Sonus Lumina I vs Sonus faber Lumina II Amator Comparison

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Sonus Lumina I

Passive Bookshelf | 65-24k Hz

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Sonus faber Lumina II Amator

Passive Bookshelf | 55-24k Hz

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Sonus Lumina I

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Sonus Lumina I

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Sonus Lumina I vs Sonus faber Lumina II Amator Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Lumina I and Lumina II Amator, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Sonus faber

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sonus Lumina I and Sonus faber Lumina II Amator first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sonus Lumina I Key Specs

2-way Design

1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter

4.75" paper cone Woofer

65-24k Hz Frequency Response

88 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 4ohms

Power Range:30-100watts

Weight:4.40kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 11" x 5.8" x 8.4" ( 280.0 x 148.0 x 213.0mm )

Sonus faber Lumina II Amator Key Specs

2-way Design

1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter

6" Paper Woofer

55-24k Hz Frequency Response

86 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 4ohms

Power Range:30-150watts

Weight:5.80kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 11-15/16" x 7-1/16" x 10-3/8" ( 304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm )

Lumina I and Lumina II Amator are members of Sonus faber's Lumina series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Sonus faber Lumina Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
Sonus Lumina II	Bookshelf	55-24k Hz	86 dB	4Ω	1 x 6"
Sonus Lumina V	Floor-standing	38-24k Hz	90 dB	4Ω	2 x 6.5"
Sonus Lumina III	Floor-standing	40-24k Hz	89 dB	4Ω	2 x 6"
Sonus Lumina I	Bookshelf	65-24k Hz	88 dB	4Ω	1 x 4.75"
Sonus Lumina Center I	Center Channel	65-24k Hz	87 dB	4Ω	2 x 4.75"
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator	Floor-standing	38-24k Hz	90 dB	4Ω	2 x 6.5"
Sonus faber Lumina II Amator	Bookshelf	55-24k Hz	86 dB	4Ω	1 x 6"

What size room are the Sonus Lumina I and Sonus faber Lumina II Amator 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 I	Sonus faber Lumina II Amator
Near-field	Average	Good
Small Room	Good	Good
Mid-size Room	Average	Average
Large Room	Poor	Poor
Very Large Room	Bad	No way

(* 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus Lumina I and Sonus faber Lumina II Amator compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both Lumina I and Lumina II Amator are 2-way speakers.

Driver	Sonus Lumina I	Sonus faber Lumina II Amator
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1.15-inch	1.1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 4.75-inch	1 x 6-inch

Lumina I features a 1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter and 1 x 4.75" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz. On the other hand, the Lumina II Amator features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600 Hz.

Frequency Response

Lumina I has a frequency range of 65-24k Hz whereas Lumina II Amator has a frequency range of 55-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the Lumina II Amator can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Lumina I's min frequency of 65Hz.

Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Lumina I

Lumina II Amator

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Sonus Lumina I

Sonus faber Lumina II Amator

Min

Average

Max

None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

Lumina I and Lumina II Amator have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Lumina I sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Lumina II Amator's is at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Lumina II Amator a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Lumina I, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Lumina I and the Lumina I can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

Lumina I

Lumina II Amator

Min

Average

Max

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.

Lumina I can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Lumina I has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Lumina II Amator.

Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Lumina I features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Lumina II Amator has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Sonus Lumina I's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Physical Specs

Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 I's and Sonus faber Lumina II Amator's external dimensions. Sonus Lumina I has external dimensions of 280.0 x 148.0 x 213.0mm ( 11 x 5.8 x 8.4inch) whereas Sonus faber Lumina II Amator has external dimensions of 304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm ( 11-15/16 x 7-1/16 x 10-3/8inch) .

Sonus faber Lumina II Amator is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 32mm wider, 24mm taller and 50mm deeper than Sonus Lumina I.

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 I is approximately 315.2cm² / 48.9inch² and base area of the Sonus faber Lumina II Amator is approximately 473.4cm² / 73.4inch². The Lumina I requires 33% less surface area than the Lumina II Amator 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 I weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs and the Sonus faber Lumina II Amator weighs 5.80kg / 12.8lbs. This makes the Lumina II Amator 32% heavier than the Lumina I.

Here is a comparison of how Lumina I and Lumina II Amator's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers

Sonus Lumina I

Sonus faber Lumina II Amator

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of Sonus Lumina I?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Lumina I:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
1 Manual
2 Jumpers
2 Grilles
2 Fabric dust guards

Reasons to choose Sonus Faber Lumina I over Sonus faber Lumina II Amator

Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring	Yes vs No	Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
Height	280mm vs 304mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	315cm² vs 473cm²	Takes less floor space

Reasons to choose Sonus faber Lumina II Amator over Sonus Faber Lumina I

Max Input Power	150 watts vs 100 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	86 dB vs 84 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	6 inches vs 4.75 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	55 Hz vs 65 Hz	Generates deeper bass

Sonus Lumina I vs Sonus faber Lumina II Amator Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sonus Faber Lumina I	Sonus faber Lumina II Amator
Brand	Sonus faber	Sonus faber
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Bookshelf speakers
Power Range	30-100 watts	30-150 watts
Sensitivity	88 dB	86 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	4 ohms
Frequency Response	65-24k Hz	55-24k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	4.75"	6"
Woofer Composition	paper cone	Paper
Tweeter Size	1.15"	1.1"
Tweeter Type	high definition DAD	Soft-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	2000Hz	2600 Hz
Firing Direction	front	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	280.0mm (11")	304.0mm (12")
Width	148.0mm (5.8")	180.0mm (7.1")
Depth	213.0mm (8.4")	263.0mm (10.4")
Weight	4.40kg (9.7lbs)	5.80kg (12.8lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	real multilayer wood	n/a
Available Colors	Black, Wenge, Walnut	n/a
Mounting Bracket
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	No
Other
Parts Warranty
Labor Warranty