Sonus Faber Gravis I subwoofer

With limited space in their living rooms, many people turn to bookshelf speakers. While these often offer undeniable transparency, definition, and timbral quality, they can be criticized for the lack of deep bass and truncated low frequencies.

The Sonus Faber Gravis I subwoofer is designed both physically and acoustically to pair with the Sonetto series speakers but also perfectly matches the Lumina series from the Italian manufacturer.

The Gravis range by Sonus Faber addresses the lack of low-frequency response in the system. Naturally, it can also be added to small floor-standing speakers, such as the Sonus Faber Lumina III.

SONUS FABER GRAVIS I: CABINET

The Sonus Faber Gravis I subwoofer is a small, robust, and elegant parallelepiped. Its modest dimensions (334 x 286 x 316 mm) make it very easy to place.

The Gravis I is available in four finishes: two lacquered versions in White or Black, and two wood veneer versions in Wengé or Walnut. The top of the cabinet is covered in leather.

The driver is hidden as it is placed under the cabinet.

On the back of the cabinet, the connections and control buttons are accessible.

SONUS FABER GRAVIS I: FEATURES

The amplifier of the Gravis I is rated at 150 watts nominal power and 250 watts peak power. It drives a superb 21 cm driver placed underneath the cabinet. This driver is specifically designed by Sonus Faber to operate only in the very low frequencies. Its 360° radiation makes it less critical to placement.

The Sonus Faber Gravis I subwoofer allows for the adjustment of several essential parameters. You can manually adjust the phase (0 or 180°), the high cut-off frequency from 30 to 120 Hz, and an independent volume for the LFE and Line inputs. These two distinct settings allow for maintaining a configuration for both Hi-Fi and Home Cinema use.

An On/Auto switch allows the subwoofer to remain permanently on or to turn on and off automatically with the presence or absence of an audio signal.

The Line and LFE inputs are RCA, while the high-level input uses a professional "Speakon" connector. A Speakon© cable is provided, allowing connection of the subwoofer to the speaker terminals or the speaker outputs of an integrated stereo or power amplifier. The upper frequency limit for this input is variable via the "Cross-over" potentiometer.

SONUS FABER GRAVIS I: LISTENING EXPERIENCE

We paired the Sonus Faber Gravis I subwoofer with a pair of Sonus Faber Sonetto 1 speakers. We chose a cut-off frequency around 55/60 Hz.
From the first measurements, the most surprising aspect is the breadth and space achieved by adding one or two octaves in the bass. This also brings a sense of materiality and presence to voices and strings, and a sense of smoothness spreads across the entire spectrum.

The Gravis I knows how to stay discreet and even completely unnoticeable if the piece does not showcase anything spectacular in the bass. However, its harmonic contribution is interesting, offering a natural and evident quality to other registers. In addition to adding materiality, the definition and play of the bassist become more realistic, and the tempo feels better respected, remaining firm and articulate.

The first subwoofer offered by Sonus Faber dates back to 1986! Clearly, 35 years of experience in the field are audible!

This Sonus Faber Gravis I subwoofer is a real success and seems to be a natural choice with the manufacturer’s speakers.