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Sonus Faber Olympica Nova V
PURE AND PRISTINE SOUND
The Flagship of the Olympica Nova Collection and a true expression of Sonus faber’s Natural Sound signature.
A SONIC MARVEL
Olympica Nova V boasts three woofers for powerful low frequencies. Combined with mid-high frequencies, it delivers detailed, warm, and enchanting sound. The asymmetrical lute-shaped cabinet minimizes internal resonances for pure sound.
ELEGANCE IN SIMPLICITY
Olympica Nova V is more than just a speaker; it embodies contemporary Italian woodwork, gracefully blending with your listening environment to add a touch of elegance.
THE EVOLUTION OF DESIGN
The Olympica Nova V features a 3-way ported tower design with a striking combination of wood veneer and aluminum accents. The front baffle, like the cabinet sides, are made in walnut or wenge hand-finished natural wood and set in a solid die-cast aluminum plate. Italian leather encircles the rings around the woofers, applied by hand in Sonus faber’s factory in Vicenza, Italy.
PURE SONUS FABER DESIGN
Olympica Nova unites Sonus faber’s iconic design queues in a clean, musical silhouette.
WARM AND ENGAGING SOUND
Sonus faber’s core technologies fuse with signature design queues in a clean silhouette to deliver uncompromising Natural Sound.
DAMPED APEX DOME TWEETER
The 28 mm silk soft dome tweeter utilizes Damped Apex Dome (D.A.D.) technology, which refines high-frequency playback by adding localized dampening to the dome's apex, known for causing anti-phase behavior in soft dome diaphragms. In Olympica Nova V, the D.A.D. structure is now a single piece of die-cast aluminum, enhancing both the strength and precision of the system.
MIDRANGE
Our midrange is a product of Sonus faber's in-house laboratories. Crafted from a blend of air-dried cellulose pulp and other natural fibers, the cone boasts a unique texture with varying density. This design minimizes cone resonance, resulting in a natural sound that offers enhanced transparency and finer detail.
MADE IN ITALY WOOFER
Our Italian-made woofer cone utilizes an exclusive sandwich construction, combining two sheets of cellulose pulp with a hi-tech foam layer in between. This unique design ensures swift and powerful sound reproduction while maintaining coherence with the mid-high units.
REFLEX PORT
The solid extruded aluminum piece, part of the Stealth Ultrafle system, minimizes turbulence, enhancing airflow through the duct to reduce distortion.
CROSSOVER
The Crossover network implements Paracross Topology, making the crossover less sensitive to radio-frequency interference, improving transient response and lowering noise floor. The filtering topology features new exclusive Clarity Cap capacitors, customized specifically for Sonus faber.
STRUCTURAL RIGIDITY
Olympica Nova V features eight layers of curved wood in its walls, enhancing cabinet rigidity for reduced interference. Internal structural ribs further reduce vibration and support the transducers' power.
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A standout is its transparent midrange, delivering natural vocals and pin-point imaging praised by Tom Lyle. It couples tight bass from three 180mm woofers with a wide soundstage and lively dynamics, with surprisingly flexible placement — notes echoed by Tyler Stripko — all wrapped in refined build and finishes admired by HiFi News.
Pros
- Transparent, highly resolved midrange and vocal clarity that renders timbre and presence naturally.
- Deep, tuneful and controlled low end from the three 180mm woofers and Stealth Ultraflex port — authoritative yet well integrated with the midrange.
- Expansive, well-layered soundstage with precise imaging and stable center focus — the speakers ‘disappear’ into the room.
- Exemplary craftsmanship and cabinet design — eight-layer bent-wood construction, solid aluminium base and high-quality finishes.
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Cons
- Premium pricing (MSRP around $16,500) puts these beyond many buyers’ reach despite strong value in context.
- Decorative string grilles offer little driver protection — not ideal for homes with curious children or pets.
- Bench measurements noted a narrow mid/tweeter-region anomaly (around ~2–2.5kHz) that some listeners might want to audition for in their room.
Sound Quality
95/100
Bass
97/100
Triple 180mm woofers and the Stealth Ultraflex vent deliver deep, authoritative bass repeatedly described as tight, room-shaking and extending into the mid-20Hz region in-room. Multiple reviewers noted excellent integration with the midrange and less placement sensitivity; measured nearfield data is more conservative but subjective reports of effortless low-end authority justify a reference-level bass score.
Mid
95/100
Across reviews the midrange is singled out as a star—natural, rich, and highly resolved with vocals rendered with body and lifelike timbre. Critics repeatedly call the midrange 'spot on' and 'transparent', noting seamless blending with bass and treble for coherent, musical presentation.
Treble
91/100
Treble is generally accurate, airy and non-fatiguing with nice cymbal shimmer and controlled top end, though some measurements and one reviewer note a mild top‑end lift and a narrow 2.5kHz concern. Recommendation to audition slightly off-axis to obtain most neutral balance supports a high but not perfect score.
Soundstage Imaging
95/100
Consistently praised for very large, deep and well-layered soundstages with precise, stable imaging and convincing center focus. Multiple reviewers described a room‑filling, ‘disappearing speaker’ effect and laser-like image placement.
Dynamics
95/100
Reviewers report excellent micro and macro dynamics: fast transient response, strong slam and control at high SPLs, and the ability to play loudly without obvious compression. Several notes describe quick transitions from delicate detail to powerful crescendos with coherence preserved.
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Build Quality
94/100
High-end fit and finish with eight-layer bent-wood constrained-layer cabinets, solid outrigger base and premium materials; reviewers call the construction 'flawless' and 'furniture grade'. Minor practical quibbles (lack of protective grills for some buyers) do not detract from otherwise exemplary build.
Features Connectivity
80/100
Passive tower baseline applied. The speakers include bi‑amp/bi‑wire style terminals (separate Mid‑Hi and Low binding posts) and robust spike decouplers; no active DSP/streaming is expected or penalized.
Value for Money
90/100
At the ~$16,500 list price reviewers frequently call the Nova V a relative bargain in high-end audio, citing performance, finish and capabilities versus peers. Strong reviewer language supports very good value though price remains high for many buyers.
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