Chario Academy Sonnet
The Chario Academy Sonnet pairs silky, glare-free treble with richly natural tone and a wide, layered soundstage that makes this stand-mount feel far larger than its stature. Positive Feedback admired its effortless dynamics and lifelike timbre, while The Absolute Sound highlighted its warm, precise imaging and tight, satisfying bass. Solid-walnut craftsmanship completes an unusually immersive high-end package.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
93/100
Build Quality
92/100
Value for Money
89/100
Pros
Smooth, extended, highly detailed treble remains free of glare and fatigue, with especially convincing cymbal realism.
Expansive, deep soundstage presents stable, fully embodied images rather than merely etched outlines.
Natural, slightly warm midrange conveys vocal emotion and instrumental timbre without added edge.
Punchy, textured bass and strong dynamic headroom give this compact two-way unexpectedly large-scale output.
Cons
Mid-bass can become overfull on bass-heavy recordings unless placement and toe-in are carefully optimized.
The wooden stand sections have sharp, delicate edges that require care during assembly to avoid dings.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 93/100
Reviewers describe a refined, emotionally communicative and unusually spacious presentation, combining warmth and tonal richness with high resolution. Its bass is substantial and articulate for a 170mm two-way, while the smooth treble, layered imaging and effortless output make it suitable for serious full-range listening in a carefully arranged room.
Bass
91/100
Bass is repeatedly described as tight, punchy, textured and surprisingly satisfying without subwoofers, with useful output reaching to around 50Hz. Positive Feedback found clear attack, sustain and decay, though it also heard occasionally overfull mid-bass until the speakers were moved farther into the room and toed in more directly.
Mid
93/100
The midrange is praised for natural timbre, clean detail and emotional weight rather than spotlighted edge. Reviewers heard a slight warmth that enriched voices, keyboards and saxophone while retaining an uncoloured, convincing quality.
Treble
94/100
Both reviews portray the top end as highly refined: smooth, extended, detailed and free from glare or fatigue. Cymbals in particular were said to sound convincing and realistic, with edgy recordings becoming more listenable without losing information.
Soundstage Imaging
94/100
Soundstaging is one of the Sonnet's most celebrated strengths, with reviewers reporting wide, deep and beautifully layered space. Images are described less as etched pinpoints than as fully embodied, stable performers surrounded by copious air.
Dynamics
93/100
The Sonnet was reported to grow convincingly from very low levels to full volume without audible strain or compression. Fast, busy music retained precision and control, while Positive Feedback highlighted its strong dynamic output and effortless musical delivery.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
92/100
The solid-walnut and HDF cabinet construction is consistently described as beautiful, substantial and carefully made, with all elements produced in-house. One reviewer cautions that the contoured wooden stand sections have sharp, delicate edges that can be dinged during assembly, and would have preferred a fully metal stand.
Value for Money
89/100
At its premium asking price, Positive Feedback still strongly recommends considering the Sonnet even against floorstanding alternatives in the same price class. That recommendation is supported by unusually complete bass for a stand-mount, exceptional spatial performance and luxurious cabinet work, though the reviews do not frame it as a budget-oriented purchase.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
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Specifications
- Low Frequency Load
- Back-Firing Vented
- Vent Geometry
- Half-Exponential Hourglass Type
- Configuration
- 2 -way Reversed Array
- Drivers
- 1 Tweeter 32 mm SILVERSOFT™ dome NeFeB motor 1 Woofer 170 mm ROHACELL® Full-Apex™ Poly-Ring NeFeB motor
- Sensitivity
- 90 dB SPL normalized to 1 m / 2.83 Vrms / de-correlated L/R pink noise ITU-R BS 1116-1 compliant listening room
- Low Frequency Cut Off
- 55 Hz @ -3dB referred to C4 WETS
- Xover Frequency
- 1180 Hz
- Alignement
- LKR4 Derived (Δf= 45°)
- Rated Impedance
- Modulus 4 Ω (min 3.0) Argument ± 36°
- Cabinet
- Solid walnut and HDF. The structure made by one cabinet containing one subwoofers and one tweeter
- Size & Weight
- 445 x 235 x 340 mm (H x W x D) / 14 Kg
- Weight
- 13 kg
- Size
- 750 x 540 x 460 mm (H x W x D)
- Finish
- Iron black anodized iron (Top Plate & Legs) Varnished HDF (central section)
- Speakers Orientation
- Speakers should be tilted inward facing the listener
- Listening Distance
- Optimum speaker-listener distance > 2.5 m
- Listening Layout
- A carpeted floor in front of the speakers is recommended
- Side and Back Walls
- Should be at least 1m away from the speaker front baffle
- Suggested Amplifier
- Rated for 120 W/4Ω Average Power
Manufacturer's Description — Chario
ACADEMY
SONNET
2 way Bookshelf
Listening to music on small-sized systems is a reasonable and quite understandable preference, given that they are easily installed in many venues.
Although the compromises required make this sort of design almost impossible, Sonnet offers a solution to bypass the Laws of Physics.
To integrate this strict definition, while we can safely say that we perform miracles to do our best at Chario Loudspeakers, we are nonetheless proud to say that we are strangers to miraculous designs.
Virtual Image
An image speaks more than a thousand words ...
An image speaks more than a thousand words ... impressive Sonnet is eye-catching but appearance takes a back seat to the thrill of listening, as the ear falls under its spell and the speaker literally vanishes to leave room for the most incredible live stage experience you ever try
Reversed Array
Two-way bookshelf systems usually have the tweeter in the upper position of the cabinet.
If the designer is also aiming for time alignment of the two transducers, the plinth must be given a suitable back tilt.
Sonnet fits in with this principle except that the tweeter is underneath. That’s the explanation why the cabinet should be tilted forwards.
Perhaps the solution to the Riddle lies in the Sonnet operating theory of approaching issues that common sense isn’t aware of…
The Riddle
Academy Sonnet
Although the compromises required make this sort of design almost impossible, Sonnet offers a solution to bypass the Laws of Physics.
To integrate this strict definition, while we can safely say that we perform miracles to do our best at Chario Loudspeakers, we are nonetheless proud to say that we are strangers to miraculous designs.
Two-way bookshelf systems usually place the tweeter in the uppermost region of the speaker’s cabinet.If the designer is also aiming for synchronization of the two transducers, the plinth must be given a suitable back tilt.
Sonnet inverts this principle by affixing the tweeter below. Hence, the cabinet should be tilted forwards.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Chario Academy Sonnet
- Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Alma Music & Audio — online and in-store — San Diego, California, United States (website)
- AMPL’HIFI — online and in-store — Nîmes, Occitanie, France (website)
- Audio Creativ — in-store — Riedenburg, Bayern, Germany (website)
- Audio88 — in-store — Singapore, Singapore (website)
- Aug & Ohr — in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Germany (website)
- AV Luxury Group — online and in-store — Las Vegas, Nevada, United States (website)
- David Lewis Audio — in-store — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (website)
- FME Elektroakustik — in-store — Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)
- frank prowse hifi — in-store — Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia (website)
and 11 more verified dealers