty dang good, and this is coming from someone with some of the best speakers you can buy... keep up the good work.
Maybe, it means bean farmer in Italian 😄I didn't mean anything bad about Americans by the way. Just red back what I wrote and that could be misinterpreted. Keep on the good work Erin! I appreciate it.@@ErinsAudioCorner
Wow, at last a review with measurements done and presented with knowledge! I'm tired of the subjective reviews filled with audiodumb buzzwords... total waste of time.
Pretty Good Speakers, ABOUT 2X THE PRICE OF kLIPSCH RP 600'S -- HOWEVER the Performance Curves aren't as Flat as the Klipsch. And Personally, I don't like Silk Tweeters.
One thing is for sure, SF speakers are typically good-looking, however, as another person commented here wrote, "That's what happens when people listen with their eyes and preconceptions about brands. Those people are casuals." IMO his observation is very true!
Anyone who takes a listen to these speakers, and other Sonus Faber speakers will quickly realize that they have a very nice sound and they do not sound bright at all.
Definitely not true. There are others in the comments who have said the same thing high frequency, boost. Unless they don’t count as “anyone”. But you don’t need any opinion. The data clearly shows it. I would say that if you don’t hear it, then that’s a concern. Now, if you like it, that’s fine. 👍
HI Erin. I also recently posted a rather critical review on the Sonus Faber Lumina ii. After researching some of the Lumina ii's internal components. Turns out the muddy bass bass I was hearing is in part caused by oversized capacitors on the crossover board. The audible slapping on wood sound was so predominant that I could not ignore it
Would be really cool if you could record a music sample from the speakers under test at your listening position before/after you apply the EQ, just to hear how the subjective changes sound. Similar to what you've done with your speaking voice in previous videos.
I almost bought these about a year ago when there were no decent measurements whatsoever(or at least I couldn't find any). Glad I did not. Beautiful speakers in the wood finishes but this is just not good enough, even at the sale price I saw them at($800 I think).
@@jonathandavis9507 I understand that, I even prefer a tiny treble elevation. This is not that. The only reason I see for this much elevation is a target audience of folks with declining ears. If so, okay. Most people will simply not prefer this over a balanced speaker.
This is a misleading review, Lumina tends to be bright only at 0 degree angle, which is no one ever listens to. In fact this is actually smart design, since unlike KEF R series, which sound dark and gloomy at 30 degrees, Lumina sounds just right at same angle.
No, that’s not true. It is bright even turned off-axis. That’s because of the reflections off the side walls. I discussed this in the review. You somehow missed it.
It’s why I’m getting burned out on internet RUclips reviews. It’s too much money to buy these different speakers, there’s no high end dealers in Tucson to demo this gear. And the reviewers never play any sound samples. And everyone has a different opinion.
Spot on Bradley. Factor in what a big ask it is to go to a spouse / partner and ask to raid the family treasury to the tune of a few grand and it’s perilous!
A lot of these iron speakers be geared towards old people that can hardly hear anymore we'll fall that high frequency just speaker has bad frequency response!
I just got these speakers. They are very "shouty"..... annoyingly shouty. They are detailed but most music sounds like shouting at you instead of letting you listen. Very disappointing for a $1300 speaker.... sending them back to Crutchfield tomorrow.
“Find yourself making the common mistake of spelling Sonus faber with a capital F? No worries. Since the early 80’s, when Sonus faber was taking its first steps into the Hi-Fi world, the iconic name of the brand was written as you see here: uppercase S, lowercase f. This atypical choice is not without its purpose. As the latin expression Sonus faber translates to “artisan of sound“, the focus is immediately driven to the more musical of the two words. Over nearly 40 years of loudspeakers production, our aim has always been to keep the focus on the sound. There is no room for compromise in pure music reproduction.”
This is another bad review. Just because a speaker doesn't measure flat doesnt mean it's a poor design. Most audiophiles dont want flat speakers which is why most speakers are designed to not be flat. It's the market which decides. These reviews you do are making audiophiles avoid buying speakers that dont measure flat. Speakers are designed to be heard, not measured.
I can't see where you got the "bad review" point from. Erin doesn't point out that it is a bad speaker. He clearly started that it is his "objective view". Which we all have. I would think there would be plenty of people out there that have brought this speaker & enjoy them. Otherwise if they didn't/don't sell, Sonus Faber wouldn't be manufacturing them.
If you don’t want a flat speaker, just use Erin’s data to buy a non flat FR and avoid the flat ones! What do you want? A review that recommends a weird measuring speaker just because the reviewer likes them? And as far as I know I saw Erin saying good things about a non flat Dynaudio.
I had a Klipsch RB51, a bought a 600M based on audiophiles review and WOW, what a bad speaker! This year I decided to make a data oriented purchase and bought a Revel M105. This is night and day compared to my old speakers. I had an opportunity to listen to some well measuring KEFs and I got the same pleasing sound of my Revel. For who wants to buy a speaker based on a subjective RUclipsrs opinion, I have to say, I’m sorry
@@caioferrari Erin dismisses the speakers which arent flat and praises the ones that are. People are influenced by reviews so they will buy whatever gets good reviews. Its silly to buy sometihng because it measures flat. You need to hear it and decide yourself based on what youre hearing. Dont be lazy. Exactly, Erin has said good things about a non flat speaker. So he is wrong that if its not flat its bad. The revel M106 was measured by Gr research and was found to be very bad. So i dont know how you can say its data oriented. Just go out and listen and buy what sounds good. It doesnt matter what someone else thinks. There is no such thing as a bad or good speaker its all a matter of opinion.
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Nice one, Erin. It was interesting to see after watching Danny's upgrade - with a nice shout-out to you. Where you showed the Woofer peak around 1kHz (which Danny also showed as stored energy and ringing - but your port measurement also showed a cancellation around 900Hz. Maybe the interplay of the Port cancellation and woofer resonance is what resulted in that nasal quality you noted from the listening tests..
I appreciate that your channel isn’t cheap clickbait. It’s a breath of fresh air. Thank you.
Please try to test the soon to be released Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator so we can see what difference if any the changes they made to the crossover have made. Great job!
Your subjective comments are spot on. A very lively and boosted top end.
I have never purchased or not purchased any speaker based testing results. I’ve had a pair of Lumina II speakers and have been very happy with them. I’m giving them a lot of power with a Hegel h360 integrated. My room is large, has a very large soft sectional and area rugs. The speakers are not near and side walls. I have no argument with any of you test results, however in my case, I find the Lumina II to be among the most engaging speakers that I have ever owned.
Perfectly reasonable response.
Fully agree, love mine .
Great analysis Erin. I really enjoyed this video. When I was a young man(20's) I loved boosted treble. Now I'm in my 60's and I CANNOT tolerate it.
This is why I was sitting here watching your vid and thinking "this is a young man's speaker". There's always a "target market" in the design process.
One of my patrons who has tinnitus told me that Speakers, with high frequency lift really hurt her ears.
@@ErinsAudioCornerI have the same problem, if it’s too boosted I actually get a real distortion like effect that is almost painful.
I am 60 and Have the Lumina 3 and they are great. Great mids and clean
as an audiologist, i can say, what you hear does not trigger episodes... most people have permant ringing that they mentally block out in order to function, oh well.@@ErinsAudioCorner
Guess it could go the other way around as well. That is if you have hearing loss in the higher frequencies for any reason you may end up liking such design more.
Your flow on this video was really good. Good job!
Before I heard the Luminas myself, I heard many people saying the midrange on them was pure chocolate. When I heard them, I was left wondering were did all that chocolatey midrange went. My way cheaper Diamond 12.2 had a way more chocalatey midrange, hands down. After seeing full spins of these speakers, now I know where the chocolate went. Thanks for reading my chocolatey story.
Thats what happens when people listen with their eyes and preconceptions about brands. Those people are casuals.
must say ff9 and cc are on par as alltime best rpg
rebirth would be total awesome, but highly anticipating 7 too though i dont really like the cd2
tlr with realtime battle would be more preferable as well
@@iikatinggangsengii2471 wtf
You can also put an inductor parallel with a resistor (right at the binding post) to bring down the high frequencies.
Hey Erin, I think you should do more comparisons in your videos. I think most people would appreciate that. Like it compares to the popular r3s, even though the price bracket may not be exact, we still appreciate that
Patiently waiting for Swissonic review
Coming soon!
Once I got to grips with the Lumina range, I found that they prefer interconnects and speaker cable that doesn’t have any silver content or plating. They also really sang with a good vinyl front end. The Chord Qutest also sounded good through them because of its rounded, natural analogue tone. I really like the Lumina range, I think it offers excellent value for money
1k range Elac UBR 62, Concentric = no more sweet spot anxiety. stand or sit, move a little left or right it don't matter. Front ported means it sounds like standing tower more than a bookshelf.
I wish more manufactures would attempt to design speakers that have a linear frequency response and let the purchaser decide with PEQ how to voice them. I like the bbc dip but prefer to eq that in myself to my specific taste and uses. There are many speakers I would have preferred to purchase based on looks but there wonky sound ended that dream.
I prefer the "d'auteur" sound... each manufacturer having its signature sound. If you want linear response you have Revel and most home theater speaker manufacturers.
@@net_news I have both the 126 ,226 revels as well as kef ls50 metas. If I want a boosted top end I can do that through either roon or my lyngdorf integrated. It is much harder to smooth out a nonlinear speaker than it is to boost a poor performer for a different presentation.
@@matthewfrazee3352 sure, but that's using DSP and DSP is not for everyone.
If Sonus Faber start to sell flat speakers... well that's not Sonus Faber, they have a tradition and I like it that way.
I took my time listening to a lot of speakers before choosing these and two years in, I'm very happy with them. I had KEF before, but they only sang when the volume was cranked up. In my apartment, the Luminas are perfect: a rich sound at low volumes and plenty of oomph when the neighbours are out. The bass is more than adequate and I completely disagree on the brightness. I use a Rega amp which is very neutral and that sounds fantastic on these speakers. After a month or two they really come into their own. I can listen to these all day. Kef about a half an hour.
I love my Lumina II and also use a Rega amp with mine.
@elmowedgewood @raymoore8435 I’m so glad to read this. I’m very excited about this speakers and thinking about changing my Dali Oberon 3 for this ones but I was concerned about my amp that is also Rega, mine is a Brio but haven’t heard or read about someone’s experience with this match. I know Oberon 3 has been very good with the Brio and they may be totally different with the lumina, but my space is very small so I don’t really need a big sound, I’m looking for more refinement and exciting sound, without tiring my ears, and my concern was the highs, but with the rega brio I also thought this shouldn’t be an issue.
Do you think it is worth the change?
@@dinoplativolo I don't know the Dalis, but I think you'll like the Luminas with your Brio. All the Rega amps have a family sound, so I think you'll get the same as I do with the Elex.
@@elmowedgewood thanks, I think I’ll make the jump to the luminas 👍
Compared to the KEF Meta LS50 or R3?
Wow, 4db trim is a lot of trim. Most good speakers I might adjust 1-2 db to taste but my last few speakers (from Harman) did not need adjusted above the bass (I run subs).
Thanks Erin!, So the name they have makes sense 😅
As Always nice review Erin! Thanks for your free content :D im interested If the new Lumina ll Amator will be more neutral. Got some Venere in my Office room, Just because theyre so a beautiful piece of Art, but sadly not as good as my LS50..
Thank you. Hope you make a PROAC, ATC, PMC bookshelf review soon.
Would really love to hear your take on the duetto
Great video Erin! You werent too harsh on the speaker for having lifted highs. I dont mind it when Its a solid speaker in most other catergories and I know I can also run dirac on my reciver to level that out. I prefer boosts over dips. Plus it looks great which you also gave some credit to. I appreciate you also talking about the time delay issue you encountered.
Sonus faber are furniture makers first sound come second! We need a collaboration between KEF and Sonus faber! Just imagine the KEF R3 Meta built by Sonus faber.
Having gone from the r3 to now the reference 5 . I can tell you the reference is pure furniture grade
tired old ears lose sensitivity in the higher frequencies so boost there may help us to hear what was intended of the mix originally ... not sayin' its best but we probably go there anyway
Have Any owners installed the speaker upgrade kit by GR-Research and if so how was the outcome ?
I just ordered the upgrade kit.
Its interesting because i would rather have sonus faber speakers over kef any day. Ive tried kef on as many amps and rooms as i possibly could and i just dont like how it sounds. Its clear but not engaging, and vocals always sound like someone is cupping their hands around their mouth.
Sonus faber is so warm and inviting and makes me want to listen to more music. To each their own but make sure to go out and listen in person and if you prefer a certain sound then keep going in that direction. The data is important but your ears and preferences are the most important factor i believe.
Keep in mind that not all speakers from a manufacturer sound the same. This particular model doesn’t sound “warm” at all. You might be surprised. Maybe the other SF sound that way but this one does not.
@@ErinsAudioCorner Maybe lumina is the exception then, I think the sonettos are more cold / neutral leaning based off of the time I have spent with them. Still learning my terminology but I would love to see you review some more Faber products if you get the chance too.
I preferred these over LS50 Meta in the same room. The SF are more exciting and alive than the stale metallic tone on the KEFs. Similar size, price, output. I have KEF towers in another room that I love as great all arounders.
@@FRL2000 The kef definitely do a lot well, especially if it's a larger rooms open to other parts of the house the sound will be more consistent not in the main listening position or if you are more active
Would be nice if you could get a pair of sonetto line speakers. I have considered the sonetto iiis. They didn't seem boosted to me when I listened to them at the store. Unfortunately, couldn't demo them in my room.
I know when I owned the Lumina III’s, I liked how the highs/tweeters sounded detailed and rich, but I also thought it did not sound natural 🤔🤔
With all of the raving reviews, I somehow missed yours 😞. I just received the Lumina II's today and while the overall presentation swept we me away, I noticed the treble right away and like you, it was a bit too bright. I took your advise and lowered the integrated amplifier treble a hair and problem solved. Thanks for the advice!
It would be interesting to compare this to the recent "Amator" version of the Lumina 2. Essentially the same speaker with a completely overhauled crossover filter. According to some reviews it doesn't have the treble bump and overall sounds more precise.
Thanks Erin. Unfortunately, I'm not surprised one bit. I always found this Lumina line to be absolutely stunning when it comes to aesthetics and finish. I listened to some and found them to be very bright and coloured. I then noticed a few measurements from Stereophile that undoubtedly confirmed this. On the other hand, I was surprised when I listened to their Stradivari and active Duetto at a show, both sounded way less treble heavy. But these Lumina (whatever I, II, III, IV, V)... Nope. Juste nope. 📈
Thanks for sharing! Similar impression as my own.
I can tell you a secret :) I have many times noticed that some hiend companies specifically wont let you play something outside programm material at expos. one of the reason is that they have a little trick with corrected phase and frequency so that a speaker perform better that it actually will. of course there are other things why. but yeah I wont judge from expos if not possible to put on music that I know exactly how it sounds.
Wasn’t the house sound at sonus Fabre on the warm side till a few years ago when it changed?
@@Scottlp2 There's no house sound anymore since none of the speakers I've heard from them sound any kind of similar.
cheaper speakers usually have highs tilted up to get a more "exiting" sound for regular listeners
Erin, I had this crazy idea. I don’t know if you will see this post or if anyone else even cares, but I thought it would be interesting to measure the speaker output of an iPhone. In my case an iPhone14. The Max size has a bigger internal speaker. I don’t have the Max. If you cup the speaker output with your hand you can significantly amplify output to your ear. It seems very flat to my ear, just no low end. You can buy phone stands with built in horn enclosures, $10 -$20. Reviews seem to indicate issues with many of the stands though.
Yes, indeed, I have plans to do that. I just keep forgetting to.
These bright speaker may sound "detailed" at lower volumes but when you crank them up its just bright treble mush. Ive heard many bowers wilkins speakers and sound was horrible when listening louder.
Nice grab! Was always curious about these. Not looking too great for the price as far as linearity.
Hey Erin I am writing to you for the first time, first of all thank you for making these videos I guess I have learned so much!! Here is my question, i recently bought Sonus Faber Lumina 3 because i like sparkles, running on MF M5SI Amp paired with JL E110 sub crossing over around at 70. Here is a problem the sparkles that I hear in my car and in my other speakers is missing in this one, I do hear if I get close to speakers at certain angle, how do I get those sparkles more louder so that they are audible.. thank you in advance!!! My best Sunday morning relaxing show, keep it up and thank you again!! Hope you don’t miss my comment and I get to hear something back from you!!! Best
Pretty worrying that technical reviewers are cashstrapped and "thumbs up shills" are rolling in $.
Not just this industry, not just recently... Erin and others in ASR are a veritable becon.
sonus faber has often struck me as a company more interested in image than correct performence.
Well, I am not surprised. Erin does not like bright speakers. I know Lumina II received rave reviews from reviewers who like bright speakers such as B&W, KLH, etc..
The interesting thing is that I think their house sound used to be warm, and is now as you described
Thanks Erin,, 👍🌟👍
So can you/someone offer me a better books. speaker for a 15sm room in this price range.? Something which is not a made in Asia type of plastic box?
Hi, great video!
Could the higher crossover of the “Sonus Lumina 2 Amator” version make that speaker more balanced - neutral at (dip at 500 and high frequencies) than the Lumina 2 in this video? Cheers and keep the good work!
I’ve been asked that by a couple others, but the truth is I really don’t know. I’m not sure what their intent was with the updated version. Or they trying to just change a couple little things over the overall sound signature? And I don’t trust the other reviewers to know the difference to be honest. So I would have to get my hands on them to find out for myself.
Thanks for your prompt response. A more balance (amator?) version would make for a stronger value proposition. They look great but they have to sound a bit better.
@@ErinsAudioCorner I have auditioned the standard lumina ii and I bought the Amator lumina ii and I have to say the speaker sounds more balanced for me, less forward in the treble. It is still not a neutral speaker but I *love* them and I listen in nearfield just to give context-I also run a JL d110 with the speakers.
If you search for flat sound why then dont use monitors?
At 8:46, any port, tube or pipe has a resonance (standing wave) by defintion.
So it will and must be at least that.
Very typical frequency for a 2-way system.
Good looking speaker (as Sonus Faber always does), not really impressed by the performance.
Yes. But there are other non-intentional resonances. Those are what I’m talking about. Not the ones intended to extend the response. 😉
@@ErinsAudioCorner I am talking about non-intentional resonances.
Not about the low-end, but every tube or pipe has a higher frequency resonance.
It's called a standing wave.
That theme at 14:30 seems that delay of 1.5 milisecons at 500hz show about 75-80% of phases wave in that point . In 2miliseconts you have an entire full length of a wave of 500hz hm......
Possible that is the reason of the valley there at 0.5khz
Provably a waterfall will show this sick bellringing !!!!
Yesterday I was watching your video from dayton 602x (for 10th time i guess ) that graph is quite similar to this!!!! Bright!!!!
Do you also have a 1mtr measurement of each driver? From what I can see, they didn't do a good job on the crossover.
I've heard a set of Sonus bookshelves a year ago on an audio convention and they did disappoint.
Btw. I design and build loudspeakers for over 35 years now. I don't own a Klippel setup but I can do MLS measurements.
I do not. I just have the Nearfield measurements of each.
Nice review as always. Do you think Audio Advice can loan you the L100 Classics?
I asked. Unfortunately, those are a custom order thing and not something they keep in stock.
How well would these work for passive studio monitors?
Good speaker for a warmer amp like the Arcam A25
Didn't Sonus Faber used to be known for mellow laid-back speakers? Times are a changin.
mellow, laid back, what does that mean?
No. Unfortunately, most of their recently released speakers are... Bright.
Originally years ago…
Back in the day.
@@christianrogers2355 stop acting like you cant define basic terms like mellow and laid back. Poser.
it's Sonus Fah-ber as in fabolous. The "A" is pronunced "ah" in italian with the open mouth.
Funny how the cheap Polk xt20 outperforms nearly all of these 'high end' bookshelves. I got mine after Erins review and having owned many other more expensive bookshelves and havent looked back
Erin! you should design a stand mount speaker in collaboration with a really good speaker designer what a great project that would be!
Thanks for all your hard work in reviewing. Best wishes for you in the new Year. 😊
So THIS is why I see dubious audiophile stores toeing out questionably designed speakers!
Plenty of shops do this, and nothing wrong with that. Toeing out just increases the soundscape, and speakers disappear way easier. Most of KEFs Ive heard had zero toe in, almost no shop Ive been to had the speakers directly pointed at the listener.
Not my taste for sound, but the Horiz ERDI is actually *very* good. Not sure of the price, and not sure why SF would tune a speaker this way.
Hey Erin, I would love to see you test some of the german brand Nubert. Because everyone always refers to you and don't recommend stuff you haven't tested :D
Since audioadvice are so nice, you could ask them for the Heco Celan Revolution 3 to review since they are Heco's US distributor 😀
How about Sonetto II ?
Different sound signature, not as forward.
They are different league.
do these manufacturers have their own method to accurately measure their speakers? You'd assume they do, but judging by many of these measurements it would seem like they don't. I'd be surprised if any speaker manufacturer saw a measurement like this and was happy with it. I don't really buy the whole "some people like it bright" argument to justify a speaker that has boosted treble response. Most amplifiers have basic tone controls, it's way better to start with a neutral response and use tone controls than to start with an arbitrarily boosted frequency range and then not be able to accurately fix it with tone controls.
I work in the industry. Unfortunately, that is actually the case. There are plenty of companies that would tune the speaker to have a specific sound with the aid of measurement. Making an acoustically accurate speaker is not the end goal for this type of company commercial-wise, it is more important for them to make something that sounds "special" and attractive to a certain group of customers. And yes, a lot of customers really like bright sound...
They sell a lot of speakers so somebody must like them. (Not me)
@@airyfidelity475 100% agree. This whole "I want he hear what the artist intended" is just a big giant myth.
If people really wanted to hear that, then every audiophile/music lover would be buying studio monitors that music producers & mixers would use in their studio. Then most likely you won't enjoy that sound.
This is why we have so, so many speaker manufactures. As everyones tastes & wants are different.
For a while now the trend has been people wanting to hear more detail....id imagine they made this speaker to appeal to that shopper.
I like how it sounds but yes it’s very colored.
It’s weird. I’ve read that Sonus Faber has a warm laid back sound.
Sonetto series got even worse high frequency boost
Sonos faber making great speakers especially for two channel stereo, personally I prefer the dyo Emit20 over this. I've listened the sonos Faber lumina ll at the stereo shop and the Chario delphinus. I was very impressed by the Chario. Italian knows doing good stuff 😊
well done! I bought my son a pair of the Lumina IV towers, they sound pretty dang good, and this is coming from someone with some of the best speakers you can buy... keep up the good work.
I have the Lumina 3 and they are great. I just laugh at the negative comments. So sad.
Faber not Feber or Faiber of whatever Americans make of it. It means artisan of sound in Latin.
Fabio?
Maybe, it means bean farmer in Italian 😄I didn't mean anything bad about Americans by the way. Just red back what I wrote and that could be misinterpreted. Keep on the good work Erin! I appreciate it.@@ErinsAudioCorner
Haha. I didn’t take it in a bad way. No worries!
Okay, thx man!@@ErinsAudioCorner
Wow, at last a review with measurements done and presented with knowledge! I'm tired of the subjective reviews filled with audiodumb buzzwords... total waste of time.
Pretty Good Speakers, ABOUT 2X THE PRICE OF kLIPSCH RP 600'S -- HOWEVER the Performance Curves aren't as Flat as the Klipsch. And Personally, I don't like Silk Tweeters.
One thing is for sure, SF speakers are typically good-looking, however, as another person commented here wrote, "That's what happens when people listen with their eyes and preconceptions about brands. Those people are casuals." IMO his observation is very true!
Anyone who takes a listen to these speakers, and other Sonus Faber speakers will quickly realize that they have a very nice sound and they do not sound bright at all.
Definitely not true. There are others in the comments who have said the same thing high frequency, boost. Unless they don’t count as “anyone”.
But you don’t need any opinion. The data clearly shows it. I would say that if you don’t hear it, then that’s a concern. Now, if you like it, that’s fine. 👍
Hello, I would like to pont out the possibility to measure better when having the grills on.Have you tried that?
I did. It creates more issues due to diffraction.
HI Erin. I also recently posted a rather critical review on the Sonus Faber Lumina ii. After researching some of the Lumina ii's internal components. Turns out the muddy bass bass I was hearing is in part caused by oversized capacitors on the crossover board. The audible slapping on wood sound was so predominant that I could not ignore it
Would be really cool if you could record a music sample from the speakers under test at your listening position before/after you apply the EQ, just to hear how the subjective changes sound. Similar to what you've done with your speaking voice in previous videos.
I almost bought these about a year ago when there were no decent measurements whatsoever(or at least I couldn't find any). Glad I did not. Beautiful speakers in the wood finishes but this is just not good enough, even at the sale price I saw them at($800 I think).
Not every speaker has to measure flat. It’s an intentional design. Some prefer elevated top end.
@@jonathandavis9507 I understand that, I even prefer a tiny treble elevation. This is not that. The only reason I see for this much elevation is a target audience of folks with declining ears. If so, okay.
Most people will simply not prefer this over a balanced speaker.
Nope
@@Jon-nz3dm You’re parroting the results in this review but haven’t heard them for yourself. (I have.)
I own the Lumina 1.
That's really bright for such an expensive speaker.
It’s designed to be.
@@jonathandavis9507 It may well be that way, still its like buying uber expensive sunglasses that distort an image.
Paired with tubes to balance, bingo
@@shaundavidssd I don't doubt that it may work, but its a question of diminishing returns.
I think my ears started to hurt as soon as I saw the graph.
Make sure you never attend a live performance by a rock band !
@@raymoore8435 oh I have. Metallica at the Metrodome was earplugs for sure!
Пустая болталогия, а где включение работы колонок?
Tuned for valve amps maybe.
This is a misleading review, Lumina tends to be bright only at 0 degree angle, which is no one ever listens to. In fact this is actually smart design, since unlike KEF R series, which sound dark and gloomy at 30 degrees, Lumina sounds just right at same angle.
No, that’s not true. It is bright even turned off-axis. That’s because of the reflections off the side walls. I discussed this in the review. You somehow missed it.
Is this SF line tuned by ear by a 90 year old?
It’s why I’m getting burned out on internet RUclips reviews. It’s too much money to buy these different speakers, there’s no high end dealers in Tucson to demo this gear. And the reviewers never play any sound samples. And everyone has a different opinion.
Spot on Bradley. Factor in what a big ask it is to go to a spouse / partner and ask to raid the family treasury to the tune of a few grand and it’s perilous!
A lot of these iron speakers be geared towards old people that can hardly hear anymore we'll fall that high frequency just speaker has bad frequency response!
Another company just trading on a hype around the name.🤦
Wow. This speaker is definitely not for me. Just another boosted treble screamer meant for immature ears. Thanks Erin!
I just got these speakers. They are very "shouty"..... annoyingly shouty. They are detailed but most music sounds like shouting at you instead of letting you listen. Very disappointing for a $1300 speaker.... sending them back to Crutchfield tomorrow.
Surprised you’re using tone controls and not PEQ
Depends on what I’m doing. I mentioned using EQ to tame the 1k resonance.
“Find yourself making the common mistake of spelling Sonus faber with a capital F? No worries.
Since the early 80’s, when Sonus faber was taking its first steps into the Hi-Fi world, the iconic name of the brand was written as you see here: uppercase S, lowercase f. This atypical choice is not without its purpose.
As the latin expression Sonus faber translates to “artisan of sound“, the focus is immediately driven to the more musical of the two words. Over nearly 40 years of loudspeakers production, our aim has always been to keep the focus on the sound. There is no room for compromise in pure music reproduction.”
Leave it to the Italians to build a speaker that looks pretty but objectively measures like dog crap lol.
This is another bad review. Just because a speaker doesn't measure flat doesnt mean it's a poor design. Most audiophiles dont want flat speakers which is why most speakers are designed to not be flat. It's the market which decides. These reviews you do are making audiophiles avoid buying speakers that dont measure flat. Speakers are designed to be heard, not measured.
I can't see where you got the "bad review" point from. Erin doesn't point out that it is a bad speaker.
He clearly started that it is his "objective view". Which we all have. I would think there would be plenty of people out there that have brought this speaker & enjoy them. Otherwise if they didn't/don't sell, Sonus Faber wouldn't be manufacturing them.
@@purplehazeffc Erin and others think that if it's not flat it's bad. This particular speaker and almost every other he measures are not flat.
If you don’t want a flat speaker, just use Erin’s data to buy a non flat FR and avoid the flat ones! What do you want? A review that recommends a weird measuring speaker just because the reviewer likes them? And as far as I know I saw Erin saying good things about a non flat Dynaudio.
I had a Klipsch RB51, a bought a 600M based on audiophiles review and WOW, what a bad speaker! This year I decided to make a data oriented purchase and bought a Revel M105. This is night and day compared to my old speakers. I had an opportunity to listen to some well measuring KEFs and I got the same pleasing sound of my Revel. For who wants to buy a speaker based on a subjective RUclipsrs opinion, I have to say, I’m sorry
@@caioferrari Erin dismisses the speakers which arent flat and praises the ones that are. People are influenced by reviews so they will buy whatever gets good reviews. Its silly to buy sometihng because it measures flat. You need to hear it and decide yourself based on what youre hearing. Dont be lazy. Exactly, Erin has said good things about a non flat speaker. So he is wrong that if its not flat its bad. The revel M106 was measured by Gr research and was found to be very bad. So i dont know how you can say its data oriented. Just go out and listen and buy what sounds good. It doesnt matter what someone else thinks. There is no such thing as a bad or good speaker its all a matter of opinion.
Just a bad speaker design. KEF and Revel still the kings of good FR on small bookshelf’s.
Italian speakers exist for the looks, not the sound😅
This is absolutely incorrect.
@@KtsStone80 At least the ones I've heard. What a good sounding one in it's price range?
These are pretty tacky looking to me.
Another amazing review. Great job!!
And they're also ugly imo, i don't get why people think they look nice.
What do you think of the new Amator versions of these speakers?...
Cheers...
@@orangeruffian
Never seen them
Sonus Faber is the most overrated speaker brand on the planet
B&w said hold my beer😂
seriously, that's absurd, there entry level sell do to there bigger siblings, the Aida, Amati, etc are very nice speakers
Silly comment