Short answer: the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator, if you are buying new. The Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 measures as well as it (#105 vs #107 of 131 bookshelf speakers, 3.0/5 vs 3.0/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator is still sold new at $2,000.
What the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 does well: 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.
Why pick the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator: 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 Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator, since the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 | Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2499 per pair Discontinued | $2000 per pair |
| Ranked | #105 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #107 of 131 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) |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.72 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.34 | - |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 2600Hz |
| Recommended Power | - | 30W - 150W |
| Country | - | Italy (Vicenza) |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Pylon Jasper Monitor 18: $2499 per pair Discontinued eBay
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. Measured bass extension of 48Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.
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) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 16.9”H x 7.9”W x 16.3”D (430.0 x 200.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.72 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.34 |
| Weight | 34.2 lbs (15.5 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator: $2000 per pair Crutchfield eBay
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. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.9dB.
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 | Italy (Vicenza) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| 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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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