Please introduce yourself to our readers
My name is Håkon. I am a former singer and actor who now works as a mountain guide. I live in Molde, home to the Jazz Festival and beautiful views. Like most people here, I live in a wooden house with a south-facing view.
My interest in sound began when I played in a rock band about 30 years ago. Buying my first Electrocompaniet amplifier was a big moment. I remember feeling genuinely proud of that purchase!
I tend to keep gear for a long time. Before Sigberg Audio, I had owned my Japanese amplifier for ten years and my British loudspeakers even longer. I always focused more on music than on technology.
For me, good sound is not about extreme detail or sharpness. What matters most is that music sounds pleasant, rich, and slightly warm.
Why Sigberg Audio?
When renovating the house, I wanted to simplify the listening room. Fewer boxes. Fewer cables. A more Nordic, minimal style.
Around the same time, I became aware of Sigberg Audio and read a few reviews. The Inkognito subwoofer combined with small speakers seemed like a smart and aesthetically pleasing solution.
I also developed strong trust in Thorbjørn Sigberg. I became convinced that he builds no-nonsense equipment, designed simply to produce great sound in ordinary rooms. The SBS with the Inkognito subwoofer felt like an endgame system for me. And if I were to replace something I was already happy with, it had to be with truly high-quality gear.
Can you describe the room and setup?
I acquired the SBS first with one, and later two, Inkognito subwoofers back when it first came out. I have used this system in three different rooms across two houses.
Today, the SBS system provides sound for the TV in a combined guest room, TV room, and practice space. The room also contains a synthesizer, an electronic drum kit, and a small PA system. The ceiling is sloped in two directions, the walls and ceiling are paneled, and the floor is carpeted.
Earlier this year I was one of the first to get the new Sarannas! They provide sound in the living room of the house, where I spend most of my time. The room dimensions are 5.20 m (front wall) × 4.20 m, plus an extension on the rear wall measuring 2.50 m × 1.15 m. There are rugs on the floor, wooden panels on the walls, paneling in the ceiling, and typical living room furniture with two sofas and an old listening chair inherited from my beloved great-aunt.
How is it to live with your Sigberg systems?
I am actually not very interested in technology, computers, and such. Equipment should be easy to use and just work. And both the SBS with subwoofers and the Saranna are easy to live with, despite the advanced internals and all the processing behind the design. It is mostly plug and play, with just a bit of subwoofer level adjustment. So easy that even I can figure it out!
And what about the sound?
The sound from Sigberg Audio is difficult to describe without sounding like marketing for the manufacturer. At both high and low volume, the sound is pleasant and rich. It is detailed from treble to bass, and it's especially enjoyable to experience the bass as clearly defined tones full of texture.
There is simply far more information in the bass with the Sigberg systems than anything I have heard before. The bass lines in the music of the likes of Tom Waits or Radiohead, or in jazz recordings, become much more than just “something in the low end”. They turn into melodic lines, uniquely performed with the individual musician’s expression and technique.
Another pleasing aspect is that the music is always played with complete ease, as if the amplifiers always have power in reserve. This gives me a sense of calm, even when playing at party levels!
I also own three pairs of headphones, with three or four different amplifiers. I used these previously to listen for details in the music or to hear lyrics more clearly. Now I experience more detail from both the Saranna and the SBS, and the sound is just far more comfortable in the room than with studio headphones.
