In this review, we will be comparing Concertino and Electa Amator III, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Concertino and Sonus faber Electa Amator III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Concertino | Sonus faber Electa Amator III |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Paper | 7" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-25k Hz | 40-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 35-125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.60kg / 14.5lbs | 12.50kg / 27.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-3/8" x 8-7/16" x 11-11/16"
314.0 x 214.0 x 297.0mm | 14-3/4" x 9-1/4" x 14-3/16"
375.0 x 235.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
Concertino and Electa Amator III are members of Sonus faber's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Sonus faber Heritage Series
History
What size room are the Sonus faber Concertino and Sonus faber Electa Amator III 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 faber Concertino |
Sonus faber Electa Amator III |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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
Both Concertino and Electa Amator III are 2-way speakers.
Sonus faber ConcertinoSonus faber Electa Amator III
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sonus faber Concertino |
Sonus faber Electa Amator III |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
Concertino features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1700Hz. On the other hand, the Electa Amator III features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 7" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz.
Frequency Response
Concertino has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz whereas Electa Amator III has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Electa Amator III can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Concertino's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Concertino and Electa Amator III have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Concertino sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Electa Amator III's is at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Electa Amator III a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Concertino, 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 Concertino and the Concertino can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Concertino can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Electa Amator III has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Concertino.
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 Electa Amator III
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Concertino and Electa Amator III features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 faber Concertino's and Sonus faber Electa Amator III's external dimensions. Sonus faber Concertino has external dimensions of 314.0 x 214.0 x 297.0mm (12-3/8 x 8-7/16 x 11-11/16inch) whereas Sonus faber Electa Amator III has external dimensions of 375.0 x 235.0 x 360.0mm (14-3/4 x 9-1/4 x 14-3/16inch).
Sonus faber Electa Amator III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 21mm wider, 61mm taller and 63mm deeper than Sonus faber Concertino.
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 Electa Amator III needs about 33% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Electa Amator III is 63mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Electa Amator III is 61mm 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 faber Concertino is approximately 635.6cm2 / 98.5inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Electa Amator III is approximately 846.0cm2 / 131.1inch2. The Concertino requires 25% less surface area than the Electa Amator III 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 faber Concertino weighs 6.60kg / 14.5lbs and the Sonus faber Electa Amator III weighs 12.50kg / 27.5lbs. This makes the Electa Amator III 89% heavier than the Concertino.
Here is a comparison of how Concertino and Electa Amator III's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Sonus faber Electa Amator III
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Height |
314mm
vs
375mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
635cm2
vs
846cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4999USD
vs
10000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Sonus faber Concertino |
Sonus faber Electa Amator III |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
35-125 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-25k Hz |
40-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1700Hz |
2500 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
314.0mm (12.4") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
214.0mm (8.4") |
235.0mm (9.3") |
| Depth |
297.0mm (11.7") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
6.60kg (14.5lbs) |
12.50kg (27.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Sonus faber's Heritage series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Sonus faber Electa Amator III digs deeper - 40Hz against 60Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Sonus faber Electa Amator III is more sensitive (88dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 125W). |
| Size | depends | Sonus faber Concertino is easier to place; Sonus faber Electa Amator III is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Concertino: bi-amping; Sonus faber Electa Amator III: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Sonus faber Concertino is cheaper - $4,999 against $10,000, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus faber Concertino B Sonus faber Electa Amator III
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 Electa Amator III measures better, Sonus faber Concertino costs about about 100% more% 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 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Sonus faber Concertino much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Sonus faber Electa Amator III has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sonus faber Concertino 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.