In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto III and RTi A5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus Faber and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto III and Polk RTi A5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonus Sonetto III 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
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-250watts
- Weight:16.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1018.0" x 9" x 12"( 1018.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm )
Polk RTi A5 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer
- 40-26k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-250watts
- Weight:18.18kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1007.0" x 10-9/16" x 15-7/8"( 1007.0 x 269.0 x 404.0mm )
What size room are the Sonus Sonetto III and Polk RTi A5 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 III |
Polk RTi A5 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
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 III and Polk RTi A5 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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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 III is a 3-way design whereas the RTi A5 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 III |
Polk RTi A5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Sonetto III features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 220 and 3.250 Hz. On the other hand, the RTi A5 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Sonetto III has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz whereas RTi A5 has a frequency range of 40-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the RTi A5 can go slightly deeper then the Sonetto III'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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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 III is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RTi A5 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Sonetto III can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sonetto III sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the RTi A5's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk RTi A5 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto III, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
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 III and RTi A5 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto III's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonetto III has a bottom firing port whereas RTi A5 has a front firing ports. Polk RTi A5's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Sonus Sonetto III 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 III's and Polk RTi A5's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto III has external dimensions of 1018.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm ( 40 x 9 x 12inch) whereas Polk RTi A5 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 269.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 10-9/16 x 15-7/8inch) .
Sonus Sonetto III is 50mm narrower and 99mm less deeper than Polk RTi A5 but it is also 11mm 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 III is approximately 668.0cm2 / 103.5inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A5 is approximately 1086.8cm2 / 168.5inch2. The Sonetto III requires 39% less surface area than the RTi A5 which gives it a small advantage 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 III weighs 16.00kg / 35.2lbs and the Polk RTi A5 weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the RTi A5 14% heavier than the Sonetto III.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto III and RTi A5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto III?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto III:
8 Spikes8 Under Spikes8 Spike locks2 Masks2 Fabric dust guards2 Basis16 Locking screws2 Jumpers1 Allen Wrench1 Manual
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A5?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A5:
Cherry floor-standing speakerDetachable black cloth grille4 Screw-on spike feetOwners ManualOnline registration sheetPolk Audio product brochure
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Base Surface Area |
668cm2
vs
1086cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1018mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Sonus Faber Sonetto III |
Polk Audio RTi A5 |
| Brand |
Sonus Faber |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-250 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-25k Hz |
40-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum cone |
Polymer composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
220 and 3.250 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1018.0mm (40.1") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
219.0mm (8.6") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
305.0mm (12") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
16.00kg (35.2lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
Cherry |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |