In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto III G2 and Sonetto VIII, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 and Sonus Sonetto VIII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 | Sonus Sonetto VIII |
|---|
| 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 | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Paper Pulp | 3 x 7" aluminum cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-40k Hz | 36-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-280 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.85kg / 56.9lbs | 26.30kg / 57.9lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 47" x 11" x 17"
1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm |
|---|
Sonetto III G2 and Sonetto VIII 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 VIII 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 VIII
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 VIII |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 7-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 VIII features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 7" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270 and 3.000 Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto III G2 has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz whereas Sonetto VIII has a frequency range of 36-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Sonetto VIII can go slightly deeper then 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 and Sonetto VIII 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 VIII's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto VIII 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 VIII 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 VIII.
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 VIII features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto VIII'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 VIII'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 VIII has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 283.0 x 427.0mm (47 x 11 x 17inch).
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 is 119mm shorter and 63mm less deeper than Sonus Sonetto VIII but it is also 5mm wider.
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 VIII needs about 15% more floor or shelf area. Sonus Sonetto VIII is 63mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus Sonetto VIII is 119mm 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 VIII is approximately 1208.4cm2 / 187.3inch2. The Sonetto III G2 requires 13% less surface area than the Sonetto VIII which gives it a small advantage 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 Sonus Sonetto VIII weighs 26.30kg / 57.9lbs. This makes the Sonetto VIII 2% heavier than the Sonetto III G2.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto III G2 and Sonetto VIII'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 Sonus Sonetto VIII?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto VIII:
- 8 Spikes
- 8 Under Spikes
- 8 Spike locks
- 2 Masks
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 2 Basis
- 16 Locking screws
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Allen Wrench
- 1 Manual
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1069mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1048cm2
vs
1208cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5000USD
vs
5499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
280 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-280 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-40k Hz |
36-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper Pulp |
aluminum cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.15" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
high definition DAD Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
270 and 3.000 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1069.0mm (42.1") |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
| Width |
288.0mm (11.3") |
283.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
364.0mm (14.3") |
427.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
25.85kg (56.9lbs) |
26.30kg (57.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Leather/Concrete |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Wenge |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
|
| Labor Warranty |
2 Yrs (8 Yrs registered) |
|
Siblings in Sonus faber's Sonetto series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (38Hz vs 36Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Sonus Sonetto VIII is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (280W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 is easier to place; Sonus Sonetto VIII is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Sonetto III G2: bi-amping; Sonus Sonetto VIII: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($5,000 vs $5,499 a pair). |
A Sonus faber Sonetto III G2 B Sonus Sonetto VIII
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?
Sonus Sonetto VIII has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Sonus Sonetto VIII 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.