Sonus Faber Minima Amator Floorstanding Speakers

Sonus Faber Minima Amator Floorstanding Speakers 

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-10 of 12  
[Dec 09, 2008]
JJBB
AudioPhile

Strength:

Size, overall sound, high wife factor ;)

Weakness:

Only one: Lack of deep bass (please, there are like shoes box). You need good recorded music to squeez it.

First: very beautiful speakers (why do not these all manufacturers?). Sound: well, you only can say something when you lisen a lot of music. With well recorded music, the Minima sounds gorgeus (highs, mid and bass), very detaliled highs..., but with poor recordings the Minima shows all the imperfections of the recording (like good monitors does). So, one question: ¿Do you want to hear only well recorded music?. Yes I do. With these loudspeakers I avoid to hear bad recorded music. I don't know if it's good or bad but that's life...

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 08, 2002]
Sandro Moi
AudioPhile

Strength:

Timbrica consistency, thickness, third dimension, transparence...and a trascendental aesthetic beauty with their supports!

Weakness:

Extreme critical state in the positioning and the coupling with the rest of the chain. Only good things, please.

This speakers are absolutely overtimes. In spite of their dimension, they have a "big voice" on all the fundamental parameters except, obviously, the extent in bass frequencies. But also under this profile, they're however surprising.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jun 25, 2002]
TF
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Sweet high and mid, large soundstage, analytical, value for money especially if you find it in 2nd hand market. Excellent craftmanship. Good for vocals, classical, strings and Jazz music.

Weakness:

Very sensitive to components and cables change. Not suitable for people who look for punchy bass or like rock and heavy metal music.

A very analytical good sound speaker. In my opinion, it is better to partner it with tube gears. To get a similar result with solid state gears, the gears must be very high quality. This speaker produces large soundstage, sweet and detailed sound. Especially good in vocals and volin. Superb high and mid but bass is a little bit shy. Careful matching of components and cables is a must to avoid too bright and bass shy sound. If all things are right, you will definitely find yourself in a wonderful music world listening to this speaker.

Similar Products Used:

ProAc T2000SE

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Feb 04, 2002]
E Alexander
AudioPhile

Strength:

Treble detail/extension, immaging, clearity, balance, microdynamics, overall musicallity, and beauty...nice walnut wood finish and leather contours!

Weakness:

Slam factor(but we''re talking a small monitor here), ultimate midrange/bass resolution and transparency, and not as tube friendly as some.

Wonderful little speakers!...and gorgeous to boot!(very wife friendly) They''re very detailed and extended, pretty neutral/clear sounding,well balanced, good midrange, superb soundstaging, quite musical, and offer adequate bass (though not deep and super visceral). The first thing you notice on the speakers sonically, is the tremendous extension and treble detail on top, much more than just about anything made out there(lot''s of info up there!). The company uses the Esotar ultra high end Dynaudio tweeter in the Minima''s, and is simply world class!Overall the speakers are a shade warmer than say compared to Thiel''s and Wilson''s, but very engaging overall, and great on all types of music(almost). The speakers not playing too deep visceral, as a small monitor, they do well to add a fast sub for higher dynamic material (used this way, they sound extremely good as full rangers!). These are sepeakers that you''ll never get tired of listening too for sure. A tip however, taking the "tweeter gaurd" off yields a slightly better balanced, more open sound. They also prefer to be toed in for best immage, midrange warmth and cohesion, and overall sound. They like to be out in the room a way''s, just like a lot of rear ported designs out there. Also, even though there compact, they usually do better in larger acoustical spaces however, and can be balanced out easier that way as well. If you do chose a smaller room with em, you might want to consider "soft plugging" the port to limit bass extension and thickening, and REAlly working with seating/speaker placemtent. Also, in rooms with 8'' ceilings, they tend to do best on shorter stands for acoustic bass coupling, and tilted toward the listing seat for immaging.(even thought company suggests higher). The speakers are only of modest sensitivity,and do better with higher powerd apmplifiers of very good quality and current. Compared to their highly sought after acclaimed bigger brothers, the Electa Amator''s(original), they don''t quite have the visceral tight fisted midbass and slamm, obviously, of the bigger driver, nor quite the midrange and transparency og midrange/bass detail..but almost!They''re a bargain to find, and offer almost the same performance level. The speakers like high current solid state gear over the warmer tube sound. Better interconnects are a must, preferably high rez neutral stuff for best sound

Similar Products Used:

B&W matrix 805''s, Dunlavy SCII''s, SF Electa Amator''s, Proac Response One SC''s

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Feb 18, 2000]
Simon Brenchley
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

People wholisten to my system cannot believe the sound that comes from such diminutive-looking speakers. They look stunning; a real work of art that doesn't look out of place in the living room. With every system upgrade I get better detail and sounstage out of them; piano and strings are so life-like. They handle power well, and you can hear them starting to clip if you over-cook the volume! My system now consists of:
Sonic Frontiers SFT-1 & SFD-1
Jeff Rowland Design Group Synergy & Model 2 (+BPS-2)
Transparent Super cable throughout (inc. bi-wire speaker cables).
In this company, the speakers hold their ground admirably. I'm now looking to upgrade them, but finding it difficult to hear alternatives with the same level of detail and clarity that don't cost 10 times the amount.
The build quality is superb; the beautiful handmade walnut cabinets, and leather fascia, sum up the quality and attention to detail these speakers possess.

Weakness:

Lack of Bass, BUT with decent recordings (where the bass actually exists) you do get it in ample amounts.

A shame they're discontinued; a classic speaker which still has not been beaten at this price (and possibly double!). If you like detail, clarity and soundstage, these are ideal.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Mar 04, 1999]
marco
an Audiophile

THESE ARE GREAT SPEAKERS THAT OTHER BRANDS IN THE SAME CATOGERY CAN ONLY DREAM OF BEATING.PLACEMENT AND SYSTEM MATCHING IS CRITICAL THOUGH.MY SYSTEM:CAL DELTA
MERIDIAN 563
AUDIO NOTE M2
CLASSE CA-100
MINIMA AMATOR
TARA LABS MASTER GEN 2
KIMBER KCAG,XLO TYPE 4
REGA PLANAR 3

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Jan 31, 1999]
Bryan
an Audiophile

I heard this speakers from a friend who wanted to sell it. I think Sonus Faber build great looking speakers. But what is more important for someone who enjoy music, the sound is more important than its look. With the Dynaudio tweeter, its highs are beautiful. It has bass that would beat most bookshelf speakers. Its profile is also just nice for most listening chairs. Placing the speakers correctly is essential for optimizing is sound. This speakers can be easily driven. With good partnering equipment, it will sound great. It is excellent for classical, jazz, dance and vocals. I think this are great speakers.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
[Sep 11, 2001]
LH
Audiophile

Strength:

Image 3D, douceur et précision

Weakness:

choix de l'amplificateur difficile. Sensible au positionnement.

Superbes petites enceintes. Finition irréprochable. À utiliser impérativement avec des pieds lourds.

Le problème de ces enceintes, c'est qu'elles ne "marchent" que très moyennement avec beaucoup d'ampli. J'ai cherché longtemps et essayé plusieurs modèles sans obtenir la musicalité souhaitée. J'ai essayé:

Bryston B-60: décevant, son opaque et basses opulantes.
Intégré Electrocompaniet: son très mou, pas de dynamique.
Intégré YBA: son trop clair, manque de basses.
Rega Mira: très bon, mais manque de puissance pour les Sonus Faber.
Intégré Audio Aero: bon, mais manque d'ampleur.


J'ai eu un début de révélation avec un vieil intégré à tubes Beard P-30: son superbe, très ouvert, très musical, mais avec un léger manque de détails et de propreté.

La révélation est venue avec les ampli et préampli Anthem Amp 1 et Pre 1, fabriqués par Sonic Frontiers. Je ne sais pas pourquoi, mais ces appareils marchent super bien avec les Sonus Faber Minima Amator, malgré leur faible puissance (40W). À tel point qu'on ne reconnait plus les enceintes. La musique remplit toute la pièce. Les basses sont superbes (et je comprends ceux qui leur trouve un manque de basses: essayez un autre ampli; j'ai des amis qui se sont mis à quatre pattes pour chercher un caisson de grave inexistant). Le son n'est pas agressif, plutôt doux et détaillé, mais dynamique et transparent. Que souhaiter de plus ?

Les Sonus Faber fonctionnent sûrement très bien avec d'autres ampli (Sonic Frontiers SFS-40 ou amplis à transistors de forte puissance), mais à prix raisonnable les Anthem sont une merveille avec ces enceintes.

À écouter sans modération.

Similar Products Used:

Dynaudio, Mission, BH, Cabasse, Triangle, JM Lab, Rega...

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Feb 09, 2001]
SPont
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Superb imaging, bass definition, not fussy about program material, gorgeous vocals, class leading miidrange

Weakness:

Slightly thick bass, could be more extended in HF, not the same depth of imaging as breadth, hopelessly painful to match with equipment

I fortuitously chanced upon these luxury standmounters over 2 years ago. When I hooked them up, I was extremely disappointed. They sounded brash, thin, noisy.
These are speakers that are very fussy about every aspect of set-up. In particular, use high quality stands, toe the speakers in severely for incredible soundstaging, save yourself time and match with well powered tube amps, don't try them without an exceptional source because they will frighten the neighbours, invest in very high quality cables.
If you like delicate and sweet sound, truly sensational soundstaging, great tight and tuneful base without ever threatening to delve the scary depths, and you can appreciate a gorgeous package, buy these.

Similar Products Used:

Proac, TDL, IMF, Ruark, Harbeth, Sonus Faber Minuettos, Epos 12,14,22, Mordaunt Short Performance, Missions, Mirage M3,M5, Castle, Ruarks, B&W P6s/CDM 1SEs, Magnat, Rega, you get the picture...

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Feb 18, 1999]
D.LYKOURESSI
an Audio Enthusiast

A BAD DELETED OVERPRICED SPEAKER

OVERALL
RATING
1
VALUE
RATING
Showing 1-10 of 12  

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