Audel, Sonika SE - Spicy Italian Mini Monitors

So, here we have yet another super rare speaker from Italy made by semi-bespoke builders, Audel & these spicy Italians produce a wildly BIG sound. The Sonika SE cabinetry is exquisite; birchwood ply with a beeswax finish that just begs to be toggled up close. I can think of few other hi-fi components that offer such a wonderful tactile experience. Like the other speakers in the Audel stable, these cabinets are not just beautiful on the outside. They also have the same internal rib system, which according to Audel’s Walter Carzan offers both increased structural integrity and sonic benefits too. If there was ever a mini-monitor possessing a truly unique look and sonic signature, the Sonika system is it. 

In terms of components, the Sonika follows the traditional main driver/ tweeter layout, with a front firing bass reflex port below the main driver. The latter is a mere four inches in diameter, while the soft dome tweeter is 29mm and there’s a first order crossover point is at 2.5kHz splitting the incoming signal. On the rear panel is a single pair of multiway binding posts. Impedance is quoted at 4 Ohms and sensitivity at 87dB, so not overly efficient but in practice the Sonikas worked well with a multitude of various 70-100 watt integrated amplifiers, and proved to be very easy to drive.

Recommending the Audel Sonika Mk2 loudspeakers is very easy. They sound excellent, they look (and feel) lovely and they sound so much bigger than their small form factor would ever lead you to expect.  These little guys sound far bigger than they look, they are hand-crafted in Italy and their fit and finish is second to none. We love the burl walnut on the front baffle, as it adds to a more traditional look. Please know how rare these are - they may be the only set in the US... we did a MM shootout with these, a set of 11ohm Spendor LS3/5a, fabulous Sonus Faber Signum & the newest Acoustic Energy AE-1 40th Anniversary Edition. There were various customers in and out of the shop that day and EACH of the listeners had a different take on the 4 speaker systems but oddly, the Sonika SEs were never lower than #2 on the preference list. Thats an amazing feat for this relatively obscure, small batch builder. These are virtually brand new with the original box/packaging and all the as-new accompaniments. Literally like they are out of the box for the very 1st time. Amazing!

Specifications:

Type: 2-way standmount reflex loaded loudspeaker
Crossover frequency: 2.5kHz
Drive units:
Mid/bass: 4 inch cone
Tweeter: 28mm ring radiator
Nominal frequency response:  48 – 25,000 Hz
Nominal impedance: 4 Ohms
Connectors: single-wire binding posts
Sensitivity: 87dB @ 2.83v/1m
Dimensions HxWxD: 260 x 150 x 252mm
Weight: 5kg each
Finishes: Ebony, Italian Walnut, Art
Warranty: 5 years (UK)

Come have a listen here in Andover.

Audel, Sonika SE: $1,999.00 plus sales tax & shipping when applicable