To Doug Schneider,
I just read your article comparing the sound of these two Sonus Faber speakers. I want a set of new Sonus Faber speakers but I cannot afford the Olympica III. However, I can easily handle the Venere 3.0 and would probably get it with the wood trim. Just how much would I be losing with the Venere 3.0 vs. the Olympica III?
Thanks,
Bill
The price difference between the Olympica III ($13,500/pair) and the Venere 3.0 ($3498-$3998/pair, depending on finish) is huge, so I’m not surprised that you can afford one quite easily but not the other. That said, the Olympica III, despite being the better-built and superior-sounding speaker, isn’t three or four times as good in those respects as the Venere 3.0 is, which is what the price difference implies; rather, as the article I wrote says, it’s about 25-30% in the various areas. As I also mentioned, sonically they’re cut from the same cloth, so you’re getting something similar sounding with the 3.0 for a fraction of the III's price.
So if Sonus Faber is what you want and the 3.0 is what you can afford, go for it -- my suspicion is that you’re going to be very happy with what you get. . . . Doug Schneider
