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Sonus Faber Amati Homage
SOLD $20,000.00
JAN 2010
Stereophile
Review
Stereo Times
Review
With the release of Amati anniversario, Sonus faber commemorates the
500th year since the birth of Andrea Amati, the master string instrument
maker from Cremona, Italy. This exciting creation represents yet another
step in the evolution of the “trilogy of homages” begun in 1998 to honor
the great stringed instrument makers of Cremona: Guarneri, Amati and
Stradivarius. Amati anniversario incorporates technology and concepts
derived from Sonus faber’s most important homage project, Stradivari, as
well as the speaker that premiered the homage line, Guarneri. Amati
Anniversario joins this ensemble of speakers in representing the total
expression of Sonus faber’s experience and desire to “make the string
instrument play” any musical event with the fullest expression of
emotion and artistry.
Cabinet Design
Structural rigidity, resonance control and superlative sound dispersion
are the hallmarks of this sophisticated cabinet. The lute shape, first
used with Guarneri homage, encourages a more homogeneous frequency
response than is possible with a parallel walled enclosure. The cabinet
is handcrafted from laminated sheets of maple of various thickness and
consistency, which are joined by means of a polymeric glue with a high
coefficient of viscosity in order to damp vibration. The back wave
produced by the drive units is transmitted to an internal reflex channel
virtually eliminating inner cabinet reverberation. The curved sides of
this cabinet make it extremely rigid and immune from vibration,
enhancing drive-unit wave launch for an uncanny purity of sound.
Additionally, the midrange and tweeter sections are housed in a separate
enclosure that is resonance optimized and mechanically decoupled from
the main enclosure to further improve transparency and detail.
Transducers
Designed according to the concept of “free compression,” each driver
sets new standards of excellence in terms of absolute control, speed,
and nuance. The silk ring-radiator tweeter uses a proprietary dual-toroidal
wave-guide front plate to harmoniously integrate the radiating diaphragm
into the front baffle, while the back wave from the diaphragm is loaded
into a dual-cardioid acoustic labyrinth, eliminating any unwanted
reflections and colorations. The midrange driver is structured around a
skeletal cast frame, massive motor assembly, and uniquely damped
co-polymer diaphragm to minimize stored energy and maximize linearity.
The dual woofers employ an aluminum/magnesium alloy diaphragm and
distinctive ventilated phase plug in order to produce bass with absolute
precision and dynamic continuity. All drive units are connected by a
proprietary silver/palladium alloy wiring harness to a crossover system
that highly controls the impedance according to frequency variations to
create a remarkably easy load.
Specifications
Description: Three-way, floorstanding, dynamic loudspeaker.
Drive-units: 1.2" (28mm) soft-dome tweeter, 7" (180mm) paper/carbon-fiber/titanium-cone
midrange unit, two 8.3" (210mm) rigid paper/carbon-fiber-cone woofers.
Crossover: first-order "attenuated," 200Hz and 2.5kHz. Frequency
response: not specified. LF extension: 24Hz. Measured impedance: 4 ohms
nominal. Measured sensitivity: 92dB/W/m. Power requirements: 30-300W.
Dimensions: 46" H by 101/2" W by 223/4" D. Weight: 154 lbs each.
Price: USD$20,000/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 24.
Manufacturer: Sonus Faber, 36057 Arcugnano (Vi), Italy. Tel: (39)
444-288788. Fax: (39) 444-288722. Importer: Sumiko, 2431 Fifth Street,
Berkeley, CA 94710. Tel: (510) 843-4500. Fax: (510) 843-7120.
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