Sonus faber Olympica I is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker by Sonus faber. It was released in September 2019. It features a 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
A 2-way ported standmount with a 1.1 inch tweeter and a 6.5 inch mid/bass. 87 dB sensitive, 4 ohms, 30-250 W recommended, 57 Hz to 40 kHz. Olympica pairs the lute cabinet with the DAD Arrow Point silk tweeter and Camelia paper cones.
The speaker has a frequency range of 57-40k Hz and a sensitivity of 87 dB. Sonus faber Olympica I has an MSRP of 6500$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the Sonus faber Olympica I is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Good |
| Small Room | Good |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Poor |
| Very Large Room | No way |
(* 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.)
Sonus faber's Olympica Series of Loudspeakers
Olympica I is a member of Sonus faber's Olympica series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
See all 5 Sonus faber Olympica models compared »
Sonus faber Olympica Series Speakers
Frequency Response of the Sonus faber Olympica I Speaker
Sonus faber Olympica I has a Frequency response range of 57-40k Hz and Power Range of 30-250 watts. With a minimum frequency of 57 Hz, Olympica I delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
Here we have a comparison of how Olympica I's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Thinking about a subwoofer for the Sonus faber Olympica I?
Among the speakers in our database with a max MSRP price of 10000$ (Pair), these are the 5 Passive Bookshelf speakers that have the deeper bass levels than the Sonus faber Olympica I's 57Hz:
Crossover frequency of the Sonus faber Olympica I?
The crossover frequency of the Olympica I is set to 2300 Hz. This is the threshold frequency where the higher frequency signals over this level are sent to the tweeter and the lower-frequency signals are sent to the woofer by the crossover component.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Sonus faber Olympica I's nominal impedance level is
4 ohms and has a sensitivity of
87 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Nominal Impedance of the 4 Ohms means that the Sonus faber Olympica I is a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective, make sure that you choose an amplifier than can provide 4 Ohms for this speaker.
Many AVRs (audio/video receiver) in the market may have difficulty when the speakers dip below the 4 Ohms levels (this may cause clipping or even physical damage), so we recommend to not pair the Sonus faber Olympica I with an AVR but use an Integrated Amplifier instead.
Sensitivity
With a sensitivity level of only 87 dB, Sonus faber Olympica I is a difficult to drive speaker from Sensitivity perspective, make sure to choose an amplifier with a high output if you like listening to your music at high volume levels. You may especially have a hard time using Tube amplifiers which are traditionally very low power compared to Class A/B or Class D amps. Work out how loud the Sonus faber Olympica I plays in your room →
Running more than one pair from a single amplifier? Check the load it would present →
What amplifier does the Sonus faber Olympica I need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
30–250 W
per channel into 4 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? See every integrated amplifier we cover.
Input Type
Olympica I has Binding post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
Sonus faber Olympica I External Dimensions and Weight
Sonus faber Olympica I has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 14-9/16 x 8-1/4 x 14-9/16inch (370.0 x 210.0 x 370.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of Sonus faber Olympica I is approximately 777.0cm2 / 120.4inch2.
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe Sonus faber Olympica I weighs 11.00kg / 24.2lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Olympica I's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $10000
Cabinet type and Materials
Sonus faber Olympica I has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Wall Mounting
Olympica I doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
Does the Sonus faber Olympica I come with a Grille?
Olympica I comes with grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible.
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Sonus faber Olympica I.
- Speaker Cable and Connectors
- Vibration Isolators: IsoAcoustics isolators are our favorite isolators but you may find more affordable options too.
- Acoustic Panels and Treatments: Your room is as important as your stereo equipment so acoustic treatments goes a long way in improving the overall performance.
- Speaker Stands: Stands bring your bookshelf speakers to ideal height (rule of thumb is to have the tweeter level with your ear in your listening position), helps stability and acoustical isolation.
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Sonus faber Olympica I speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for Sonus faber Olympica I