In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Sonetto CII is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 and Sonus Sonetto Center II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 | Sonus Sonetto Center II |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-dome | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 2 x 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Paper Pulp | 2 x 6" aluminum cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-40k Hz | 42-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-280 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.85kg / 56.9lbs | 16.20kg / 35.6lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 11.4" x 29.3" x 16"
289.0 x 743.0 x 409.0mm |
|---|
Sonetto III G2 and Sonetto CII are members of Sonus faber's Sonetto series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Sonus faber Sonetto 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 Sonetto III G2 is a 2-way design whereas the Sonetto CII 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 G2Sonus Sonetto Center 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 Sonetto III G2 |
Sonus Sonetto Center II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
2 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Sonetto III G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Paper Pulp Woofer. On the other hand, the Sonetto CII features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.650 Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto III G2 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz whereas Sonetto CII has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Sonetto III G2 can go slightly deeper then the Sonetto CII's min frequency of 42Hz.
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 and Sonetto CII have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto III G2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Sonetto CII's is at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto Center II a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Sonetto III 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 Sonetto III G2 and the Sonetto III G2 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.
Sonetto CII can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Sonetto III G2 has a max power handling value of 280 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Sonetto CII.
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 Sonetto CII features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto Center 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 Sonetto III G2's and Sonus Sonetto Center II'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 Sonus Sonetto Center II has external dimensions of 289.0 x 743.0 x 409.0mm (12 x 30 x 16inch).
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 is 455mm narrower and 45mm less deeper than Sonus Sonetto Center II but it is also 780mm taller.
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 Sonetto Center II needs about 190% more floor or shelf area. Sonus Sonetto Center II is 45mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 is 780mm 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 Sonetto III G2 is approximately 1048.3cm2 / 162.5inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto Center II is approximately 3038.9cm2 / 471.0inch2. The Sonetto III G2 requires 66% less surface area than the Sonetto CII which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 Sonus Sonetto Center II?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto CII:
- 1 Masks
- 1 Fabric dust guards
- 1 Basis
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Manual