In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII G2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto III and Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Sonetto III | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome | 1.1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" aluminum cone | 2 x 8" Paper Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-25k Hz | 33-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-250 watts | 50-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.00kg / 35.2lbs | 45.10kg / 99.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40" x 9" x 12"
1018.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm | 46-13/16" x 13-3/16" x 19-7/16"
1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm |
|---|
Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII G2 are members of Sonus faber's Sonetto series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Sonus faber Sonetto Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII G2 are 3-way speakers.
Sonus Sonetto IIISonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 III |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
2 x 8-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 G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper Pulp Woofer.
Frequency Response
Sonetto III has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz whereas Sonetto VIII G2 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Sonetto VIII G2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto III's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 III and Sonetto VIII G2 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 G2's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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
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 VIII G2 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Sonetto III has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Sonetto VIII G2.
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.
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII G2 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
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 III's and Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2'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 faber Sonetto VIII G2 has external dimensions of 1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm (46-13/16inch x 13-3/16inch x 19-7/16inch).
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 116mm wider, 172mm taller and 189mm deeper than Sonus Sonetto III.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 needs about 148% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is 189mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is 172mm 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 Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is approximately 1654.9cm2 / 256.5inch2. The Sonetto III requires 60% less surface area than the Sonetto VIII G2 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 faber Sonetto VIII G2 weighs 45.10kg / 99.2lbs. This makes the Sonetto VIII G2 182% heavier than the Sonetto III.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto III and Sonetto VIII G2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
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 faber Sonetto VIII G2?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto VIII G2:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 6 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 2 Binding-post covers (pre-installed)
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spikes 8 Protective discs
- 8 Locking washers
- Wrench
- Dust cloth
 Height |
1018mm
vs
1190mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
668cm2
vs
1654cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2999USD
vs
9000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
400 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 |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto III |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-250 watts |
50-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-25k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum cone |
Paper Pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
220 and 3.250 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1018.0mm (40.1") |
1190.0mm (46.9") |
| Width |
219.0mm (8.6") |
335.0mm (13.2") |
| Depth |
305.0mm (12") |
494.0mm (19.4") |
| Weight |
16.00kg (35.2lbs) |
45.10kg (99.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Finish |
n/a |
Wood/Leather/Concrete |
| Available Colors |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
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 | B | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 digs deeper - 33Hz against 42Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sonus Sonetto III is easier to place; Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Sonetto III: bi-amping; Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Sonus Sonetto III is cheaper - $2,999 against $9,000, about 67% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus Sonetto III B Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
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 faber Sonetto VIII G2 measures better, Sonus Sonetto III costs about about 3x the price% 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Sonus Sonetto III much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sonus Sonetto III is the easier speaker to get right.
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.