I’ve never reviewed a limited edition speaker before, and that is what we are doing today. Enter the Sonus Faber Concertino G4 bookshelf speaker, which is a limited edition speaker that embodies the rich artisanal and acoustic tradition of the renowned Italian brand. The Concertino G4 celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the first Sonus Faber Concertino introduction, with a limited run of 300 pairs of Concertino ‘Maestro’ special editions, featuring a brass plaque with progressive numbering applied on the walnut side panel of the speaker.
Sonus Faber is an Italian manufacturer of handcrafted speakers, headphones, and other high-end audio equipment based in Arcugnano, Veneto, Italy. The company was founded in 1983 by Franco Serblin. The Concertino G4s are my first Sonus Faber speakers, and I was very excited to review them. I will also compare these speakers with the Radiant Acoustics Clarity 6.2 loudspeakers, as they are in a similar price range.
Sonus Faber Concertino G4 Bookshelf Speakers Review
Design
The Sonus Faber Concertino G4 is a two-way bookshelf speaker. It has a 1-inch silk dome tweeter, paired with a 5-inch long-throw mid-bass driver. The speakers are rear-ported, and they have a frequency response of 60Hz – 25 kHz, with an impedance of 4 ohms and a sensitivity of 85 dB. Like previous Concertino generations, the G4 features the traditional Sonus Faber wood panels, and this generation has solid walnut panels, which add to the rigidity of the speaker cabinet.
Now, while the speakers I tested were from the 300 limited edition pairs, there is absolutely no difference between the limited edition speakers and the normal Concertino G4 speakers. Only a brass plaque separates the two; everything else is the same.
Sonus Faber has started making their speakers more eco-friendly, and they used plant-based leather for the G4. The central chassis of the Concertino G4 is made from cork, which is a natural, renewable material harvested from the bark of a cork oak tree. The structure of cork allows it to cleanly mold into each design, limiting internal resonances and reducing damping material inside the cabinet.
Setting Up The Concertino G4 Speakers
With a nominal impedance of 4 ohms, the Sonus Faber Concertino G4 bookshelf speakers need a good amplifier to bring out the best sound. I paired these speakers with the Musical Fidelity NuVista 600.2 integrated amplifier, which packs 160 watts at 8 ohms, 300 watts at 4 ohms, and 500 watts at 2 ohms. This was more than enough power to drive the Concertino G4s to their limits, and I’ll talk about the sound quality in the next section.
The Concertino G4s are smaller than they look in pictures, and they can easily fit in a small room. Sonus Faber recommends placing the speakers 6 feet apart and about 3 feet from any walls or boundaries.
The Sonus Faber Concertino G4 speakers come without any stands, so you’ll need to get a stand for them yourself. If you get the Sonus Faber iron stand, which is made specially for the G4s, it’ll cost you about US$1680. The stands look great, and they come with gold-plated spikes, but they cost an outrageous amount of money, and I just used my Wharfedale Super Linton stands.
Sound Quality
The best word I can find to describe the Sonus Faber Concertino G4 is smooth. The sound was natural, and the speakers had very good treble extension. The midrange was amazing, and the sound was natural and composed. Even at louder volume levels, the speakers didn’t give up, and the timbre stayed constant.
With only a five-inch woofer, I was surprised by the amount of bass I got. The sound was focused and detailed at low frequencies, but a subwoofer will get you better performance. There was no audible drift, and the center imaging was perfect.
Sonus Faber Concertino G4 vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 6.2
The Concertino G4s are similar in price to the new Radiant Acoustics Clarity 6.2 bookshelf speakers. The Radiant Clarity 6.2s are the better speakers, and I would go for them in a heartbeat. The Clarity 6.2s need a lot of power for the best performance, but it is worth it. If you are looking for a new speaker, I would recommend testing out both of these speakers and then deciding which to get.
Verdict
The Sonus Faber Concertino G4 bookshelf speakers retail for $5000; this price puts them in the luxury listening category. While I understand the limited edition hype and the eco-friendly commitments, if you’re going to sell bookshelf speakers for US$5000, I want something more than a brass plaque and plant-based leather.
The sound is amazing, and these speakers can fit in small rooms with ease. The design is beautiful, and the wood panels scream luxury listening. The Sonus Faber Concertino G4 bookshelf speakers do their job effortlessly, but I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone on a budget, as there are similar speakers that you can get for much less. The Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature bookshelf speakers cost US$500 less than the Concertino G4s, but they deliver an unmatched sound.