A new generation of Olympica

The Olympica I G3 follows the earlier Olympica Nova generation. Sonus faber has retained the family’s recognizable asymmetrical, lute-shaped cabinet while introducing new driver engineering and refinements to the exterior.

The cabinet now wears a 45-degree herringbone veneer pattern, offered in Walnut and Wenge. Wood, leather, and aluminum remain central to the design. The combination reflects an aspect of Sonus faber that has always distinguished the company: its speakers are intended to have a place in the living space as well as the listening system.

The more significant development for this review is the acoustic design. The Olympica I G3 pairs a 28 mm DAD Arrow Point silk-dome tweeter with a 165 mm paper-cone mid/bass driver. The Camelia driver concept originates in Sonus faber’s flagship Suprema project, with its unusual membrane geometry intended to control unwanted resonances.

In this two-way design, the larger driver handles both bass and midrange duties. It therefore has a substantial role in the speaker’s presentation, covering much of the body of instruments and voices while also providing the foundation beneath them.

For me, the attraction of this engineering is what it contributes to the listening experience. The Olympica I G3 combines the smoothness I associate with Sonus faber with excellent musical separation and satisfying impact from a cabinet that remains manageable in size.

Midrange and treble: where the appeal begins

The mids and highs were the strongest part of my experience with the Olympica I G3. Their smoothness was immediately recognizable as Sonus faber, but the quality of that presentation still stood out.

To me, the brand has always had an artistic approach to music. Its speakers tend to draw my attention toward the performance and make it easy to enjoy a recording as a whole. The Olympica I G3 continued that tradition, with a soothingly smooth character that felt particularly well suited to extended listening.

That smoothness was accompanied by excellent separation. The presentation remained inviting while allowing the different elements of the music to stay distinct. This is an important part of the speaker’s appeal: it offers musical ease while retaining enough clarity to keep a performance interesting.

Piano was a particular highlight. Had I not recently had the pleasure of listening to Sonus faber’s new Amati Supreme speakers—a review of those is still to come—I suspect the Olympica I G3’s piano reproduction would have impressed me even more dramatically.

The Amati Supreme experience had raised my expectations considerably. Even against that recent reference point, these smaller speakers made a strong impression. Piano is something I would actively encourage a prospective owner to include in an audition, particularly if it features heavily in their listening.

What stayed with me was how comfortably those qualities worked together. The smooth upper registers, expressive middle frequencies, and clear separation gave the speaker a presentation that was easy to enjoy without losing interest in the details of the performance.

Bass: more impact than its size suggests

From the sweet spot, the Olympica I G3’s bass was impressive. It delivered impact that belied the dimensions of the cabinet and gave the music a satisfying sense of physical presence.

There is an important distinction between bass impact and deep-bass extension. A compact speaker can provide convincing punch without reproducing the lowest frequencies with the authority of a larger design. Sonus faber’s published frequency range for the I G3 begins at 57 Hz, which helps establish realistic expectations.

Within that context, the bass was one of the pleasant surprises of the session. From the main listening position, the speaker had enough impact to give the music substance and keep its smooth presentation from feeling lightweight.

Moving away from that position changed the impression noticeably. Outside the optimal listening area, the bass became substantially less impactful. That is a meaningful qualification, particularly for someone planning to listen from several seats or use the speakers throughout a shared living space.

The practical consideration is how the speakers behave in the positions where they will actually be heard. I would spend time both in the main listening seat and elsewhere in the room before deciding how well the presentation suits the intended space.

For someone with one primary listening position, the impact we heard there is encouraging. If you expect a similarly forceful presentation across a broader seating area, make that part of your demonstration.

Separation and soundstage on busy recordings

The Olympica I G3 performed well when the music became more crowded. Busy tracks retained excellent separation and a convincing soundstage, despite the demands placed on a compact two-way speaker.

This was an important part of the listening experience. A smooth presentation becomes less satisfying if complex music loses its organization, but the I G3 maintained the distinctions between the different elements of the arrangement.

Its ability to keep the music organized also helps explain why its character worked beyond quieter or simpler recordings. There was enough clarity to follow the arrangement, while the bass impact from the sweet spot gave the performance a satisfying foundation.

The combination of smoothness, separation, and impact is more revealing than any one of those qualities considered alone. It gives the Olympica I G3 a refined character with enough energy to keep busier music engaging.

Which music brings out its best?

For my tastes, Sonus faber’s character has always felt especially well suited to jazz, blues, soul, and orchestral music. The Olympica I G3 reinforced that impression.

Those genres provide ample opportunity to appreciate the quality of its middle and upper registers. They also suit the expressive, artistic presentation that has long drawn me to the brand.

Rock and electronic music performed well. The speaker’s ability to maintain separation on busier tracks was useful here, and its bass impact from the sweet spot helped give the presentation substance.

Even so, these were not the genres where I felt it most fully showed its strengths. Someone whose listening centers on harder-edged music may weigh its qualities differently from someone who primarily enjoys jazz, piano, or orchestral recordings.

That is a matter of preference rather than a strict boundary around what the speaker can play. Its strengths remained enjoyable across different material, but certain music made its appeal especially clear to me.

The most revealing audition will include your everyday listening. A speaker should suit the recordings you return to regularly, including the demanding ones.

Our assessment

The Olympica I G3’s appeal rests on the quality of its musical presentation. Its exceptionally smooth mids and highs, striking piano reproduction, and convincing separation gave me plenty to enjoy. From the optimal listening position, its bass added more impact than I expected from a speaker of this size.

The main qualification from our session was the reduction in bass impact away from that position. Combined with its compact design and published bass extension, that makes the intended room and seating arrangement important parts of the purchase decision.

At $13,000 per pair, with dedicated stands sold separately, the Olympica I G3 represents a substantial investment. Its strongest case is for a listener who values Sonus faber’s expressive character, wants a compact speaker, and intends to spend time enjoying music from a carefully arranged listening position.

For that listener, there is much to appreciate. These speakers held my attention through their smoothness and musical organization, and they made piano a particularly rewarding part of the session. They offer the kind of presentation that encourages you to settle in and spend time with the music.