To celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary, Sonus faber has created their latest masterpiece – the Extrema Ex3ma loudspeaker.  Extrema is the most front-running project in the history of Sonus faber.

The wiry shape of the speaker intentionally breaks with Sonus faber tradition.  Rather than soft lines, the Extrema carrier purposeful defined angular lines, which were obtained using a reduction process in which the volume was extracted from a block of rigid material.  The raw material has been broken to obtain clean cuts and tight surfaces.  Extrema is for performance without compromises and its dynamic lines mirror its character and nature.

The complex mold with 6 elements used to create the speaker frame is made to measure.  The new Extrema pays an important tribute to this antique art by flanking, in close contact with the ultra-modern carbon chassis, sides of red spruce from Val di Fiemme, the wood of string instruments par excellence.  In the case of the Extrema project, the fact that the supporting structure of the loudspeaker is made with a carbon monocoque makes it possible to use wood as the pure resounding element, exactly as in the sound board of string instruments..  Resonant spruce from Val di Fiemme was chosen, as it is for rare and prestigious violins.

The tweeter uses a diamond coated Beryllium dome – a first for a tweeter diaphram.  It is a 30 mm transducer with mobile coil designed entirely by Sonus faber, implemented with a Sonus faber mechanical interface that optimises vibration management.  A new Neodymium magnetic system, optimized by the dome diaphragm of DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) Beryllium is used to obtain the maximum resolution possible in acoustic reproduction.

The mid-bass drive is a 180 mm “Ultra dynamic linearity” mid-woofer designed by Sonus faber and equipped with a Neodymium motor.  The coil is of pure copper winding 6N is controled by Lorentz currents. The magnetic motor was developed to be very linear and dynamic with optimized heat dissipation and acts as a mass damper.  The diaphragm is a sandwhches a special syntactic dampening foam between two skins of nano-carbon.  

The Extrema Ex3ma uses a passive radiator – also fully designed by Sonus faber; the E.M.B.A.B.R (Electro Magnetic Brake Auxiliary Bass Radiator).  The flat-piston diaphragm is optimised for this application, and is positioned structurally midway between the sandwich structures of the midwoofer cone and the “monocoque” structure. The basket is fully optimised to eliminate all resonance, thanks to the use of two high technologymetals (Ergal and Gun Metal) that are machined in CNC from the solid piece. The combination of these two metals eliminates any reciprocal resonance.

The new Extrema uses a precious non-resonant Crossover in air with progressive slope, optimised by module and phase for the best space/time behaviour. The “paracross” topology is combined with best quality components that exalt the sound quality: Mundorf Supreme capacitor and Jantzen inductors. The crossover frequency is 2350 Hz, and the low frequencies can be dampened in 4 different ways, according to the listening room.

Specifications

• Frequency response: 40 Hz – 40.000 Hz, E.M.B.A.B.R included.
• Sensitivity: 88 db SPL (2.83V/1 m).
• Nominal Impedence: 4 ohms
• Suggested Amplifier Output Power: 50W – 300W, without clipping.
• Long-term Maximum Input Voltage (IEC-268-5): 24V rms.
• Dimensions (HxWxD): 434 x 282 x 560 mm.
• Weight: 18,6 Kg each
• Dedicated Stand Dimensions (HxWxD): 661 x 360 x 460 mm.
• Dedicated Stand Weight: 22 Kg each
• Total Dimensions (HxWxD): 1095 x 360 x 560 mm
• Total Weight: 40,6 Kg each

Sonus faber plans to make only two to three pairs a month and no more than 30 pairs in total – commemorating their 30th anniversary.  Potential buyers will be invited to hear the speaker at Sonus faber’s factory and if it meets their satisfaction, then Sonus faber will discuss price.  Some expecations ae that the speaker will sell with its dedicated stand for somewhere in the neighbourhhood of 30,000 euros and up.  Look for more details to be shared at:  www.sonusfaber.com.

 

About the Author: George de Sa

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