In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Maxima Amator is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Electa Amator III is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Maxima Amator and Sonus faber Electa Amator III first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonus faber Maxima Amator Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 7" Paper Woofer
- 35-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-125watts
- Weight:38.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 44-1/8" x 11-13/16" x 13-3/4" ( 1120.0 x 300.0 x 350.0mm )
Sonus faber Electa Amator III Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 7" Paper Woofer
- 40-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:35-125watts
- Weight:12.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 14-3/4" x 9-1/4" x 14-3/16" ( 375.0 x 235.0 x 360.0mm )
Maxima Amator 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 Maxima Amator 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 Maxima Amator |
Sonus faber Electa Amator III |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus faber Maxima Amator and Sonus faber Electa Amator III compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Maxima Amator and Electa Amator III are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Sonus faber Maxima Amator |
Sonus faber Electa Amator III |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
Maxima Amator features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 7" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100 Hz. 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
Maxima Amator has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz whereas Electa Amator III has a frequency range of 40-35k 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 Electa Amator III's min frequency of 40Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Maxima Amator
Sonus faber Electa Amator III
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Maxima Amator and Electa Amator III have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
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 Maxima Amator and the Maxima 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Maxima Amator features Binding post type posts and Electa Amator III has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Maxima Amator's and Sonus faber Electa Amator III's external dimensions. 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) 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 65mm narrower and 745mm shorter than Sonus faber Maxima Amator but it is also 10mm deeper.
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 Maxima Amator is approximately 1050.0cm2 / 162.8inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Electa Amator III is approximately 846.0cm2 / 131.1inch2. The Maxima Amator requires 24% more surface area than the Electa Amator III which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.