'I wouldn't even be able to afford the speaker stands' two big-name audiophile brands just went head-to-head to release the best elite hi-fi
tower speaker

Date:
Thu, 02 Jul 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Description:
Sonus faber and Focal have both revealed new floor-standing speakers, but
only one company had the thought to release an affordable model too.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Focal unveils yet another floor-standing speaker Sonus faber reveals a series of speakers, including a floor-stander... ...and several more-affordable options While country-versus-country derbies are playing out on pitches across North America, a certain France vs Italy rivalry is taking center stage... or
should that be soundstage?

Sonus faber, of Italy, and Focal, of France, have both lined up in the tunnel to bring out new floor-standing speakers; the overlapping timing means that we'd be remiss not to show them at the same time. It really is like Italy vs France if Italy had qualified. These are all premium hi-fi offerings that are far out of reach for the average speaker buyer I wouldn't even be able to afford the speaker stands but one series does, at least, have a more reasonable alternative. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: The Focal Scala Utopia Evo M (Image credit: Focal) Let's start with the speaker of the country which actually managed to make it to the World Cup: Focal. The
brand's new Scala Utopia Evo M looks rather similar to the Diva Alta Utopia
we covered recently , but with a few design flourishes (and without the Porsche-adjacent price tag).

Borrowed from the Diva is the comapny's new Prism tweeter, alongside a midrange driver and woofer, all bundled in a hunched package designed to balance dome pressures and avoid driver suspension. You may like Focals gone for 'formidable' with its new wireless speakers, and I think Whovians will be first in line Two of the most outrageous High End Vienna speakers we've ever seen just launched, and they sit at very opposite ends of the scale This beautiful hand-made floor-standing speaker ain't cheap, but I can't take my eyes off it and I haven't even heard it yet

Judging by the press release images, and a lack of information to the contrary, it seems that these are largely wireless units, as the Diva Alta was.

At $46,000 (about 34,700, AU$69,000), these are a lot more affordable than
the Diva Alta... but still pretty pricey. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. The Sonus faber Olympica G3 series (Image credit: Sonus faber) Now, the Italian rival. The Olympica G3 series actually has five models. Two are floor-standers (the III and V), but there's also a Wall model, a center channel option, and the Olympica I, a two-way bookshelf speaker which ensures there's something more affordable for the rest of us.

They range in price from $30,000 / 25,000 (roughly AU$50,000) per pair for
the Olympica V, to $13,000 / 10,000 (about AU$20,000) for the Olympica I. So if I had to pick up any of these speakers, it'd be this relatively affordable one (even if it's still far from cheap!).

Taking lessons from various other Sonus faber speakers, the Olympica G3 have
a custom-built midrange driver and a honeycomb-inspired build. The exact number of speakers depends on the mode: the two floorstanders and the center channel get three, while the bookshelf and wall speakers get two. The best stereo speakers all budgets Our top buys, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best stereo speakers 1. Best overall: Q Acoustics M40 HD 2. Best compact: Dali Rubikore 2 3. Best desktop speakers Creative Pebble Nova 4. Best budget buy: Q Acoustics M20 HD Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/i-wouldnt-even-be-able-to-afford-the-speaker-s tands-two-big-name-audiophile-brands-just-went-head-to-head-to-release-the-bes t-elite-hi-fi-tower-speaker


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