In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto CII and Sonetto CI, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Sonus Faber Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto Center II and Sonus Sonetto Center I first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonetto CII and Sonetto CI 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 II and Sonus Sonetto Center I 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 Sonetto Center II and Sonus Sonetto Center I 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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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 CII is a 3-way design whereas the Sonetto CI 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 Sonetto Center II |
Sonus Sonetto Center I |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Sonetto CII has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz whereas Sonetto CI has a frequency range of 60-25k 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
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 CII and Sonetto CI have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto CII sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Sonetto CI's is at 90 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 CII and the Sonetto CII 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 CII 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 CII and Sonetto CI features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto Center II's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Sonus Sonetto Center I's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Sonetto CII and Sonetto CI 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 II's and Sonus Sonetto Center I's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto Center II has external dimensions of 289.0 x 743.0 x 409.0mm ( 12 x 30 x 16inch) whereas Sonus Sonetto Center I has external dimensions of 242.0 x 495.0 x 303.0mm ( 10 x 20 x 12inch) .
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 II is approximately 3038.9cm2 / 471.0inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto Center I is approximately 1499.9cm2 / 232.5inch2. The Sonetto CII requires 103% more surface area than the Sonetto CI 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 Sonetto Center II weighs 16.20kg / 35.6lbs and the Sonus Sonetto Center I weighs 6.50kg / 14.3lbs. This makes the Sonetto CII 149% heavier than the Sonetto CI.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto CII and Sonetto CI's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto Center II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto CII:
1 Masks1 Fabric dust guards1 Basis2 Jumpers1 Manual
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto Center I?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto CI:
1 Masks1 Fabric dust guards1 Basis2 Jumpers1 Manual
 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 |
 Height |
242mm
vs
289mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1499cm2 (495x303mm)
vs
3038cm2 (743x409mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1099USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus Faber Sonetto Center II |
Sonus Faber Sonetto Center I |
| Brand |
Sonus Faber |
Sonus Faber |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
50-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-25k Hz |
60-25k 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 |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1.650 Hz |
1.550 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
289.0mm (11.4") |
242.0mm (9.5") |
| Width |
743.0mm (29.3") |
495.0mm (19.5") |
| Depth |
409.0mm (16.1") |
303.0mm (11.9") |
| Weight |
16.20kg (35.6lbs) |
6.50kg (14.3lbs) |
| 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 |
|
|