In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Sonus Faber. Sonus Faber Sonetto II 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 II and Sonus Sonetto VIII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonetto II 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 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus Sonetto 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Sonetto II 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 II |
Sonus Sonetto VIII |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 7-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 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 II 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 II'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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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 II and Sonetto VIII have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto II 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 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 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. 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 II 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 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 II and Sonetto VIII features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto VIII's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonetto II has a front firing port whereas Sonetto VIII has a bottom firing ports. Sonus Sonetto II'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 II's and Sonus Sonetto VIII'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 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 33mm wider, 818mm taller and 93mm deeper than Sonus Sonetto II.
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 VIII is approximately 1208.4cm2 / 187.3inch2. The Sonetto II requires 31% 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 II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto II:
2 Masks2 Fabric dust guards2 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