When we listen to our favorite tunes, we would always like to close our eyes in our already dimly lit listening room and just immerse ourselves totally into the music. But when it comes to Sonus Faber Olympica III, we can’t help to look at them, admiring their elegance and be mesmerized by the sound quality they are producing. Exquisite and exceptional, certainly deserves to be paired with the best amplifiers that are both matching and compatible.
In order to find the right amplifiers which can complement and unlock the Sonus Faber Olympica III fullest potential, we must first learn more about these high-end floor-standing speakers. By finding out more about its sonic characteristics and merits, we will then be able to choose and share with you a list of the best amplifiers that you can go for to partner with your Sonus Faber Olympica III, so please do continue to read on.
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Sonic Characteristics and Strengths of Sonus Faber Sonetto V
You can’t help but appreciate the visual beauty of the Sonus Faber Olympica III, the leather and wood materials are expertly used to craft a masterpiece that is just stunningly gorgeous. Even before hearing the sonic prowess of the Olympica III, we have already fallen in love with it. The elegant speaker cabinet prominently displays the speaker drivers with such care and focus. You will see a 29mm Silk Dome tweeter, one 6″ (150mm) midrange driver, and right below it, two 7″ (180mm) woofers. It is a vented loudspeaker with a uniquely placed side reflex bass port called the Stealth Ultraflex. We would suggest at least a minimum of 40″ (100cm) distance away from the rear and side walls but you also need to make sure the speakers have about 100″ (250cm) distance between each other.
The Sonus Faber Olympica III speakers are definitely great for large listening rooms. The Olympica III frequency response is really impressive at 35Hz to 30kHz and the speaker sensitivity of 90dB is great as well. The speaker’s nominal impedance will be quite a bummer though as it is rated at 4 Ohms and the recommended amplifier starting from 50W all the way to 300W does strongly indicates that the Sonus Faber Olympica III is not easy to drive. For a speaker of this caliber, it is definitely worth the investment on some equally remarkable high-end amplifiers with high-quality power to drive them.
The moment the music starts, the Sonus Faber Olympica III vanishes, and a vast soundstage emerges, with just this moment, we are completely engaged. The sound delivery is absolutely clean and the background is very polished. The Olympica III faithfully presents the music with a touch more warmth in the lower registry and your body can feel it. The bass reproduction has that weight and scale with plenty of details to boot, tightly delivered with incredible accuracy. There is agility as well, giving that satisfying impact without lingering as the music ends with the resonance and reverberation echoing in the hall in which the music was recorded. Beautiful, the sound quality is simply beautiful.
There is no exaggeration with how the Sonus Faber Olympica III delivers the music but also not completely flat. There are plenty of intricate details and subtle musical nuances but without emphasis on them so that the speakers don’t sound clinical. The treble is airy and the overall sound reproduction is pleasing, the tonality is always balanced and natural. They have an astonishing level of accuracy and the Olympica III dynamics make these speakers sound truly engaging. And just to nitpick, if only the Sonus Faber Olympica III could reach below 35Hz, for instance, down to 20Hz then they would have been flawless.
The level of insights and depth that these high-end floor-standing speakers possess are impeccable, the vivid realism and holographic sound reproduction are equally remarkable as well. The Sonus Faber Olympica III speakers definitely belong to one of the very finest speakers that have ever been made and are truly worth the investment to get a high-quality amplifier to pair with them. We have the required data and details to start sharing with you the best amplifiers to go for, and they will be quite close to the price range of the Sonus Faber Olympica III as well.
Sonus Faber Olympica III Specifications
- Speaker Type: 3-Way (paralaminar stealth flow vented)
- Drive Units: 29mm Silk Dome Tweeter, 6″ (150mm) Midrange Driver, two 7″ (180mm) Woofers
- Frequency Response: 35Hz–30kHz
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 50-300 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms
- Sensitivity (2.83V/1m): 90dB
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1114mm x 403mm x 508mm | 43.8″ x 15.8″ x 20″
- Weight: 36kg (79.3lbs)
Best Amplifiers to match with Sonus Faber Olympica III
The Gryphon Diablo 120 is one of the best amplifiers to pair with your coveted Sonus Faber Olympica III high-end speakers. The Diablo 120 amp is absolutely powerful, not only it has a power output of 240 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms, this Gryphon amplifier can go further upwards of 440 Watts per channel into 2 Ohms. With this level of power, the Gryphon Diablo 120 can easily make your Sonus Faber Olympica III sing and unlock its full potential. The bass performance of the Diablo 120 is superb and does complement the Olympica III speakers really well. The music handling and stereo separation are exemplary as well.
The Pass Labs X250.8 is another amazingly powerful high-end integrated amplifier that you want to check out and match with your Sonus Faber Olympica III. With a rated power output of 500 Watts into 4 Ohms per channel, the Pass Labs X250.8 can easily drive the Olympica III speakers and with plenty of reserves to handle all sorts of music peaks. Power is just one of the amplifier’s strengths, there is also realism, refinement, and accuracy, this integrated amplifier is able to deliver a vivid music delivery with incredible precision. The Pass Labs X250.8 is well-matched with the Sonus Faber Olympica III speakers and you should really hear them out.
McIntosh amplifiers are a great match with the Sonus Faber speakers partly due to the reason that both brands are under the same company. Another good reason to match the Sonus Faber Olympica III to McIntosh amps will be their high level of sonic performance. For the preamp section, the McIntosh C70 will be an amazing choice, and you should partner this 2-channel vacuum tube preamplifier with the matching MC2152, a powerful 2-Channel vacuum tube amplifier. The soundstage which both of these HiFi components can muster is immense, filled with insights and incredible musical presence. Very clean sonic delivery and vivid music performance, it is a must audition whenever you have the chance.
The MOON 700i V2 is one of the absolute best integrated amplifiers which you can go for and match with the Sonus Faber Olympica III speakers. The sonic performance and purity are comparable to HiFi separates (pre/power amp combo), the 700i V2 probably sounds better than most HiFi separate combinations at the same price range. The greatest strength of the MOON 700i V2 will be its midrange reproduction that sounds beautiful, musical, and very detailed. All the intricacies of the musical instruments are highly defined and distinctly separated, without ever sounding clinical. The musicality of this MOON integrated amp is certainly well-match with the Sonus Faber Olympica III speakers but if we were to nitpick, it will be a lack of a built-in DAC.
For listeners who have tight budgets, you might want to check out the Parasound HINT 6, it is a high-performance integrated amplifier that comes with loads of features at a modest price. There is also a subwoofer output with a crossover frequency selection, allowing you to seamlessly integrate a high-quality active sub. The Peachtree Audio Nova300 is another affordably priced integrated amplifier that has more than enough muscles to drive the Sonus Faber Olympica III. Like the Parasound HINT 6, the Nova300 also comes with a plethora of features such as a built-in D/A converter, MM Phono, and more.
More Info at Amazon – Parasound HINT 6 Halo
More Info at Amazon – Peachtree Audio Nova300 with DAC
The Parasound also makes high-quality preamplifiers and power amplifiers. The Parasound A 21+ is a very powerful stereo amplifier that you might want to check out first but if you want more power, then the Parasound JC 1+ mono power amplifier will be a better choice. If it is all about sound quality and budget is not an issue, Pass Labs and McIntosh will definitely be the ones to look out for. The Pass Labs Class A power amplifiers are certainly worth your time to check them out. If you prefer vacuum tube amps, McIntosh is the best choice. For subwoofers, we will recommend going with JL Audio Fathom or better yet Gotham g213v2 dual 13.5-inch active sub which has a whopping 4,500W RMS short-term power.
To Sum It Up
To add an active subwoofer into the mix will be optional as most music will fall within the frequency response of the Sonus Faber Olympica III high-end loudspeakers. The amplifiers listed here are some of the absolute best on the market and are well worth your time to arrange an audition with them. It is highly recommended to hear these amps in your own listening room as this will give you a more accurate result and it will also be easier to find out which amplifier’s sonic performance you’ll prefer or like to hear.
