In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Olympica I is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Olympica III is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Olympica I and Sonus faber Olympica III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Olympica I | Sonus faber Olympica III |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Paper | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 57-40k Hz | 42-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-250 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.00kg / 24.2lbs | 35.00kg / 77lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-9/16" x 8-1/4" x 14-9/16"
370.0 x 210.0 x 370.0mm | 43-7/16" x 14-13/16" x 18-1/16"
1104.0 x 376.0 x 459.0mm |
|---|
Olympica I and Olympica III are members of Sonus faber's Olympica series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Sonus faber Olympica Series
History
What size room are the Sonus faber Olympica I and Sonus faber Olympica III speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Sonus faber Olympica I |
Sonus faber Olympica III |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Olympica I is a 2-way design whereas the Olympica III is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Sonus faber Olympica ISonus faber Olympica III
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sonus faber Olympica I |
Sonus faber Olympica III |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Olympica I features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300 Hz. On the other hand, the Olympica III features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 365 - 2460 Hz.
Frequency Response
Olympica I has a frequency range of 57-40k Hz whereas Olympica III has a frequency range of 42-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Olympica III can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Olympica I's min frequency of 57Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Olympica I and Olympica III have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Olympica I sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Olympica III's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Olympica III a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Olympica I, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Olympica I and the Olympica I can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Olympica III can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Olympica I has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Olympica III.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Olympica I and Olympica III features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Sonus faber Olympica I's and Sonus faber Olympica III's external dimensions. Sonus faber Olympica I has external dimensions of 370.0 x 210.0 x 370.0mm (14-9/16 x 8-1/4 x 14-9/16inch) whereas Sonus faber Olympica III has external dimensions of 1104.0 x 376.0 x 459.0mm (43-7/16 x 14-13/16 x 18-1/16inch).
Sonus faber Olympica III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 166mm wider, 734mm taller and 89mm deeper than Sonus faber Olympica I.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Sonus faber Olympica III needs about 122% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Olympica III is 89mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Olympica III is 734mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Sonus faber Olympica I is approximately 777.0cm2 / 120.4inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Olympica III is approximately 1725.8cm2 / 267.5inch2. The Olympica I requires 55% less surface area than the Olympica III which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.