Sonus faber has introduced the third generation of its celebrated Olympica loudspeaker collection, bringing together the Italian manufacturer’s long-standing approach to craftsmanship with acoustic technologies developed for its flagship Suprema loudspeaker. The result is the Olympica G3, a new generation designed around the relationship between architecture, materials and sound.
The collection comprises five models: the Olympica I bookshelf loudspeaker, Olympica III and Olympica V floorstanding loudspeakers, Olympica Center, and Olympica Wall. Together, they provide solutions for different listening environments, from compact stereo systems to larger high-performance installations and home cinema applications.
Inspired by Vicenza
The identity of Olympica G3 is closely connected to Sonus faber’s home in Vicenza, Italy. The collection draws inspiration from the architectural heritage of the city and, in particular, Andrea Palladio’s Teatro Olimpico, completed in 1585.
Teatro Olimpico is renowned for its use of architectural perspective to create an illusion of extraordinary depth. Sonus faber uses this heritage as a conceptual foundation for Olympica, translating ideas of proportion, perspective and craftsmanship into the physical form of its loudspeakers.
The distinctive asymmetrical, lute-inspired cabinet remains central to the collection’s identity. The shape is combined with handcrafted woodwork and precision-machined aluminium elements, creating a loudspeaker that is intended to function as both an acoustic instrument and a piece of furniture.
For the G3 generation, Sonus faber has further developed this visual language with a full-surface 45-degree herringbone wood veneer, a design detail inherited from the company’s Stradivari design language. Available finishes include Walnut and Wengè, complemented by aluminium detailing.
Technology Derived from Suprema
While the appearance of Olympica G3 remains unmistakably Sonus faber, much of the technological development is new.
One of the collection’s most significant innovations is the Camelia midrange driver, developed in-house by Sonus faber and originally created for the company’s flagship Suprema loudspeaker. Its non-circular diaphragm takes inspiration from the natural geometry of the camellia flower.
According to Sonus faber, the geometry is intended to reduce unwanted resonances while providing the diaphragm’s surface to the listener. The company designed the driver to deliver clarity, transparency and realistic reproduction of voices and other critical midrange information.
The collection also employs Sonus faber’s DAD™ Arrow Point extended-frequency silk tweeter. This is used across several models, with the specific driver size varying according to the loudspeaker. The Olympica III, for example, employs a 28 mm DAD tweeter, while the Olympica Center uses an 18 mm version.
The floorstanding models introduce another significant development: a dedicated closed chamber for the tweeter and midrange section. Sonus faber uses a specifically shaped cork damping structure within this chamber. The company states that the structure was developed using computer simulations and is intended to improve resolution while preserving the natural character of the midrange.
Olympica The Collection:
Olympica I: Compact by Design
At the more compact end of the collection is the Olympica I, a bookshelf loudspeaker intended for smaller listening environments.
Despite its smaller dimensions, it incorporates the Camelia midrange technology developed for Suprema, together with the DAD tweeter. Its cabinet retains the characteristic lute-inspired form and 45-degree herringbone wood treatment associated with the Olympica G3 aesthetic.
This makes the Olympica I an important part of the collection rather than simply a scaled-down version of the larger floorstanders: it brings the G3 design language and key acoustic technologies into a format suited to more compact spaces.
Olympica III: The First Floorstanding Model
The Olympica III occupies the middle position in the floorstanding range.
It is a three-way vented loudspeaker incorporating a 28 mm DAD Arrow Point silk tweeter, a 165 mm Camelia paper-cone midrange with copper cap, and two 165 mm paper-cone woofers. Its published frequency response is 42 Hz–40 kHz, with a sensitivity of 90 dB SPL (2.83 V/1 m) and a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Sonus faber specifies amplifier power from 50 W to 300 W using an undistorted signal.
The midrange is housed in a sealed cork-lined enclosure, separating this critical part of the frequency spectrum from the vented low-frequency section. This architecture forms part of the acoustic development that distinguishes the G3 generation.
Olympica V: The Flagship of the Collection
At the top of the range sits the Olympica V, the largest floorstanding model in the G3 collection.
Sonus faber positions the V as the model for larger listening spaces, while retaining the fundamental design and technological principles shared throughout the range. Its acoustic architecture incorporates the Camelia midrange, DAD tweeter and the dedicated cork-damped chamber used for the mid/high-frequency section.
The Olympica V demonstrates the central idea behind the collection: technologies originally developed at the highest level of Sonus faber’s loudspeaker range can be incorporated into a more broadly applicable collection without abandoning the company’s emphasis on handcrafted materials and sculptural design.
Olympica Center: Bringing the Collection Into Home Cinema
Olympica G3 extends beyond two-channel listening with the Olympica Center, a dedicated centre-channel loudspeaker.
The Center is a three-way design with a sealed midrange enclosure and vented cabinet. It employs an 18 mm DAD Arrow Point extended-frequency silk tweeter, a 101 mm Camelia paper-cone midrange with copper cap and two 165 mm paper-cone woofers. Its published frequency response is 58 Hz–40 kHz, with 90 dB SPL sensitivity, a 4-ohm nominal impedance, and a recommended amplifier range of 50–300 W.
The inclusion of a dedicated centre channel allows the Olympica G3 design language and acoustic technology to extend into a home cinema system, where the centre speaker plays a particularly important role in reproducing dialogue and anchoring the front soundstage.
Olympica Wall: A More Discreet Approach
The Olympica Wall takes the collection in a different direction.
Rather than a floorstanding or conventional bookshelf design, it is intended for wall mounting, providing a more discreet solution while retaining the visual identity of the Olympica family.
The Wall is a two-way sealed-box design using a 28 mm DAD Arrow Point extended-frequency silk tweeter and a 165 mm Camelia paper-cone midrange with copper cap. Sonus faber specifies a frequency response of 78 Hz–40 kHz, 89 dB sensitivity, a 4-ohm nominal impedance, and a recommended amplifier range of 30–200 W.
Its inclusion makes the G3 collection considerably more versatile, allowing the same design philosophy to be applied where floorstanding loudspeakers may not be practical.
Where Craftsmanship Meets Engineering
Perhaps the defining characteristic of Olympica G3 is that its technological development has not come at the expense of Sonus faber’s traditional approach to materials and construction.
The collection combines handcrafted wood, herringbone veneer, aluminium detailing and the distinctive lute-shaped cabinet with newly developed acoustic technologies. Sonus faber describes this relationship between craftsmanship and engineering as fundamental to the collection’s identity.
The result is a range designed to occupy a space between traditional furniture craftsmanship and modern loudspeaker engineering. The cabinets are not treated simply as enclosures for the electronics and drivers; their proportions, materials and surfaces form an important part of the overall design.
A New Generation of Olympica
The original Olympica family established itself as one of Sonus faber’s most recognisable collections. With Olympica G3, the company has taken that established identity and introduced technologies derived from its most advanced loudspeaker development.
The Camelia midrange, DAD tweeter technology, cork-damped midrange chambers, updated aluminium details and 45-degree herringbone veneer represent the most significant developments of the new generation. At the same time, the asymmetrical lute-inspired silhouette and connection to the architectural heritage of Vicenza remain firmly intact.
Olympica G3 therefore represents more than a cosmetic update. It is an evolution of Sonus faber’s established design philosophy, bringing together technologies developed for its flagship products with the company’s distinctive approach to Italian craftsmanship.
For listeners who regard a loudspeaker as both a precision acoustic instrument and an object of design, the Olympica G3 collection offers a particularly distinctive proposition: advanced loudspeaker engineering shaped by the traditions of Italian architecture, woodworking and artistry.
Available at HFX Systems
The Sonus faber Olympica G3 collection is available at HFX Systems. The range offers a choice of floorstanding, bookshelf, centre-channel and wall-mounted loudspeakers, allowing the Olympica G3 design and technology to be incorporated into a variety of high-end stereo and home cinema systems.
For more information or to experience the collection, contact HFX Systems.
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