Sonus Faber Chameleon Speaker Collection Preview

Sonus Faber has announced their newest Chameleon Speaker Collection Series. These new models have been designed for both stereo and multi-channel applications and consists of three models: Chameleon T (floorstanding), standmount speaker Chameleon B (bookshelf), and the Chameleon C (center). According to Sonus Faber, the Chameleon speakers place themselves at the bottom of Sonus Faber's price segment and will be a direct competitor to price ratio most affordable Venere models in their respective categories despite the Chameleon series are handcrafted in Vicenza, unlike the Venere.  The overall design of the Chameleon Series is characterized by simple and clean lines. The cabinet has a slightly trapezoidal shape with rounded corners that bring to mind Sonus Faber's earliest models. The three speakers that make up the Sonus Faber Chameleon collection offer solutions for both stereo music lovers as well as for those who want to create a multichannel system for a variety of listening experiences. The entire cabinet is covered in leather, drivers flange is embellished with aluminum trims and side walls have a structure that houses the exchangeable side panels thanks to a system of pins which allows their simple removal and replacement.

Lets start with the floor model, the Chameleon T. This is a three-way ventilated construction featuring a 1" tweeter and a 6-inch midrange assisted by two 7" woofers. These would  certainly be our choice speaker in the series to review and see if it lives up to its medium/large environment range from the company profile.

Next, we have the Chameleon B which is a two-way, vented construction, and shares the same tweeter and midrange drivers found in the Chameleon T. Of course, not having dual bass drivers and a smaller cabinet means this speaker won't play as loud or deep as its larger Chameleon T brother.  However since it uses the same drivers and design philosophy, they should be timbre matched for a multi-channel configuration should one decide to use the T's for the front channels and the B's for the surrounds.

Last we have $899/pair the Chameleon C as center speaker. This one is a bit different from the rest because it is a closed construction design. It also features a 1" tweeter and double 6-inch midrange / bass drivers. In reality only one of them is a mid-bass driver where the second is a what we call a slave or passive bass.

      

And what about looks? Well, that hasn't been an issue with Sonus Faber speakers. I personally find their speakers to be among the best looking speakers on the market. With the Chameleon speakers they have raised the bar yet again as they come with removable side panels that you can easily change to match them with their surrounding environment. There are six  different finishes available to choose from: white, black, metal blue, metal grey, orange, and red  (sold separately). I don't know about you, but this is something I appreciate very much. I'll take red please!

 
With the Chameleon speakers collection, Sonus Faber aims to bring to a wider, contemporary audience all the elements that made the Vicenza based company what it is today.  Given the pedigree of this brand, I believe we can expect good things from these beautiful speakers. Sonus Faber is known for its innovative style and design, quality of sound and craftsmanship approach to construction. Will they sound as good as they look? We don't know.... yet. We'll have to wait like everyone else. Let us know what you think about the new Chameleon Speakers and don't forget to share this with your friends!

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.