The Absolute Sound magazine presents the gear that their editors and writers have selected as most worthy of your consideration. These are the components they themselves would buy—or recommend to friends and family.

Durob Audio brand selection has gotten this year 25 Editors’ Choice awards. We are very proud since it also rewards the quality of our brand selection and reinforces us into supporting those brands.

Within the coming days, we will introduce to you each awarded product.

Sonus faber Venere Model 1.5

This compact Italiano two-way with a narrow, slotted front port, swooping top panel, and curvilicious enclosure has Sf tradition stamped all over its sound. There’s an espresso rich and robust midrange that makes vocals shine and keeps dynamics lively, as well as superior midbass response, mininmal colorations, and big-speaker dynamic composure. Venere -Latin for Venus-  is love at first sight and irresistible for the money. NG, 230

Sonus faber Liuto Monitor

Sonus has succesfully incorporated the sonic virtues of the floorstanding Liuto into the smaller Monitor. Hewing to the Sf company line, the Monitor first focuses on capturing the natural richness and a bit of romance of live music throughout the midrange. Part Renaissance lute part rocker, the Liuto Monitor is one of the most elegant and versatile small speakers available. The purpose-built stands are optional but worth every penny.

Sonus faber Liuto

The all-new Liuto may be the best-value speaker in the Sonus family. A three-way, vented floorstander, it combines warmth and detail with earthy low-frequencies that dip confidently into the 30Hz range. But where it really turns up the heat is in the lack of smearing during complex orchestral passages. The Liuto’s primary character shades a bit to the dark side, and in some cases it’s not as fast on transients as some others. Nonetheless, it is a high-voltage performer -entertaining and musical. NG, 199

Sonus faber Cremona M

The Cremona M retains the lute-shape enclosure that Sonus faber popularized in its flagship Amati and Guarneri models. The M is powerful and passionate with a rich warm balance. Yet it’s no wallflower dynamically. In its timbral sophistication and impressive dynamic range, even at orchestral levels, it achieves the kind of top-to-bottom fidelity that makes magic happen. NG, 189

Sonus faber Elipsa

Yet another gorgeous speaker from this outstanding Italian manufacturer, the Elipsa’s tone colors are ravishing, its overall sound smooth, warm, and intensely seductive. At the same time, it will easily show differences in recordings as well as associated components. WG, 173

Sonus faber Amati Futura

This exquisite 3.5-way floorstanding loudspeaker breaks new ground for Sonus faber in transparency, low-level detail, neutrality, transient response, and top-to-bottom coherence, bringing you closer to the sound of a live performance. The lute-shaped Italina cabinetry is drop-dead gorgeous, and masks an enclosure filled with technical innovations designed to reduce resonances and related colorations. While the Amati is not as lush-sounding as its predecessor, massed strings and voices are more accurate and natural. JH, 228