With the new Suprema system, the Italian manufacturer is celebrating its 40th anniversary with great fanfare in addition to announcing the color of its ambitions. Because the name was not chosen at random, the brand intends to mark the history of Hi-Fi with this system made up of two 4/5-way floor-standing speakers (see explanations below), one or two subwoofers and an active filter module.
Sonus Faber Suprema, heading for perfection
With Suprema, Sonus Faber offers its most ambitious project, in search of sound perfection on the one hand, and artistic craftsmanship on the other hand served by luxurious materials (wood, aluminum, carbon fiber , Italian leather), remarkable aesthetics and extreme attention to detail. The columns feature a unique lute-shaped design, with a base wider than the top, reminiscent of the brand's Guarneri speaker. This gives them an incredible lightness and facilitates their integration into any interior decoration. The subwoofer adopts an elliptical shape in homage to the in-house Stradivari speaker, perfect for incorporating two large diagonal membranes (38 cm) and delivering the associated energy.
Sonus faber Suprema, floor-standing speaker
The Suprema floor-standing speaker has ten drivers, eight radiating towards the front, two towards the rear. Namely, the speaker is a so-called 4/5-way model. In fact a 4-way model which is associated with a transition mid-woofer with a particular frequency response responsible for reinforcing the bottom of the sound spectrum and softening the connection between the mids and highs. In this, we cannot really have a 4.5 channel configuration but 4/5 channels.
On the Sonus Faber Suprema, we find a midrange and associated tweeters in a “Voice of Sonus Faber” configuration, within a dedicated internal chamber, with organically shaped walls made of recycled cork (see photos above and below). These include a 20mm silk dome super tweeter with dedicated waveguide and neodymium magnet, a 38mm silk dome tweeter with dedicated waveguide and neodymium magnet and a new 16.5cm Camila midrange Dual Drive with neodymium ring magnet and cellulose pulp diaphragm. This is not hidden by the suspensions, nor is it circular in shape, its surface thus avoiding the creation of resonances linked to this type of layout. On the front there is another 20 cm midrange with a paper sandwich cone and 65 mm voice coil, four 20 cm woofers with a paper sandwich cone, 50 mm voice coil and double neodymium magnets.
At the rear there is a 28 mm tweeter with a silk dome and neodymium magnet and a 10 cm midrange with a paper cone and neodymium magnet. The frequency response of the speakers on the front displays 45 Hz to 40 KHz, 500 Hz to 20 KHz for the speakers located at the rear.
The Sonus Faber Suprema subwoofer, a passive closed-load model, accommodates two 38 cm carbon fiber sandwich cone speakers. This principle of separate subwoofer has been adopted to optimize the frequency response of the low end of the spectrum, regardless of the position of the floorstanding speakers in the listening room. Finally, the active filter module, in Dual Mono configuration and fully symmetrical, ensures perfect integration between the columns and the box(es) regardless of the amplifier used. Namely, all cutoff, phase and control circuits are 100% analog and made using discrete components.
Available immediately upon ordering. Indicative prices: €800,000 for a Sonus Faber Suprema 2.2 system (two main columns, two subwoofers and an active filter module), €725,000 for a Sonus Faber Suprema 2.1 system (two main columns, one subwoofer and one active filter module).
Reminder of the key features of the Sonus Faber Suprema floorstanding speaker:
• System: 4/5-way enclosed speaker
• Super tweeter: 20 mm silk dome with waveguide dedicated, neodymium magnet
• Tweeter: 38mm silk dome with dedicated waveguide, neodymium magnet
• Midrange: 16.5cm dual motor system with neodymium ring magnet
• Transition midrange: 20 cm, neodymium magnet, 65 mm voice coil, paper sandwich cone
• Boomer: 4 20 cm transducers with double neodymium magnet, 50 mm voice coil, paper sandwich cone
• Rear tweeter: 28 mm silk dome, neodymium magnet
• Rear midrange: 10 cm paper cone driver, neodymium magnet
● Connection frequencies of the front HP filter : 360, 430, 1700, 6700 Hz
● Rear HP filter connection frequencies: 500, 2300 Hz
● Front transmit frequency response: 45 Hz - 40 KHz
● Rear transmit frequency response: 500 Hz - 20 KHz
● Sensitivity: 91dB 1m/2.83V
● Rated impedance: 4 Ohm
● Suggested amplifier output power: 100 W - 700 W
● Dimensions (H x W x D, mm): 1905 x 650 x 880 mm
● Weight: 110 kg (each)
Reminder of the key features of the Sonus Faber Suprema column subwoofer:
● System: closed-load passive subwoofer
● Enclosure: 2 x 38 cm carbon fiber sandwich cone
● Frequency response: 16 to 30/80 Hz (variable depending on the setting of the electronic filter)
● Sensitivity: 92dB 1m/2.83V
● Nominal impedance: 4 Ohm
● Power of suggested amplifier output: 500 W – 2000 W
● Dimensions (H x W x D, mm): 1451 x 850 x 525 mm
● Weight: 103 kg
Reminder of the key characteristics of the Sonus Faber Suprema external active filter module:
• System: fully discrete stereo/mono active filter - pure analog
● Input channels: 2 asymmetrical – 2 balanced
● Output channels: 8 unbalanced – 8 balanced
● Main frequency response: 25Hz – 150 KHz
● Proc frequency response: 5Hz – 150 KHz
● Input impedance unbalanced: 20 kΩ
● Balanced input impedance: 10 kΩ
● Unbalanced output specifications: 6 V rms (+15.5 dBv) @ 490 Ω
● Balanced output specifications: 11 V rms (+20 dBv) @ 980 Ω
● Mains voltage (frequency): 115V (60 Hz) or 230V (50 Hz), factory setting
● Dimensions (H x W xD) : 110 x 451 x 424 mm
● Weight: 17 kg
