In this review, we will be comparing Lumina II Amator and Lumina I, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Lumina II Amator and Sonus Lumina I first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Lumina II Amator | Sonus Lumina I |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.15" high definition DAD |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" Paper | 4.75" paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-24k Hz | 65-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.80kg / 12.8lbs | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11-15/16" x 7-1/16" x 10-3/8"
304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm | 11" x 5.8" x 8.4"
280.0 x 148.0 x 213.0mm |
|---|
Lumina II Amator and Lumina I are members of Sonus faber's Lumina series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Sonus faber Lumina Series
History
What size room are the Sonus faber Lumina II Amator and Sonus Lumina I 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 Lumina II Amator |
Sonus Lumina I |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Bad |
(* 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 Lumina II Amator and Lumina I are 2-way speakers.
Sonus faber Lumina II AmatorSonus Lumina I
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 Lumina II Amator |
Sonus Lumina I |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 4.75-inch
|
Lumina II Amator features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600 Hz. On the other hand, the Lumina I features a 1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter and 1 x 4.75" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
Lumina II Amator has a frequency range of 55-24k Hz whereas Lumina I has a frequency range of 65-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the Lumina II Amator can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Lumina I's min frequency of 65Hz.
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
Lumina II Amator and Lumina I have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Lumina II Amator sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Lumina I's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Lumina II Amator a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Lumina I, 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 Lumina II Amator and the Lumina II Amator 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.
Lumina II Amator can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Lumina I has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Lumina II Amator.
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 Lumina II Amator
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Lumina II Amator and Lumina I features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Lumina I's Binding post terminals allows 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 Lumina II Amator's and Sonus Lumina I's external dimensions. Sonus faber Lumina II Amator has external dimensions of 304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm (11-15/16 x 7-1/16 x 10-3/8inch) whereas Sonus Lumina I has external dimensions of 280.0 x 148.0 x 213.0mm (11 x 5.8 x 8.4inch).
Sonus faber Lumina II Amator is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 32mm wider, 24mm taller and 50mm deeper than Sonus Lumina I.
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 Lumina II Amator needs about 50% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Lumina II Amator is 50mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Lumina II Amator is 24mm 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 Lumina II Amator is approximately 473.4cm2 / 73.4inch2 and base area of the Sonus Lumina I is approximately 315.2cm2 / 48.9inch2. The Lumina II Amator requires 50% more surface area than the Lumina I 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 Lumina II Amator weighs 5.80kg / 12.8lbs and the Sonus Lumina I weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs. This makes the Lumina II Amator 32% heavier than the Lumina I.
Here is a comparison of how Lumina II Amator and Lumina I's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Sonus faber Lumina II Amator
What's in the Box of Sonus Lumina I?
Here are the items that come with the Lumina I:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 1 Manual
- 2 Jumpers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Fabric dust guards
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
4.75 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
280mm
vs
304mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
315cm2
vs
473cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Lumina II Amator |
Sonus faber Lumina I |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
30-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-24k Hz |
65-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
4.75" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
paper cone |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.15" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
high definition DAD |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2600 Hz |
2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
304.0mm (12") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
148.0mm (5.8") |
| Depth |
263.0mm (10.4") |
213.0mm (8.4") |
| Weight |
5.80kg (12.8lbs) |
4.40kg (9.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
real multilayer wood |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black, Wenge, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Sonus faber's Lumina series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Sonus faber Lumina II Amator digs deeper - 55Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Sonus faber Lumina II Amator is more sensitive (86dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Sonus faber Lumina II Amator takes more power (150W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sonus Lumina I is easier to place; Sonus faber Lumina II Amator is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Lumina II Amator: bi-amping; Sonus Lumina I: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Sonus Lumina I is cheaper - $899 against $1,499, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus faber Lumina II Amator B Sonus Lumina I
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 Lumina II Amator measures better, Sonus Lumina I costs about about 67% 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 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Sonus Lumina I much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Sonus faber Lumina II Amator the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.