Super Limited Edition for our 30th Anniversary.
Extrema’s story and its DNA.
After the success obtained with Parva, Minima, Electa and Electa Amator, Sonus faber wanted to use its experience and try a new ambitious project that would exceed limits and create a new reference. In 1991 Extrema came to light, a unique speaker with quite ambitious objectives. Extrema owes its name to its special loudspeakers, to the 6 dB/octave crossover, the first without capacitors in series to the signal, and#to its particular cabinet designed to optimise component performance and the dampened rear passive radiator. Thanks to these characteristics it represented maximum development for a dynamic speaker and, because of this, a notable challenge for the most sophisticated electronic systems, as well as their ideal combination.
The re-birth of a myth and the celebration of 30 years of History.
Extrema is the most front-running project in the history of Sonus faber. It is a milestone on its development road, one of those maximum expressions in the design of acoustic speakers that has become a myth for all enthusiasts. The maximum possible performance and perfect sound reproduction were the factors that guided its development, both for design and in the electro-acoustic project. In its 30 years of history, Sonus faber has produced various successes, and it has developed
greatly in technological research and the use of materials, but it has always remained faithful to its DNA and its traditions. This is why, to celebrate its 30th anniversary, Sonus faber decided to pay homage to its most “extreme” project, remaining perfectly adherent to the intentions that characterised its creation, but integrating it with the new technological development, electro-acoustic research, design and material use frontiers.
THE SHAPE
The wiry shape of the speaker breaks on purpose the tradition of the soft lines that characterise Sonus faber products, and was obtained using a reduction process in which the volume was extracted from a block of rigid material. As marble under the skilled hands of the sculptor, the raw material has been broken to obtain clean cuts and tight surfaces. Extrema is for performance without compromises and its dynamic lines mirror its character and nature.
THE CARBON FIBER
Carbon, a very particular chemical element at the base of all the life on our planet, is present in nature in various forms, from the softest such as graphite to the hardest such as diamonds.Today used in multiple environments, from aeronautics to vehicles, medicine and sport, carbon is well known to Sonus faber, which experimented its characteristics when producing the Huayra sound system, the latest model of supercar made by Pagani Automobili from Modena.
THE CHASSIS
The complex mold with 6 elements used to create the speaker frame is made to measure, making the standard production of the object extremely limited, adding exclusiveness to the character of this loudspeaker that is already a cult object for the most enthusiastic collectors.
WOOD
The art of lute making has always been a source of inspiration for the design of many of Sonus faber most emblematic speakers; it is not by chance that all the precious elements of the Homage collection, from Amati to Guarneri and Stradivari are named after the most famous lute makers in history. The new Extrema pays an important tribute to this antique art by flanking, in close contact with the ultra-modern carbon chassis, sides of red spruce from Val di Fiemme, the wood of string instruments par excellence.
THE SIDES
The sound of wood has always been important for Sonus faber. In the case of the Extrema project, the fact that the supporting structure of the loudspeaker is made with a carbon monocoque make it possible to use wood as the pure resounding element, exactly as in the sound board of string instruments. The choice therefore had to be the resonant spruce from Val di Fiemme, the rare and prestigious essence of which violins are made.
BERYLLIUM AND DIAMOND Beryllium is an extremely rare and exclusive metal that is used in various high-technology industrial sectors, such as medicine, aerospace and experimental/applied physics. Beryllium also played an important part in the history of audio transducers, used for example in magnetic cartridges
THE MEDIUM AND LOW FREQUENCY
The 180 mm “Ultra dynamic linearity” mid-woofer designed by Sonus faber and equipped with a Neodymium motor, is the driver that reproduces the medium and low frequencies. A pure copper winding 6N is used on a coil support with control of the Lorentz currents. The magnetic motor, very linear and dynamic, has an optimised layout and a heat dissipator that also acts as a “mass damper”. The special diaphragm, which is personalised for Sonus faber, is obtained by means of a sandwich that uses nano-carbon hides and a special syntactic dampening foam to obtain maximum resolution.
THE HIGH FREQUENCY
Reproducing high frequencies is entrusted to a 30 mm transducer with mobile coil designed entirely by Sonus faber, implemented with a Sonus faber mechanical interface that optimises vibration management.The “Ultra dynamic linearity”, the result of the new Neodymium magnetic system, is optimised by the dome diaphragm of DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) Beryllium to obtain the maximum resolution possible in acoustic reproduction.
THE ULTRA LOW FREQUENCY AND ITS MANAGEMENT
The passive radiator is also fully designed by Sonus faber; the L’E.M.B.A.B.R (Electro Magnetic Brake Auxiliary Bass Radiator), according to Engineer Cadawas, has varied dampening. The flat piston diaphragm is optimised for this application, and is positioned structurally midway between the sandwich structures of the midwoofer cone and the “monocoque” structure. The basket is fully optimised to eliminate all resonance, thanks to the use of two high technologymetals (Ergal and Gun Metal) that are machined in CNC from the solid piece. The combination of these two metals eliminates any reciprocal resonance.
CROSSOVER IN AIR
The new Extrema uses a precious non-resonant Crossover in air with progressive slope, optimised by module and phase for the best space/time behaviour. The “paracross” topology is combined with best quality components that exalt the sound quality: Mundorf Supreme capacitor and Jantzen inductors. The crossover frequency is 2350 Hz, and the low frequencies can be dampened in 4 different ways, according to the listening room.
SYSTEM
2 way, low spurious vibration optimized suspension, E.M.B.A.B.R. (Electro magnetic Brake Auxiliary Bass Radiator), monitor on a dedicated stand loudspeaker system.
CABINET
The carbon fiber sandwich “monocoque”, inspired by the supercar cockpits, is the main chassis structure on which the cabinet is build up. Constrained-mode damped lateral “Val di Fiemme” harmonic fir (Violin wood) sides, hand selected, quality graded and oriented for carefully optimized resonances control. The innovative resonance control of the wood structure is obtained by a 3D thickness distribution in the shape. “New Era” avional (from “the Sonus faber” experience) exo-squeleton front and rear clamp structure.
TWEETER
A Sonus faber designed 30 mm moving coil driver, with Sonus faber’s vibration optimized mechanical interface. D.L.C. (Diamond Like Carbon) Beryllium dome diaphragm for maximum resolution.
MID-WOOFER
A Sonus faber designed 180 mm neodymium magnet system ultra dynamic linearity mid-woofer. 6N pure copper wire is used on a controlled “eddy current” former. The dynamically linear magnetic field motor has an optimized geometry and a mass damper heat sink.
PASSIVE RADIATOR
A Sonus faber designed race track shape E.M.B.A.B.R. (Electro magnetic Brake Auxiliary Bass Radiator) “Cadawas” variably damped passive radiator.
CROSS-OVER
Non-resonant “progressive slope” design, optimized amplitude/phase response for optimal space/time performance. “Paracross topology” topology. Cross-over: 2350Hz. Adjustable low frequency damping into 4 different level.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
40 Hz – 40.000 Hz, E.M.B.A.B.R included.
SENSITIVITY
88 db SPL (2.83V/1 m).
NOMINAL IMPEDENCE
4 ohm.
SUGGESTED AMPLIFIER POWER OUTPUT
50W – 300W, without clipping.
LONG-TERM MAXIMUM INPUT VOLTAGE (IEC-268-5)
24V rms.
DIMENSIONS (HxWxD
434 x 282 x 560 mm.
WEIGHT
18,6 Kg each – net weigh.
DEDICATED STAND (HxWxD)
Dimensions: 661 x 360 x 460 mm.Weight: 22 Kg each – net weight.
TOTAL DIMENSIONS (HxWxD) 1.095 x 360 x 560 mm
TOTAL WEIGHT
40,6 Kg each – net weight.
