Sonus faber Concertino G4 Bookshelf Speaker Review

The Sonus faber Concertino G4 speakers are an amalgam of artistic craftsmanship and sonic bliss in a compact, stylish package.

When paired with their matching steel and walnut stands, they make an impressive statement in your home.

Having just reviewed the Sonus faber Sonetto II G2 this last fall, I was curious to see how the next step up in their series would compare. My Concertino G4 speakers are from a limited production batch (only 300 pairs) known as the Maestro Edition, which includes a numbered brass plaque (mine were # 11) and a hand-signed lithograph of the speaker in profile that is suitable for hanging on a wall in your living room or music studio.

The rather solid and artistically trapezoidal walnut side panels are adorned with small brass screws that are imprinted with the “Sf” logo. Due to their rigidity, the speaker cabinets do not need internal bracing, which leaves room for an internal cork baffle that encloses both the tweeter and mid-woofer for the reduction of internal vibration. The top and front panels are wrapped in a sustainable plant-based black leather that enhances their classy look. For my review, I left the included magnetic grilles off because the Concertino G4s look beautiful without them. On the back is a reflex port and shiny golden colored binding posts that can be bi-wired or bi-amped. The walnut side panels have a matte wood finish, so they are not too glossy looking. In all, these small speakers look elegant and classy. Sonically, they sound bigger than you would expect from their size and have that Sonus faber “house sound” that you would anticipate. Not unlike the Sonetto’s, but with more dynamics and refined articulation.

Highlights

Sonus faber Concertino G4 Bookshelf Speaker

2-way vented cork enclosure design
1.1-inch DAD arrow point silk tweeter
5.25-inch ferrite magnet mid-woofer
Frequency response 60-25.000 Hz / Sensitivity 85dB
Walnut, brass, and plant-based leather (and iron steel stands)

Introduction

Founded in 1983 by Franco Serblin, Sonus faber has a small lab located in the hill country of Vicenza, Italy. The company is a subsidiary of Bose Corporation and is now a sister company to McIntosh and others. Sonus faber has an outstanding pedigree of making handcrafted speakers from natural elements that sound as great as they look. The first time I saw an Sf speaker was in New England at Tweeter’s Audio (alas, now defunct since the 80s), and I remember seeing a bookshelf speaker named after JS Bach, as I recall. I was smitten by the leather and wood cabinets.

Their tradition continues to this day, and now they offer several series of speakers for just about any budget. You can usually recognize Sf speakers by their craftsmanship, appearance, and that DNA sound quality. The Concertino G4 is no exception.

Sonus faber Concertino G4 Bookshelf Speaker Specifications

Type:

two-way stand mount bass-reflex loudspeaker

Crossover frequency:

1.7 kHz

Mid/bass:

5.25′′ Ferrite Magnet

Tweeter:

1′′ DAD Arrow Point tweeter

Nominal frequency response:

60Hz -25kHz

Nominal impedance:

4 Ohms

Sensitivity:

85dB

Connectors:

bi-wire binding posts

Dimensions H x W x D:

12.4 x 8.4 x 11.6 in

Weight:

speakers 14.5 lbs. each / stands 32 lbs. each

Finish:

walnut, leather & brass

MSRP:

$5,000/pair (Stands: $1,700/pair)

Website:

https://www.sonusfaber.com/en/products/concertino

Company:

Sonus faber

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sonus faber, concertino g4, standmount speaker, bookshelf speaker

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Design

The Concertino G4 speakers are heavy, but not so much that placement becomes an issue. The stands that came with mine (they are an additional $1,700) were very heavy, and I had to lug them up the 19 steps to my media room. I already have several generic stands in my closet, but I will concede that the Sf stands looked perfect with these speakers.

The walnut cabinets have a ribbed interior, which negates the need for internal bracing. The Concertinos are the first of the Sonus faber line to incorporate internal cork enclosing both the tweeter and the mid-woofer. The plant-based leather is made from orange and cactus, but it looks every bit like real cowhide. The brass accents give it the finishing touch that makes it a Sonus faber product.

The reflex port on the back means that you should not place these guys up close to the back wall, or you may hear some over-emphasized bass muddiness. They need to be a foot or more away from the wall and ideally on stands to sound their best. The long-throw paper mid is crossed over at 1.7 kHz to the one-inch Damped Apex Dome (DAD) silk tweeter, and they blended well to my ears.

Setup

I placed the Concertino G4 on their stands about eight feet apart, a foot and a half off the front wall, with a toe-in that crossed their main axis about six inches behind my head. Speaker cables were the AudioQuest Rocket 33, and the amplifier was a Benchmark AHB2. Music was almost exclusively streamed in 24/192 from Qobuz. When a sub was used, it was the SVS Micro 3000, though I only used it to see if the added bass extension was worthwhile. They played together well, and adding a sub will give you a more tactile experience in the low end.

Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville

Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville, “Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind”

I started my evaluation with the human voice. If a speaker can’t reproduce this, everything will be “off”. What better voice than that of Linda Ronstadt on her album from ’89 with Aaron Neville, Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. Much of this was recorded at Skywalker Ranch by George Massenburg and uses the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra and the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. The recorded sound has a “fat” quality that makes this a pleasure to hear. Rising above all this backdrop sound is Ronstadt at perhaps her peak voice. She effortlessly swings from mid-range to soaring highs, and the Concertino G4s reproduced the wonderfully recorded sound impressively. The orchestral accompaniment and choir were broadly spaced with a good sense of space in between singers and instruments. The treble was smooth, and the bass had enough punch to satisfy most listeners. Again, a sub will give you a bit more punch in the gut, but the Concertinos can get down to the 40 Hz range well on their own.

Heitor Villa-Lobos, Jesús López-Cobos, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Heitor Villa-Lobos, Jesús López-Cobos, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, “Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras Nos. 2, 4 & 8”

Moving on with some classical, I listened to Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras as performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jesus Lopes-Cobos. As the title implies, Villa-Lobos was Brazil’s greatest classical composer (so far), and he had an affinity for the music of JS Bach. There are toccatas and fugues as well as arias with interspersed dance music, all with a classical, yet distinctly Latin flair mixed in. The Concertino G4s never became strident or harsh when the volume went up. Lesser speakers start to produce nasty port noises when really pushed, but not the Sonus fabers. Instruments remained clean and natural sounding, and the sound frequencies remained composed even as the speakers were pushed hard. Some smaller speakers start to sound congested or bloated if pushed to their limits, but not so here.

Hiromi Uehara

Hiromi Uehara, “Spiral”

For a bit of jazz fusion, I listened to Hiromi Uehara’s Spiral. This recording is excellent as it captures the full sound of a grand piano and some excellent drum playing. Synthesizer effects really up the audio ante, and Hiromi has some of the fastest and most imaginative fingering technique I have ever heard. This music can be introspective, then instantly frenetic and downright quirky (i.e. Return of Kung-Fu World Champion), but always displays incredible musicianship. The Concertino G4s easily kept up and sounded natural and convincing, with excellent sound and a realistic sound stage.

Michael Murray, San Fransisco Symphony, Edo de Waart, The Ruffatti Organ

Michael Murray, San Fransisco Symphony, Edo de Waart, The Ruffatti Organ, “Jongen: Symphonie Concertante For Organ & Orchestra / Franck: Fantasie in A Pastorale”

I have listened to many recordings of Joseph Jongen’s Symphonie Concertante for Organ and Orchestra, but this Telarc recording with the San Francisco Orchestra under Edo de Waart is the best. The balance between the organist and orchestra is spot on. The Ruffatti organ is both menacing and gentle, and the propulsive forth movement Toccata: Allegro Moderato will leave you riveted to your seat. The Concertino G4s captured the sense of space in the venue and reproduced the full throttle conclusion well. Again, a subwoofer is needed to give you that gut-quivering sensation that the pedal notes provide, but I was not unhappy with the G4’s overall presentation. Even the brass fanfares sounded amazing with these guys. They may not be tower speakers, but with your eyes closed, you would be hard pressed not to think they were. The Sonus faber sound characteristic was there. Warm, natural, and articulate, no matter the music genre. These are speakers you could commit to for a long time.