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Sonus Sonetto I vs Sonus Sonetto VIII Comparison

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Sonus Sonetto I

Passive Bookshelf | 45-25k Hz

Sonus Faber Sonetto I
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Sonus Sonetto VIII

Passive Floor-standing | 36-25k Hz

Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII
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Sonus Sonetto I Sonus Sonetto I
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Sonus Sonetto VIII Sonus Sonetto VIII
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Sonus Sonetto I
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Sonus Sonetto VIII
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Sonus Sonetto I vs Sonus Sonetto VIII Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Sonus Faber. Sonus Faber Sonetto I is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Sonetto VIII is a Floor-standing speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sonus Sonetto I and Sonus Sonetto VIII first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sonus Sonetto I Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
  • 6" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers Woofer
  • 45-25k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Power Range:30-150watts
  • Weight:5.50kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 359.0" x 9" x 12"( 359.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm )

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 I 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
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Sonus Sonetto III
  
Floor-standing 42-25k Hz 89 dB4Ω 2 x 6"
Sonus Sonetto V
  
Floor-standing 38-25k Hz 90 dB4Ω 2 x 7"
Sonus Sonetto II
  
Bookshelf 42-25k Hz 87 dB4Ω 1 x 6.5"
Sonus Sonetto VIII
Floor-standing 36-25k Hz 90 dB4Ω 3 x 7"
Sonus Sonetto I
Bookshelf 45-25k Hz 87 dB4Ω 1 x 6"
Sonus Sonetto Center II
  
Center Channel 42-25k Hz 91 dB4Ω 2 x 6"
Sonus Sonetto Center I
  
Center Channel 60-25k Hz 90 dB4Ω 2 x 6"

What size room are the Sonus Sonetto I 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 I Sonus Sonetto VIII
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 I 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.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking 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 I is a 2-way design whereas the Sonetto VIII 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 I Sonus Sonetto VIII
Driver Setup 2-way 3-way
Tweeter 1.15-inch 1.15-inch
Midrange - 1 x 6-inch
Woofer 1 x 6-inch 3 x 7-inch

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. 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 I has a frequency range of 45-25k 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 I's min frequency of 45Hz.

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 Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Sonetto I
Sonetto VIII
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Sonus Sonetto I
Sonus Sonetto VIII
Min
Average
Max

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 I and Sonetto VIII have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto I sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Sonetto VIII's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto VIII 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 I and the Sonetto I can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

Sonetto I
Sonetto VIII
Min
Average
Max

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 I can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Sonetto I has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the Sonetto VIII.

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 I and Sonetto VIII features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

Sonus Sonetto VIIIBinding post Terminals
Sonus Sonetto VIII's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Sonetto I has a front firing port whereas Sonetto VIII has a bottom firing ports. Sonus Sonetto I's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Sonus Sonetto VIII 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 I's and Sonus Sonetto VIII's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto I has external dimensions of 359.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm ( 14 x 9 x 12inch) whereas Sonus Sonetto VIII has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm ( 47 x 11 x 17inch) .

Sonus Sonetto VIII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 64mm wider, 829mm taller and 122mm deeper than Sonus Sonetto 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 I is approximately 668.0cm2 / 103.5inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto VIII is approximately 1208.4cm2 / 187.3inch2. The Sonetto I requires 45% less surface area than the Sonetto VIII which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto I?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto I:
  • 2 Masks
  • 2 Fabric dust guards
  • 2 Jumpers
  • 1 Manual
  • What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto VIII?

    Here are the items that come with the Sonetto VIII:
  • 8 Spikes
  • 8 Under Spikes
  • 8 Spike locks
  • 2 Masks
  • 2 Fabric dust guards
  • 2 Basis
  • 16 Locking screws
  • 2 Jumpers
  • 1 Allen Wrench
  • 1 Manual

  • Reasons to choose Sonus Faber Sonetto I over Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII
    Height 359mm vs 1188mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 668cm2 vs 1208cm2 Takes less floor space

    Reasons to choose Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII over Sonus Faber Sonetto I

    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 150 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 87 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 7 inches vs 6 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 3 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 36 Hz vs 45 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Sonus Sonetto I vs Sonus Sonetto VIII Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Sonus Faber Sonetto I Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII
    Brand Sonus Faber Sonus Faber
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 30-150 watts 50-300 watts
    Sensitivity 87 dB 90 dB
    Impedance 4 ohms 4 ohms
    Frequency Response 45-25k Hz 36-25k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 3
    Woofer Size 6" 7"
    Woofer Composition cellulose pulp and other natural fibers aluminum cone
    Tweeter Size 1.15" 1.15"
    Tweeter Type high definition DAD Dome high definition DAD Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No 6"
    Crossover Frequency 2500 Hz 270 and 3.000 Hz
    Firing Direction front bottom
    Physical Specs
    Height 359.0mm (14.1") 1188.0mm (46.8")
    Width 219.0mm (8.6") 283.0mm (11.1")
    Depth 305.0mm (12") 427.0mm (16.8")
    Weight 5.50kg (12.1lbs) 26.30kg (57.9lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Available Colors Wood, White, Black, Wenge Wood, White, Black, Wenge
    Mounting Bracket
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty
    Labor Warranty

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