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Sonus Sonetto Center I vs Sonus Sonetto Center II Comparison

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Sonus Sonetto Center I

Passive Center Channel | 60-25k Hz

Sonus Faber Sonetto Center I
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Sonus Sonetto Center II

Passive Center Channel | 42-25k Hz

Sonus Faber Sonetto Center II
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Sonus Sonetto Center I Sonus Sonetto Center...
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Sonus Sonetto Center II Sonus Sonetto Center...
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Sonus Sonetto Center I vs Sonus Sonetto Center II Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto CI and Sonetto CII, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Sonus Faber

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sonus Sonetto Center I and Sonus Sonetto Center II first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sonus Sonetto Center I Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
  • 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer
  • 60-25k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:50-200watts
  • Weight:6.50kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 242.0" x 20" x 12"( 242.0 x 495.0 x 303.0mm )

Sonus Sonetto Center II Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
  • 6" Midrange
  • 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer
  • 6" Midrange
  • 42-25k Hz Frequency Response
  • 91 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:50-300watts
  • Weight:16.20kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 289.0" x 30" x 16"( 289.0 x 743.0 x 409.0mm )

Sonetto CI and Sonetto CII are members of Sonus Faber's Sonetto series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Sonus Faber Sonetto Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Sonus Sonetto III
  
Floor-standing 42-25k Hz 89 dB4Ω 2 x 6"
Sonus Sonetto V
  
Floor-standing 38-25k Hz 90 dB4Ω 2 x 7"
Sonus Sonetto II
  
Bookshelf 42-25k Hz 87 dB4Ω 1 x 6.5"
Sonus Sonetto VIII
  
Floor-standing 36-25k Hz 90 dB4Ω 3 x 7"
Sonus Sonetto I
  
Bookshelf 45-25k Hz 87 dB4Ω 1 x 6"
Sonus Sonetto Center II
Center Channel 42-25k Hz 91 dB4Ω 2 x 6"
Sonus Sonetto Center I
Center Channel 60-25k Hz 90 dB4Ω 2 x 6"

What size room are the Sonus Sonetto Center I and Sonus Sonetto Center II 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 Sonetto Center I Sonus Sonetto Center II
Near-field Poor Poor
Small Room Average Poor
Mid-size Room Good Good
Large Room Average Good
Very Large Room Poor 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus Sonetto Center I and Sonus Sonetto Center II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Sonetto CI is a 2-way design whereas the Sonetto CII is a 3-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 Sonetto Center I Sonus Sonetto Center II
Driver Setup 2-way 3-way
Tweeter 1.15-inch 1.15-inch
Midrange - 2 x 6-inch
Woofer 2 x 6-inch 2 x 6-inch

Sonetto CI features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.550 Hz. On the other hand, the Sonetto CII features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.650 Hz.

Frequency Response

Sonetto CI has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz whereas Sonetto CII has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Sonetto CII can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto CI's min frequency of 60Hz.

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 Center Channel class in our database.

Low Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

Sonetto CI
Sonetto CII
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

Sonus Sonetto Center I
Sonus Sonetto Center II
Min
Average
Max

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

Sonetto CI and Sonetto CII have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto CI sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Sonetto CII's is at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto Center II a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto Center I, 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 Sonetto CI and the Sonetto CI can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

Sonetto CI
Sonetto CII
Min
Average
Max

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.

Sonetto CI can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Sonetto CI has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Sonetto CII.

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 Sonetto CI and Sonetto CII features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

Sonus Sonetto Center I Terminals
Sonus Sonetto Center I's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Sonus Sonetto Center IIBinding post Terminals
Sonus Sonetto Center II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Sonetto CI and Sonetto CII have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.

If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.

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 Sonetto Center I's and Sonus Sonetto Center II's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto Center I has external dimensions of 242.0 x 495.0 x 303.0mm ( 10 x 20 x 12inch) whereas Sonus Sonetto Center II has external dimensions of 289.0 x 743.0 x 409.0mm ( 12 x 30 x 16inch) .

Sonus Sonetto Center II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 248mm wider, 47mm taller and 106mm deeper than Sonus Sonetto Center I.

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 Sonetto Center I is approximately 1499.9cm2 / 232.5inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto Center II is approximately 3038.9cm2 / 471.0inch2. The Sonetto CI requires 51% less surface area than the Sonetto CII 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 Sonetto Center I weighs 6.50kg / 14.3lbs and the Sonus Sonetto Center II weighs 16.20kg / 35.6lbs. This makes the Sonetto CII 149% heavier than the Sonetto CI.

Here is a comparison of how Sonetto CI and Sonetto CII's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Sonus Sonetto Center I
Sonus Sonetto Center II
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto Center I?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto CI:
  • 1 Masks
  • 1 Fabric dust guards
  • 1 Basis
  • 2 Jumpers
  • 1 Manual
  • What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto Center II?

    Here are the items that come with the Sonetto CII:
  • 1 Masks
  • 1 Fabric dust guards
  • 1 Basis
  • 2 Jumpers
  • 1 Manual

  • Reasons to choose Sonus Faber Sonetto Center I over Sonus Faber Sonetto Center II
    Height 242mm vs 289mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 1499cm2 vs 3038cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 1099USD vs 2199USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Sonus Faber Sonetto Center II over Sonus Faber Sonetto Center I

    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 200 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 91 dB vs 90 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Low Frequency Response 42 Hz vs 60 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Sonus Sonetto Center I vs Sonus Sonetto Center II Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Sonus Faber Sonetto Center I Sonus Faber Sonetto Center II
    Brand Sonus Faber Sonus Faber
    Speaker Type Center channel speaker Center channel speaker
    Power Range 50-200 watts 50-300 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 91 dB
    Impedance 4 ohms 4 ohms
    Frequency Response 60-25k Hz 42-25k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 2
    Woofer Size 6" 6"
    Woofer Composition aluminum cone aluminum cone
    Tweeter Size 1.15" 1.15"
    Tweeter Type high definition DAD Dome high definition DAD Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No 6"
    Crossover Frequency 1.550 Hz 1.650 Hz
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 242.0mm (9.5") 289.0mm (11.4")
    Width 495.0mm (19.5") 743.0mm (29.3")
    Depth 303.0mm (11.9") 409.0mm (16.1")
    Weight 6.50kg (14.3lbs) 16.20kg (35.6lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Available Colors Wood, White, Black, Wenge Wood, White, Black, Wenge
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty
    Labor Warranty

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