In this review, we will be comparing Lumina III and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus faber and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Lumina III and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Lumina III | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" paper cone | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-24k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-250 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.90kg / 35lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.9" x 9" x 10.9"
989.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Lumina III and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
Sonus Lumina IIIKLH Kendall
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 III |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Lumina III features a 1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 and 3500 Hz. On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Lumina III has a frequency range of 40-24k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Lumina III's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Lumina III is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Kendall 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 III can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Lumina III sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Lumina III, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 250 watts RMS, though Lumina III is rated 50-250 watts and Kendall up to 250 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Lumina III and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall'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 III's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. Sonus Lumina III has external dimensions of 989.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm (38.9 x 9 x 10.9inch) whereas KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
Sonus Lumina III is 32mm shorter and 102mm less deeper than KLH Kendall but it is also 16mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sonus Lumina III and KLH Kendall in scale.
Comparison image of Sonus Lumina III and KLH Kendall 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 III is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Lumina III requires 21% less surface area than the Kendall 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 III weighs 15.90kg / 35lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Kendall 39% heavier than the Lumina III.
Here is a comparison of how Lumina III and Kendall's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonus Lumina III?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Lumina III:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 1 Manual
- 2 Jumpers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Under spikes
- 4 Spikes locks
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
989mm
vs
1021mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
633cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
89 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
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Lumina III |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-250 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-24k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper cone |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350 and 3500 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
989.0mm (38.9") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
228.0mm (9") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
15.90kg (35lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real multilayer wood |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black, Wenge, Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
10 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 | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Sonus Lumina III is easier to place; KLH Kendall is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Lumina III: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. Sonus Lumina III sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $2,199, about 32% less. |
A Sonus Lumina III B KLH Kendall
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?
KLH Kendall is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Sonus Lumina III if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Kendall is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.