Short answer: the Revel Performa M22. It ranks #68 of 100 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $600; the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 ranks #74 and costs $3500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Revel Performa M22 offers: Very flat frequency response from 200hz to 10khz. Watch for: 3dB bass boost around 100hz.
On the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 side: Two-way design with a 1.125” damped Apex Dome silk tweeter and 6.5” cone woofer, using a base of concrete, aluminum, and steel with under-cabinet venting. Set against that: Sounds notably bright pointed directly on-axis; toeing the speaker out about 30° reduces treble energy and sibilance meaningfully.
Buy the Revel Performa M22. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Revel Performa M22 | Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About $600 used | $3500 |
| Ranked | #68 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #74 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 62Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB | 87dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + 200mm woofer | 1x 6.5" mid-woofer (paper cone), 1x 1.1" (28mm) DAD soft dome tweeter |
| Weight | 41.7 lbs / 18.9 kg | 38.4 lbs / 17.4 kg |
| Dimensions | 14.5"H x 8.6"W x 11.9"D (368.3 x 219.1 x 301.6 mm) | 16.3"H x 8.9"W x 14"D (414.3 x 227.0 x 355.6 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, front |
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- Dynaudio Special Forty vs Polk R200
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
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The Two Speakers In Full
Revel Performa M22: About $600 used
Pros: Very flat frequency response from 200hz to 10khz. Distortion is well controlled through most of the range, with only a modest crossover-region bump around 2-4kHz.
Cons: 3dB bass boost around 100hz. On-axis response also droops below 150Hz and peaks above 4kHz, which the reviewer thought may sound a bit bright/light. Distortion rises substantially below 100Hz when driven hard.
Full Revel Performa M22 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 58Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 14.5"H x 8.6"W x 11.9"D (368.3 x 219.1 x 301.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + 200mm woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 85dB |
| Weight | 41.7 lbs / 18.9 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Revel Performa M22 vs Polk R200
- Revel Performa M22 vs Focal Aria 906
- Revel Performa M22 vs Polk Reserve R100
- Revel Performa M22 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
- Revel Performa M22 vs Polk Monitor XT20
- Revel Performa M22 vs JBL XPL-90
- Revel Performa M22 vs KEF Q3 Meta
- Revel Performa M22 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
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Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2: $3500 Crutchfield
Pros: Two-way design with a 1.125” damped Apex Dome silk tweeter and 6.5” cone woofer, using a base of concrete, aluminum, and steel with under-cabinet venting. Notably more neutral than Sonus Faber’s own Lumina 2, which runs 2-5dB hotter in the treble. Horizontal directivity narrows at a fairly constant, well-behaved rate rather than narrowing-then-widening-then-narrowing like some rivals (including the Lumina 2), meaning sidewall reflections match the direct sound well enough that the reviewer doesn’t recommend sidewall absorption for this speaker. The tweeter-to-woofer crossover handoff around 3kHz looks clean, suggesting a higher-order crossover than typical for the size/price class. Good dynamic range - the low end loses only about 2dB from 76dB to 96dB, otherwise holding up well. Not a difficult amplifier load (about 4.2 ohms minimum impedance). Bass extension reaches a genuine 50Hz in-room, fuller than the Lumina 2.
Cons: Sounds notably bright pointed directly on-axis; toeing the speaker out about 30° reduces treble energy and sibilance meaningfully. A resonance around 700Hz gives vocals a slightly nasal, hollow quality. A dip in the upper midrange (roughly 1-2kHz) reduces perceived detail and attack, while the elevated treble can read as “analytical” or “detailed” to some listeners despite being a coloration rather than true resolution. Needs more clearance from the rear wall than some rivals - about 1.5-2 feet in an ideal room, more or less depending on your specific room modes - or the 80-120Hz region can become boomy. Vertical listening window is limited to about ±10-15° from the tweeter axis. Some unexplained directivity irregularities appear around 1.2kHz and 1.6kHz, possibly port-related, along with a longer decay in the 800Hz-1600Hz range in burst-decay measurements. Multitone distortion approaches the reviewer’s 3% threshold through the midrange, though likely not obviously audible without direct A/B comparison. A resonance in the cabinet appears around 400Hz in impedance measurements.
Full Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 16.3"H x 8.9"W x 14"D (414.3 x 227.0 x 355.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 6.5" mid-woofer (paper cone), 1x 1.1" (28mm) DAD soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 38.4 lbs / 17.4 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Audio Craftsmen Victoria
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- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs KEF Q350
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs JBL XPL-90
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