Sonus faber Concertino G4 Speaker Introduces Innovative Unibody Cork Enclosure

July 29 2024, 00:55
Sonus faber launched its new Concertino G4 speaker during the Tokyo Audio Show 2024. The fourth edition of the brand’s iconic Concertino speaker expands on the its heritage of high-quality sound and Italian craftsmanship, with the innovation of a unique single structure cabinet made with recycled cork. The design maintains the iconic trapezoidal Concertino shape, with an exterior enhanced by trademark Sonus faber materials, such as leather, aluminum, brass, and walnut wood side panels.
The new Sonus faber Concertino G4 is intended not only as a  continuation of Sonus faber's storied legacy for this two-way passive high-end loudspeaker model. The new design blends heritage and innovation to take audio performance to new heights, while capturing the true essence of Sonus faber.
 
Building on the success of previous Concertino models, the compact Concertino G4 design utilizes learnings from acoustic research, advanced sustainable materials and technological improvements to introduce a simple, yet innovative product. True to the tradition of Sonus faber's first 15 years, the Concertino G4 features a 1" silk dome tweeter with D.A.D. technology, and a 5" long-throw paper pulp midwoofer with an organic basket, managed from a simplified crossover design that ensures accurate phase alignment.
The new little speaker is unique in its approach to the use of sustainable cork to create a unibody speaker cabinet that is both structural and sonically optimized. Using an injectable material like cork grain, the Sonus faber engineering team was able to create a unique single-piece enclosure structure that is completely computer modeled and optimized. The unique structure and construction method allows for precise modeling, limiting internal resonances and reducing the need for additional damping material inside the cabinet.

For this project, the Sonus faber engineering team also placed a strong emphasis on reducing the use of non-sustainable materials. Significantly, the cork used in the ported unibody structure is derived from a recycling process, and the vent, usually made of plastic, is now constructed from a combination of paper and solid wood.
 

The Italian company has used cork in speakers from its Suprema and Sonetto collections before, but nothing similar to the advanced structure of the Concertino G4, being the first instance where this compact historic trapezoidal shape is able to be paired with the extended power and response from a single midwoofer driver.
 
As a nod to the speaker's traditional aesthetics, the side walls are crafted from solid walnut and feature ribbed surfaces, enhancing structural integrity and rigidity without internal bracing. Recycled textile and the mentioned plant-based leather-like material cover the cork unibody structure and front baffle, maintaining the luxurious finish, with sustainability in mind. By partnering with Ohoskin, Sonus faber was able to incorporate this 100% ‘Made-in-Italy’ coated textile fabric made from orange and cactus byproducts, providing a high-quality, vegan, and sustainable alternative. Additional key material features include aluminum rings enclosing the silk dome tweeter and the midwoofer, with binding posts featuring a brass nameplate and wooden pull rod posts.
 

As a celebration of the 30th Anniversary from the first Concertino introduction, Sonus faber is releasing a limited run of 300 pairs of Concertino G4 ‘Maestro’ special editions, featuring a brass plaque with progressive numbering applied on the walnut side panel of the speaker.

The Concertino G4 speakers are also complemented with a dedicated stand, derived from an IPE 120X64 beam to retain proportions and provide a structural, industrial aesthetic, enhanced with walnut veneer inserts. The speaker stands and the Concertino G4 will be available for purchase from October 2024. Retail price for the Concertino G4 Maestro Edition is $5,000 USD or €4,750 EUR per pair, with the Concertino G4 Stand selling for an additional $1,500 USD per pair.
www.sonusfaber.com
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About Joao Martins
Since 2013, Joao Martins leads audioXpress as editor-in-chief of the US-based magazine and website, the leading audio electronics, audio product development and design publication, working also as international editor for Voice Coil, the leading periodical for... Read more

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