In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Sonus faber. Sonus faber Sonetto Wall is a On-wall speaker whereas the Sonetto II is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Sonetto Wall and Sonus Sonetto II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Sonetto Wall | Sonus Sonetto II |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Paper | 6.5" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-40k Hz | 42-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.80kg / 15lbs | 6.80kg / 15lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17-3/16" x 10-11/16" x 6-5/8"
437.0 x 271.0 x 168.0mm | 14.6" x 10" x 13"
370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm |
|---|
Sonetto Wall 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
What size room are the Sonus faber Sonetto Wall and Sonus Sonetto II speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Sonus faber Sonetto Wall |
Sonus Sonetto II |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Sonetto Wall and Sonetto II are 2-way speakers.
Sonus faber Sonetto WallSonus Sonetto II
TweeterWoofer
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 Wall |
Sonus Sonetto II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.15-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Sonetto Wall features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100 Hz. 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
Sonetto Wall has a frequency range of 60-40k Hz whereas Sonetto II has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Sonetto II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sonetto Wall's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the On-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
On-wall 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 Wall and Sonetto II have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
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 Wall and the Sonetto Wall can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
On-wall 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though Sonetto Wall is rated 30-200 watts and Sonetto II 40-200 watts.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Sonetto Wall and Sonetto II 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 Wall's and Sonus Sonetto II's external dimensions. Sonus faber Sonetto Wall has external dimensions of 437.0 x 271.0 x 168.0mm (17-3/16 x 10-11/16 x 6-5/8inch) whereas Sonus Sonetto II has external dimensions of 370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm (15 x 10 x 13inch).
Sonus Sonetto II is 21mm narrower and 67mm shorter than Sonus faber Sonetto Wall but it is also 166mm deeper.
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 II needs about 83% more floor or shelf area. Sonus Sonetto II is 166mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Sonetto Wall is 67mm 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 Wall is approximately 455.3cm2 / 70.6inch2 and base area of the Sonus Sonetto II is approximately 835.0cm2 / 129.4inch2. The Sonetto Wall requires 45% less surface area than the Sonetto II which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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