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At Sound Galleries we are all about the most natural organic sound possible. We also place coherence, throughout the frequency range, at the top of our priorities. This is why we favour speakers with large band drivers, and avoid the damage to coherence caused by complex crossovers.

Coherence is also a product of the electronics which go before those speakers. In the new Fonel range of products, that are built in Germany, we have found a very natural and coherent range of electronics, which also exude quality in their attractive and solid enclosures.

Audiophiles often favour vacuum tube electronics for their more organic, natural sound, and tubes are often employed in the output stages of CD players for this reason. Within the Fonel range you will find a mixture of tube and transistor based products. In auditioning the Fonel electronics we have found that regardless of whether tubes or transistors are used in a particular product, there is a Fonel house sound, and that sound is always lifelike and natural.

For example Fonel’s Simplicité CD player comes in both a tube and transistor version. The tube version is, of necessity, more expensive than the transistor player, though in terms of sound they come surprisingly close. Putting together a High-End system often makes me think of cooking. You need to use a specific mix of ingredients in the right measures to obtain the result you desire, according to your own tastes. Whether you prefer the transistor or tube version of the Simplicité will depend on the rest of the system you plan to use it in, and your own tastes.

There are technical considerations as well, of course, especially when it comes to amplifiers. Fonel also make two versions of their Emotion Amplifier. One is a 25wpc Class A model using tubes, the other uses a mixture of Mosfet and Bipolar transistor technology to put out 300wpc; enough for the most demanding speaker loads. Which of these you choose will, of course, depend on how efficient your chosen speakers are. Again, these two versions of the Emotion amplifier sound surprisingly similar. This amplifier is also extremely flexible. It can be used as either an integrated amplifier, or a power amplifier for use with a separate preamplifier or CD player with volume control, such as the Simplicité. The Emotion has four inputs, 3 RCA and 1 XLR. Any one of these inputs can be programmed for fixed output when you want to use it as a power amplifier. The amplifier can also be customised upon order, for a different mix of XLR and RCA inputs, if for example, you prefer more XLR’s and less RCA’s. Using the Emotion with Fonel’s matching Renaissance pre-amplifier will produce even more palpable, three dimensional instrumental images, for the ultimate in realism.

This amplifier, along with Fonel’s other products, come with attractive matching solid wood remote controls that interact with gorgeous displays. These displays are not based on the usual LED’s; but instead a custom display technology from Japan, which gives the most natural feedback. For example the volume change display on the Emotion lights up as a rotary dial, which advances and recedes as you adjust the volume up and down from the remote. These displays can easily be seen from across the room, without disagreeable glare. They are the most natural marriage of analogue sensibilities with advanced display technology we have seen.

Add to that the range of attractive cases, with different wooden panels available, and you will appreciate how luxurious a range of products Fonel are producing. If none of the standard finishes suite your tastes, they will also build custom enclosures to your specification.

So to conclude, what exactly is the ‘Fonel house sound’ referred to earlier? Because it is so natural it would be easy to employ that old cliché’musical’. However, this term often refers to components which homogenise the sound of the various instruments. This makes it easy to get the gestalt of the music, at the expense of being able to follow individual instruments in complex music. With Fonel you get to choose. If you want to relax and enjoy the music as a whole you can easily do so. If you choose to concentrate a little more though, you can easily follow individual threads in complex music, because Fonel equipment provides a wealth of detail. In a similar vain, some equipment avoids overly aggressive highs, on brass instruments, for example, by rolling off and smoothing the details. Fonel doesn’t do this. Brass and other instruments with higher frequencies are reproduced with a satisfying sense of bite, where appropriate, together with the necessary detail. They sound realistic without ever being offensive. The natural dynamic contrasts and energy of the music are all presented appropriately through Fonel equipment. The Fonel sound, therefore, makes a great partner to many of the speakers we feature at Sound Galleries.

Some of the Fonal products, e.g. Emotion and Simplicité have already been very positively reviewed in 6Moons by way of syndicated articles from Fairaudio in Germany, and I’m sure there will be many more highly favourable reviews to follow. With all the qualities Fonel equipment possesses, you’ll be surprised at how affordable it is, in comparison to many typical High-End products. Visit Fonel