In this review, we will be comparing Lumina CI and R400, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Sonus faber and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Lumina Center I and Polk R400 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Lumina Center I | Polk R400 |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 4.75" paper cone | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-24k Hz | 48-39K Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-100 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.60kg / 16.7lbs | 14.91kg / 32.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6.6" x 20.6" x 8.4"
169.0 x 524.0 x 213.0mm | 7-13/16" x 24-5/16" x 14-5/8"
199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sonus Lumina Center I and Polk R400 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Sonus Lumina Center I |
Polk R400 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Lumina CI and R400 are 2-way speakers.
Sonus Lumina Center IPolk R400
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sonus Lumina Center I |
Polk R400 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 4.75-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Lumina CI features a 1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter and 2 x 4.75" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000 Hz. On the other hand, the R400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Lumina CI has a frequency range of 65-24k Hz whereas R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the R400 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Lumina CI's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
Lumina CI is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R400 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 Lumina CI can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Lumina CI sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the R400's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk R400 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Lumina Center I, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
R400 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Lumina CI has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the R400.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Lumina CI features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R400 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Sonus Lumina Center I's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Polk R400's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Lumina CI has a front firing port whereas R400 has a rear firing ports. Sonus Lumina Center I's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk R400 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R400 dual Port
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 Sonus Lumina Center I's and Polk R400's external dimensions. Sonus Lumina Center I has external dimensions of 169.0 x 524.0 x 213.0mm (6.6 x 20.6 x 8.4inch) whereas Polk R400 has external dimensions of 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm (7-13/16 x 24-5/16 x 14-5/8inch).
Polk R400 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 94mm wider, 30mm taller and 159mm deeper than Sonus Lumina Center I.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sonus Lumina Center I and Polk R400 in scale.
Comparison image of Sonus Lumina Center I and Polk R400 Size and External Dimensions
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 Sonus Lumina Center I is approximately 1116.1cm2 / 173.0inch2 and base area of the Polk R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2. The Lumina CI requires 51% less surface area than the R400 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 Sonus Lumina Center I weighs 7.60kg / 16.7lbs and the Polk R400 weighs 14.91kg / 32.8lbs. This makes the R400 96% heavier than the Lumina CI.
Here is a comparison of how Lumina CI and R400's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonus Lumina Center I?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Lumina CI:
- 1 Center Channel Speaker
- 1 Manual
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Grilles
- 1 Fabric dust guards
What's in the Box of Polk R400?
Here are the items that come with the R400:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
169mm
vs
199mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1116cm2
vs
2299cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
4.75 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
39k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
649USD
vs
699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Lumina Center I |
Polk Audio Reserve R400 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
30-100 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
65-24k Hz |
48-39K Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
4.75" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper cone |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2000 Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
169.0mm (6.7") |
199.0mm (7.8") |
| Width |
524.0mm (20.6") |
618.0mm (24.3") |
| Depth |
213.0mm (8.4") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
7.60kg (16.7lbs) |
14.91kg (32.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real multilayer wood |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black, Wenge, Walnut |
Black, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
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 | B | Polk R400 digs deeper - 48Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Polk R400 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk R400 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Polk R400 takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sonus Lumina Center I is easier to place; Polk R400 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Lumina Center I: bi-amping. Polk R400 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($699 vs $649 a pair). |
A Sonus Lumina Center I B Polk R400
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?
Polk R400 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 a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Sonus Lumina Center I the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Polk R400 for a mid-size room and a large room.
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.