In this review, we will be comparing Classic 100 and Guarneri, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Spendor and Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Spendor Classic 100 and Sonus faber Guarneri first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Spendor Classic 100 | Sonus faber Guarneri |
|---|
| Brand | Spendor
United Kingdom · founded 1969 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.87" | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 7.09" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 12.2" | 6" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-25k Hz | 40-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 30-125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 36.02kg / 79.2lbs | 16.00kg / 35.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 27.5" x 14.5" x 17"
698.5 x 368.3 x 431.8mm | 14-13/16" x 9-7/16" x 14-3/4"
377.0 x 239.0 x 375.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Spendor Classic 100 and Sonus faber Guarneri 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* |
Spendor Classic 100 |
Sonus faber Guarneri |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Classic 100 is a 3-way design whereas the Guarneri 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.
Spendor Classic 100Sonus faber Guarneri
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Spendor Classic 100 |
Sonus faber Guarneri |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.87-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 7.09-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12.2-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Classic 100 features a 0.87" Tweeter, a 7.09" Midrange and 1 x 12.2" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 490 Hz, 3.6 kHz. On the other hand, the Guarneri features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200 Hz.
Frequency Response
Classic 100 has a frequency range of 25-25k Hz whereas Guarneri has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Classic 100 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Guarneri's min frequency of 40Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Classic 100 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Guarneri which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Guarneri can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Classic 100 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Guarneri's is rated at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Spendor Classic 100 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Guarneri, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
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
Guarneri features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Classic 100 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/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 Spendor Classic 100's and Sonus faber Guarneri's external dimensions. Spendor Classic 100 has external dimensions of 698.5 x 368.3 x 431.8mm (27.5 x 14.5 x 17inch) whereas Sonus faber Guarneri has external dimensions of 377.0 x 239.0 x 375.0mm (14-13/16 x 9-7/16 x 14-3/4inch).
Spendor Classic 100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 129.3mm wider, 321.5mm taller and 56.8mm deeper than Sonus faber Guarneri.
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.
Spendor Classic 100 needs about 77% more floor or shelf area. Spendor Classic 100 is 57mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Spendor Classic 100 is 322mm 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 Spendor Classic 100 is approximately 1590.3cm2 / 246.5inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Guarneri is approximately 896.3cm2 / 138.9inch2. The Classic 100 requires 77% more surface area than the Guarneri which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Spendor Classic 100 weighs 36.02kg / 79.2lbs and the Sonus faber Guarneri weighs 16.00kg / 35.2lbs. This makes the Classic 100 125% heavier than the Guarneri.
Here is a comparison of how Classic 100 and Guarneri's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
12.2 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
377mm
vs
698mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
896cm2
vs
1590cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Spendor Classic 100 |
Sonus faber Guarneri |
| Brand |
Spendor |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-25k Hz |
40-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12.2" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
0.87" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
7.09" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
490 Hz, 3.6 kHz |
2200 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
698.5mm (27.5") |
377.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
368.3mm (14.5") |
239.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
431.8mm (17") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Weight |
36.02kg (79.2lbs) |
16.00kg (35.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Spendor Classic 100 digs deeper - 25Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Spendor Classic 100 is more sensitive (89dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Spendor Classic 100 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size | depends | Sonus faber Guarneri is easier to place; Spendor Classic 100 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Sonus faber Guarneri: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($15,998 vs $15,998 a pair). |
A Spendor Classic 100 B Sonus faber Guarneri
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?
Spendor Classic 100 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 a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Spendor Classic 100 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sonus faber Guarneri is the easier speaker to get right.
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.