Italians make beautiful things. Ferrari, Kiton, Brioni, Beretta, and Sophia Loren. Loudspeaker manufacturer Sonus faber is the shiny beacon atop the Il Duomo and for good reason; they make the most beautiful loudspeakers in the world. They also make some of the most expensive loudspeakers in the world which isn’t so great for the rest of us who can only dream of owning a pair of Electa Amator III. In the words of my good friend, Leo Taormina, “i tempi stanno cambiando.” Meet the Sonus faber Lumina 1.
Sonus faber has been manufacturing loudspeakers in Italy for almost four decades (2023 will be its 40th anniversary), and the luxury brand started by the late-Franco Serblin has preserved its reputation for manufacturing the world’s most beautiful loudspeakers with great skill. Sonus faber’s loudspeakers are aspirational products for many audiophiles for both their visual appeal and acoustic capabilities.
I have long held the belief that audio components reflect the culture of the people behind them; the Italian obsession with design, craftsmanship, beauty, and quality is reflected in many of the products that are produced by brands like Audio Analogue, Opera, Gold Note, Unison Research, and Sonus faber.
I grew up on the edge of Toronto’s Italian neighborhood; my great-great aunt’s fish store was called “Grupstein’s Pesceria.” My parents owned the largest pizza chain in Canada and I spent more time with Leo and Vince Taormina in their barbershop eating hot veals with extra sauce and drinking espresso than I did sitting at my parent’s table listening to Walter Cronkite.

Most of the people I grew up with were the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors or Sicilian immigrants. I played football in the Italian soccer league in Toronto and learned how to curse in Italian and Portuguese. I tossed out my apple juice and drank Brio Chinotto with my lunch in Hebrew School.

My first trip to Italy with Doug Schneider (Soundstage Network) and Steve Rochlin (EnjoytheMusic) was to the Top Audio/Video Show which was held in Milan. We sweated like pigs walking around Milan in September and stayed up late during the Jewish High Holidays listening to music and stories with Ken Kessler and the late-Ken Ishiwata of Marantz and Rotel.
It’s fair to say I like Italian things.
One of the most unique design aspects of early Sonus faber designs was the use of leather on the front baffle; a detail the Lumina I forgo for a leather-wrapped enclosure instead that looks especially striking with the Wenge-finished (real wood veneer) multilayer front baffle.
The Lumina collection are available in Walnut, Piano Black, and Wenge – the magnetic grille covers should be left in the box for both sonic and aesthetic reasons. There are two sets of binding posts on the rear panel for bi-wiring or bi-amping.
The range uses Sonus faber’s DAD (Damped Apex Dome) tweeter – the same used in the company’s more expensive Sonetto series – featuring a Kurtmueller hand-coated soft-silk 2.9 cm diaphragm.

The Lumina I utilize a brand new 4.72” paper cone midrange/woofer manufactured from cellulose pulp that is blended with other natural materials.
The Lumina I buck the recent trend of “oversized” bookshelf loudspeakers (11”H x 5.8”W x 8.4”D) like the Klipsch RP-600M, Wharfedale EVO 4.2, and Q Acoustics 3030i; something that might make them more appealing to those who don’t want the added expense of dedicated stands and would prefer to place them on a credenza or actual bookshelf.
The front reflex port was a smart choice as it allows the Lumina I to be positioned closer to the wall behind it; not that this loudspeaker is capable of overloading too many listening spaces with its bass response; the Lumina I are rated at 65 Hz – 24,000 Hz (84 dB, 4 ohms).
The low sensitivity rating might raise a few eyebrows; it certainly encouraged me to try the Lumina I with a wide range of amplifiers including the Naim Uniti Atom, NAD C 316BEE, Cambridge Audio AXA35, Croft Phono Integrated, and Cambridge Audio Edge A.
During my recent review of the Rotel A14MKII Integrated Amplifier, I started to think hard about a suitable long-term loudspeaker for this excellent amplifier. It has more than enough power and the right tonal balance for the Sonus Faber Lumina I.
The A14MKII comes with both an internal DAC and MM phono stage making it a no-brainer for a system designed around a smaller room or home office; or even a bedroom system.

The brand new Pro-Ject Debut Pro makes logical sense here. It’s a great sounding table below $1,000 and the pre-installed Sumiko cartridge works really well with the Rotel’s phono preamp.
That just leaves us short one component. A digital music streamer.
The Lumina I have a warmer tonal balance with a very smooth sounding tweeter.
Vocals can really shine through the Sonus faber Lumina I, but you need to find the right balance with your amp and sources. I would not go with anything too laid back on the amplification side. The woofer benefits from some control if you want to maximize its limited low-end performance.

I think you’re pretty safe going with either the Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra or the Cambridge Audio CXN V2.
Cables from QED and AudioQuest.
The Sweet Veal with Extra Sauce and Hot Peppers

Sonus faber Lumina 1 Loudspeakers ($900.00)
Rotel A14MKII Integrated Amplifier ($1,595.00)
Pro-Ject Debut Pro Turntable ($999.00)
Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra ($849.00)
or
Cambridge Audio CXN V2 ($1,299 at Amazon)
Total: $4,343 – $5,642.00

Robert Karlsson
November 14, 2021 at 3:17 pm
Naim Uniti Atom all the way with these. Style and style, plus the Naim PRaT to liven things up. Throw in a REL T7x, Tellurium Q Black II wires and a AQ Vodka eArc HDMI for the TV. $5600 list for all…
Tv sound, all the streaming and super looks. Done and done, with style!
Ian White
November 14, 2021 at 4:26 pm
100% agree.
The REL T5x would work just as well for less. Especially if you have a smaller room.
Ian
Nevio
January 31, 2022 at 6:02 pm
I was thinking to replace my current Focal’s with these speakers. Wondering what your thoughts would be if I integrated them into the following system:
– Project Audio MAIA DS2 integrated amp and the DS2 cd player,
– Project Audio Carbon Esprit (with Nagaoka MP150) and a
– REL Tzero
– I stream an iPad using bluetooth to the amp
PS – Bitondo’s was fantastic and a Toronto classic.
Ian White
January 31, 2022 at 6:56 pm
Nevio,
I have not been in years. I must return. Toronto is totally dead to me if it’s gone.
The Lumina I need power to really open up. I’ve not heard the Pro-Ject amp so I can’t really say how it would sound. I do own a Pro-Ject phono stage and Nagaoka MP-110 so thumbs up there. I have reviewed their CD players and liked them a lot.
REL subwoofer would work really well with it.
Rotel would be a better option with them to be honest. I’m sure about the price difference.
Ian White
Bernard Sine
May 2, 2022 at 7:06 pm
Hi Ian,
I am considering a system built around the Sonus Faber Lumina 1’s…smallish 9.5 x 12 sitting room/den. Would the NAD C316 BEE V2 or say a C328 have enough grunt for these? Or should I be looking at more juice? Maybe a Rega Brio or AudioLab 6000A? Would like to keep amp under $1500 CDN. Source will be a turntable…either a mid-range Rega, ProJect or Technics, then a streamer down the road. Your thoughts?