Sonus Faber Olympica Nova II tower speakers

The new Olympica Nova range from Sonus Faber pays homage to the famous Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580), who constructed the Teatro Olimpico during the Renaissance.

The Sonus Faber Olympica Nova II speaker is the first floor-standing model in this series, offering remarkable performance given its size and footprint. Its design was heavily inspired by the flagship model of the brand, the Aida.

SONUS FABER OLYMPICA NOVA II: CONSTRUCTION

This Olympica Nova II speaker retains the "asymmetric lyre" shape of the Series 1 but further refined and more complex.

Sonus Faber offers it in two finishes: Walnut (light wood) and Wengé (dark wood). Both finishes are superb and leave no room for criticism. The assembly of 9 pieces of wood, joined seamlessly, evokes the hulls of Italian boats in the "Riviera" style.

These Hi-Fi speakers are coated with a beautiful satin varnish. A hexagonal piece of leather surrounds the midrange/tweeter drivers. The top and bottom edges are encircled with an aesthetically pleasing brushed aluminum detail.

SONUS FABER OLYMPICA NOVA II: SPEAKERS

The speakers are meticulously designed and manufactured by Sonus Faber.

The high frequencies are handled by a 28mm silk dome tweeter, the new H28 XTR3 (Dampex Apex Dome). It features a powerful neodymium magnet for perfect linearity and excellent dynamics. The tweeter's membrane is paired with a phase alignment device for reduced directivity and linear response.

The midrange driver, MW15 XTR2, utilizes a 150mm membrane crafted from a blend of cellulose fiber and natural resins like Hemp and Kapok, ensuring the most neutral and linear performance possible.

The low frequencies are reproduced by an 18cm woofer, the W18XTR2-04, with a sandwich construction of cellulose and syntactic foam.

The speaker employs a progressive slope crossover optimized to minimize phase shifts between the three drivers, with crossover frequencies set at 250 and 2,500 Hz. Components like air-core inductors, Mundorf capacitors, and silver-coated copper wiring underscore the high-quality construction.

SONUS FABER OLYMPICA NOVA II: BINDING POSTS

The binding posts are unique to the brand and this series, characterized by exemplary craftsmanship and finish. They accommodate banana plugs, spade connectors, and support bi-wiring or bi-amplification.

SONUS FABER OLYMPICA NOVA II: INSTALLATION

The floor-standing speakers rest on a stunning stainless steel base with 4 adjustable spikes. Sonus Faber provides counter-spikes to prevent damage to your flooring.

To fully appreciate the Sonus Faber Olympica Nova II, it is recommended to pair them with a high-quality amplifier. During testing, the vents were positioned inward, with the speakers placed 70 cm from the wall and over a meter away from side walls.

SONUS FABER OLYMPICA NOVA II: TESTING AND LISTENING

After approximately 30 hours of break-in, we were impressed by the expansive soundstage and clarity of the Sonus Faber Olympica Nova II speakers.

The soundstage is remarkable in width and depth, with precise and stable imaging of performers. The smooth and elegant midrange characteristic of the brand is evident.

Vocals are rich, present, and realistic, creating an intimate listening experience akin to having the performers in the room. The transparency and neutrality achieved surpass the previous range, prioritizing realism over hyper-definition.

The low-frequency performance is a standout feature of these floor-standing speakers, extending deeper than expected, particularly evident in tracks like Nick Cave's "White Elephant". Even at higher volumes, the reproduction remains articulate, dynamic, and physically engaging.

Regardless of musical genre, the playback is clean and devoid of distortion, maintaining fidelity even at loud volumes.

At this price point, few speakers offer such a fine balance and harmonic richness as the Sonus Faber Olympica Nova II floor-standing speakers. They are unequivocally our top choice!