In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto VIII and R-625FA, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus faber and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto VIII and Klipsch R-625FA first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Sonetto VIII | Klipsch R-625FA |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 7" aluminum cone | 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-25k Hz | 38-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.30kg / 57.9lbs | 22.20kg / 48.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 47" x 11" x 17"
1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm | 40-3/16" x 9-3/8" x 16-3/4"
1021.0 x 239.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sonus Sonetto VIII and Klipsch R-625FA 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 VIII |
Klipsch R-625FA |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Sonetto VIII is a 3-way design whereas the R-625FA 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.
Sonus Sonetto VIIIKlipsch R-625FA
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 VIII |
Klipsch R-625FA |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 7-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the R-625FA features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto VIII has a frequency range of 36-25k Hz whereas R-625FA has a frequency range of 38-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Sonetto VIII can go slightly deeper then the R-625FA's min frequency of 38Hz.
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 VIII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R-625FA 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 VIII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sonetto VIII sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R-625FA's is rated at 96 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-625FA a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto VIII, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Sonetto VIII can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas R-625FA has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Sonetto VIII.
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
Sonetto VIII features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R-625FA has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto VIII's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Klipsch R-625FA's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonetto VIII has a bottom firing port whereas R-625FA has a rear firing ports. Sonus Sonetto VIII's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch R-625FA with its rear-firing port.
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 VIII's and Klipsch R-625FA's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto VIII has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm (47 x 11 x 17inch) whereas Klipsch R-625FA has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 239.0 x 426.0mm (40-3/16 x 9-3/8 x 16-3/4inch).
Sonus Sonetto VIII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44mm wider, 167mm taller and 1mm deeper than Klipsch R-625FA.
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 VIII is approximately 1208.4cm2 / 187.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-625FA is approximately 1018.1cm2 / 157.8inch2. The Sonetto VIII requires 19% more surface area than the R-625FA 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 VIII weighs 26.30kg / 57.9lbs and the Klipsch R-625FA weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs. This makes the Sonetto VIII 18% heavier than the R-625FA.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto VIII and R-625FA'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 VIII?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-625FA?
Here are the items that come with the R-625FA:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Grilles (installed)
- 2 Feet
- 4 Screws
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
- Loudspeaker Feet note
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Built-in 1 x 5.25
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1018cm2
vs
1208cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1658USD
vs
5499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII |
Klipsch Reference R-625FA |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
up to 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-25k Hz |
38-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum cone |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
270 and 3.000 Hz |
2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
283.0mm (11.1") |
239.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
427.0mm (16.8") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
26.30kg (57.9lbs) |
22.20kg (48.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Sonus Sonetto VIII costs roughly 3.3x what Klipsch R-625FA does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (36Hz vs 38Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-625FA is more sensitive (96dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch R-625FA is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Sonus Sonetto VIII takes more power (300W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch R-625FA is easier to place; Sonus Sonetto VIII is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Sonetto VIII: bi-amping; Klipsch R-625FA: Atmos drivers. Sonus Sonetto VIII sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-625FA is cheaper - $1,658 against $5,499, about 70% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus Sonetto VIII B Klipsch R-625FA
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?
Klipsch R-625FA has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Sonus Sonetto VIII the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Klipsch R-625FA for a small room and a mid-size room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch R-625FA is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.