Please tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is Manuel. I recently moved back to Italy after living for more than 20 years in the UK, where I started my career in banking.
I have loved music from a very young age. I began playing piano when I was eight, studied classical music (which I still enjoy and listen to), and later discovered progressive rock and metal when I was around sixteen. These quickly became, and still are, my favorite genres.
My interest in music, movies, and technology naturally led me toward hi-fi and home theater. Because I enjoyed listening at higher levels and lived mostly in apartments while in the UK, I never had a true high-end system at home. Instead, I invested heavily in a high-quality aftermarket car audio system, where I could listen freely.
That experience made me very familiar with active speakers, digital crossovers, and digital amplification, as well as the idea of separating subwoofers from the main speakers to create a proper multi-way system.
That's certainly an interesting journey! And what made you start looking for something new?
After many years abroad, I finally moved back to Italy and a house. Even more importantly, the house had a spare room that I could turn into something I had always dreamed of: a dedicated music and home theater room.
Based on my previous experience and a lot of research, I knew I wanted a system that:
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Would excel with both music and movies
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Could play very loud with low distortion, with high sensitivity and wide, even dispersion
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Was based on active speakers
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Delivered deep, agile, and precise bass
And how did that lead you to Sigberg Audio?
I was already familiar with brands like Kii, Dutch & Dutch, and Grimm when I came across the development threads for Sigberg Audio on Audio Science Review. Reading through them, I was struck by Thorbjørn’s knowledge, dedication, and openness.
That led me to contact him directly, and from the very first exchange he was generous with his time and advice. While the reviews were all extremely positive, I would never make such a purchase without listening first. Thorbjørn was very accommodating, and I arranged a short 36-hour trip to Norway to hear the SBS, Mantas, and even the then-unreleased Sarannas.
Needless to say, I loved what I heard, and the decision was made!
Can you briefly describe the system and room?
I ordered a pair of Mantas and a pair of Inkognito subwoofers for stereo listening, which also serve as the front left and right channels in my home theater. I also added a single SBS as the center channel, placed behind an acoustically transparent screen.
The central processor in the system is the Marantz AV20, connected to various sources. In addition, I have a pair of Arendal 1723 subwoofers that I use exclusively for movies. For music listening, the Inkognitos are more than sufficient and integrate perfectly with the Mantas.
The system is installed in a dedicated, soundproofed room measuring approximately 4.7 × 4.3 meters, with a ceiling height of 2.6 meters. I also added some acoustic treatment: Absorbers, wooden slat panels with felt backing, and a rug on the floor.
How did you experience the setup process?
The setup process was very straightforward, mainly thanks to Thorbjørn’s guidance. He helped me step by step with everything from initial Manta positioning and listening distance, to REW measurements, Inkognito placement experiments, and EQ suggestions for both the speakers and the subs.
I wanted to really get the most out of the system, so it took a few sessions over several hours. Each time, I sent new measurements back to him, and he suggested refinements and improvements. It was honestly efficient and surprisingly easy, and we ended up achieving a very clean, textbook-like response with roughly a –2.5 dB to +2.5 dB downward slope across the full frequency range.
And the result? How does it sound?
One word. Amazing.
I can comfortably say this is one of the best systems I have ever heard, and certainly the best I have owned. The transparency and precision are outstanding, which really shines on complex and demanding music, yet the system never sounds fatiguing, harsh, or “unmusical.”
What impresses me the most is how holographic the soundstage is, from top to bottom, bass included. The subwoofers integrate so seamlessly with the main speakers that you would never know they are there.
For movies, the SBS is an outstanding center channel. Its wide and even dispersion makes dialogue incredibly clear and natural, without ever becoming fatiguing. It is also perfectly tonally matched to the Mantas, as they all use the same coaxial driver. Combined with the high sensitivity of the system, dynamics are simply excellent.
