In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Sonetto I is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 and Sonus Sonetto I first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 | Sonus Sonetto I |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-dome | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Paper Pulp | 6" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-40k Hz | 45-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 45.10kg / 99.2lbs | 5.50kg / 12.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-13/16" x 13-3/16" x 19-7/16"
1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm | 14" x 9" x 12"
359.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm |
|---|
Sonetto VIII G2 and Sonetto I 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 VIII G2 is a 3-way design whereas the Sonetto I is a 2-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 VIII G2Sonus Sonetto I
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 VIII G2 |
Sonus Sonetto I |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Sonetto VIII G2 features a 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper Pulp Woofer. On the other hand, the Sonetto I features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonetto VIII G2 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz whereas Sonetto I has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Sonetto VIII G2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto I's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 VIII G2 and Sonetto I have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonetto VIII G2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Sonetto I's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto I, 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 VIII G2 and the Sonetto VIII 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 G2 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Sonetto I has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 250 watts less than the Sonetto VIII 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 VIII G2
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Sonetto VIII G2 and Sonetto I features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 VIII G2's and Sonus Sonetto I's external dimensions. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 has external dimensions of 1190.0 x 335.0 x 494.0mm (46-13/16inch x 13-3/16inch x 19-7/16inch) whereas Sonus Sonetto I has external dimensions of 359.0 x 219.0 x 305.0mm (14 x 9 x 12inch).
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 116mm wider, 831mm taller and 189mm deeper than Sonus Sonetto I.
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 faber Sonetto VIII G2 needs about 148% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is 189mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is 831mm 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 VIII G2 is approximately 1654.9cm2 / 256.5inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto I is approximately 668.0cm2 / 103.5inch2. The Sonetto VIII G2 requires 148% more surface area than the Sonetto I which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto VIII 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 I?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto I:
- 2 Masks
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Manual