In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Lumina II is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Lumina V Amator and Sonus Lumina II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Lumina V Amator | Sonus Lumina II |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | 1.15" high definition DAD |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.0" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Cellulose Pulp | 6" paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-24k Hz | 55-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.55kg / 49.6lbs | 5.65kg / 12.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-5/16" x 11" x 14-3/4"
1050.0 x 280.0 x 375.0mm | 12" x 7.1" x 10.3"
304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm |
|---|
Lumina V Amator and Lumina II are members of Sonus faber's Lumina series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Sonus faber Lumina Series
History
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 Lumina V Amator is a 3-way design whereas the Lumina II 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.
Sonus faber Lumina V AmatorSonus Lumina II
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 Lumina V Amator |
Sonus Lumina II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.0-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Lumina V Amator features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.0" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Cellulose Pulp Woofer. On the other hand, the Lumina II features a 1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter and 1 x 6" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz.
Frequency Response
Lumina V Amator has a frequency range of 38-24k Hz whereas Lumina II has a frequency range of 55-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Lumina V Amator can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Lumina II's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
Lumina V Amator and Lumina II have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Lumina V Amator sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Lumina II's is at 86 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Lumina V Amator a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Lumina II, 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 V Amator and the Lumina V Amator 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.
Lumina V Amator can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Lumina II has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Lumina V 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 V Amator
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Lumina V Amator and Lumina II features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Lumina II'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 V Amator's and Sonus Lumina II's external dimensions. Sonus faber Lumina V Amator has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 280.0 x 375.0mm (41-5/16inch x 11inch x 14-3/4inch) whereas Sonus Lumina II has external dimensions of 304.0 x 180.0 x 263.0mm (12 x 7.1 x 10.3inch).
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 100mm wider, 746mm taller and 112mm deeper than Sonus Lumina II.
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 V Amator needs about 122% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is 112mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Lumina V Amator is 746mm 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 V Amator is approximately 1050.0cm2 / 162.8inch2 and base area of the Sonus Lumina II is approximately 473.4cm2 / 73.4inch2. The Lumina V Amator requires 122% more surface area than the Lumina II which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Lumina V Amator?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Lumina V Amator:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Spikes
- 8 Protective discs
- 8 Nuts
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration/Warranty Card
- Environmental Information
What's in the Box of Sonus Lumina II?
Here are the items that come with the Lumina II:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 1 Manual
- 2 Jumpers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Fabric dust guards