Stunning looks and excellent sound. The Sonus Faber is surprisingly tight and has a deep bass for a monitor speaker. Price might scare you off, but it’s worth it.
What if you were to meet the king or queen of your dreams while looking at something completely different? What if he or she just stood there and waited for you? An accident waiting to happen. What would you do?
Ubiq - Vklop chief Igor Kante lent me the Danish Gryphon audio integrated amplifier Diabolo to test (review will follow soon) and while taking it to my car, I spotted something that lit my led diodes (as Bender might put it). Sonus Faber Guarneri Memento loudspeakers. In a moment I got a quick flashback to all the raves I heard about it. I went home but contemplation was too intense so I rang Igor and arranged to demo the Memento’s as well.
The Sonus Faber Guraneri Memento is a representation of the Homage series. Normally it should go into a monitor speaker sections, but with its original stands, it looks like a sculpture from the hands of a master designer. It is practically the only speaker in the Sonus Faber line that has enclosures that are completely wooden (no MDF) and made out of 21 staves of hand selected maple blocks. The cabinet is shaped like a lute. All the gluing is done by traditional Italian recipes from great masters of violin building and the finish alone is done in 10 layer segments. The result is a stunning gloss “Graphite” finish. This must be one of the finest finishea that I have seen up to date.
Every piece that I unpacked screamed style, prestige, and quality. Mementos are stored in a wooden box and covered with a special textile bag. Setting them up took quite some time. Whole speakers consist of three separate modules. The wooden enclosure, massive body covered with nylon string and the “stone” stand. I think that the design idea goes back to 1994, but the final outlook is kind of timeless.
I was not expecting the sound that came out of these beauties. It’s one thing to read enchanted reviews of owners and audio reviewers because reality tends to slap you in your face with a different picture most of the time.
I have listened to a lot of speakers. But few have really left me in that special state of mind, that puts you in a continuous loop of longing. It’s funny that I needed 2 days to get used to them. It’s a completely different experience when you welcome new speakers into your system. At first they seem a bit closed and dark, but often we mistake airiness and resolution with real character and tone of instruments.
Guarneri Memento proved to be the real instrument. I would say it is one of the most musical speakers that I have ever heard. They simply play music and let you forget about all audiophile nags we normally incorporate into listening. Some say that they lack the bass but I wouldn’t agree. I would say that they have plenty of well controlled and natural bass. If you want over hyped bass you should get subwoofer.
There is one catch. You have to drive them with at least 250W per channel. It may sound like overkill, but it’s a bare minimum. You might be left with only half of the experience without proper amplification. They also could lack in the bass department like some folks complained about. It is such an avid moment to hear bass and instruments played well and controlled without too much room tweaking and treatment from the very start. That is something that sets apart hifi and high end equipment. This is also apparent with good recordings. Like Steve Hoffman mentioned in our chat, it’s almost all in the good recording and mastering-- and it’s the same with reproduction. With first class enclosures and the knowledge behind the speaker building, you are saved from many anomalies that can be attached to poorly designed and constructed speakers. The “boominess” is practicaly absent in well constructed speakers and the Sonus Faber Memento is one of those. Instruments can simply disappear from speakers and lack in that natural and life like feeling that surrounds the music. I could go on and on, but I suggest you do yourself a favor and visit a local Sonus Faber distributer.
My favorite jazz artist, John Coltrane, never sounded better and closer to my inner jazz child when I listened to him on the Sonus Faber Momentos. If you have the chance, grab Alice Coltrane Translinear light, and simply float in the stratosphere of spiritual jazz. I’m still amazed how good this album sounds. There is something that simply make you feel closer to God.
Is Sonus Faber the most neutral and precise speaker on the planet? No, but it is one of the most musical and best looking for sure. Some see them as a fashion or style statement, but I see such a product as an exemplification for the love of music and craftsmanship. This review might look like I am a Sonus Faber advert, but I’m rarely excited and surprised with such a quality product; and there is ultimate proof for a reviewer to stand behind the paper tiger stuff. I’m buying these cuties. Yes, they are that good!
-Matej Isak
