Sonus faber Chameleon speakers NEW

[tompj]

Originally Posted by Apexorca

I respect your opinion. Many sees it the way.
I think of this in a nother way and will explain why.

The top of the line speaker from SF is far better speakers than before. More resolution, better control and still have this musical feeling and heart in the music. Ex The Sf Aida. Lilium and Amati Futura beats old Amati any day. They have the traditional built quality + added more modern design + beter sound quality and still with the traditional SF sound.
The new modells does not compete in the same game. They are trying in a new market.
So the traditional expensive speakers are still in the top of the world and they are bringing the heart of SF into the future.

Well, we definitely see it in different ways.
I can enjoy the newer high end SF's as well, but value the Franco Serblin period more.
But my problem lies more with todays lower end SF products. I just feel the appeal of the brand in the long run might be in jeopardy because of these products that, to me, don't reflect anything special.

[antipop]

Originally Posted by Apexorca

More resolution, better control and still have this musical feeling and heart in the music.

I believe this is what is lost in the new range of products. I haven't the Lilium so I cannot comment, the Aida is at a level never reached before and it's truly a unique speaker so no comparison to the past here. But compare the new Olympica to the old Cremona and you can feel that the philosophy is not the same. They are moving away from the sound that characterised Sonus Faber. It's not a good or bad move just a different sound.

They are going after a new type of customers and the new products are not for the old owners. Fortunately the Futura, Strad and Elipsa are still in the catalog (for now)!

[antipop]

Originally Posted by tompj

Well, we definitely see it in different ways.
I can enjoy the newer high end SF's as well, but value the Franco Serblin period more.
But my problem lies more with todays lower end SF products. I just feel the appeal of the brand in the long run might be in jeopardy because of these products that, to me, don't reflect anything special.

I agree when you're producing speakers that sell lower than $1000, it's hard to sell $50k one in the same booth. They are going to alienate the core customers because they went for volume.

[Bavarian05]

Originally Posted by antipop

I agree when you're producing speakers that sell lower than $1000, it's hard to sell $50k one in the same booth. They are going to alienate the core customers because they went for volume.

+1

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by antipop

I agree when you're producing speakers that sell lower than $1000, it's hard to sell $50k one in the same booth. They are going to alienate the core customers because they went for volume.

Georges...I am not sure that's right. SF traditionally had an entry line of speakers roughly at the same price point as the new Chameleon line called Toy, which are now discontinued. Notwithstanding the point of exhibiting the two extreme ends of their product line in same booth at Munich Show, I don't see why having an entry line of speakers ought to alienate your customers who are looking at your more expensive, high-end offerings. Different customer segments, targeted with different messages and often through different retail channels. Just my 2c.

[Apexorca]

Originally Posted by cmalak

Georges...I am not sure that's right. SF traditionally had an entry line of speakers roughly at the same price point as the new Chameleon line called Toy, which are now discontinued. Notwithstanding the point of exhibiting the two extreme ends of their product line in same booth at Munich Show, I don't see why having an entry line of speakers ought to alienate your customers who are looking at your more expensive, high-end offerings. Different customer segments, targeted with different messages and often through different retail channels. Just my 2c.

I agree! I'm alson a happy owner of Toy and The SF. Both in the end of the product line, different ends.

[Art K]

I just bought a set of Venere 1.5's for my home office (to be delivered on Friday) and were I to like them I would consider the Chameleon line to replace my Wharfedale Diamond 10 series home theater speakers. For folks with my income even the Venere line would be a stretch for the HT, the Chameleons, much less so.

[chops-tube]

There's too much elitism in this thread. There's only a small handful of guys here who actually get the picture of what SF is doing and the real point behind the Venere and Chameleon lines.

For one thing, not all of us here make six figures a year, so that easily rules out a pair of $120k loudspeakers for us, or $40k speakers. Hell, even $10k speakers for that matter.

For a lot of people who "could" afford the TOTL SF may have never heard of the brand. Yet if they walk into a Magnolia store and discover the brand for the first time and like the sound, most likely they'll research them more and discover that SF has a lot more to offer than just the entry level models. Guess what... SF just acquired another loyal client on their way up the upgrade ladder.

And after reading loads of reviews, both professional and in various forums, I too just purchased a pair of white Venere 1.5's with matching stands at an unbeatable price. Sure, they may not have the classic "SF" sound, but really, who cares? I don't. I never heard a single SF speaker in my entire life, so I have no clue what the SF "house sound" is anyway. If I like what I hear from the Venere, I'll most likely like what I hear from the higher end models as well.

Also, IIRC, the Chameleon drivers are built in China but the entire loudspeaker is assembled in Italy whereas the Venere line, the mid-bass drives are built in Italy, the tweeters in Germany and the entire loudspeaker assembled in China. Both still have to meet SF's standards before they hit the market. If they didn't meet SF's standards, they wouldn't be on the market. SF has a reputation to uphold, so they're not going to do something stupid and let out crap speakers.

Lastly, using the term "cheap" to describe the Chameleon and Venere line is a poor choice of word. Better terms would be "inexpensive" or "affordable", which is what they are. Hell, just the speaker stands for the Venere line costs more than most of the bookshelf speakers at Best Buy.

Think of the Chameleon and Venere line as the building blocks for bigger and better things for a lot of people. No one, and I mean no one in this "hobby" started off with a $50k system right off the bat. In one way or another, we all started with hand-me-downs from our parents or older siblings, or from friends, or from eBay. We all had to start from somewhere, and I'm sure 99.9% of us all started at the bottom at one point.

It's funny. There's plenty of $10k-20K McIntosh preamps out there that everyone praises, but no one had anything bad to say when McIntosh came out with the "cheap" $1500 C-712 and C-15 preamps. In fact, people praise them as well. Go figure...


Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

[tunes]

Good post! I agree. Gotta bring new people into / to the brand. This is sound, common strategy as Cyril has pointed out.

[miziq]

This might sum, both Charles and Cryil thoughts in positive way:

Mono and Stereo High-End Audio Magazine: Sonus faber Chameleon B speakers review