In this review, we will be comparing Olympica V and Olympica III, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Olympica V and Sonus faber Olympica III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Olympica V | Sonus faber Olympica III |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Paper | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37-40k Hz | 42-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 44.00kg / 96.8lbs | 35.00kg / 77lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-1/4" x 16-11/16" x 20-13/16"
1174.0 x 424.0 x 529.0mm | 43-7/16" x 14-13/16" x 18-1/16"
1104.0 x 376.0 x 459.0mm |
|---|
Olympica V 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 V 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 V |
Sonus faber Olympica III |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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
Both Olympica V and Olympica III are 3-way speakers.
Sonus faber Olympica VSonus 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 V |
Sonus faber Olympica III |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Olympica V features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 370, 2390 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 V has a frequency range of 37-40k Hz whereas Olympica III has a frequency range of 42-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the Olympica V can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Olympica III's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 V and Olympica III have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 dB.
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 V and the Olympica V can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 V can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Olympica III has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Olympica V.
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 V 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 V's and Sonus faber Olympica III's external dimensions. Sonus faber Olympica V has external dimensions of 1174.0 x 424.0 x 529.0mm (46-1/4 x 16-11/16 x 20-13/16inch) 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 V is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 48mm wider, 70mm taller and 70mm deeper than Sonus faber Olympica III.
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 V needs about 30% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Olympica V is 70mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Olympica V is 70mm 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 V is approximately 2243.0cm2 / 347.7inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Olympica III is approximately 1725.8cm2 / 267.5inch2. The Olympica V requires 30% more surface area than the Olympica III which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Sonus faber Olympica V weighs 44.00kg / 96.8lbs and the Sonus faber Olympica III weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs. This makes the Olympica V 26% heavier than the Olympica III.
Here is a comparison of how Olympica V and Olympica III's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1104mm
vs
1174mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1725cm2
vs
2243cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
13500USD
vs
16500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Olympica V |
Sonus faber Olympica III |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37-40k Hz |
42-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
370, 2390 Hz |
365 - 2460 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1174.0mm (46.2") |
1104.0mm (43.5") |
| Width |
424.0mm (16.7") |
376.0mm (14.8") |
| Depth |
529.0mm (20.8") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
44.00kg (96.8lbs) |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Sonus faber's Olympica series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Sonus faber Olympica V digs deeper - 37Hz against 42Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Sonus faber Olympica V takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sonus faber Olympica III is easier to place; Sonus faber Olympica V is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Olympica V: bi-amping; Sonus faber Olympica III: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Sonus faber Olympica III is cheaper - $13,500 against $16,500, about 18% less. |
A Sonus faber Olympica V B Sonus faber Olympica III
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Sonus faber Olympica V measures better, Sonus faber Olympica III costs about about 22% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Sonus faber Olympica III much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Sonus faber Olympica V the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Sonus faber Olympica III for a small room and a mid-size room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.