As someone who has spent the best part of two decades testing hi-fi products, I don’t need anyone to sell me the benefits of having a system made up of hi-fi separates.
Having one box dedicated to each specific job in the audio chain is, in an ideal world, the best way to maximise sound quality.
But I’m also a realist. And I have heard many all-in-one systems in my time that do a spectacular job of delivering convenience and excellent sound quality.
And one of those systems, the sensational Sonus Faber Omnia, is currently heavily discounted, with a whopping £600 off at Peter Tyson.
Sonus Faber has been responsible for some beautifully finished speakers over the years, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Omnia oozes style.
Its elongated, curvaceous shape gives it serious room presence, as does that classy walnut top panel. The panel is also decorated with four light strips that illuminate it and act as a display.
The strip closest to the front changes colour depending on the input being used; it is flanked by two dots which you can tap to change volume. It sounds simple, but it makes for an enjoyable user experience.
Omnia means ‘everything’ in Latin, and the name hints at the features on offer. This is an extremely versatile box of tricks and supports AirPlay 2 for transmission from Apple devices, Google Cast for one-tap playback from several services such as Deezer, YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Amazon Music on an Android device. You also have Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect on board.
It can help boost your TV’s sound via HDMI ARC and can accommodate other audio sources through its dongle-like MiniDin switchable phono/line-input adapter. There’s also Bluetooth aptX HD for quick and easy music playback from a smartphone.
Give Omnia a little room to breathe (Sonus Faber recommends leaving at least 10cm of clearance between it and a rear wall) and you’ll hear it performing at its best.
The speakers (two, 44mm side-firing cellulose pulp drivers, two 19mm silk-dome tweeters, a pair of 75mm paper-pulp cone midrange drivers and a 165mm long-throw aluminium-cone woofer) are all integrated beautifully and are driven by a 490 watt amplifier.
In our Sonus Faber Omnia review, we say it is “one of the biggest and most open sounding examples of its type we’ve heard. Close your eyes, and you don't need to stretch your imagination to believe the sound is coming out of a pair of standmounters.”
It doesn’t distort or sound hard when pushed, and it delivers plenty of quality bass at the other end of the frequency spectrum too. In fact, it’s the potent mix of substance and subtlety, especially the sense of pureness you get from the midrange, which many rivals simply struggle to match.
If you want one box that looks sensational and does it all brilliantly for a very attractive price, I think Omnia is well worth the £600 saving over at Peter Tyson.
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