In this review, we will be comparing Lumina V and RTi A5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus Faber and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Lumina V and Polk RTi A5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Sonus Lumina V and Polk RTi A5 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus Lumina V and Polk RTi A5 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Lumina V is a 3-way design whereas the RTi A5 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
Sonus Lumina V |
Polk RTi A5 |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Lumina V features a 1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 260 and 2600 Hz. On the other hand, the RTi A5 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Lumina V has a frequency range of 38-24k Hz whereas RTi A5 has a frequency range of 40-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Lumina V can go slightly deeper then the RTi A5's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
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 V is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RTi A5 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 V can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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 V can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RTi A5 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Lumina V.
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
Both Lumina V and RTi A5 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Lumina V has a bottom firing port whereas RTi A5 has a front firing ports. Polk RTi A5's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Sonus Lumina V with its rear-firing port.
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 V's and Polk RTi A5's external dimensions. Sonus Lumina V has external dimensions of 1049.0 x 280.0 x 373.0mm ( 41.3 x 11 x 14.7inch) whereas Polk RTi A5 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 269.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 10-9/16 x 15-7/8inch) .
Polk RTi A5 is 11mm narrower and 42mm shorter than Sonus Lumina V but it is also 31mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sonus Lumina V and Polk RTi A5 in scale.
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 V is approximately 1044.4cm2 / 161.9inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A5 is approximately 1086.8cm2 / 168.5inch2. The Lumina V requires 4% less surface area than the RTi A5 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 V weighs 22.50kg / 49.5lbs and the Polk RTi A5 weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Lumina V 24% heavier than the RTi A5.
Here is a comparison of how Lumina V and RTi A5'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 V?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Lumina V:
Floorstanding loudspeaker1 Manual 2 Jumpers2 Grilles 2 Fabric dust guards4 Spikes 4 Under spikes 4 Spikes locks
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A5?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A5:
Cherry floor-standing speakerDetachable black cloth grille4 Screw-on spike feetOwners ManualOnline registration sheetPolk Audio product brochure
Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
Base Surface Area |
1044cm2 (280x373mm)
vs
1086cm2 (269x404mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Height |
1007mm
vs
1049mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
General |
Sonus Faber Lumina V |
Polk Audio RTi A5 |
Brand |
Sonus Faber |
Polk Audio |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
50-300 watts |
20-250 watts |
Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
Frequency Response |
38-24k Hz |
40-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
Woofer Composition |
paper cone |
Polymer composite |
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" |
No |
Crossover Frequency |
260 and 2600 Hz |
n/a |
Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
1049.0mm (41.3") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
Width |
280.0mm (11") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
Depth |
373.0mm (14.7") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
Weight |
22.50kg (49.5lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
real multilayer wood |
Real wood veneer |
Available Colors |
Black, Wenge, Walnut |
Cherry |
Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |