In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Concertino is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Maxima Amator is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Concertino and Sonus faber Maxima Amator first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Concertino | Sonus faber Maxima Amator |
|---|
| 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 | 35-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 25-125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.60kg / 14.5lbs | 38.00kg / 83.6lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 44-1/8" x 11-13/16" x 13-3/4"
1120.0 x 300.0 x 350.0mm |
|---|
Concertino and Maxima Amator 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 Maxima Amator 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 Maxima Amator |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Concertino and Maxima Amator are 2-way speakers.
Sonus faber ConcertinoSonus faber Maxima Amator
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 Maxima Amator |
|
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 Maxima Amator features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 7" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100 Hz.
Frequency Response
Concertino has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz whereas Maxima Amator has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Maxima Amator 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 Maxima Amator have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Concertino sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Maxima Amator's is at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Maxima Amator 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 Maxima Amator 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 Maxima Amator
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Concertino and Maxima Amator 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 Maxima Amator'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 Maxima Amator has external dimensions of 1120.0 x 300.0 x 350.0mm (44-1/8 x 11-13/16 x 13-3/4inch).
Sonus faber Maxima Amator is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 86mm wider, 806mm taller and 53mm 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 Maxima Amator needs about 65% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Maxima Amator is 53mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Maxima Amator is 806mm 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 Maxima Amator is approximately 1050.0cm2 / 162.8inch2. The Concertino requires 39% less surface area than the Maxima Amator which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.