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Sonus Sonetto III vs Sonus Sonetto VIII Comparison

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Sonus Sonetto III

Passive Floor-standing | 42-25k Hz

Sonus Faber Sonetto III
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Sonus Sonetto VIII

Passive Floor-standing | 36-25k Hz

Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII
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Sonus Sonetto III Sonus Sonetto III
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Sonus Sonetto VIII Sonus Sonetto VIII
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Sonus Sonetto III
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Sonus Sonetto VIII
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Sonus Sonetto III vs Sonus Sonetto VIII Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Sonus Faber

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sonus Sonetto III and Sonus Sonetto VIII 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 )

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 III 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 III 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 III Sonus Sonetto VIII
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 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

Both Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII are 3-way speakers.

Driver Sonus Sonetto III Sonus Sonetto VIII
Driver Setup 3-way 3-way
Tweeter 1.15-inch 1.15-inch
Midrange 1 x 6-inch 1 x 6-inch
Woofer 2 x 6-inch 3 x 7-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 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 III 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 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

Sonetto III
Sonetto VIII
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Sonus Sonetto III
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 III and Sonetto VIII have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto III sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Sonetto VIII's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto VIII a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto III, 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 III and the Sonetto III can provide this impedance level.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Sonetto III
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 III can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Sonetto III has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 50 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 III and Sonetto VIII features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

Sonus Sonetto III Terminals
Sonus Sonetto III's Binding post terminals allows 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

Both Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII have bottom firing ports.

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 Sonus Sonetto VIII's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto III has external dimensions of 1018.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm ( 40 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, 170mm taller and 122mm deeper than Sonus Sonetto III.

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 Sonus Sonetto VIII is approximately 1208.4cm2 / 187.3inch2. The Sonetto III requires 45% less surface area than the Sonetto VIII 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 Sonus Sonetto VIII weighs 26.30kg / 57.9lbs. This makes the Sonetto VIII 64% heavier than the Sonetto III.

Here is a comparison of how Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus Sonetto III
Sonus Sonetto VIII
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto III?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto III:
  • 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
  • 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 III over Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII
    Height 1018mm 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 III

    Max Input Power 300 watts vs 250 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 89 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 7 inches vs 6 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 3 vs 2 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 36 Hz vs 42 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Sonus Sonetto III vs Sonus Sonetto VIII Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Sonus Faber Sonetto III Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII
    Brand Sonus Faber Sonus Faber
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 50-250 watts 50-300 watts
    Sensitivity 89 dB 90 dB
    Impedance 4 ohms 4 ohms
    Frequency Response 42-25k Hz 36-25k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 3
    Woofer Size 6" 7"
    Woofer Composition aluminum cone aluminum cone
    Tweeter Size 1.15" 1.15"
    Tweeter Type high definition DAD Dome high definition DAD Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver 6" 6"
    Crossover Frequency 220 and 3.250 Hz 270 and 3.000 Hz
    Firing Direction bottom bottom
    Physical Specs
    Height 1018.0mm (40.1") 1188.0mm (46.8")
    Width 219.0mm (8.6") 283.0mm (11.1")
    Depth 305.0mm (12") 427.0mm (16.8")
    Weight 16.00kg (35.2lbs) 26.30kg (57.9lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Available Colors Wood, White, Black, Wenge Wood, White, Black, Wenge
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty
    Labor Warranty

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