In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto VIII and Sonus faber Sonetto III G2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Sonus faber
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto VIII and Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 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): 47" x 11" x 17" ( 1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm )
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Paper Pulp Woofer
- 38-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-280watts
- Weight:25.85kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 42-1/16" x 11-5/16" x 14-5/16" ( 1069.0 x 288.0 x 364.0mm )
Sonetto VIII and Sonus faber Sonetto III 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
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus Sonetto VIII and Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 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 faber Sonetto III G2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1.1-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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Paper Pulp Woofer .
Frequency Response
Sonetto VIII has a frequency range of 36-25k Hz whereas Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Sonetto VIII can go slightly deeper then the Sonus faber Sonetto III G2's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2
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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto VIII a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Sonetto III G2, 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
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2
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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 has a max power handling value of 280 watts RMS, 20 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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 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
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 faber Sonetto III G2'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 faber Sonetto III G2 has external dimensions of 1069.0 x 288.0 x 364.0mm ( 42-1/16inch x 11-5/16inch x 14-5/16inch ) .
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 is 119mm shorter and 63mm less deeper than Sonus Sonetto VIII but it is also 5mm wider.
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 faber Sonetto III G2 is approximately 1048.3cm2 / 162.5inch2. The Sonetto VIII requires 15% more surface area than the Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 weighs 25.85kg / 56.9lbs. This makes the Sonetto VIII 2% heavier than the Sonus faber Sonetto III G2.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto VIII and Sonus faber Sonetto III G2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2
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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2?
Here are the items that come with the Sonus faber Sonetto III 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
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
280 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 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 |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1069mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1048cm2
vs
1208cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII |
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
50-280 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-25k Hz |
38-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6.5" |
| 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" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
270 and 3.000 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
1069.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
283.0mm (11.1") |
288.0mm (11.3") |
| Depth |
427.0mm (16.8") |
364.0mm (14.3") |
| Weight |
26.30kg (57.9lbs) |
25.85kg (56.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Finish |
n/a |
Wood/Leather/Concrete |
| Available Colors |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
Wenge |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |