In this review, we will be comparing F502SP and Sonetto VIII G2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F502SP and Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F502SP | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1.1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 2 x 8" Paper Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-34k Hz | 33-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30- 200 W watts | 50-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 30.39kg / 66.9lbs | 45.10kg / 99.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.7" x 13.3" x 15"
1110.0 x 337.8 x 381.0mm | 46-13/16" x 13-3/16" x 19-7/16"
1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both F502SP and Sonetto VIII G2 are 3-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F502SPSonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fyne Audio F502SP |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
F502SP features a " Tweeter and x 8" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz, 1700 Hz. On the other hand, the Sonetto VIII G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper Pulp Woofer.
Frequency Response
F502SP has a frequency range of 30-34k Hz whereas Sonetto VIII G2 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the F502SP can go slightly deeper then the Sonetto VIII G2's min frequency of 33Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
F502SP is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Sonetto VIII G2 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Sonetto VIII G2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F502SP sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Sonetto VIII G2's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F502SP a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Sonetto VIII G2 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas F502SP has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Sonetto VIII G2.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Sonetto VIII G2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. F502SP has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Fyne Audio F502SP's and Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F502SP has external dimensions of 1110.0 x 337.8 x 381.0mm (43.7 x 13.3 x 15inch) whereas Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 has external dimensions of 1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm (46-13/16inch x 13-3/16inch x 19-7/16inch).
Fyne Audio F502SP is 80mm shorter and 113mm less deeper than Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 but it is also 2.8mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 needs about 29% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is 113mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is 80mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Fyne Audio F502SP is approximately 1287.0cm2 / 199.5inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is approximately 1654.9cm2 / 256.5inch2. The F502SP requires 22% less surface area than the Sonetto VIII G2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Fyne Audio F502SP weighs 30.39kg / 66.9lbs and the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 weighs 45.10kg / 99.2lbs. This makes the Sonetto VIII G2 48% heavier than the F502SP.
Here is a comparison of how F502SP and Sonetto VIII G2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto VIII G2:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 6 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 2 Binding-post covers (pre-installed)
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spikes 8 Protective discs
- 8 Locking washers
- Wrench
- Dust cloth
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1110mm
vs
1190mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1287cm2
vs
1654cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6249USD
vs
9000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
34k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Fyne Audio F502SP |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30- 200 W watts |
50-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-34k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper Pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz, 1700 Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1110.0mm (43.7") |
1190.0mm (46.9") |
| Width |
337.8mm (13.3") |
335.0mm (13.2") |
| Depth |
381.0mm (15") |
494.0mm (19.4") |
| Weight |
30.39kg (66.9lbs) |
45.10kg (99.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Finish |
n/a |
Wood/Leather/Concrete |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Fyne Audio F502SP digs deeper - 30Hz against 33Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Fyne Audio F502SP is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Fyne Audio F502SP is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 takes more power (400W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Fyne Audio F502SP is easier to place; Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Fyne Audio F502SP is cheaper - $6,249 against $9,000, about 31% less. |
A Fyne Audio F502SP B Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Fyne Audio F502SP has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Fyne Audio F502SP is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,751 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.