In this review, we will be comparing Classic 200 and Amati, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Spendor and Sonus faber.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Spendor Classic 200 and Sonus faber Amati first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Spendor Classic 200 | Sonus faber Amati |
|---|
| Brand | Spendor
United Kingdom · founded 1969 | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 4-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.87" | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 7.09" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12.2" | 2 x 8.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 20-25k Hz | 28-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 50-450 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 54.88kg / 120.7lbs | 61.00kg / 134.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44" x 14.5" x 20.1"
1117.6 x 368.3 x 510.5mm | 46-5/16" x 16-3/16" x 20-3/16"
1176.0 x 411.0 x 512.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Spendor Classic 200 and Sonus faber Amati 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 200 |
Sonus faber Amati |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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 200 is a 3-way design whereas the Amati is a 4-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 200Sonus faber Amati
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 200 |
Sonus faber Amati |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
4-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.87-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 7.09-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12.2-inch
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
Classic 200 features a 0.87" Tweeter, a 7.09" Midrange and 1 x 12.2" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550 Hz, 3.8 kHz. On the other hand, the Amati features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 200, 270, 2200 Hz.
Frequency Response
Classic 200 has a frequency range of 20-25k Hz whereas Amati has a frequency range of 28-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Classic 200 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Amati's min frequency of 28Hz.
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
Impedance and Sensitivity
Classic 200 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Amati 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 Amati can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Classic 200 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Amati's is rated at 91 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Amati a more sensitive speaker compared to Spendor Classic 200, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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
Amati features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Classic 200 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 200's and Sonus faber Amati's external dimensions. Spendor Classic 200 has external dimensions of 1117.6 x 368.3 x 510.5mm (44 x 14.5 x 20.1inch) whereas Sonus faber Amati has external dimensions of 1176.0 x 411.0 x 512.0mm (46-5/16 x 16-3/16 x 20-3/16inch).
Sonus faber Amati is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 42.7mm wider, 58.4mm taller and 1.5mm deeper than Spendor Classic 200.
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 Amati needs about 12% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Amati is 58mm 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 200 is approximately 1880.2cm2 / 291.4inch2 and base area of the Sonus faber Amati is approximately 2104.3cm2 / 326.2inch2. The Classic 200 requires 11% less surface area than the Amati 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 Spendor Classic 200 weighs 54.88kg / 120.7lbs and the Sonus faber Amati weighs 61.00kg / 134.2lbs. This makes the Amati 11% heavier than the Classic 200.
Here is a comparison of how Classic 200 and Amati's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
12.2 inches
vs
8.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1117mm
vs
1176mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1880cm2
vs
2104cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Spendor Classic 200 |
Sonus faber Amati |
| Brand |
Spendor |
Sonus faber |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
20-25k Hz |
28-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
12.2" |
8.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
0.87" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
7.09" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
550 Hz, 3.8 kHz |
200, 270, 2200 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1117.6mm (44") |
1176.0mm (46.3") |
| Width |
368.3mm (14.5") |
411.0mm (16.2") |
| Depth |
510.5mm (20.1") |
512.0mm (20.2") |
| Weight |
54.88kg (120.7lbs) |
61.00kg (134.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| 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 200 digs deeper - 20Hz against 28Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Sonus faber Amati is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Spendor Classic 200 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | Sonus faber Amati: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($29,998 vs $29,998 a pair). |
A Spendor Classic 200 B Sonus faber Amati
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 28Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Sonus faber Amati 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.