In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto III G2 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus faber and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Paper Pulp | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-40k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-280 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.85kg / 56.9lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42-1/16" x 11-5/16" x 14-5/16"
1069.0 x 288.0 x 364.0mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
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 Sonetto III G2 is a 2-way design whereas the Kendall 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 Sonetto III G2KLH Kendall
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 Sonetto III G2 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Sonetto III G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Paper Pulp Woofer. On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Sonetto III G2 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto III G2's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
Sonetto III G2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Kendall which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Sonetto III G2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sonetto III G2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Sonetto III G2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
Sonetto III G2 can handle a max power of 280 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Sonetto III G2.
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 Sonetto III G2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Sonetto III G2 and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall'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 Sonetto III G2's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 has external dimensions of 1069.0 x 288.0 x 364.0mm (42-1/16inch x 11-5/16inch x 14-5/16inch) whereas KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Kendall is 76mm narrower and 48mm shorter than Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 but it is also 16mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 and KLH Kendall in scale.
Comparison image of Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 and KLH Kendall Size and External Dimensions
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 Sonetto III G2 is approximately 1048.3cm2 / 162.5inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Sonetto III G2 requires 30% more surface area than the Kendall 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 Sonetto III G2 weighs 25.85kg / 56.9lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Sonetto III G2 17% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto III G2 and Kendall's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Sonetto III G2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto III 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
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Max Input Power |
280 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1069mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1048cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-280 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-40k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper Pulp |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1069.0mm (42.1") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
288.0mm (11.3") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
364.0mm (14.3") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
25.85kg (56.9lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Leather/Concrete |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Wenge |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 costs roughly 3.3x what KLH Kendall 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 | B | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 38Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (280W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Sonetto III G2: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $5,000, about 70% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 B KLH Kendall
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?
KLH Kendall is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Kendall is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.