In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Sonus Faber. Sonus Faber Sonetto Center II is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Sonetto II is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto Center II and Sonus Sonetto II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonetto CII and Sonetto II 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 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus Sonetto Center II and Sonus Sonetto II 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 CII is a 3-way design whereas the Sonetto II 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 II |
|
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 6.5-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 II features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2650 Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto CII and Sonetto II has exactly the same frequency range of 42-25k Hz.
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 II 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 II's is at 87 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto Center II a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto II, 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 II 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 II 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 II has a front firing ports. Sonus Sonetto II'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
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 II'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 II has external dimensions of 370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm ( 15 x 10 x 13inch) .
Sonus Sonetto II is 493mm narrower and 75mm less deeper than Sonus Sonetto Center II but it is also 81mm 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 II is approximately 835.0cm2 / 129.4inch2. The Sonetto CII requires 264% more surface area than the Sonetto II 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 Masks1 Fabric dust guards1 Basis2 Jumpers1 Manual
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto II?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto II:
2 Masks2 Fabric dust guards2 Jumpers1 Manual