A Legacy of Sound

Some loudspeakers look like equipment. Sonus faber's look like they were made by someone who also builds instruments, which, in a sense, is exactly the point.

Stand one in a living room and you notice the form first: curved timber that glows, leather stitched to a tailor's standard, a flash of metal in the right place. Then the music starts, and it sounds the way it looks. Warm, articulate, a little theatrical, and unmistakably Italian.

The name is Latin: sonus is sound, faber a craftsman. Sonus faber was founded in 1983 by Franco Serblin, a Vicenza native who grew up on classical music and whose father was a master carpenter. Both influences are audible and visible in everything the company has built since.

It began as a small workshop in Monteviale, in Italy's Veneto, a region with a long tradition of instrument making. Serblin's idea was simple and unfashionable: natural materials, furniture-grade finishes, and voicing by ear, so the speakers sound like music rather than measurements.

His first speaker, the compact walnut Parva, arrived in 1983 and was followed by the Minima and Electa Amator. 

That same attention to materials continues in the way Sonus faber speakers are made. Cabinets are built from carefully selected timber, with layers glued to form the curved side panels, then sanded by hand into the soft profile the speakers are known for. 

Lacquered models are finished by specialists with a piano-making background, which gives high-gloss surfaces their depth. Leather is a long-standing signature, with panels cut, wrapped and fitted by hand. 

Yet behind these traditional techniques lies a considered approach to acoustic innovation. The curved cabinets are more than a design signature, with their distinctive forms contributing to the speakers' acoustic performance. Custom drivers, crossovers tuned by ear and carefully shaped internal volumes are all in service of warmth and naturalness over clinical precision. 

The same appreciation for enduring craftsmanship and engineering can be found in McIntosh. Where Sonus faber is Italian and sculptural, McIntosh is American and iconic: founded in 1949, built by hand in Binghamton, New York, and recognisable by its black glass panels and glowing blue watt meters. 

While their design languages are distinct, both brands balance traditional craftsmanship with contemporary audio engineering. Sonus faber's sculptural forms and natural materials are complemented by McIntosh's approach to amplification, bringing together two different traditions in pursuit of an exceptional listening experience. 

Together, they demonstrate how heritage and innovation can coexist, creating audio equipment designed not simply to perform, but to be appreciated for years to come. 

LEARN MORE: https://www.sonusfaber.com/en