In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Sonus Faber. Sonus Faber Sonetto Center I is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Sonetto III is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto Center I and Sonus Sonetto III 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 III 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
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-250watts
- Weight:16.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1018.0" x 9" x 12"( 1018.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm )
Sonetto CI and Sonetto III are members of Sonus Faber's Sonetto series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Sonus Faber Sonetto Series History
What size room are the Sonus Sonetto Center I and Sonus Sonetto 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 Sonetto Center I |
Sonus Sonetto III |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| 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 III 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 Sonetto CI is a 2-way design whereas the Sonetto III 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 III |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 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 III features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 220 and 3.250 Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto CI has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz whereas Sonetto III has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Sonetto III 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
High Frequency
Center Channel 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
Sonetto CI and Sonetto III 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 III's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto Center I a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto 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 Sonetto CI and the Sonetto CI can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Sonetto CI can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Sonetto CI has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Sonetto III.
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 III features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto Center I's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Sonus Sonetto III's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonetto CI has a rear firing port whereas Sonetto III has a bottom firing ports. Sonus Sonetto III's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Sonus Sonetto Center I 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 Sonetto Center I's and Sonus Sonetto III'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 III has external dimensions of 1018.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm ( 40 x 9 x 12inch) .
Sonus Sonetto Center I is 776mm shorter and 2mm less deeper than Sonus Sonetto III but it is also 276mm wider.
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 III is approximately 668.0cm2 / 103.5inch2. The Sonetto CI requires 125% more surface area than the Sonetto III which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto Center I?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto CI:
1 Masks1 Fabric dust guards1 Basis2 Jumpers1 Manual
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto III?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto III:
8 Spikes8 Under Spikes8 Spike locks2 Masks2 Fabric dust guards2 Basis16 Locking screws2 Jumpers1 Allen Wrench1 Manual
Sensitivity 
Height 
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Low Frequency Response 
Base Surface Area