In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto II and Sonetto I, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto II and Sonus Sonetto I first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Sonetto II | Sonus Sonetto I |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers | 6" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-25k Hz | 45-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.80kg / 15lbs | 5.50kg / 12.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.6" x 10" x 13"
370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm | 14" x 9" x 12"
359.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm |
|---|
Sonetto II 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 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 II |
Sonus Sonetto I |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
Both Sonetto II and Sonetto I are 2-way speakers.
Sonus Sonetto IISonus Sonetto I
TweeterWoofer
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 II |
Sonus Sonetto I |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
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. 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 II 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 II 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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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 II and Sonetto I have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
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 II and the Sonetto II can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 II can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Sonetto I has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Sonetto II.
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 II and Sonetto I features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Sonetto II and Sonetto I have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 II's and Sonus Sonetto I's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto II has external dimensions of 370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm (15 x 10 x 13inch) whereas Sonus Sonetto I has external dimensions of 359.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm (14 x 9 x 12inch).
Sonus Sonetto II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 31mm wider, 11mm taller and 29mm 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 II is approximately 835.0cm2 / 129.4inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto I is approximately 668.0cm2 / 103.5inch2. The Sonetto II requires 25% more surface area than the Sonetto I 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 II weighs 6.80kg / 15lbs and the Sonus Sonetto I weighs 5.50kg / 12.1lbs. This makes the Sonetto II 24% heavier than the Sonetto I.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto II and Sonetto I's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto II:
- 2 Masks
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 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
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
359mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
668cm2
vs
835cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1099USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto II |
Sonus faber Sonetto I |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
30-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-25k Hz |
45-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
cellulose pulp and other natural fibers |
cellulose pulp and other natural fibers |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1.15" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD Dome |
high definition DAD Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2650 Hz |
2500 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
370.0mm (14.6") |
359.0mm (14.1") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
219.0mm (8.6") |
| Depth |
334.0mm (13.1") |
305.0mm (12") |
| Weight |
6.80kg (15lbs) |
5.50kg (12.1lbs) |
| 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 |
|
|
Siblings in Sonus faber's Sonetto series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Sonus Sonetto II digs deeper - 42Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Sonus Sonetto II takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sonus Sonetto I is easier to place; Sonus Sonetto II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Sonetto II: bi-amping; Sonus Sonetto I: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Sonus Sonetto I is cheaper - $1,099 against $1,499, about 27% less. |
A Sonus Sonetto II B Sonus Sonetto I
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Sonus Sonetto II measures better, Sonus Sonetto I costs about about 36% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $400 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.