Unboxing: Sonus Faber Liuto Loudspeaker

Posted by: Neil Gader at 11:11 am, August 16th, 2009

At this year’s CES I was introduced to Sonus Faber’s new Liuto which was being demoed in the Sumiko room.  Filling the gap between the Domus line and the exclusive Classic line, the Liuto is a three-way vented design that uses all new drivers including a 6-inch carbon fiber midrange, a 9-inch woofer and a return to the large, 1-inch soft dome tweeter of early models. While it maintains certain classic Sonus trappings like the lute shaped side panels, Liuto is a cleaner more contemporary take that should be an easy and more neutral fit into most rooms. My very preliminary impressions at the time were that "the Liuto applied its handiwork with a combination of warmth, low frequency extension that seemed comfortable and unchallenged in the 40-cycle range, balancing a combination of instrumental detail with  enveloping soundstage dimensionality. Bass seemed a little looser and more conventionally box-like than some in this class but it also had a different kind of energy. The Sonus was a bit darker and weightier, perhaps not as fast on transients in some measurements but full of the va-va-voom sensuousness that have come to embody Sonus offerings. Long story short I really wanted a shot at hearing them in my own listening space. A week ago, they arrived! Here is what I saw as I unpacked them.

the accessory kit includes all the necessary spikes and floor pucks as well as the stabilizing outrigger.

Detail of the same.

Flawless arrival, the speakers weigh roughly 60 lbs each

on my trusty hand-truck awaiting installation of outrigger and spikes.

Everything is pretapped and the wood screws were installed with a conventional hand screwdriver.

 
Detail of unequal length spikes for front and back.

Installed-note the pristine reflection on the ebony balck finish of the Liuto from the nearby outdoor furniture. Time to get these babies inside!

Finally, in my listening room awaiting break-in. Apologies to colleagues and photography mavens Steve Stone and Jonathan Valin for the blurry shot-It was just my excitement showing

Details of drive units

Detail shows spikes and pucks elegantly in place. The speakers are currently breaking in but to be honest straight from the box they already are prving themselves a great fit in my smallish room-powerful, extended and sweet. Perhaps not quite as detail oriented as the $12K+ Cremona M but consider that Liuto is less than half the cost.  More impressions to come.