Getting good speakers at a low price has always been every audiophile’s dream. However, audiophiles aren’t the only ones who want to get by as cheaply as possible regarding good sound. There are also the other, let’s say – ordinary people who crave the same sound in their homes. They don’t want to pay a high price because, unlike audiophiles, they don’t see any excessive sense in it. For both, Sonus faber brings good news with Lumina I speakers. With a price of around 840 euros a pair, these are currently the cheapest Sonus faber speakers you can buy.
I’m skeptical of these audio products because the usually cheap and good sound doesn’t go together in the same sentence. Furthermore, in the context of HI-FI, I have convinced myself countless times that you have to put your hand deeper into your pocket for good sound. In addition, we are talking about Sonus faber here, a renowned and one of the most respected speaker manufacturers in the World. Considering the prices of compact speakers from the other Sonus faber’s series, especially the higher ones, these 840 euros seem almost cheap.
The Sonetto I from the next upper level already costs almost twice as much. At the same time, the real game in the compact Sonus faber speakers category starts from the Olympica series, and here you will pay 6,000 euros for the Olympica Nova I model. But it doesn’t end here. It continues in the Homage series, where the Guarneri Tradition loudspeakers cost around 14,500 euros/pair. It is also worth mentioning the newer Heritage Collection series, which includes two models of compact speakers – Minima Amator II and Electa Amator III, with prices of 4,200 and 10,200 euros/pair, respectively.
When we look at all these prices, it’s not difficult to see the purpose of the Lumina speaker series. The idea is to offer regular people a taste of Sonus faber at an affordable price. If the owner accepts the speakers and they want more at some point, maybe it’s time to push things further, to a higher level. Those who like to skip classes and speaker series should be prepared to pay a hefty price.
So what does Sonus faber offer for 840 euros? At first, considering the speakers’ dimensions, one would say – not too much. The Lumina I speakers are only slightly larger than a shoebox. They are miniature (280 x 148 x 213cm) and leave the impression that you shouldn’t expect much of a superb sound. On the other hand, they look great. It can be seen that Sonus faber made an effort to keep the original and recognizable design. In addition to wood, there is also the inevitable leather, located on the sides and top surface. Customers are offered three finishes – wenge, walnut, and matte black. I received the speakers in a walnut finish, and I have to admit they looked just great.
The 29mm soft dome (silk) tweeter, typically used in the Sonetto series, is placed in a distinctive shape separate from the front panel. Right below is a newly developed (for this model) mid-bass unit (120mm) with a paper cone membrane. The bass reflex is located on the front of the cabinet and is almost unnoticeable because it’s not a classic round opening but a shallow perforated tunnel.
On the back, there are four connections for speaker cables. It’s up to you whether you want to use the classic connection with the speaker cables and leave the jumpers on the connectors or remove them and use them as a bi-wire (or in some crazy moves, bi-amping) configuration to connect the speaker cables. Among the hardware and the other basic information written on the back plate, you’ll also notice another thing that is not negligible in price consideration – Made in Italy. With this, we solved doubts about whether the speakers were made in China, hence the price. As far as I know, Sonus faber finished its ‘Chinese adventure’ a few years ago and returned entry-level speaker production to its homeland – Italy.
The protective grills are attached to the front panel with magnets, leaving additional room for elegance and clean design. It saddens me that some speaker manufacturers still haven’t mastered this simple trick and continue drilling holes in their speakers, ruining the cabinet design.
According to the specifications, the Lumina I covers a frequency range from 65Hz to 24kHz, with a nominal impedance of 4Ohms and a sensitivity of 84dB (2.83V/1m). The crossover cut is at 2kHz. Each cabinet weighs 4.4 kg. The recommended power of the amplifier is from 30 to 100 Watts, and it is revealed here, along with the low sensitivity of 84dB, that the speakers require more powerful amplifiers.
I wouldn’t fool myself and pair them with a tube amplifier, especially with a 10-Watt SET. Instead, I would go toward a solid-state integrated amplifier with some 50 to 100 Watts. The sound was delightful with the Pass X250.5 power amplifier, but it is unrealistic to expect anyone straight-minded to go for such a combination considering the price difference. However, I chose it because I was able to hear what I could and could not provide with Lumina I. I compared the Lumina I speakers with the KEF LS50 (1,200 euros) and the GoldenEar BRX speakers (1,700 euros). The results were quite surprising.
The fundamental character of the Lumina I speakers reminded me of legendary speakers – ProAc Response 1SC. Like the ProAcs, the Lumina I require more power due to weak efficiency to show its full potential. Only when you back them up fairly with the power, they’ll show their true character. Then speed, openness in sound, airiness, and dynamism come to light.
They can recreate an impressively large soundstage, even larger than twice the price GoldenEar BRX speakers. In that soundstage, they are extremely precise and perfect in instrument separation. Imaging is more pronounced than with the LS50. But they also have an advantage in terms of detail. Honestly, I would not expect something like that in this price range, especially not such amount of a holographic effect. It was already clear that the Lumina I speakers are not toys for beginners but a far more serious piece of audio equipment.
Furthermore, they are perfectly balanced over the frequency range, so there are no surprises, such as something flashing or disturbing the image. The highs are finely polished, pleasing to the ear, while the midrange seems convincing and authoritative.
Of the dozens of albums I listened to for speaker testing, Café Blue (FIM, 1994), Patricia Barber, and the composition – Too rich for my blood, will remain in my memory for a long time. In addition to the brilliantly delineated vocals, the Lumina I speakers were able to carry the atmosphere of the composition. It was a flawless reproduction, beautiful to listen to from beginning to end, without any effort, and even when the vocalist reaches the climax, i.e., goes to the highest notes.
However, Lumina I loses the race against the two mentioned opponents in the bass sections. There, both the LS50 and the BRX go noticeably deeper, although I must emphasize that the Lumina I provides a solid and articulate sound in the lower registers.
Honestly, a speaker like this shouldn’t be in a room like mine or that size (32m2). Of course, the space absorbed a good part of that bass. It’s more realistic to expect these speakers to end up in rooms up to about 15 square meters or less, and then with adequate placement and room acoustics, they could provide more in that segment. And when I mentioned the placement, the Lumina I speakers should be given as much space as possible. If they are too close to the front wall, as well as the side walls, forget about the luxurious large soundstage.
In general, this applies to almost all speakers, but you need to pay attention to the placement here. In promotional videos and printed materials, Sonus faber communicates a lifestyle approach, so you can see the speakers in less “crowded” rooms, on some shelves and furniture, bringing the Lumina series closer to ordinary people. In such cases, it’s not so important how they’re placed. However, the Lumina I are audiophile speakers and should be taken seriously.
The BRX speakers proved to be more homogeneous and calmer than the Lumina I speakers. I plan to post a full review of the BRX soon, where I’ll describe the sound characteristics in more detail. For now, let’s keep this observation in the context of the default review. However, I would add that both speakers have points of contact regarding a ‘humane’ presentation, which is very pleasant for long-term listening.
With the LS50, however, they have a point of contact in that they need to be filled with Watts to reach their full efficiency. It’s far from the fact that you can’t listen to the Lumina I speakers at lower volumes, but a good part of the music will be missing there. The pouring I mention doesn’t necessarily have to be bestial. But that’s why I again draw your attention to the fact that the choice of the amplifier will prove to be the key to sound satisfaction.
You might think – isn’t that the case with all speakers? Yes, it is, but here quality is sought in those Watts, so don’t fool yourself that if the speakers cost about 800 euros, you could also pay that much for the amplifier. Spend a few more euros, and you can still put together a respectable HIFI system for a relatively small amount. With an adequate sound source and cable selection, you could prove the opposite to all those who think that audio nirvana can only be achieved with expensive systems.
I say this from experience because the same thing happened to me. At the beginning of my audiophile career, I relatively quickly got my hands on some quite expensive components. Soon after, I was looking for high-end interconnects and ended up in a small private apartment in the southern part of Zagreb, where the seller of those second-hand cables I was looking for, in a room of barely 9 square meters, put the system together so skillfully, that I felt like throwing mine in the trash upon return to my home.
The amplifier and CD player were Musical Fidelity, I don’t remember the exact model names, but the speakers were ProAc 1SC. The cables were Audioquest, a legendary Onyx. That system played so damn well! I see a similar scenario with the Lumina I speakers. A smaller space, a good integrated amplifier up to 1,500 euros, a DAC for the same or even lower price, a solid set of cables, and a HIFI system for long-term enjoyment of music.
At the end of the testing, I chose the album Vivencias Imaginadas (CBS/Sony, 1995), by Vicente Amigo and the last composition on the album – Sierra Del Agua (Rondeña). He’s a classical flamenco composer and guitarist I discovered just by accident some ten years ago. From then until today, I happily return to him and listen to Vivencias Imaginadas as a reference album.
In addition to the mentioned Sierra Del Agua (Rondeña), the brilliant composition Ventanas al Alma (Minera) is also on the same album. Both are references to the recorded sound of a classical guitar. The Lumina I speakers also did an astonishingly good job here, managing to describe the instrument in full splendor. I felt the twitch and heard every slide and finger pulling on the strings. The loudspeakers have shown that they can overcome rapid changes in composition and perform micro and macro dynamics at a desirable level. The last time I experienced such a sensation of listening to the abovementioned album and pieces was testing the Onkyo D-TK10 speakers.
If you’ve ever thought about entering the world of HI-FI a little more seriously without selling the left or right kidney, consider the Sonus faber Lumina I speakers. Today, when real high-end HI-FI costs a fortune, it turns out that you can still get fantastic sound at an acceptable price. Lumina I speakers fit perfectly into that, some new, old trend.
Price: 840€/pair (without stands)
Where to buy:
Rotary Audio
Ulica Lavoslava Ruzicke 2
10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Phone: +385 1 5512 705
Associated Equipment:
Speakers: Wilson Audio Sophia 3, KEF LS50
Power Amplifier: Pass X250.5
Preamplifier: Pass XP-20
DAC: Classé CP-800 Rev. 2
Analogue Source: Kuzma Stabi S PS MKII/Kuzma 4Point 9/Lyra Delos
Phono Preamplifier: Audio Research Reference Phono 2SE
Digital Source: MacBook Air, Audirvana 3.5
Digital Source (CD transport): Marantz CD6000 OSE LE
Digital Cable (USB): Nordost Blue Heaven
Digital Cable (AES/EBU): Z Audio Spider (XLR)
Digital Cable (COAX): Profigold (RCA)
Speaker Cables: Transparent Musicwave Super MM2, Transparent The Wave Gen. 5
Interconnects (XLR): Transparent Musiclink Super MM2, Transparent Musiclink Plus MM2, WAY Cables Harmony+, Sumic Audio Ultimate 3, Cardas Clear Rev. 2
Interconnects (RCA): Marohei Cables CT Reference, Sumic Audio Overture 3
Power Cables: Transparent Reference Power Cord Gen. 5, Revelation Audio Labs Passage CryoSilver Reference, Audioquest NRG-2, Audioquest NRG-3, Wireworld Stratus
Power Distributor: Supra MD06-EU MKII
Audio Accessories: Stillpoints Ultra SS, Stillpoints Mini
HI-Fi Rack: Rondo Spirit Custom
Speaker Stands: KEF Performance
Room: Acousticaly treated, 8,5×3,8×2,8 m