Olympica III

Diapason

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2014
325
39
260
Dublin, Ireland
I'm starting to develop a sense that I want new speakers, and I can't stop thinking about the Olympica III. I must have read all the reviews at this stage, but has anyone on this forum owned them or heard them? TBH I really want a pair of Amati Futuras but I can't afford them, so I'm wondering whether the Olympicas have a similar sonic signature and a similar tonal balance. Obviously, I don't expect them to be as good as the Futuras!

I will, of course, try to hear them with my own ears in due course, but until I can do that I'd be interested in any and all opinions.
 

Diapason

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2014
325
39
260
Dublin, Ireland
Apologies for bumping, but I was just about to post to ask if anyone had ever heard these when I realised I'd already done it a few months ago. Anyone?

I'm in danger of doing something stupid like buying these without hearing them...
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Hi
At the Shop i work we have both the Olympica 2 and 3 and the complete Venere series.
I know them well and have installed them in several homes.
I will post a quick review as soon as i get around to it.
 

SoundQcar

Well-Known Member
Oct 12, 2011
52
15
913
Half Moon Bay, Ca
I've owned the Olympica III's for about two months now. I can't possibly see a scenario where you'd be disappointed in them. They are that good. I sold my pair of Summit X's for them...and don't regret the decision for a moment. Just a extremely well-balanced sounding loudspeaker that never fails to make me smile. I think they'd sound wonderful with your GRAAF's.
 

Fred

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2010
296
5
365
Covington, LA
I listened to a pair at a local dealer just yesterday. They were driven by an MC452 with an MC C50 preamp. The first CD that I heard was something from Frank Sinatra that I really thought sounded a bit to bright. After about 10 minutes I asked that they put on something else. The next CD was Beethoven. I really liked what I heard on that CD. Extremely well balanced and a very dynamic speaker. Large soundstaging. Overall great coherence. Such a finely homogeneous sound that I left the room wondering what kind of moves I could make to get a pair myself. If there is a caveat, it would be with the tweeter which seems to transmit a lot of energy. I had this sense that these speakers would need a couple hundred hours on them to relax a bit more.

Anyway, I echo the other sentiments, that I can't see how you could be anything other than completely pleased should you take the plunge and order a pair. The overall fit in finish is something to behold. Gorgeous, simply gorgeous.
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Sonus faber used to have quite a "House Sound"

We got the venere Seies before the Olympicas. I strongly dislike the venere to this day. There is some serious Coloration going on and the Venere 2.0 have a serious Bass Bloat. Many Customers noted though how easy on the ears and listenable they where and that the Fit and Finish considering the Price was very good. It is thesed Traits that mostly make up that classic Sonus faber House sound.

So when the Olympicas turned up i was expecting more of the same....now you will understand why i was so blown away by them.

First of all the midrange and tweeter are magnitudes more Transparent and natural than the Venere. Unsurprising that Imaging took a leap forward too. At the same time they are still pleasant to listen too (once they have about 250 Hours on them!).

IMHO there is now way you would call them bright if you compare them to a Berilium tweeter Focal or a speaker with a Ceramic Tweeter. This is still a Soft Dome tweeter we are talking about afterall.

There is no hiding that the olympica 3s are a larger floorstanding speaker but the bass is not out of proportion as long as you give them some room to Breathe. What the 3s do compared to the 2s is convey a lot more Tone or Timbral information of the Instruments. I cant remeber ever hearing such a clear difference in this area when comparing to so similar speakers from the same manufacturer.

I have used the 2s with 50 watt push pull tube amplifiers and prefered the presentation even to the Audiaflight and Primare gear we usualy use with the sonus fabers.
Cant comment on the drivability of the 3s though as i have only used them with sold state amps.
Also i dont know how OTL amps react to their load.

Hope this helps.
 

Diapason

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2014
325
39
260
Dublin, Ireland
Very helpful indeed, thanks all!

From the tests I've seen, the OTLs are unlikely to fare so well given the impedance dips, but if I find a speaker I like I'm happy to look at finding the right amp to drive them then. Certainly I now know that I should find somewhere to hear the Olympica, and that's a great start. I wonder how they'd do in my relatively small listening room? Hmmm...

Your comments on the Veneres are interesting, as I heard the 2.0 at my dealer's a while ago using the SAM setting for the speaker on a Devialet 200. I was quite impressed with that sound, certainly for the money, but I wondered how much correction the SAM was doing. Devialet would be a possible for me if I needed a new amp, although I'd miss the glowing bottles.

Anyway, really appreciate the feedback. I've had the speaker itch for a while now, and it's nearly time to scratch it.
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Wish dealers would not try to sell speakers using them with the Devialet SAM.
I have not heard it with the Veneres but the difference with other speakers was so dramatic it was bordernig on listening to a different speaker.
 

Diapason

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2014
325
39
260
Dublin, Ireland
I guessed as much. In fairness, I could have asked for it to be turned off and they definitely would have obliged, but I was only listening casually at that stage.

Billy, do you have any experience of the Olympicas with SAM?
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Unfortunately not. Have they finished measuring the complete sonus line for sam ? Only heard on B&W

Devialet is a system approach. If you can live with the Concept, then it is certainly excellent sounding.

I like my Hifi a little more Analog though :)
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Just >Checked
The Olympicas are SAM ready....
 

Diapason

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2014
325
39
260
Dublin, Ireland
Website suggests it's available, but I don't know for sure. Totally agree with Devialet assessment, it would be a big psychological change for me.
 

SoundQcar

Well-Known Member
Oct 12, 2011
52
15
913
Half Moon Bay, Ca
Very helpful indeed, thanks all!

From the tests I've seen, the OTLs are unlikely to fare so well given the impedance dips, but if I find a speaker I like I'm happy to look at finding the right amp to drive them then. Certainly I now know that I should find somewhere to hear the Olympica, and that's a great start. I wonder how they'd do in my relatively small listening room? Hmmm...

Your comments on the Veneres are interesting, as I heard the 2.0 at my dealer's a while ago using the SAM setting for the speaker on a Devialet 200. I was quite impressed with that sound, certainly for the money, but I wondered how much correction the SAM was doing. Devialet would be a possible for me if I needed a new amp, although I'd miss the glowing bottles.

Anyway, really appreciate the feedback. I've had the speaker itch for a while now, and it's nearly time to scratch it.

When/if you get the Faber's, try your amps with them anyway. Although neither are of OTL design, my amps I have here don't really shine into impedances south of 4 ohms, they both sound damn good through the Olympica III's. You'll know if your GRAAF's won't cut it if the upper bass region is a little uncontrolled and thick and flabby. That's where they dip down below 3 ohms.

What size is your room? I'm 20 x 15 x 8.....speakers 50" from the front wall, 36" from the sides.....and they do great.
 

Diapason

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2014
325
39
260
Dublin, Ireland
Room here is 10 x 9.5 x 8 which has historically meant that speakers have as much room as necessary behind, but the sides are tight. I can change orientation but problems still arise, although GIK panels take away some of the first reflection problems. I'll definitely try the GRAAFs before I do anything if I plump up for the speakers, but I should definitely hear them first.
 

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