Short answer: the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 for better sound quality, the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator for the lower price. The Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 ranks #69 of 84 bookshelf speakers at $2499. The Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator ranks #71 at $1499, $1000 cheaper.
What the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 offers: Premium two-way monitor using a ScanSpeak Revelator midwoofer and ScanSpeak tweeter, drivers the reviewer has a longstanding personal fondness for. Watch for: Sounds notably bright, thumpy, and fatiguing pointed directly on-axis; needs about 30° of toe-out to bring the high-frequency lift into better balance.
What the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator offers: Solid bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 63Hz, F10 43Hz), reaching about 50Hz in-room. Watch for: Very bright treble, running 3-6dB above the midrange depending on measurement angle - independently corroborated by other owners online, not just one reviewer’s opinion.
Buy the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 84 bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 | Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2499 Discontinued | $1499 |
| Ranked | #69 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #71 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 1" tweeter + 6.5" woofer | 1.14" DAD (Damped Apex Dome) tweeter, 5.9" paper cone woofer |
| Weight | 34.2 lbs / 15.5 kg | 12.8 lbs / 5.8 kg |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 16.9"H x 7.9"W x 16.3"D (430.0 x 200.0 x 413.0 mm) | 12" x 7.1" x 10.4" (304 x 180 x 263 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | Bass reflex, ported |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 48Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 63Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 2600Hz |
| Recommended Power | - | 30W - 150W |
| Country of Origin | - | Italy (Vicenza) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Audio Craftsmen Victoria vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
- KEF Q350 vs HSU Research CCB-8
- KEF Q350 vs Fosi Audio SP601
- Philharmonic BMR Monitor vs Pylon Jasper Monitor 18
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Pylon Jasper Monitor 18
The Two Speakers In Full
Pylon Jasper Monitor 18: $2499 Discontinued
Pros: Premium two-way monitor using a ScanSpeak Revelator midwoofer and ScanSpeak tweeter, drivers the reviewer has a longstanding personal fondness for. Delivers extra mid-bass thump and attack that makes instruments “jump out,” giving an engaging, lively character at lower listening volumes. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±60-70°, right in the reviewer’s preferred range for an enveloping soundstage. Compression holds up well to about 95-96dB before real issues appear. Attractive build quality and finish options.
Cons: Sounds notably bright, thumpy, and fatiguing pointed directly on-axis; needs about 30° of toe-out to bring the high-frequency lift into better balance. A peak around 2kHz combined with a recessed midrange and a dip around 3-4kHz makes vocals sound hollow while accentuating that same 2kHz energy, especially noticeable at higher listening volumes (75-85dB). The bass bump around 100Hz measures 3-5dB, more than the reviewer’s preferred 1-2dB range, adding more mid-bass emphasis than he’d like. Even toed off-axis, the speaker still reads as bright in a typical room with sidewall reflections - the reviewer recommends adding 2-4” acoustic absorption panels at the first reflection points. The ScanSpeak Revelator woofer (an older, though well-regarded, drive unit design) carries some inherent resonance and elevated second-order distortion, independently corroborated by third-party raw driver measurements - crossing over to a subwoofer at 80Hz doesn’t fully resolve it since it’s a driver characteristic rather than a bass-loading issue. Vertical listening window is limited (about ±10-20°) due to the curved baffle, and angling your ears upward toward the tweeter rather than keeping them level with it causes a suckout in the upper-mid/tweeter region. Bass output (about 60Hz extension) noticeably drops at higher volumes due to compression. Moderate sensitivity (about 83dB) paired with a 4.4-ohm minimum impedance means a genuinely powerful amplifier is needed to avoid potential heat issues driving it hard. Discontinued.
Full Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 48Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 16.9"H x 7.9"W x 16.3"D (430.0 x 200.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" tweeter + 6.5" woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 34.2 lbs / 15.5 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator: $1499 Audio Advice
Pros: Solid bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 63Hz, F10 43Hz), reaching about 50Hz in-room. Decent sensitivity and wide, consistent horizontal dispersion (~60-70 degrees) - better directivity than expected for a two-way design. Gorgeous, luxury-grade cabinet design.
Cons: Very bright treble, running 3-6dB above the midrange depending on measurement angle - independently corroborated by other owners online, not just one reviewer’s opinion. Causes audible sibilance and a forward, grainy character. Notably the brightest of three Sonus Faber models Erin’s Audio Corner has tested, even brighter than the brand’s own Sonetto II G2. A mechanical resonance/ringing artifact shows up around 1kHz in measurements. Needs a subwoofer for anything below about 50Hz.
Full Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Country of Origin | Italy (Vicenza) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz |
| Dimensions | 12" x 7.1" x 10.4" (304 x 180 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.14" DAD (Damped Apex Dome) tweeter, 5.9" paper cone woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs / 5.8 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, ported |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons