In this review, we will be comparing Lumina III and Lumina V Amator, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Lumina III and Sonus faber Lumina V Amator first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Lumina III | Sonus faber Lumina V Amator |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD | 1.125" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6.0" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" paper cone | 2 x 6.5" Cellulose Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-24k Hz | 38-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-250 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.90kg / 35lbs | 22.55kg / 49.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.9" x 9" x 10.9"
989.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm | 41-5/16" x 11" x 14-3/4"
1050.0 x 280.0 x 375.0mm |
|---|
Lumina III and Lumina V 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
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 Lumina V Amator are 3-way speakers.
Sonus Lumina IIISonus faber Lumina V Amator
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 |
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6.0-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 Lumina V Amator features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.0" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Cellulose Pulp Woofer.
Frequency Response
Lumina III has a frequency range of 40-24k Hz whereas Lumina V Amator has a frequency range of 38-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Lumina V Amator can go slightly deeper then 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 and Lumina V Amator have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Lumina III sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Lumina V Amator's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Lumina V Amator a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Lumina III, 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 III and the Lumina III can provide this impedance level.
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.
Lumina V Amator can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Lumina III has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Lumina V Amator.
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 V Amator
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Lumina III and Lumina V Amator features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 Sonus faber Lumina V Amator'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 Sonus faber Lumina V Amator has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 280.0 x 375.0mm (41-5/16inch x 11inch x 14-3/4inch).
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 52mm wider, 61mm taller and 97mm deeper than Sonus Lumina III.
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 Lumina V Amator needs about 66% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is 97mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is 61mm 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 Sonus Lumina III is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is approximately 1050.0cm2 / 162.8inch2. The Lumina III requires 40% less surface area than the Lumina V 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 III weighs 15.90kg / 35lbs and the Sonus faber Lumina V Amator weighs 22.55kg / 49.6lbs. This makes the Lumina V Amator 42% heavier than the Lumina III.
Here is a comparison of how Lumina III and Lumina V Amator's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator
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 Sonus faber Lumina V Amator?
Here are the items that come with the Lumina V Amator:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Spikes
- 8 Protective discs
- 8 Nuts
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration/Warranty Card
- Environmental Information
 Height |
989mm
vs
1050mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
633cm2
vs
1050cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2199USD
vs
4500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Sonus faber Lumina III |
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-250 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-24k Hz |
38-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper cone |
Cellulose Pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6.0" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350 and 3500 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
989.0mm (38.9") |
1050.0mm (41.3") |
| Width |
228.0mm (9") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Weight |
15.90kg (35lbs) |
22.55kg (49.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Finish |
real multilayer wood |
Multi-layer wood/veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black, Wenge, Walnut |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
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 (40Hz vs 38Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Sonus Lumina III is easier to place; Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Lumina III: bi-amping; Sonus faber Lumina V Amator: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Sonus Lumina III is cheaper - $2,199 against $4,500, about 51% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus Lumina III B Sonus faber Lumina V 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. In a large or open-plan room, Sonus faber Lumina V Amator has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sonus Lumina III is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,301 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.