Sonus faber Duetto Streaming Speakers – Quick Look
All Image Credit: Sonus faber
Sonus faber is an Italian manufacturer of handcrafted speakers, headphones and other high-end audio equipment based in Arcugnano, Veneto, Italy. The company was founded in 1983 by Franco Serblin and It is now one of several audio brands owned by the McIntosh Group.
The Duetto is Sonus faber’s first adventure into active streaming loudspeakers. This two-way, stand-mount vented design, houses a 0.7″ wave-guided silk dome tweeter driven by a 100-watt Class A/B amplifier and the long-throw paper pulp 5.25″ mid/bass driver is driven by a 250-watt Class D amplifier, with the crossover sitting at 1.9kHz. Digital to analog conversion is handled by an ESS SABRE DAC with an AKM DAC driving the subwoofer output.
The tweeter is equipped with a waveguide ring to improve its dispersion pattern, providing a uniform room dispersion, while the mid/bass driver uses a high excursion cone surround suspension plus a neodymium magnet; “to achieve the deepest frequencies”. Sonus faber claims that the mid/bass driver’s ‘Organic Basket’ has been designed to prevent unwanted resonances and disrupting air-flow movement.
Being a bass reflex design, the air flow is vented from a rear port that is mounted within a ribbed, die-cast aluminum heatsink, which cools the internal electronics: two amplifiers, two DACs and the streaming board.
Streaming support is quite extensive with access to; aptX HD Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast and is Roon Ready. Qobuz is supported via its own Connect service, being available via AirPlay, Roon, Chromecast or via Duetto’s accompanying smartphone app, available for iOS and Android. An external drive is also supported using its USB type A connectivity.
The app also handles speaker settings, with some of those settings together with firmware updates, being available via a web interface over Ethernet or WiFi.
Duetto lets you add an external wired subwoofer to the system which will be automatically recognized and added to the system. Gain, cut-off frequency and delay options are found in the set-up web page, with additional control being available using the supplied IR remote.
The primary speakers physical connectivity includes; HDMI eARC, TOSLINK, RCA stereo line and for vinyl enthusiasts MM phono inputs. Signals for the second speaker are handed off using Duetto’s intralink with ultra-wide band (UWB) technology which, according to Sonus faber, “avoids latency and interference in the connection between the two speakers. UWB also guarantees a very wide frequency spectrum to send data signals at high speed.”
Finally, each curved wooden cabinet is wrapped in real wood veneer with a choice of walnut or dark finishes. An interesting feature of the primary speakers finish is the vegan leather top that integrates three strip lights and a touch-sensitive panel for volume up/down, play/pause and input selection.
Specifications:
- System: 2-way Curved Vented box
- Drivers:
- Treble: Ferrite Magnet system with copper cap, Silk dome and dedicated Waveguide
- Bass/mid-range: Neodymium Magnet system with copper cap and Aluminum ring, Long excursion design
- Crossover: 1900Hz
- Frequency Response: 37 Hz –30KHz
- THD: <0.02%
- Max SPL: 105dB @1m
- Amplifiers:
- Treble: 100W Class AB
- Bass/mid-range: 250W Class D
- DACs:
- ESS SABRE
- AKM for subwoofer
- Connectivity:
- RCA Line/Phono IN
- Optical
- HDMI ARC/eARC
- SUB Output
- Dimensions (HXWXD): 342x210x272 mm / 13,4×8,3×10,7 in, 1082x298x371 mm / 42,6×11,7×14,6 in (stand included)
- Weight (each):
- Speaker: 6,8 kg / 15,0 lb
- Stand: 7,8 kg / 17,2 lb
- IR Remote
- Left/right speaker assign
- Finishes: Walnut or Graphite
Availability:
November/December 2023
MSRP per pair (speakers/stands):
- US: $3,999/$749.00
- UK: £3,490/£649.00
- EU: €3,999.00/€749.00
Further information visit the Sonus faber web site.
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