I've
been knowing the Sonus faber Concertino since long; my brother
was among the firsts to buy a pair, and they have been my
personal reference in their price range, a strongly competitive
one. When I had the chance, some time ago, to buy a pair,
with GM Audio matching stands, at a good price, I got them
for my personal collection, and so I brought home a slice
of Italian hi-fi history. It's an understatement to say that
I know these speakers a bit: I have been listening to them
for years, and a couple of months ago I connected them to
my main system and placed, almost casually, on a bookshelf,
where they still are sitting, too close to the front wall;
lots of audiophiles would shiver at this view and they would
be right, at least in part. The beautiful soundstage these
speakers can throw is almost completely given up, as is the
realistic and down-to-earth imaging, but their extraordinary
sweetness, that sensation of liquidity, of immediacy, of easiness
stay almost unmarred. It's a beautiful way to listen to music,
with the front wall recreating a sort of wall of sound, compact,
palpable and almost touchable. So I wasn't perfectly at ease
approaching the Concertino Home; like a cover to a song we
love, at first listen there is always something wrong, even
if later on we find something fresh or original. Instead of
that, I found something completely different; certainly with
a similar voice but, at the same time, not directly comparable,
with little more than a name and an external
appearance in common. The Home are more enthusiastic and dynamic,
they are more efficient and can handle more power, and maybe
sound a bit more refined. But the overall taste is different,
in my opinion worse. The first Concertino had that touch of
magic which made them one of a kind, if maybe not immediate
and simple to understand and appreciate: their way of disappearing
from the soundstage, of leaving way to sound and vibrations,
their sweetness, so pleasant to listen to, comfortable. And
the shortcomings, a certain bass slowness, somewhat compressed
overall dynamics, were easy to forget. Were I writing about
a woman, I would talk about love at first (and second, and
third…) sight. The Home are more precise and balanced, have
better dynamic abilities, are still able to throw a spectacular
soundstage, are still easy to partner and are much more versatile.
They are a worth successor, and even their price/quality ratio
seems to be better than the previous version's one; but I
am square headed, and, among my fave speakers of all time
there will always be a place for the Concertino - the first
series!
external
appearance in common. The Home are more enthusiastic and dynamic,
they are more efficient and can handle more power, and maybe
sound a bit more refined. But the overall taste is different,
in my opinion worse. The first Concertino had that touch of
magic which made them one of a kind, if maybe not immediate
and simple to understand and appreciate: their way of disappearing
from the soundstage, of leaving way to sound and vibrations,
their sweetness, so pleasant to listen to, comfortable. And
the shortcomings, a certain bass slowness, somewhat compressed
overall dynamics, were easy to forget. Were I writing about
a woman, I would talk about love at first (and second, and
third…) sight. The Home are more precise and balanced, have
better dynamic abilities, are still able to throw a spectacular
soundstage, are still easy to partner and are much more versatile.
They are a worth successor, and even their price/quality ratio
seems to be better than the previous version's one; but I
am square headed, and, among my fave speakers of all time
there will always be a place for the Concertino - the first
series! 
