Sonus Faber Olympica Nova V

Description

Overview

The Olympica Nova V is the largest floorstanding model in Sonus Faber‘s Olympica Nova range, a three-way design that pairs the brand’s core driver technologies with a clean silhouette. It is built to deliver the warm, engaging character Sonus Faber calls Natural Sound with the scale and low-end authority of a full-range floorstander.

Design & build

The Olympica Nova V is a substantial three-way loudspeaker, hand-finished in Italy in Sonus Faber’s signature style. Bass loading uses a full para-aperiodic vented design the company calls Stealth Ultraflex, tuning the output of the three woofers for a controlled, extended low end. Cabinet dimensions are 1174.5 × 424 × 529.8mm, and each speaker weighs 44kg.

Sound & performance

As a three-way floorstander the Olympica Nova V dedicates drivers to each part of the range, giving an open, uncoloured midband over a weighty, well-controlled bass. Quoted frequency response is 32Hz–35kHz with sensitivity of 90dB and a 4-ohm nominal impedance. The three-woofer array and large cabinet provide the scale that smaller models in the range cannot reach.

Key features

The driver complement comprises a 28mm H28 XTR3 DAD tweeter, a 150mm M15 XTR2-04 midrange and three 180mm woofers. Crossover points are set at 250 and 2500Hz, and recommended amplifier power is 60–400W without clipping — a wide window that accommodates a range of quality amplification for a speaker of this scale.

Technology

The Damped Apex Dome (DAD) tweeter uses localised damping at the dome’s apex to tame the anti-phase behaviour common to soft domes; in the Olympica Nova V that structure is a single piece of die-cast aluminium for added strength and precision. The midrange runs a CCAW voice coil on an eddy-current-free former for a clean, well-isolated middle band, working with the Stealth Ultraflex bass system for coherent, full-range output.

Specifications

Type: three-way floorstanding loudspeaker (Stealth Ultraflex vented). Drivers: 28mm H28 XTR3 DAD tweeter, 150mm M15 XTR2-04 midrange, 3 × 180mm woofers. Crossover: 250, 2500Hz. Frequency response: 32Hz–35kHz. Sensitivity: 90dB. Impedance: 4 ohms. Recommended power: 60–400W. Dimensions: 1174.5 × 424 × 529.8mm (H × W × D). Weight: 44kg each.

Who it’s for

The Olympica Nova V suits the serious two-channel listener with a medium-to-large room who wants a full-range Sonus Faber floorstander with genuine scale and bass authority, in the elegant Olympica Nova idiom. It rewards capable amplification and careful placement.

What we would pair it with

The Nova V’s character is warm and unforced, so we generally avoid amplification that adds more of the same. McIntosh MA9500 gives it authority without thickening it; Gryphon Diablo 333 gives it grip and a firmer bottom end, and is our usual answer when a client says they love the look but want more drive. If you are building a cinema around it, the matching Olympica Nova CII centre keeps the voice consistent across the front three, which matters far more for dialogue than any amount of extra channel count.

Room and setup notes

This is the model in the Olympica Nova range that needs genuine room. It is 1,174 mm tall with three woofers and para-aperiodic vented loading, and in a small or lightly furnished space the low end will dominate. Give it clearance from the rear wall — 40 cm upwards is a sensible starting point — and be careful not to over-damp the room: Sonus Faber is voiced gently at the top, and a room already full of soft furnishing can push it from relaxed to dull. Toe-in is worth experimenting with; these image very precisely when they are pointed correctly.

Also worth considering

The Olympica Nova III below it is the better choice in most real sitting rooms and is the one we sell more of. Below that again, the Sonetto V G2 carries much of the same character for considerably less. Above, the Homage collection — Serafino G2 and Amati G5. Full range on the Sonus Faber page, and read our piece on the new Olympica G3.

Why buy from Hidden Home Technology

A full-range floorstander of this kind rewards proper room matching and system synergy. We can demonstrate the Olympica Nova V, advise on amplification, placement and finish, and arrange delivery and installation across the South. Explore our loudspeakers or speak to our team to arrange an audition.