Vintage audio is not just about vinyl. The history of hi-fi is not only concerned with formats (as in the music cassette revival) but also the method of reproduction. Speakers can also turn back the clock, offering designs that look to the past while carrying technology forward. A leading figure in this trend is Sonus Faber, a company based in Arcugnano, in the province of Vicenza, Italy, which used the 2019 Munich High End Show to launch Minima Amator II, a 2-way speaker system designed for small spaces such as representative offices.

From an aesthetics point of view, the style looks to the past, with the cabinet in solid walnut on the one hand providing the speaker with solidity and on the other adding a touch of elegance. There is a slim brass insert in the base, while the front is upholstered in leather, as is the rear, with its brass binding posts. Considering the hi-end placing of Sonus Faber (each speaker costs 4 thousand euros), the materials are not just pleasant to the eye, but are also chosen to caress the ears. Combined, they convey the sound perfectly, receiving it without loss and diffusing it with clarity.

Each speaker is very compact, a so-called bookshelf model, suitable for positioning on a desk, mounted on a wall or installed on a pedestal. But while the exterior is retro, inside it is futuristic. Minima Amator II is the result of the company's thirty years of research, and this is above all evident in the components used.

Each speaker contains a 28 mm tweeter that reproduces the high frequencies with precision, the premature deterioration of which is avoided by the use of a silk dome. The 6-inch midwoofer has a cellulose pulp and natural fibre cone on a die-cast aluminium basket which promises to avoid the loss of detail. Lastly, the crossover is based on Paracross technology, guaranteeing excellent contrast and attenuating sensitivity to radio frequencies. An excellent blend of old and new.