In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Sonetto II is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 and Sonus Sonetto II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 8" Paper Pulp Woofer
- 33-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-400watts
- Weight:45.10kg
- 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 )
Sonus Sonetto II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers Woofer
- 42-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:6.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 15" x 10" x 13" ( 370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm )
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 and Sonetto II 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 VIII G2 and Sonus Sonetto 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 VIII G2 is a 3-way design whereas the Sonetto II 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.
| Driver |
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 |
Sonus Sonetto II |
|
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 6.5-inch
|
Sonus faber 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 II features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2650 Hz.
Frequency Response
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz whereas Sonetto II has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto II'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 VIII G2
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII 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 VIII G2 and Sonetto II have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Sonetto II's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto II, 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 VIII G2 and the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII 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 VIII G2 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Sonetto II has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2.
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 VIII G2 and Sonetto II features dual binding post speaker terminals for 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 VIII G2's and Sonus Sonetto II'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 II has external dimensions of 370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm ( 15 x 10 x 13inch) .
Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 85mm wider, 820mm taller and 160mm deeper than Sonus Sonetto II.
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 II is approximately 835.0cm2 / 129.4inch2. The Sonus faber Sonetto VIII G2 requires 98% more surface area than the Sonetto II 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 Sonus faber 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 II?
Here are the items that come with the Sonetto II:
- 2 Masks
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Manual