Bookshelf Speakers — Sonus Faber DUETTO

The Duetto is Sonus Faber's first active wireless stereo loudspeaker system, combining the Italian company's lute-shaped cabinet design with built-in amplification, streaming and TV connectivity. Each pair works as a complete system, needing only a source or network connection, and draws on four decades of Sonus Faber loudspeaker design in a format aimed at modern living rooms.

Key specs that matter

Each speaker is a two-way design with a 1.1-inch silk dome tweeter, using a ferrite magnet system with copper cap and a dedicated waveguide, and a 5.25-inch paper-pulp mid-woofer with neodymium magnet system, copper cap, aluminium ring and long-excursion design. Per speaker, a 100W Class AB amplifier drives the tweeter and a 250W Class D amplifier drives the mid-woofer. Streaming includes AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Roon Ready and Bluetooth with aptX HD. Wired inputs are HDMI eARC, optical Toslink and a pair of RCA inputs switchable between phono and line level, and a subwoofer output is provided.

Engineering and use context

Using separate amplifier types for each driver lets Sonus Faber match topology to task. The Class AB amplifier handles the low-power, wide-bandwidth tweeter signal, while the efficient Class D amplifier supplies the higher power the mid-woofer needs, and because each driver has its own amplifier, the crossover works before amplification rather than through passive components. The mid-woofer's copper cap and aluminium ring lower inductance and distortion in the motor, and its long-excursion design lets a 5.25-inch cone produce more bass than its size suggests. The drivers sit in Sonus Faber's Organic suspension. The two speakers communicate over Ultra Wide Band wireless, which keeps latency low and avoids interference from home Wi-Fi traffic. The lute-shaped cabinet has no parallel side walls, reducing internal standing waves, and a leather SENSO touch panel on top controls playback, volume, inputs and connections without mechanical buttons.

Pairing

HDMI eARC connects the Duetto directly to a television, while the switchable RCA input accepts a turntable with an MM cartridge without an external phono stage. Streaming covers phones, networked music libraries through Roon and the main music services. Either speaker can be set as left or right to suit room layout, and the subwoofer output adds a powered subwoofer for film soundtracks and deeper bass.

Alternatives

Sonus Faber's own passive Lumina and Sonetto stand-mount models suit buyers who prefer separate amplification and conventional hi-fi components.