In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Sonetto Center II is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Sonetto I is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto Center II and Sonus Sonetto I first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Sonetto Center II | Sonus Sonetto I |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" aluminum cone | 6" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-25k Hz | 45-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.20kg / 35.6lbs | 5.50kg / 12.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.4" x 29.3" x 16"
289.0 x 743.0 x 409.0mm | 14" x 9" x 12"
359.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm |
|---|
Sonetto CII and Sonetto I 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 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:
| Listening Environment* |
Sonus Sonetto Center II |
Sonus Sonetto I |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Sonetto CII is a 3-way design whereas the Sonetto I 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.
Sonus Sonetto Center IISonus Sonetto I
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 Sonetto Center II |
Sonus Sonetto I |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
1 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 I features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto CII has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz whereas Sonetto I has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Sonetto CII can go slightly deeper then the Sonetto I's min frequency of 45Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
Sonetto CII and Sonetto I 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 I's is at 87 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto Center II a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Sonetto CII can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Sonetto I has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Sonetto CII.
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 Sonetto CII and Sonetto I 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonetto CII has a rear firing port whereas Sonetto I has a front firing ports. Sonus Sonetto I's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Sonus Sonetto Center II with its rear-firing port.
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 Sonetto Center II's and Sonus Sonetto 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 I has external dimensions of 359.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm (14 x 9 x 12inch).
Sonus Sonetto I is 524mm narrower and 104mm less deeper than Sonus Sonetto Center II but it is also 70mm taller.
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 I is approximately 668.0cm2 / 103.5inch2. The Sonetto CII requires 355% more surface area than the Sonetto I which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto Center II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto CII:
- 1 Masks
- 1 Fabric dust guards
- 1 Basis
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Manual
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto I?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto I:
- 2 Masks
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Manual