In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Sonus Faber. Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Sonetto II is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto VIII and Sonus Sonetto II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonus Sonetto VIII Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 3 x 7" aluminum cone Woofer
- 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 )
Sonus Sonetto II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers Woofer
- 42-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:6.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 370.0" x 10" x 13"( 370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm )
Sonetto VIII and Sonetto II 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 VIII and Sonus Sonetto II 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 |
Sonus Sonetto II |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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 VIII and Sonus Sonetto II 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 VIII is a 3-way design whereas the Sonetto II 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 VIII |
Sonus Sonetto II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 7-inch
|
1 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 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.
Frequency Response
Sonetto VIII has a frequency range of 36-25k Hz whereas Sonetto II has a frequency range of 42-25k 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 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 VIII and Sonetto II have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto VIII sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Sonetto II's is at 87 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 VIII and the Sonetto VIII 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. 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 VIII 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 VIII and Sonetto II 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 VIII has a bottom firing port whereas Sonetto II has a front 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 VIII's and Sonus Sonetto II's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto VIII has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm ( 47 x 11 x 17inch) whereas Sonus Sonetto II has external dimensions of 370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm ( 15 x 10 x 13inch) .
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 VIII is approximately 1208.4cm2 / 187.3inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto II is approximately 835.0cm2 / 129.4inch2. The Sonetto VIII requires 45% more surface area than the Sonetto II which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto VIII?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto VIII:
8 Spikes8 Under Spikes8 Spike locks2 Masks2 Fabric dust guards2 Basis16 Locking screws2 Jumpers1 Allen Wrench1 Manual
What's in the Box of Sonus Sonetto II?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto II:
2 Masks2 Fabric dust guards2 Jumpers1 Manual
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
Height 
Base Surface Area