Music matters w/ SONUS FABER's Lumina II (vs. KEF LS50 Meta)
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- This episode is brought to you by NAD Electronics:
nadelectronics.com/product/m1...
Camera: Olaf von Voss | Editor: John Darko | Motion GFX: John Darko | Ad segment: Jana Dagdagan
Song IDs? Playlists of all music discussed and heard in this video - and other videos - can be found on my PATREON: / johndarko
Sonus faber Lumina II (€1190/pair)
www.sonusfaber.com/en/product...
0:00 Intro + Public Service Broadcasting
4:38 Pixies + Plastikman + Donald Fagen
8:08 vs KEF LS50 Meta
12:12 David Bowie, Moritz von Oswald Trio
Also seen in this video:
KEF LS50 Meta:
darko.audio/2020/12/a-short-f...
darko.audio/2020/09/podcast-j...
Naim Uniti Atom:
darko.audio/2018/07/wheel-lov...
Solid Steel SS-6 speaker stands:
solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-6...
Wide sideboard with black doors:
www.maisonsdumonde.com/DE/de/...
More compact sideboard with blue drawers:
www.maisonsdumonde.com/DE/de/...
SENIC Nuimo remote volume wheel:
darko.audio/2021/08/a-very-sh...
GIK Acoustics wall panels & bass traps:
www.gikacoustics.com/
All cables by AudioQuest:
www.audioquest.com/
#sonusfaber #hifi #darko
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1) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome (but no URLs, please)
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How can one not just celebrate this man and how he does reviews. Thanks!
I know this video is old now, but thank you for this. I’m cross shopping the LS50 Meta and Lumina II’s, so this is just what I needed.
Sonus Fabers stimulate the visual and tactile senses like few other speakers. Fabulously gorgeous Italian workmanship.
I am not the target market for these videos. I don't even own any speakers. Just a rather nice pair of IEM's and a little DAC/AMP stack. And yet I watch every one of John's videos just to learn more and to enjoy the wonderful delivery. So many "audiophile-targeted" channels fill their time with buzzwords and cryptic jargon, and a thinly veiled distaste for anyone not in the know. Darko Audio is a breath of fresh air.
Love your take on audio! So real and with a sense of humor. Well done, John! Thanks!
The Lumina series are gorgeous. I got the Lumina 3. Partners sweetly with my Sugden A21a, UK, meet Italy.
I received the sonus faber lumina 2 yesterday, I have been using the Dynaudio emit 20 over the last two years paired with a Rega elex-r and a Bluesound node 2i. The Sonus Faber sound amazing with the Rega amplifier, the luminas have taken the system to a different level! I can highly recommend this combination
Thanks for the info. I’ve had my eye on the Elex-R for a while and knowing they work well with the Lumina 2 is really useful.
Do you mean the emit m20 or the new emit 20?
@@khallgrimsen James have written "using the Emit over the last two years". I suppose the old Emit M20
Thanks For your posting James. I consider buying SF Lumina 2. Now i have SF Principa5, floor speaker. But I am moving to another home where nu listening room is smaller I have now about 20m2. I only listen and love classical music. What is your opinion SF L2 for classical music? My amp is NAD C 326BEE. Greetings from the Netherlands
@@jan-pietervanwaasbergen9870 Gramaphone promotes SF. You can check their video series. Cheers.
I purchased a pair lumina 2 's a couple of months ago . Largely based on this review. Couldn't be happier . A RelT7i takes care of the low end . Fantastic pairing .
I was considering this speaker but I am worried about the bass, its going to be for a bedroom tv/streaming setup and I don't want to do a sub in this space. I primarily stream electronic and industrial music in my room so low end might be an issue for me but I don't know.
I have the Lumina III. They are absolutely fantastic. With a Marantz amplifier they sound incredibly good.
Which amp did you pair it with @tainwa?
John - I can’t afford pretty much any of the gear you review…but I can dream. I also don’t understand a lot of the technical and audio jargon…but I can learn. But what I DO get with almost every video, is fresh music to explore and enjoy. Thank you! Maybe one day I’ll be able to enjoy it on some of the gear you showcase…probably not though
I live in the San Juan Archipelago (Pacific NW) The midday sky is dark, the landscape remote & organic, composed of a palette of a million shades of green, rain falls gently, water drips ubiquitously, the forest floor yields yet firmly, while paradoxically, Bright Magic provides a perfect soundtrack for the day. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for tipping me off about The Nightfly live.
It pleases me to see someone like you "take a punt" on a pair of speakers. I did the same with a pair of Audio Physic Step 25, perhaps comparable if a little more expensive, and I'm very pleased.
There are not many CZcams videos I clicked and watched to the very end when it’s first released and especially very early in the morning before work. This is one of them.
Such a good review with backgroundinfos. Well done!
Very interesting review and insightful comments on speaker performance, thought provoking as ever, thank you.
Lumina II’s have been purchased and what a great find! Unique tight clean sound!
The comparison I’ve been waiting for! Thanks!
Hi John, another excellent review and very topical for me! as I recently had a home audition of a pair of Sonetto IIIs (the first time I've every heard Sonus Faber...!) - I was astounded actually and mesmerised really! I had actually gone into a great independent HiFi dealer near Cambridge to listen to a Moon 340i Integrated amp (to upgrade from Roksan K3 Int. Amp.) and while I was there I said to them "ok - hit me with something new on the speaker front!" When I listened to them in-store (with my kit!) - I would have guessed they were more like £5K!!
Better still they sounded staggeringly good in my home (I currently have KEF LS50 Metas) - great sound stage and scale, beautiful fluid and effortless sound with a distinct character (colour?) of their own - but one which DID NOT overwhelm the character of music. The downward firing port on the Sonetto IIIs is great for easier / more flexible placement in a small / medium room.
Your review is making think of Lumina IIs (or maybe Is for a near field desktop setup)! so thanks for the review.
I am now an absolute Sonus Faber convert & fan! your principle of "a good speaker makes you want to turn the volume up and not down" is so simple but SPOT ON TRUE!!! I love the Sonetto IIIs ! and asking myself could I eventually move up to Olympica Nova II in time (although I would need a bigger lounge or listening space).
Kepp up the good work - Alan
Thanks JD I’ve got some Quad mini floorstanders but looking to go to standmounts just for the sake of change to get a fresh sound happening! The Lumina II sound very appealing from what you described.
Great review! Hopefully you'll be able to do a review on the Olympica Nova I's soon!
Wow! I 100% agree with you : "Enjoyability" is a much more useful qualification for describing musical reproduction than neutrality . For me, enjoyablity is the main factor for choosing speakers ( or any component hifi component, but especially speakers) because why are we listening to music if not for the pleasure? That said, I understand that not everyone share the same tastes. I also share another stong point you made about "voice intelligibility". At 75 years, my hearing decreases at frequencies above 4500 Hz. This is not a problem when listening to music but I have some problems with spoken words containing the letters s, f, b, c, d, p, t, m, n, and v, in songs or listening speeches or conversations. I have tried the KEF LS Meta at home last week and I did not enjoy the experience compared to my Totem Hawks speakers driven by my YBA Integré Passion amplifier. They are less dry and shouty, much more fun, organic, even better holographic qualities and have more solid bass. I don't think this feeling is only due to being more familiar with the Hawks.
What a delightful commentary!
I had a pair of Sonus Faber Signum a few years ago. They sounded sweet but lacked dinamics and had a lot of sibilance with TV sound. Traded for my current B&W CM1 that are near perfect in everything and have gone trough 3 diferent rooms and 3 amps... but would like to try a pair of LS50 and these Luminas have great reviews too ;)
The audio breaks make these a delight to listen to. Like two friends listening together and discussing what they heard and enjoyed. Olaf is a wizard.
Nice video and I truly always enjoy how you present information in your videos. I have the KEF LS50 Meta's in 2 installations in the house both with KEF KC62 subs. I am not one who particularly likes modern design but I think you have to look beyond that with the LS50 Meta design. The rounded back edges actually are more than an aesthetic touch. It actually helps with off axis performance. I have had a number of different speakers over time such as Vandersteen but the LS50 Meta's are truly one of the best sounds I have heard for the money. Since you had the KC62 subs maybe you might give an update on this video using the them with the Sonus Farber to see how the subsystem compares with the KEF LS50 Meta/KC62 combo.
Enjoyment?
That might be the word.
Thank you for another excellent overview. Looking forward to your thoughts on amp pairings.
Now I’m going to listen to the new Nightfly with my bedside rig iPad Pro Apple Music lossless>Geshelli Labs JNog Dac>SMSL Sp200>Focal Radiance
Colouration is the spice of audio
This is brilliant. I was just about to dive in looking for a step up from the Klipsch 600. So this video is godsend!
The design, fit and finish of Sonus Faber speakers is next level! I always give them some attention when I go to Listen Up
Terrific video John! Quite a few reviewers have compared the Lumina II with the Metas but yours is the best by far. That said which one would you pick?
Nice that you mentioned Pixies again. My all-time favorite band, and the last actual gig I went to, pre-COVID here in NL.
Music first! That's what I love about this channel, and what I think lack a lot of other audiophiles channels that only talk about gear. I love the combination, so thanks John, keep up the good work!
BTW: through my LS50meta's, I think Trompe le Monde sounds great to me, especially now I've got the KC62 sub to accompany it with.
I absolutely agree with coloring as I love vacuum tube equipment and turn up the color of my high-end Samsung TV as well. Better than life's static realism!
After feeling like I needed more electronic music suggestions you are now my go to guy for that. You should start a new channel just for electronic music!
Really looking forward to getting mine. These seem to be only through dealer channels for the most part. Placed my order in early August with a mid December arrival…patience is a virtue
Won’t that be so you listen to them first? Home demo them if needed?
Nice one, I shouldn’t have passed on those speakers! I screwed up.
Back to school for you, Steve. 😆
What if we appreciate aesthetics same as sound quality, would it be good for whole industry? Would great looking speakers push industry to new level? As much I love and prefer sound over aesthetics it was so much easier for me to buy speakers like a nice piece of furniture which my wife love as well (for look). I bought Sonus Faber for both sound quality and looks.
Great review, love your delivery and explanations. Question, how far apart are the Lumina speakers, tweeter-to-tweeter? How far away do you sit from their center. Thanks very much and happy 2022. 🎵
Great stuff as usual 👍
Absolutely LOVE that incidental music!
🤗🧐VERY INTERESTING ,INFORMATIVE 👍
THANKS JOHN 😍😍😍
... John, there is no problem with colouration, Bass/Treble, Graphic Equalizers and Loudness buttons are all God sends! 👍 ...
I always wonder about this. being in mid nowhere there are no Hi Fi stores around, just to start ( ahh the old days of ' wall to wall stereo' - at the mall near you ! maybe 25 different speakers, near full range lineup from the major companies ; Pioneer, Sansui EPI etc. not talking near custom audiophile. not a place to do even semi serious listening. ) anyway - as a curiosity, how good would dipping the bass & treble a bit simulate the 'mid boost'.... sidenote, I have Meta Spks and an Outlaw receiver
Nice review.
Had an Italian turntable with leather wrap finish (Gold Note). Rather fetching it was.
Hi John,
I think you'll like Bob Moses quite a lot as well. The album days gone by is great
Re Colouration: You're spot on John.. In fact all the "Neutralists" out there, don't know what the neutral sound is unless they were in the studio at the session.. For better or worse, those studio monitors produced the original sound.
Finally jazz music on background 🙏
Yes! (But I would really like to know the name of the group playing...)
@@robineur Later at the Bar by Tiki Tiki
Great review. I'd love to see you review the Bowers and wilkins 705 S2 speakers....
The record on the right on the furniture, for anyone wondering is "Humanoid - 7 Songs" [out on FSOL's label].
Well spotted, friend. My absolute fav Humanoid release. I just ordered the 7 Songs CD from FSOL's Bandcamp as it contains 8 (!) bonus cuts.
...as always - the great insight of the highlighted gear! So, thank you so much for casting!
Good shout on the Downpour... Very experimental vibe , but defo harking back to that golden age of the mid to late 90's
Some realllllly interesting production on their drums giving a kind of 'live / @ the club' sound , wonder what machines they use?
Great for banging through my system , have you heard of the Russel K Red 50? These bad boys are rapido and don't get sybillant , but no surprises, don't go ultra low. Oh yeah they are coloured too with some clever internal porting , it's like they were made for female vocals ... Maybe try and find a pair for a comparative listen?
Been passionately waiting for this one =)
Patiently?
Props for highlighting PBS :)
I am going to stick my neck out here and say I will choose the KEFs purely on aesthetic alone. I live in a small cottage with one living space and I don't want my room to look or feel like a HiFi shop. I want my HiFi to feel like it is part of the design of the room, which the KEFs achieve, especially with those colour options! Great video as usual, John.
Was about to say this aswell, I mean at this point it brinks on merely a aesthetic choice, they're already packing so much performance
Thank you for sharing. I was asking the question the other day. What is levelling up for a klipsch rp600m. Something that has that essence but improves upon the formula. I want it to sound good. And I'm still trying to figure out what exactly that means to me. But I don't think flat is the answer for myself either.
John I'm really digging your content. I'm looking seriously at a pair of these now as I'm upgrading my system and just acquired a Peachtree Nova 300. In the video you stated that some care should be taken when selecting an amp because they are 4 ohm but you didn't elaborate - excuse my ignorance but specifically what needs to be considered with a lower (or is it higher) impedance? Thanks very much, and I'm willing to also get an education from a few of your legion of fans!
Beautiful speakers
I have a pair of Lumina II and he describes them well: the top it's just fun to listen to, not at all fatiguing or harsh. It's just a bite of energy to enjoy the music more. The sound it's just clean, instruments are well defined. Great depth but not much vertical soundstage. You definitely need a sub, not to get the windows rattling, but to complete the overall frequency range.
Sonus' speakers are truly gorgeous. Completely setting sound aside, I think they absolutely tower above most audio companies just in terms of their aesthetics.
to each their own. I find them to be absolutely hideous. when they combine leather with wood.
@@nnaaeee Fair enough. "I think" and "I find" are the most important clauses in both of our comments. Nothing wrong with that.
Them and Revel really do take premium aesthetics seriously.
Also I know I've said it before but you should really check out the Edifier S3000 Pro. Don't let the brand name fool you, these are not some well priced computer speakers. Truly remarkable
We're all allowed to change Jon 🤣🤣. I indeed have a difficult room and am grateful for this suggestion! Crack on!
I’ve just bought a pair and I love them
Well done John. Good idea to own a couple of references from known top of the game players like KEF and Sonus Faber. And all the better they are from the affordable middle of the pricing range.
Hi John, Thanks so much for this outstanding review. how does this Sonus Faber Lumina II compare to Triangle Genese Trio? Cheers!!
Nice Review 👍
Thanx! Good insightful review ! Any chance you might get to review the 40th Anniversary Triangle Comètes ?!? Also, what’s your take on Canton ?!? Bill from France ( an American in Moselle)
Classey looking speakers on top notch solid steel stands nice video...
Great review. But we need perspective.. and that means a test of the Sonetto ii 😉
Hi John, what do you think, the Sonus Fabre Lumina II with the Naïm Uniti Atom OR the Buchardt A500’s with their hub&remote? Thanks!
Yes, neutrality does not mean better speakers. I like elevated treble because it gives more energy up top. It’s the reason I picked up b&w 707 s2 over the metas.
Nice job
Arse rock ! bought stands because they look cool ! great stuff more please ... Thank you
Very curious to hear your take on the Lumina / Naim Uniti Atom combo. My guess would be that the Atom would be a little light for driving a 86db / 4 ohm speaker, in a room bigger than a kitchen, den or bedroom but maybe not.
@Michael-xz1nk: Any recommendations of Amp for driving these speakers?
In a far as the bass is concerned…. Surprise surprise. I own a pair of Nova 1s. The bass is so good that it even challenges my floor standing b&w 804 D3s
For real?! Waiting on a pair of Nova 1's to be delivered to the nearby SF dealer so I can go have a listen this week.
I have 803 d3’s and nova 1’s and I did a side by side comparison and I can tell you the bowers like being played much louder but the sonus Olympica nova 1’s image is amazing.. I bought the nova 1’s with a nova w as a center channel for my wife for Mother’s Day present “lol” for our bedroom setup and it’s a tight space and seems to work ok with our extra sr6015 but I picked up an arcam avr20 yesterday so with Dirac and a rel ht1003 it could improve things for the better. In our big listening space they were much better with the McIntosh amps
With my mc611’s the sonus couldn’t handle past 50% on my c2700 if that’s relevant
Hi John, I have listened to the MONITOR AUDIO GOLD 100 5G paired with Naim Unity Atom & Cambridge Audio Evo 150 and love them, but would you choose them over the SONUS FABER's Lumina II? I know there is a price delta, but from a sound perspective, which would you choose?
Thank you for your review. Just bought the Lumina 3 instead of the 2. Coming from the Focal Aria 906, who unfortunately have some issues in one driver, I think they are a step up. To be honest I do not agree with your “no harshness” comment regarding the Lumina 2. I listened on the Lumina 2 to Natalie Merchant’s “The Pepper Man” with a Marantz model 30 amplifier. Natalie Merchant unfortunately had some harsh- and shrillness with the Lumina 2. Going to the Lumina 3 with their 3-way system the harshness was completely gone. So I bought the Lumina 3. Unfortunately here on CZcams one does not find many reviews for the Lumina 3.
I agree the KEYWORD is" enjoyment" it's more important than anything else.
100%
It’s been a few months, are they still satisfying? Wondering if their slight coloring is holding up to long term listening. Thanks!
Nice video! These two should be compared with DALI Opticon MK2
Hi John, I’ve got a Hegel H90 powering my system with some Klipsch RP 600s and a REL T/x7 sub. I’d like to upgrade from the Klipsch and it sounds like the Sonus Faber’s might be just the ticket. Do you feel the H90 would pair well with the SF?
Naim is a very dynamic and punchy amp. Hegel have the reputation of being more laid back. But if like it with the 600s then should work with the Lumina. Remember though that the Sonus are much less sensitive than Klipsch
Hello, I was watching your video "is this the future of hi-fi?" (with which I agree) and started wondering whether you had yet formed an opinion on systems such as the Sonus Faber Omnia, which, in a way, are quite radical. Have you had a chance to listen to the Sonus Faber Omnia (apologies if I have missed a video and/or review on the same)?
I went back to using D7 speakers, what would you recommend for blues music?
Are they a good fit for a Leak 130 ? I like Jazz woodwind and IDM. I have now the Comete Ez. Will i be better with Denton 85th or keep the triangle ? Yes i have a Sub.
I would really to hear your oppinion on the fishhead audio resolution series. Small manufacturer from Berlin. Similar price point, and supposedly also very special.
I'm really torn between the Lumina II and III... Both feature what I am looking for: Bi-amping terminals (as I'm using a 7.2 AVR for 5.1 bi-amping) and no rear port. As I have a small living room, about ~5 x3,80m, my current Nubert nuBox 483 sometimes sound a little droney in the bass. They're close to the front wall and there's nothing I can do about the placement.
Between the Luminas I just don't know if to stay with beautiful small towers (still droney?) or go stand-mounted. I do have a small REL T-Zero III subwoofer to go alongside...
Do you think a cambridge xax will pull the sound out of these. I really dig em. Thanks..
I just bought a CA EVO 150. How did these speakers perform with it? I ask cause you have the Naim hooked up
I think buying Sonus Faber Lumina 2, now I have Sonus Faber Principia 5 floor speakers, but I am going to move to another home where the living room: where I am going to listen music is smaller, about 20 m2. I love the sound of Sonus Faber I have now Principa 5 (it is so fresh, especially for classical music, Vivaldi, Bach but also with Bruckner Mahler) do you know if the Sonus Faber Lumina 2 goes with for classical music? What is your opinion?, I only listen to classical music, I am a classical music junk. Greetings from the Netherlands
Any thoughts as to whether the Sonus Fabers or KEFs are more non-fatiguing to listed to?
No1 question!
Do you think the Atom and Atom HE are both designed and produce the same “sonic signature”. I’ve had the Atom HE for just over a week driving ACA monoblocks and ultra high sensitivity speakers. I’d say the Atom HE definitely adds a bit of warmth.
Curious that what brand feet you used on Lumina IIs ? Would it be better to get the optional wider top for SS6 vs speaker feet?
Love this video on 2X.
👋
I listen mostly to vinyl. What amp would you recommend for these?
I'd completely forgotten about Donald Fagen until I watched this video - thanks.
p.s. I think the live version of The Nightfly is 'better' as for me it has more depth; the studio version sounds a bit clinical and flat. (listened to on LS50 Meta and Bluesound Sub Pulse+ powered by Bluesound Powernode)
Had many sonus fabers,anthony gallo ref 3,s,,,nothing beats magnepans,,beats a box speaker all day,the treble,mid,depth and soundstage are amazing if you are not a bass junkie
Love the latest PSB album.
They are great speakers
I wish someone would get a pair of the Lumina V towers in for review. Not a whole lot of info out there on the top model from this line.
I remember listening to that Plastikman Music album for the first time as my jaw dropped in disbelief from the opening track. I wonder, does everyone remember their first time listening to it?
My first Plastikman exposure was at a ‘rave’ in Denver around 1999. He blew my mind, but there might have been some chemical support. Anyway, I’ve never forgotten and still get chills every time I listen …some 20 years later.
Can I ask what the volume dial is you are using in the video? This works with the atom?
How do the Lumina @'s match with the Naim Uniti Atom?
I always crinch when I see a loudspeakercable making sharp bends when connected to a terminal. I usually rotate the terminal 180°.
Please tell where did you buy them White bookshelf speakers stands for what's the Name of them & can you send me the Link to buy them. I love this Video seen it 5 times now can not make up my Mind Between Sonus Fathers lumina ll or KEF LS50 Meta So I'm going to buy both of from. Love ❤️ ur Channel Man John from the UK
Hi, what would the difference against Faber Lumina 1 be? Thank you.