In this review, we will be comparing Il Cremonese EX3ME and Sonetto VIII G2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME and Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 4-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25" Soft-Dome | 1.1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 7" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.5" Paper | 2 x 8" Paper Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-35k Hz | 33-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100-800 watts | 50-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 84.00kg / 184.8lbs | 45.10kg / 99.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 57-1/16" x 15-11/16" x 24-7/16"
1449.0 x 398.0 x 621.0mm | 46-13/16" x 13-3/16" x 19-7/16"
1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm |
|---|
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 Il Cremonese EX3ME is a 4-way design whereas the Sonetto VIII G2 is a 3-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 faber Il Cremonese EX3MESonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
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 faber Il Cremonese EX3ME |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
4-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 7-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Il Cremonese EX3ME features a 1.25" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 7" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 80, 250, 2500 Hz. On the other hand, the Sonetto VIII G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper Pulp Woofer.
Frequency Response
Il Cremonese EX3ME has a frequency range of 25-35k Hz whereas Sonetto VIII G2 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Il Cremonese EX3ME can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto VIII G2's min frequency of 33Hz.
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
Il Cremonese EX3ME and Sonetto VIII G2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Il Cremonese EX3ME sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Sonetto VIII G2's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Sonetto VIII 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 Il Cremonese EX3ME and the Il Cremonese EX3ME 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Il Cremonese EX3ME can handle a max power of 800 watts RMS, whereas Sonetto VIII G2 has a max power handling value of 400 watts RMS, 400 watts less than the Il Cremonese EX3ME.
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 Il Cremonese EX3ME
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Il Cremonese EX3ME and Sonetto VIII G2 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 Il Cremonese EX3ME's and Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2's external dimensions. Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME has external dimensions of 1449.0 x 398.0 x 621.0mm (57-1/16 x 15-11/16 x 24-7/16inch) whereas Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 has external dimensions of 1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm (46-13/16inch x 13-3/16inch x 19-7/16inch).
Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 63mm wider, 259mm taller and 127mm deeper than Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2.
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 Il Cremonese EX3ME needs about 49% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME is 127mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME is 259mm 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 Il Cremonese EX3ME is approximately 2471.6cm2 / 383.1inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is approximately 1654.9cm2 / 256.5inch2. The Il Cremonese EX3ME requires 49% more surface area than the Sonetto VIII 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 faber Il Cremonese EX3ME weighs 84.00kg / 184.8lbs and the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 weighs 45.10kg / 99.2lbs. This makes the Il Cremonese EX3ME 86% heavier than the Sonetto VIII G2.
Here is a comparison of how Il Cremonese EX3ME and Sonetto VIII G2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto VIII 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 |
800 watts
vs
400 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1190mm
vs
1449mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1654cm2
vs
2471cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
9000USD
vs
60000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100-800 watts |
50-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-35k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Paper Pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
7" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
80, 250, 2500 Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1449.0mm (57") |
1190.0mm (46.9") |
| Width |
398.0mm (15.7") |
335.0mm (13.2") |
| Depth |
621.0mm (24.4") |
494.0mm (19.4") |
| Weight |
84.00kg (184.8lbs) |
45.10kg (99.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Finish |
n/a |
Wood/Leather/Concrete |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
These sit in different price classes - Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME costs roughly 6.7x what Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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 | A | Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME digs deeper - 25Hz against 33Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME takes more power (800W vs 400W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is easier to place; Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME: bi-amping; Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2: bi-amping. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is cheaper - $9,000 against $60,000, about 85% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME B Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2
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 Il Cremonese EX3ME measures better, Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 costs about about 6.7x the price% 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 33Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Sonus faber Il Cremonese EX3ME has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 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.