In this review, we will be comparing Lumina II and Lumina II Amator, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Lumina II and Sonus faber Lumina II Amator first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Lumina II | Sonus faber Lumina II Amator |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" paper cone | 6" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-24k Hz | 55-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.65kg / 12.4lbs | 5.80kg / 12.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12" x 7.1" x 10.3"
304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm | 11-15/16" x 7-1/16" x 10-3/8"
304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm |
|---|
Lumina II 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
What size room are the Sonus Lumina II 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 II |
Sonus faber Lumina II Amator |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Lumina II and Lumina II Amator are 2-way speakers.
Sonus Lumina IISonus faber Lumina II Amator
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 II |
Sonus faber Lumina II Amator |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Lumina II features a 1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter and 1 x 6" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz. 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 II and Lumina II Amator has exactly the same frequency range of 55-24k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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 II and Lumina II Amator have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
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 II and the Lumina II can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Lumina II and Lumina II Amator have the same power range of 30-150 watts.
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 Lumina II Amator
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Lumina II and Lumina II Amator features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Lumina II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or 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 Sonus Lumina II's and Sonus faber Lumina II Amator's external dimensions. Sonus Lumina II has external dimensions of 304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm (12 x 7.1 x 10.3inch) 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).
In this case, we can see that Sonus Lumina II and Sonus faber Lumina II Amator have the exact same height, width and thickness.
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.
Near-identical footprints.
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 II is approximately 473.4cm2 / 73.4inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Lumina II Amator is approximately 473.4cm2 / 73.4inch2.
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 II weighs 5.65kg / 12.4lbs and the Sonus faber Lumina II Amator weighs 5.80kg / 12.8lbs. This makes the Lumina II Amator 3% heavier than the Lumina II.
Here is a comparison of how Lumina II and Lumina II Amator's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Sonus faber Lumina II Amator
What's in the Box of Sonus Lumina II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Lumina II:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 1 Manual
- 2 Jumpers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Fabric dust guards
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Lumina II |
Sonus faber Lumina II Amator |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
30-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-24k Hz |
55-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
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 |
1800Hz |
2600 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
304.0mm (12") |
304.0mm (12") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
263.0mm (10.4") |
263.0mm (10.4") |
| Weight |
5.65kg (12.4lbs) |
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 |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Sonus faber's Lumina series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (55Hz vs 55Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Lumina II: bi-amping; Sonus faber Lumina II Amator: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Sonus Lumina II is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,499, about 20% less. |
A Sonus Lumina II B Sonus faber Lumina II Amator
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate Sonus Lumina II the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Sonus faber Lumina II Amator for near-field listening and a small 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.