Sonus Faber Minima FM2 loudspeaker Sam Tellig January 2003

Sam Tellig wrote about the Minima in January 2003 (Vol.26 No.1):

Sonus Faber established its reputation in the 1980s with a succession of stand-mounted monitors—the Parva, Minima, Electa Amator, and, in 1991, the Extrema. Knowing that the Minima's days were numbered, I snagged a pair from one of the last production runs. It was the quintessential Sonus Faber minimonitor, with superb focus and imaging. I found the sound sweet, forgiving, slightly rolled-off on top, and somewhat ripe in the mid- to upper bass. Not what most audiophiles demand today, perhaps, but a treat for sore ears.

With a 4" bass-midrange driver and a small cabinet, the Minima didn't do deep bass. And, like many other minimonitors of the 1980s, it was insensitive: 84dB/W/m. Low-powered single-ended triode amps were out of the question. Never mind—there was magic in the Minima.—Sam Tellig