In this review, we will be comparing Lumina V and Lumina III, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Lumina V and Sonus Lumina III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Lumina V | Sonus Lumina III |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD | 1.15" high definition DAD |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" paper cone | 2 x 6" paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-24k Hz | 40-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 50-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.50kg / 49.5lbs | 15.90kg / 35lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41.3" x 11" x 14.7"
1049.0 x 280.0 x 373.0mm | 38.9" x 9" x 10.9"
989.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm |
|---|
Lumina V and Lumina III 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 V and Sonus Lumina III 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 V |
Sonus Lumina III |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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 V and Lumina III are 3-way speakers.
Sonus Lumina VSonus Lumina III
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 V |
Sonus Lumina III |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-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 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.
Frequency Response
Lumina V has a frequency range of 38-24k Hz whereas Lumina III has a frequency range of 40-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Lumina V 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 V and Lumina III have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Lumina V sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Lumina III's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus Lumina V 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 V and the Lumina V 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 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.
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 V and Lumina III features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Lumina V and Lumina III have bottom firing ports.
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 V's and Sonus Lumina III'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 Sonus Lumina III has external dimensions of 989.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm (38.9 x 9 x 10.9inch).
Sonus Lumina V is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 52mm wider, 60mm taller and 95mm deeper than Sonus Lumina III.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sonus Lumina V and Sonus Lumina III in scale.
Comparison image of Sonus Lumina V and Sonus Lumina III 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 V is approximately 1044.4cm2 / 161.9inch2 and base area of the Sonus Lumina III is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2. The Lumina V requires 65% more surface area than the Lumina III which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Sonus Lumina III weighs 15.90kg / 35lbs. This makes the Lumina V 42% heavier than the Lumina III.
Here is a comparison of how Lumina V and Lumina III'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 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 Lumina III?
Here are the items that come with the Lumina III:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 1 Manual
- 2 Jumpers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Under spikes
- 4 Spikes locks
 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 |
 Height |
989mm
vs
1049mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
633cm2
vs
1044cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2199USD
vs
2799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Lumina V |
Sonus faber Lumina III |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
50-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-24k Hz |
40-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper cone |
paper cone |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1.15" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD |
high definition DAD |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
260 and 2600 Hz |
350 and 3500 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1049.0mm (41.3") |
989.0mm (38.9") |
| Width |
280.0mm (11") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
373.0mm (14.7") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Weight |
22.50kg (49.5lbs) |
15.90kg (35lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real multilayer wood |
real multilayer wood |
| Available Colors |
Black, Wenge, Walnut |
Black, Wenge, Walnut |
| 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 (38Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Sonus Lumina III is easier to place; Sonus Lumina V is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Lumina V: bi-amping; Sonus Lumina III: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Sonus Lumina III is cheaper - $2,199 against $2,799, about 21% less. |
A Sonus Lumina V B Sonus Lumina III
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 Lumina V 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.
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.