In this review, we will be comparing two different type 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.
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Paper Pulp Woofer
- 38-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-280watts
- Weight:25.85kg
- 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 )
Sonus Sonetto Center II Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 6" aluminum cone Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 42-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:16.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 12" x 30" x 16" ( 289.0 x 743.0 x 409.0mm )
Sonus faber 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
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 and Sonus Sonetto Center II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Sonus faber 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.
| 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
|
Sonus faber 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
Sonus faber 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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 can go slightly deeper then the Sonetto CII's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2
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
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 and Sonetto CII have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonus faber 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 Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 and the Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2
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.
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 has a max power handling value of 280 watts RMS , 20 watts less than the Sonetto CII.
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
Both Sonus faber 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
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 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.
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 Sonus faber 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 Sonus faber 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