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 VIII is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto Center II and Sonus Sonetto VIII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonus Sonetto Center II Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer
- 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 )
Sonus Sonetto VIII Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 3 x 7" aluminum cone Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 36-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:26.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1188.0" x 11" x 17"( 1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm )
Sonetto CII and Sonetto VIII 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 VIII 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 VIII |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 II and Sonus Sonetto VIII 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
Both Sonetto CII and Sonetto VIII are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Sonus Sonetto Center II |
Sonus Sonetto VIII |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
3 x 7-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 VIII features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 7" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270 and 3.000 Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto CII has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz whereas Sonetto VIII has a frequency range of 36-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Sonetto VIII can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto CII's min frequency of 42Hz.
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 VIII 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 VIII's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto Center II a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto VIII, 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 and Sonetto VIII has the same power range of 50-300 watts.
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 VIII 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 VIII's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonetto CII has a rear firing port whereas Sonetto VIII has a bottom firing ports. Sonus Sonetto VIII's bottom-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 VIII'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 VIII has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm ( 47 x 11 x 17inch) .
Sonus Sonetto Center II is 899mm shorter and 18mm less deeper than Sonus Sonetto VIII but it is also 460mm 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 II is approximately 3038.9cm2 / 471.0inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto VIII is approximately 1208.4cm2 / 187.3inch2. The Sonetto CII requires 151% more surface area than the Sonetto VIII 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 VIII?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto VIII:
8 Spikes8 Under Spikes8 Spike locks2 Masks2 Fabric dust guards2 Basis16 Locking screws2 Jumpers1 Allen Wrench1 Manual
Sensitivity 
Height 
Woofer Size 
Base Surface Area