ARE TOWER SPEAKERS BETTER? 🤔 LUMINA II vs V! Lumina V Review

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

✅ *LUMINA V **bit.ly/3njphGH** • III **bit.ly/3xYq7NL** • II **bit.ly/3QlTiCR* ✅ *CLICK ❤THANKS to highlight your question &/or support the channel!* ✅ *If it’s in the video, it’s here ☝CLICK “SHOW MORE” in the description* ✅ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*

[@mygrc9311]

This is the exxxxaaaactttt, review I was looking for. You answered alllll, my questions. Lumina II vs III vs V vs Q50 vs R700. Another Wonderbread job as always. Thanks so much!!!

[@robinr5787]

Nice review, from a Lumina V owner. Never heard these rivals mentioned though, some others yes and i preferred these. Just one small correction, the tweeter is just a bit larger than 1 inch, 29 mm, so different from many other manufacturers.

[@pathunter2219]

One quickey... The Lumina V vs the Focal Chora 826? I'm goin to have to find an audio store.

[@robinr5787]

@@pathunter2219 I think Focal Aria is more in the same category as the Lumina V.

[@pathunter2219]

@@robinr5787 Good to know. thanks

[@SloDwn1135]

I’m just starting to listen and already know my answer because of my strong unscientific bias.

[@KristiWright]

hahah

[@kenheidenreich3458]

I am not surprised by your conclusions of the Lumina II's. I love my setup with the Lumina II's and REL T5x and they sound absolutely fantastic. I have heard the Lumina V's at my Sonus faber dealer - different equipment and different room etc - I thought then I preferred my Lumina II's and chalked it upto my Merson Frerot DAC but who knows. I have zero desire to upgrade my speakers. My problem now is I intended to take some of my good equipment down to an audio room I am building - but I refuse to separate anything out of my current system.... Thanks for the great work on your channel and thank you to Kristi for her perspectives - I think that is a great feature of your channel.

[@dexterts1]

Hi guys,i picked the Lumina 3 because they look 10x more expensive in my space compared to the lumina 2 on stands,and i got them on offer for just a little bit more money. Will send pictures next time when you do viewer’s system photos. I would like to see something from the olympica line as to see what 3x the price gets you. Keep up the amazing work 🔥👌

[@hobblyjig]

You've spoken so highly of the Concept 50s and R700s I appreciate you throwing in those comparisons.

[@GB-zk9ow]

Thank you for the in-depth review. I had the chance to hear both the Lumina V and the Sonetto V side-by-side at my local shop and instantly became completely enamored with Sonus Faber. I was crushing too hard on both to make any discernable observations between the sound of either line but hands down the Sonetta cabinet is a step up aesthetically. Needless to say, my speaker fund has been reestablished, and I look forward to having some SF soon. I would love an in-depth look at the Sonetta V.

[@MasterMark5]

The Lumina 5's are amazing and they are going to be my front speakers for many years to come. Everytime I play something through them it's always fantastic regardless of whether it is a movie or music and any genre sounds great.

[@Pitbull0669]

Love the Lumina Being full blooded Italian hits home for me :) Out of my price rang these days and not a Klipsch fan I had those and Meh. Sold.

[@bryanwilliams9810]

Been waiting for this one !!! Purchased the V's about 4 months ago...... love them. Refreshing to hear your thoughts align with mine in your review. Perhaps the rabbit hole I've gone down is finally making sense. Agree the II's are great but didn't want bookshelves. The III's just seemed like something was missing but I was close to purchasing them because I knew my sub would round them out. Then my dealer tells me they are finally gonna get a pair of V's in so I held off. 30 seconds into the first song I was so glad I waited. Greatly appreciated the dialog explanation. I too have dialog issues. Will definitely take that into account when I replace my center channel speaker.

[@RobberClobber]

So glad you finally dropped this! Been absolutely loving my Vs with the g700. Fantastic to see it tested together. I have a Martin Logan sub with it and it's just the business. I still gotta get some Lumina IIs for my desk now that I'm officially hooked on Sonus Faber 👏🏻

[@Hyperion65]

Something that a lot of reviewers get wrong about the Lumina Series The Lumina I and Lumina III were meant to be placed near wall and the II and IV placement is more traditional placement away from rear walls. This is most likely the reason you hear so little difference between the II and III.

[@sdemosi]

David Gray lost songs is such a great and underrated album. Haven't heard a bad Sonus Faber speaker. The Sonetto series is wonderful, and I never heard the Olympias. You're dead right about the roll off in terms of dialogue intelligibility. My wife has a similar problem to Kristi and she loves the Q Acoustics Concept 500s and also 2 Harman Kardon soundbars in terms of dialogue clarity. A 20kHz bump will do nothing for detail for most adults because it's outside our our hearing range.

[@vrenlos]

Lumina V Meta action complete! I will say I was happy with mine out of the box, but I recently picked up the Dirac license for my MiniDSP Flex and the low end just sounds incredible (even turning off my sub). Also, they really did benefit in control going from a 50W/ch (8ohm) Rotel to a vintage Mitsubishi DA-A30 @100W (also 8ohm, ~140W @4). For me the low-volume performance of these really make them stand out.

[@nws-qk9pj]

The Lumina V has the upgraded paracross crossovers vs the other Luminas. It also has the internal lute cabinet for mid bass and tweeter. It pushes the Lumina V closer to the higher end Sonus Faber lines.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

The resonances were only really noticeable when directly A/B-ing the V against speakers that I know to be less resonant such as the Concept 50 and a costlier B&W 800 Series speaker we have in for review. Don't A/B the V against those types of speakers and just listen to it for about an hour and your brain/ears will adjust and you likely will not notice it as much.

[@davidlettau6878]

I absolutely love my Lumina II. I paired them with a vintage Carver Sunfire True Super Junior Subwoofer and the IOTAVX SA3 integrated amp.

[@williamhicks2763]

Like everyone else, I’d like you to review the Sonetto line, probably the Sonnetto VIII. However, although getting into crazy high prices, I’d love a review of the Olympica Nova line and even the Maxima Amator. The Olympica might be the prettiest speakers I’ve seen and the Amators are simply beautiful as well. While I really think it’s crazy to pay that much for speakers I also think it was crazy to spend what we did on chairs, couches, curtains, carpet, lighting, tables, and other appointments for our room when a number of those items approach those prices. Having a beautiful room with so much invested in it makes it at least a possibility that the price of those lines is worth it not to take away from that current character of the room and to add them as an additional piece of fine furniture. Definitely all of it is hard to swallow, but just maybe…

[@AnotherAnonymousMan]

These speakers are just so handsome. I was expecting the towers to have a room filling advantage but I'm all the more impressed that the bookshelves held their own! Thanks for the great vid, as always!

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

Thanks for watching!

[@PaulMaison]

I prefer bookshelf speakers and a sub (once the sub is dialed in properly) to floor standing speakers. I'm not limited with placement as with a floor standing speaker. Bookies generally disappear more easily than floor standers. This is all just my opinion however, and others experience may be different. Bookies over standers!!!

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

✅ vote for bookshelf speakers being better!

[@Harald_Reindl]

Subwoofer is nothing different with floor standing speakers, you handle them identical in the configuration How are you limited with floor standing speakers in the positioning? I am away from the back wall 90 cm which won't be possible in a shelf as well I can more or less free move and toe in the floor standing speakers

[@DavidGomesinsomnia]

@Andrew Robinson: Mate, you make these decisions for us so so much easier to make. You summed up the whole Lumina line-up really really well 👍 I don't think anyone could have done it any better. At least for me, it was darn easy to come down to the absolute conclusion and its this: Tower speaker: Polk 700s (with a better, powerful amplifier that always pays dividends even in the long run) Bookshelf speaker: Lumina 2s with sub and its sorted. Thank you for the interpretations and explanation as always Andrew, boy you nailed it yet again. I'd really appreciate if you could do these kinda comparisons in the same line-up that have two or more good speakers, bookshelf and tower together ✌️👍 Trust me, it certainly helps. Special thanks to Kristi for her input, as always, ever so concise, precise and to the point, no bs ✌️✌️ So to end, excellent job as always, you both. God bless 🙏 P.S.: Looking forward to seeing a few more powered speaker reviews on your channel. As you said it in one of your videos, and I believe you, powered speakers could very well be our future.

[@thomasarp599]

Review the Sonetto series which is a nice step up from Lumina and with distinct Sonus Faber sound ❤

[@kimauten7343]

38 years as locomotive engineer. Hearing loss, you bet. Clarity a must. I am like Kristi, I am worn out asking my partner, what did he say! Down to the sonus faber, Martin Logan, the B&Ws a little bright for me. I am going to listen to the JBL also. Test drive as many as I can. Thanks again for all your hard work!!!

[@Deyorew]

I think the Sonetto would be just upgraded from Lumina. Personally I would be more interest in comparing the Olympic Nova bookshelves or the Amator Electa or Maxima which are supposed to be different and very very special. Like pass on to next generation / last speaker you will buy special. Thanks for the great and comprehensive review of this whole Lumina line. Was also curious about the center channel offering.

[@quizshorts2023]

I love the Lumina V for the looks as much as sound. The same reason I like the KEF R7 and Wharfedale Elysian4. I want sound performance but equally want some aesthetics.

[@MDavis2112]

Just finished the lawn work, time for Andrew and Kristi, happy Sunday y'all ✌

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

Perfect timing!

[@KristiWright]

Thanks for spending part of your day with us.

[@philipciantar4824]

Move up to the Sonetto line 1st once completed then to the Olympica Nova and so on. You maybe the 1st and only reviewers to review their entire premium hifi speaker line.

[@aarthoor]

I like standmount speakers with stereo subwoofers. I was staggered how much better the speakers I've tried them with sound, you don't just get better bass, the midrange blooms too and treble becomes sweeter. Set up with care they make the sound more spacious relaxed and detailed. And they can be adjusted to work in any room and at any volume you like, flexible and much better sounding. What's not to like?

[@aarthoor]

@Pixie Pete You've already got several boxes, subs look great in the corner, put a small table over them if visuals are a problem. Besides, we do this for the music, the improvements gained are worth having to tuck a wire out of sight. My guess is that you've never heard how much they improve the sound of your speakers, get a demo and join the enlightened.

[@switawivr6]

Really liked this one, love when you two drag in the catalogue of your equipment experience to bolster the context of a review. Thank you for the 2k roll-off insight as well. I'll be keeping my ears open. Lastly, so glad to see Andrew has finally received Kristi's unabashed seal of approval! So proud of you, man! (lol) You guys never fail to bring a smile. Thank you for keeping fun in this hobby that so many get so serious about. #PianoBlackIsBoring #ThereCanBeOnlyOne

[@JohnTwo1]

A similar comparison between kef r3 and r7 would be interesting 🤔 Thanks for the speaker measurements, they add that extra special something to a review. Personally I prefer towers because small bookshelf speakers on ugly stands look wrong to me in a living room setting. That is why I got kef r5s instead of r3s.

[@joepelletier5381]

Thanks for calling out the 2kHz valley of death, such a strangely common choice from manufacturers. I'm 100% the strange guy that'd buy the small tower because I like the look better than the bookshelves with stands.

[@mikedifranco5423]

If I end up going with the Lumina I will likely do the same. Strange is the new cool.

[@TheKizersoze13]

I am considering the lumina 2 as a potential next speaker upgrade. I love the port design / footprint of the speaker.

[@Jon-nz3dm]

I'm an American and I watched so many Korean and various European movies/shows that I got used to having subtitles on, so now I just run them no matter what I watch. I have problems hearing dialogue clearly no matter the volume/speaker so this is the way.

[@sebastianalex7900]

Yeees! Secret Samadhi is one of my Live favorite albums, I’m gonna use “Gas Hed Goes West” on my next audio speaker test. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@jbones1453]

It’s funny you brought up the R700 no longer in white. I would have bought those but went with Martin Logan Motion 60 in white. Cost way more but I wanted to like the looks too and prefer the white variants. That said, I have two SVS PB 1000s and almost regret the towers since I have then crossed over around 90. Bookshelves might give me almost the same sound and I could have saved money. Don’t get me wrong, these are end game speakers for me but I think the bookshelves of this line would have been too. Great video as usual! Have a great rest of the weekend!

[@obi1cannoli777]

Great vid as always!!! Kristi hit the nail on the head when she said she wants a speaker with clear dialogue. I watch more movies than listen to music. I like Songs Faber design alot but, might have to look into some qs

[@Harry-Giles]

Would definitely go with the 2’s and use subs. But, the design aesthetic for the overall series is outstanding. You guys do such a great job with how you review things. Appreciate it.

[@KristiWright]

Thanks, Harry!

[@mjdrock00]

What is your opinion about : 1 - Goldenear Triton reference . 2 - Wharfedale Evo 4.4 . 3 - PROAC RESPONSE DT8 . 4 - TRIANGLE BR09 . 5 - SVS Ultra Tower Speaker . Please answer if you know anything about them and thank you in advance .

[@BryanRuby]

Liking audiophiles with an episode of Highlander! Kristi cracks me up and speaks my TV viewing language. Really liked what you both did here having the ability to listen and compare the various size speakers in the same brand's product line for this review. Very helpful!

[@KristiWright]

Someone gets me! :)

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

We want to do more reviews like this where we focus on one product more but still put it in perspective with the rest of the line.

[@BryanRuby]

@@KristiWright Highlander: "There can only be one." Kristi: "Well that's not quite true. But I'll take your head anyway." 🙂

[@KristiWright]

@@BryanRuby HAHAH

[@fakeklg]

Kristi keeps it immortally 💯

[@umrryan]

The two options (bookshelf and tower) are far closer than most people will lead you to believe. Thanks for another great video Andrew and Kristi, fantastic job as usual. I really like the aesthetic of the Lumina line, but am quite compelled by the Q Acoustics. Too many solid choices!

[@KristiWright]

I truly don't think you'd be disappointed regardless of your decision.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

I too am routinely shocked by the huge lack of difference that exists between bookshelf and tower speakers.

[@umrryan]

QOTD: I prefer the 2 over the others on looks and don't mind using a sub so I believe we are in agreement.

[@Teachering]

I am never disappointed in these loudspeaker reviews. For me, this was particularly good. I have been searching for loudspeakers, it seems, forever and I am still not quite ready. But I'm getting there.

[@davidrivera2165]

Generally speaking, quality full range towers deliver more dynamic impact, and scale of soundstage compared to a stand mount (not bookshelf) quality speaker. The main caveat being the size of the room, and placement of the speakers. In a room of 2k cubic feet or less stand mount speakers, even without a sub, will do the job as long as we don't expect then to exceed 95 dbs (over 95 dbs in a room under 2k cf will cause serious hearing damage for sure). For rooms 5k cubic feet or large most full range towers AND subs will be required to deliver large scale and dynamic impact above 85 dbs. As is the case in all things audio, as it relates to speakers, the size, shape, and boundary type (i.e. glass, wood, carpeting, acoustic treatment etc.) of the room is a major factor. Thanks for sharing your experience in your room.

[@scott001music]

As always... LOVE your reviews!!! Always appreciate Kristi's take at the end... Such a wonderful perspective!!! Also... Would definitely like to see you review the Sonus Faber Maxima Amator!!!

[@KristiWright]

Thanks for watching, Scott!

[@kylewoinarowicz113]

Please review the Sonetto floorspeakers, I'm considering either them or the lumina for my first system and would love a great comparison! Thanks!

[@jonathanwills4726]

Hey Andrew I just wanted to let you know that I love your videos. I like chilling, drinking some tea and or coffee and hearing you talk. It is relaxing and informative.

[@stevewright1539]

THANK YOU! for this. When I read the title, I immediately asked myself, "What happened to the Lumina iii's?!" And there they were. You were able to anticipate and provide answers to every question I had between the v and iii's. I don't hate a subwoofer, but these will go in a great room, where we are trying pare down and a tower is really where we prefer to go. Decision comes down to these and the Concept 50's. Not going to lie, aesthetics are important. The Sonus Faber's would better blend int the room visually than the 50's. That said, in a room with two story ceilings and somewhat open concept be better suited to what would seem like a tighter more "focused" sound of the 50's? Would love both of your takes!

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

I honestly think you could be happy with either in the space described. True, a more dampened cabinet may come across as less lively in an (already) lively space, but I'm not sure the difference will be that great when considering cathedral ceilings. If you do not plan on using a sub, then you may want the slightly greater bass output of the Sonus Faber Lumina Vs. It's a tough call for sure.

[@stevewright1539]

@@andrewrobinsonreviews Danke. Time to demo!

[@mikerhodes9198]

Actor dialog understandability, both my wife and I agree is important. We also agree that Hollywood has lost the ability of having clear dialog. I have no idea why but our friends agree that dialog clarity has suffered in the past 5 years or longer.

[@syanhc]

From the point of view of sound, there is no real answer to this question because all speakers and therefore sound exists within a space. So the environment shapes the sound coming out of speakers. So whilst a great passive tower speaker has the crossover design and sonic balance set by the manufacturer…that can be a blessing or a curse depending on the room. Having a bookshelf with active subwoofer or an active tower speaker gives one the option to tailor the sound via Dirac or your own EQing so it remains balanced within the room acoustics. I’ve always preferred the concept of tower speakers but for those with smaller rooms or issues room acoustics, having bookshelves and a active sub can yield better sonic results.

[@lonniefarmer7067]

Thanks! "Team Q" is what my daughter has gone with as her space is beyond her current soundbar. The Nova's are nice and nearer to your needs, but I have always been a fan of the Illium as it was the first I ever heard in a high end. It's a heart thing.

[@tpn8402]

My vote goes to the Sonetto II getting reviewed next!

[@lovswr]

For all time value, I had a $59.99 dollar pair of bookshelf speakers from Radio Shack, as I entered my first year of College at Ohio Universite in 1985. They were paired with one of those white Emerson turntables that I got when I was 14 or 15. Power came from whatever was Technics cheapest Integrated Receiver at that time (from JC Penney's!). Rush to Stevie Wonder (full length albums bought from Camelot Records for $8.88 or less, that combo got the job done.

[@kamadeva1]

I got the V's in walnut a couple months ago, and am in love! They are indeed beautiful and will be in my living room for a long time.I upgraded from Triangle BR08's. The Luminas are very smooth, and to my ears, the slightly boosted treble is super helpful as I don't hear very well above 15kHz or so. I found the bass without subwoofers to be satisfying for music e.g. Bjork's hyper ballad kicks hard in my room and shakes my floor nicely. The slight (very slight) cabinet coloration you pointed out I found to be very sexy when listening to acoustic music or classical real instruments. That said, I do like having subs for electronic music and movies crossed over around 50-60Hz. The bass that is there in the Lumina's is super articulate and just organic enough (I don't like clinically "fast" bass and like some texture).

[@vrenlos]

100% agreed on the bass tone. I went to a local dealer who didn't have the Lumina line and had sold his demo Sonetto so I heard the Olympics Nova III, Serafino, and Il Cremonese. All of them had a very similar tonality and I strongly preferred all of them vs. the Wilson Audio setups in the shop.

[@jk25653]

What amp are you pairing your speakers?

[@kamadeva1]

@@jk25653 I have a rotel ra1572 original one. I got it half price on clearance when the mark ii came out. Plenty powerful!

[@strahle8758]

Value Kristi's opinion, as I too have a hard time hearing voices. I would like to listen to the Q Acoustics 50, but can't find them anywhere. There is something about the cabinetry of the Sonus Fabers, especially the Sonetto series. I am willing to pay more for the cabinetry, but not if they don't sound as good as the Q Acoustics 50. I hope you will be able to compare the Sonetto V vs. Lumina V and the Sonetto center ii vs. Lumina center.

[@bubbax7477]

Andrew, love your reviews. Funny thing is today I ran across an Integra DTA-70.1 for sale. And when I searched for reviews, yours came up. From 10 years ago I think. Amazing how influential and successful you've been in the industry from such a young age. Thanks. Love your vids. And Kristy(sp?) is amazing. Her input is a very valuable addition

[@luisct3749]

Love that Kristi intro…. When a KZbin video just make You smile, you just got hit that like button.

[@mikeholliday8056]

I am interested in your opinion of the Sonus Faber II Amator.

[@neumeisteranimalhospital2627]

What happened to the out takes? Your reviews are great, but I really miss the out takes at the end. I think it creates a real and genuine humility to your channel.

[@andrewgorenc9160]

End game, end game, end game! Lol! Great video as always and more outtakes please! QOTD 1: A good bookshelf/sub pairing with room correction always beats a tower in my opinion QOTD 2: Sonetto 2 Thanks again!

[@KristiWright]

I think you are the first to mention the outtake! Thank you for watching until the very end, Andrew!

[@andrewgorenc9160]

@@KristiWright I always do and that was great stuff. Love the channel!

[@markmcdermott3530]

Always enjoy your reviews and this was no exception. I have Lumina 3s and enjoy them however at some point would like to go to SF Sonetto Vs. Would be great if you guys could review the Sonetto line even versus the Lumina line please. Also SF Electa Amators possibly. Thank you

[@gabmor7779]

i heard the lumina 3 and lumina 5 in a shop, i thought the lumina 3 was more open and clearer. probably the 5 had better bass. i went for the lumina 3 and am very happy, gonna add a sub in the future could you make a cmopratison video with the lumia III

[@trashyaudiophile7301]

This is very subjective. But without watching the video first. It depends. Room size, amenities and so on. The argument will always be speaker placement. And with bookshelves giving way better Bass response than I could ever remember. Yes, Bookshelves are better. But I also recall a past video, in which you say something to the effect of, if you have never experienced a set of 15" floor speaker/towers, Do. I concur. Because even a really cheap set, with a few mods can be, well "Impactful". So even with less placement options, a cinder block to raise the sound stage can change the outcome. One thing I have noticed about subwoofers, if you move in the room at all during playback. The location becomes apparent. With 15" speakers, you don't get that as much, the soundstage improves over it.

[@gpower]

Sonetto line is the obvious next step in the SF lineup. Climbing the model tree would be awesome!

[@wildstar41]

Maybe you guys could get the Sonetto V in as your next SF speaker. I'd be interested to see how they compare to Lumina V. Also, higher end Monitor Audio might be interesting.

[@damayor62]

A'sOTD: 1. Living in a condo the LUMINA II's would be the best option for me. 2. I'd like to see a review on the Electa Amator III's. Outstanding review as always. Thank you and keep up the great work.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

Thanks! and ✅ for Electa Amator.

[@philipkpende6222]

I must say that I love watching your reviews. Listening to what you look out for in the speakers you review helps me learn a lot. In this particular review, I may not be able to conclude whether i agree with your conclusions or not because I have not heard any of these speakers . However, I love the recommended track, Gas Hed Goes West by Live, because it helped me listen again to how my speakers perform. Thanks

[@frd-kj5qu]

My favorite set is 2x bookshelf with sub woofer. It's much more easy to manage bass. My dream is a pair of B&W 805 D3/4 with BD3D driven by Naim.

[@amgguy4319]

Italians have a design sense that is across the board excellence ... Architecture, Automotive, Apparel, Audiophile, Art . . .

[@thomaswalsh6375]

Hi Andrew and Kristi, awesome review as always. I think the Sonetto range would be the next logical Sonus Faber line to review as after that the next lines are out of reach for most people. I own a pair of SF Lumina Il’s connected to a NAD C700 in my kitchen. I have a pair of SF Sonneto V floor standers connected to a NAD M33 in a music room. (l can hear Andrew and Kristi cringing about the M33 but sorry guys I absolutely love this amp which with the SF Sonneto V’s is a marriage made in heaven!!!) Anyway when I come home in the evening while preparing food and eating dinner I’m playing my favourite music on the Luminas ll which really draw me into the music and captivate me, as I’m finishing up I’m always in total admiration of these speakers. I then walk into other room where the same music from the same source is playing (streaming Tidal connect) and it’s just at a completely different level, there’s just no comparison between the two systems. After an hour of listening to this system a seed begins to grow in my brain, are these floor standers really that much better than the book shelf’s in the other room ?? I have to go check and I walk back into the Kitchen where the Lumina ll’s are still playing the same music and then you really know, the Lumina ll’s are great speakers but there a mile behind the floor standers in the other room. Granted the M33, Sonnetto V system cost four times the price as the other system, is it four times better ?? to me it probably is, I’m now 62 and can now afford to spend this amount of money on a system but also If I was 32 and had a young family to raise I could live quite happily with the Lumina ll there absolutely brilliant and fabulous value for money but there not ever going to match more expensive floorstanders.

[@ednorth972]

I envy your set ups. You are though comparing Sonetto Towers to Lumina bookshelfs. I'd be curious your thoughts if you had the Sonetto 1's or 2's in the other room. That is really the comparison I've been looking for but haven't found yet...

[@Alexander-dt8sk]

would you consider comparing the Lumina 2 vs the Lumina 2 Amator lines? Is the latter worth the extra investment?

[@richardramorino3319]

I'm a sucker for Italian speakers. Had Sonus Faber Cremonas and now have Rosso Fiorentino floorstanders. They both have what I would call the traditional Italian house sound: a little on the lush side with excellent tonal truthfulness. Don't have any experience with the newer, more entry level Sonus Faber lines. I've heard the sound has changed. Thanks for the interesting review.

[@shaun1753]

Hey Andrew and Kristi. I love your channel, keep the fantastic unbiased reviews coming. I am looking to finally upgrade my front soundstage. Came down to Polk R400 center and R700 towers or KEF Q250c Center and Q950 Towers. I will be driving them with a Yamaha RX A4A receiver for now but plan on buying a 3 channel amp later on and using the 3 pre-outs from the receiver. In your opinion what is the better option of the two choices. It will be used for both movies and music. Thank you.

[@Th3rdFloor]

I would love to see you guys review the Sonus Faber “Sonetto III” floor standing loudspeakers👍👍👍

[@robertsluyter8586]

Would love for you to review the Sonus Fabre Sonetto V. Love the show one of the best

[@jeremyr722]

Oh yeah! I have an opinion on which SF I’d like to see reviewed. It’s one of my dream speakers: something from the Olymipica line

[@gavriushka]

I used to be a tower only head, and probably partly still am, but, I’ve grown to just choose what I like in sound and if it is a bookshelf so be it. I’d prefer the tower in this line of products. Also, go all out, get the most expensive speaker they offer and directly compare it to the 5s and 2s. That would be quite interesting.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

Now approaching a brand and saying we want to compare your MOST EXPENSIVE speaker to your cheapest one is bound to get us banned 😂 But I like a challenge. 😉

[@gavriushka]

@@andrewrobinsonreviews you never know, the world is a crazy place and anything could happen. Good luck and I can’t wait to see more of you guys! Have a great weekend!

[@11clouds]

Here we gooo… I second that, You guys did a great run down of the line, been waiting for this review

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

Glad to know you found it helpful!

[@LesterChan1]

Great Review! I’d like to hear your take on the Sonetto V’s.

[@KristiWright]

Thank you so much!!

[@TylerStout]

7:00 my opinion is that the resonance isn't from cabinet volume but from not enough bracing as you have larger panels in a tower that need more bracing. It's possible it doesn't have enough polyfill or something so there's a lot of excess energy inside the cabinet but that's like low hanging fruit in terms of speaker design so I wouldn't expect that to be the issue and if it is that's an easy fix for the consumer. As for towers vs bookshelf both have strengths and weaknesses. Towers strengths generally are sensitivity, power handling, bass output at the cost of price and vertical dispersion which bookshelf speakers are generally better at. For me I have a small to mid sized room and have subs so bookshelf speakers are the better buy for me especially since you can also use the argument of going up a model. Stuff like Klipsch reference towers are close in price to reference premier bookshelf or same for Kef Q series towers vs r series bookshelf and on top of that you get a better center channel. Totally agree about the clarity thing BBC dip is just an excuse to have poor crossover integration. Doesn't help that Audyssey's crapy target response has it built in so you could get a speaker without it and it will add it back unless you go out of your way to fix it.

[@matthewharhai4039]

LOVE my SVS Prime Pinnacles and Prime Towers. Combined with two subwoofers & Ultra Center, they really pack a punch. I would not go back to bookshelf speakers unless I could not accommodate the towers.

[@cruzgallegos5071]

It comes down to clarity. Try running identical towers for the bedlayer, say all 7 speakers in a 7.2.4 configuration. Now try running identical bookshelf speakers in the same configuration and listen to the clarity. Are the towers better for clarity or bookshelf speakers better?

[@DC_loves_scotch]

Higher volumes distortion free is what you will get with all towers, in a small room bookshelf speakers are fine. And yes, definitely more clarity since towers have more headroom. If you have the amplification to do so.

[@Rudytube580]

OK please please review the Sonus Faber Sonetto V. and compare them to the Lumina V.

[@ec6843]

I mean, if you are buying bookshelf speakers and you're putting them on stands, it just looks stupid and takes up the same footprint as a tower. So you might as well get the tower speaker. There are exceptions where the stand look is cool. i.e. Wharfedale Elysian, but those are bespoke stands and high end to begin with.

[@techloverbruce1976]

Thank you for your review. How about going one step up, considering review the Sonetto line?

[@briannemeth9417]

I've tried both ways with B&W speakers. I like the mid bass on the towers better. I think the sound resonates in a bigger cabinet

[@davidjurney]

I would really like to audition some of the Sonus Faber line. I love their looks and I used to like their sound a long time ago, but I tend to lean neutral to warm on what I prefer from speakers. I’d be interested in the Sonetto II bookshelf.

[@Antibackgroundnoise]

I find the tweeters on my sonus faber sonetto's are subtle yet crisp! Which gives me the ability to listen to them all day long. 🥳

[@lowellgross4196]

Great review/comparison. QotD Answers 1. Lumina II (small apt.) 2. Any of the Amator series (Electa Amator III is 1st choice,) A question for you. I'm using Linton's with a Naim Nait XS, Bluesound NODE and experiencing some shoutyness and sibilance on mostly non-musical voices and older poorly recorded music. Will changing amps (any specific recommendations are greatly appreciated) make a difference?

[@rich7049]

Fantastic review and very timely for me. I am considering the Lumina II and was curious how the III compared. I do wish these were carried by a few more retailers as getting them in my space for an extended listening session is proving to be a challenge. I will say the fact that they are made in Italy does play a factor for me. Not to start any kind of debate but I am finding it harder to support companies that outsource their mfg to China, although that absolutely limits your choices on almost all things electronic. Thanks for taking the time to put this and the standalone review of the Lumina II together, super helpful.

[@thomasarp599]

Please review the Sonetto I or/and II. Should be a refined Lumina speaker 👍🙂

[@gregkirby7298]

Those speakers def look nice. But each week I rave about my R700’s. My listening room is only around 11 x 14, but opens into another area of equal size. Still, the bass is, well, big! Even after turning off my sub and using Dirac to equalize the room, it’s omnipresent, lol, and I love it. For some I can imagine it even being too much of a good thing at times. I see now the need for more power for simply controlling it all. For smaller listening rooms I can see how the Lumina’s might even be a better fit if bass might be an issue. Had my other furniture not all been walnut veneer I would def have considered the white as well as far as looks go. I’m sure for most of us, it’s a no brainer. Pick either and you will be a happy listener. Now about those bass traps…

[@KristiWright]

So glad you are happy with the Polks!

[@daniannaci3258]

As far as SFs go, definitely the Electra Amator. Easily the best looking speaker made currently. When speaking about dialogue intelligibility (sorry), why not revisit the Martin-Logan Electromotion you reviewed some years ago. Electrostatic loudspeakers have a knack for an easy clarity (no crossover in the midrange?), and the Electromotion is priced smack dab in the middle of the box towers covered in this review.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

We haven't reviewed anything from Paradigm, MartinLogan, Anthem because they have not responded to our repeated attempts to obtain review samples nor do they acknowledge their customer's own requests to send product for review. While I remain a fan of the older products, at some point, you gotta just move on, therefore, we are no longer seeking their product for review.

[@daniannaci3258]

@@andrewrobinsonreviews That’s unfortunate, Andrew. From what I can see, your new listening space would suit a pair of panels beautifully.

[@PremKumar-vt1hq]

How does lumina V compared against focal 926.

[@olivierchartier8937]

Before I had column speakers, but it was very difficult to place them in my room because I had an angle. I switched to a pair of Sonetto 2 + subwoofer, and it was a very good choice. Much better than before because the subwoofer can be placed in the right place and the Sonetto 2 are exceptional. Added to that a DIRAC Live correction and everything sounds very very good. Thanks for your review.

[@stevejarvis3891]

If you want a room full of sound... yes towers. If you prefer near center point sound, a superb bookshelf will do. I enjoy both, depending on the source material.

[@davids2214]

Great video! Love the look of the Luminas. A comparison you didn’t mention: how does the Lumina line (probably the Lumina III matches up best in price and size) compare to the KLH Model 5 in terms of sound?

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

The 5 is going to sound "bigger" with way more bass output compared to the III, so by that metric the KLH Model 5 should be compared to the Lumina V. I personally prefer the Lumina V for is more coherent design, slimmer footprint and overall style though the sound of either is going to be a matter of personal taste.

[@Gobekadam]

Just for the design of it, you need to check Sonus Faber Olympica Nova tower speakers! I had the chance the see them in person and I was drooling over the speakers!

[@halvach1998]

Recently built a pair of MTMs, & found that their horizontal projection resulted in clarity which better suited my aging hearing; may suit Kristy as well, (TMs tend to project downwards)

[@techloverbruce1976]

I changed from BW 607 S2 to Lumina 2 with Arcam SA10. The pair is great for near field 70-85 db listening. The sound of lumina is much much better than the 607. I am a owner of 606 S1 in my home town and moved to my college. I bought 607 S2 blended and agree with the review: it is quite noisy and loud in all aspects. Then I switched to lumina and it pairs with SA10 well. The sound is warm, lively and bright. I suppose, thanks to the front face port, the sound it relax and dense at the same time. I can feel It’s surrounding me. I really like the pair and looking forward to upgrade to better ones when I have a full time job.

[@techloverbruce1976]

It is also worth noting that I started to feel bored when listening to normal pop music. The one who sings is quite thin comparing to all the instruments. I guess that equipment can show the flaw/issues of normal singer and music or the speaker put to much to the instruments and is a little weak with vocal. But overall, the total music is satisfying because a under emphasis of one end (vocal) is an emphasis of the other end (instrument).

[@paulschectman6586]

Hi Andrew, Which sub would you pair with the Lumina II? My great room is 25' W by 20" deep with 16 foot ceilings. Thank you.

[@zachdini]

Thanks for the review! I demoed the Lumina IIIs a few weeks ago and really liked their sound. Unfortunately, it seems like my girlfriend and I are in the minority when it comes to the Lumina range - we both don't like how they look. I'll have to try the Lumina Vs. Maybe their slightly more neutral sound would be good enough for us to ignore their looks.

[@jayrev1254]

Great review! How would you compare the 5s to the MA Silver 500s as far as detail retrieval and tonality and the 2s against the Silver 100s? Cheers!

[@885376]

Please review the Sonetto II and others in that line. It would be much appreciated

[@robertsanders3174]

I really like watching your reviews even though I am no longer shopping for speakers at this time. In your review you mentioned pairing the bookshelf’s with a good speaker stand. Could you do a video on what you consider good speaker stands. Maybe at various price points? Thanks for what you do. Truly enjoy the content.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

Thanks so much for watching. I doubt we will do a video that is dedicated to speaker stands but if you are curious about our preferences, we list our reference stands (both budget and higher end) in the video's description.