Sonus Faber Extrema

[Addicted to hifi]

These speakers are 30 years old but are intriguing. Has anyone heard them? If so, how do they stand up in performance to today’s comparable speakers including large monitors? I have a pair of reference 3A Reflectors which I am really enjoying but recently acquired MasterSound PF100 monoblocks and Spettro preamp so these Extremas go along with the Italian theme. Would love to hear your insights and observations.

I remember hearing these speakers at a hifi show along time ago

 

[Raker24]

Target many years ago also made a four post metal stand which Sonus Faber also recommended for the Extremas

 

[BruceD]

Target many years ago also made a four post metal stand which Sonus Faber also recommended for the Extremas

It may pay the buyer (thread poster) to establish IF the original Extreme stands are indeed metal if he progresses to outsourcing the manufacture .

The SFGH's of the same vintage are a wood composite and not seemingly metal construction.

Micro or Blackie may wish to confirm the status of the material of such when they owned the Extremas.

BruceD

 

[RDSChicago]

It may pay the buyer (thread poster) to establish IF the original Extreme stands are indeed metal if he progresses to outsourcing the manufacture .

The SFGH's of the same vintage are a wood composite and not seemingly metal construction.

Micro or Blackie may wish to confirm the status of the material of such when they owned the Extremas.

BruceD

From a WBF member who has the SF OEM stands for the Extremas:

“Basic dimensions:

The base plate is 11 1/4" wide by 16" deep, 1/2" thick steel plate with four corner holes for spikes. In my setup, the spikes raise the base plate 1 1/4" off the floor.

Six 3 1/8" x 3 1/8" pillars rise from the base plate (welded I'm sure). The pillars 20 3/4" tall and "united" by a welded, steel top plate (also looks to be 1/2" thick). This top surface is 8" wide and 12 1/8" deep.

I believe the pillars are sand filled and are incredibly heavy.

There is no provision to "attach" the Extremas to the stands. You basically place the speakers centered on the top plate (the Extremas have felt on bottom). The complete stability and inert quality of the stands, together with the substantial weight AND design of the 2" thick walnut of the speakers themselves, provides sufficient mass to allow the drivers to move air without creating resonances in the supports.”

From a February 2021 retrospective review Extremas in whathifI:

“Naturally, the performance of a standmounter depends strongly on the kind of support it gets, and Sonus Faber left nothing to chance by making its own dedicated 55cm-tall steel stands. Coated in textured black paint, they use no fewer than six chunky pillars filled with lead and sand. These stands are exceptionally heavy, immensely rigid and do their job brilliantly. Their price back in 1991 was commensurately substantial, at £799 ($1500).”

I bought the pair pictured and will report back upon receiving and listening to them!

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Never heard a sonus faber speakers sound bad,they are excellent.

 

[BruceD]

Excellent--so Steel they were/are-- appreciate the confirmation thank you RDS

Enjoy your speakers!

Bruce

 

[Raker24]

I owned the Extremas for eight years, between 1992 and 2000 (I should never have sold them!).
In late 1991, thirty years ago, in one of the Stereophile issues, there was a picture of Franco Serblin with the Extremas perched on a Sonus Faber dedicated Extrema wooden speaker stand (which looked gorgeous). In 1992 in Italy (where I bought my Extremas), I asked about this wooden stand, and I was told that this was a prototype which was never put into production. Likely the 40 kg weight (each) of the Extremas militated against a wooden stand.
I initially used my Extremas on the Target R2 4 post metal stand (which did not look great, since the speaker looked much bigger than the stand), and then upgraded to the Sonus Faber 6 post metal stand (probably OEM, but I don't know who made these for Sonus Faber), which weighed (each) 60 kg! So 40 + 60 kg = 100 for each speaker!
I used Blu-Tak between the speaker and the stand.

 

[LL21]

I owned the Extremas for eight years, between 1992 and 2000 (I should never have sold them!).
In late 1991, thirty years ago, in one of the Stereophile issues, there was a picture of Franco Serblin with the Extremas perched on a Sonus Faber dedicated Extrema wooden speaker stand (which looked gorgeous). In 1992 in Italy (where I bought my Extremas), I asked about this wooden stand, and I was told that this was a prototype which was never put into production. Likely the 40 kg weight (each) of the Extremas militated against a wooden stand.
I initially used my Extremas on the Target R2 4 post metal stand (which did not look great, since the speaker looked much bigger than the stand), and then upgraded to the Sonus Faber 6 post metal stand (probably OEM, but I don't know who made these for Sonus Faber), which weighed (each) 60 kg! So 40 + 60 kg = 100 for each speaker!
I used Blu-Tak between the speaker and the stand.
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Beautiful! What amp is in the background of your Extrema? I thought it was a Gryphon Mephisto but then realized if you owned this in 2000, it could not be a Mephisto. Also, did you use Ultra 5s underneath the speaker and then Finite Elemente Cerpucs underneath the stand?

 

[Raker24]

Sorry, my Extremas were from thirty years ago, so I don't have any pictures of them. I posted the Extrema pictures from the internet. One owner, instead of using Blu-Tak as I did, seems to be using something more sophisticated between the speakers and the stands ....

The amplifier I was using at the time was the Norwegian Adyton Cordis 3B, pictured in the middle of my system in Tokyo 10 years ago. This amplifier was modified by Forsell (without attribution) and sold as the Forsell the Statement amplifier. How he got away with that I will never know ....

I did use with my Extremas some very interesting Fadel speaker cables (picture below), which used copper tubes in the mid section. Smoothest sounding speaker "cables" I ever used, but somewhat (surprisingly) lacking in dynamics.

Fadel was a great cable designer based in Paris, who (unfortunately) passed away many years ago.

 

[LL21]

Wow...what a history. I remember reading about the legendary Forsell the Statement...had no idea where it came from though! Must have been fantastic...a beat of a Class A amplifier as I recall. Presume you sold that? You also had Accuphase monos...also Class A. I sense a theme here! And I agree with it!

Plus, if you took photos from the internet of the Extrema...then actually it might have been a Gryphon Mephisto in the background...also Class A!

I have heard the TAD Ref Ones and a full TAD reference setup with the monos in Pioneer Plaza in Tokyo with the then CEO of TAD who was a gentleman and clearly a passionate audiophile. Fantastic stuff. How long have you owned the TAD speakers and amp?

 

[Raker24]

Although this may ruin the narrative, the Adyton was Class A/B, and so was the Forsell (although I believe the Forsell was more heavily biased into Class A). Yes, the Accuphases you see in the picture were Class A, but the TAD M700s I now own are Class A/B, and the TADs kick the Accuphases' ass when it comes to driving the TAD CR1s (yes, I have compared the two with my speakers). I've owned my TAD CR1 TXs and M700s for about 9 months now, and my happiness keeps increasing every day I listen to my system.

 

[LL21]

Great stuff! Yes, I thought the Forsell was heavily Class-A oriented from memory. Very interesting about the TAD monos vs Accuphase.

 

[musicfirst1]

I owned the SF Extremas with the SF stands for about 10 years before selling them. I sold them because at the time, it was impossible to find an amp in their price range that could drive them satisfactorily. Most solid state monsters of the day like Krell and ML were not a musical match in my opinion (The Krell FPB 650Ms worked well but were above my pay grade at the time.) and the only tube amps that worked for me were the big $100k Jadis six chassis 1000lb JA800s, with (I would assume) the JA500s and 200s a close second and third. The Jadis Defy 7 I mated them with was ok driving them, but these speakers demand CURRENT or monster tube power!!
I was actually very fortunate to have heard the Fabers with the JA800s at one of Victor Goldstein's clients in NYC.
One of the best sounds ever in my experience.

 

[RDSChicago]

I’m hoping my MasterSound PF100’s will have enough juice to drive them. 845 monoblocks (4 output tubes per side) which weigh 110 pounds apiece and put out 120 watts.

 

[musicfirst1]

Sorry to say, but my expectation is, like I did, you will begin a journey to try to find an amplifier that better matches the Extremas.
I have thoughts on this, but would prefer to take that discussion off line if you would like.

Kerry

 

[Namaste]

Wow...what a history. I remember reading about the legendary Forsell the Statement...had no idea where it came from though! Must have been fantastic...a beat of a Class A amplifier as I recall. Presume you sold that? You also had Accuphase monos...also Class A. I sense a theme here! And I agree with it!

Plus, if you took photos from the internet of the Extrema...then actually it might have been a Gryphon Mephisto in the background...also Class A!

I have heard the TAD Ref Ones and a full TAD reference setup with the monos in Pioneer Plaza in Tokyo with the then CEO of TAD who was a gentleman and clearly a passionate audiophile. Fantastic stuff. How long have you owned the TAD speakers and amp?

Yes, it’s the stereo Mephisto which is a great match for the Extremas.

 

[LL21]

Yes, it’s the stereo Mephisto which is a great match for the Extremas.

I bet it is! Fantastic. I have read in many places (including here) that the Extremas do not just thrive on power...they actually need it to do them justice. Would love to hear them driven by the Mephisto.

 

[Namaste]

I bet it is! Fantastic. I have read in many places (including here) that the Extremas do not just thrive on power...they actually need it to do them justice. Would love to hear them driven by the Mephisto.

The Mephisto was eventually replaced by the Trinity mono amps which are an even better match. I’m sure Franco Serblin never had the opportunity to listen to the full potential of the Extremas.

 

[LL21]

The Mephisto was eventually replaced by the Trinity mono amps which are an even better match. I’m sure Franco Serblin never had the opportunity to listen to the full potential of the Extremas.

Ah haaa! In investigating the Robert Koda K160s...I did look at the Trinity mono amps and start reading up on them. 200w in 4 ohms, very low distortion. Apparently beautiful by all accounts. Would love to hear. Have you heard them?

 

[Namaste]

Ah haaa! In investigating the Robert Koda K160s...I did look at the Trinity mono amps and start reading up on them. 200w Class A! Apparently beautiful by all accounts. Would love to hear. Have you heard them?

Yes, the above system is mine. I had practically changed all the components except the Extremas which I had owned for 27 years! I love the Extremas