Short answer: the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator. It ranks #77 of 100 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $2000; the B&W 805S ranks #81 and costs $2500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator side: Solid bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 63Hz, F10 43Hz), reaching about 50Hz in-room. Set against that: 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.
The case for the B&W 805S: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. The tradeoff: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz - a wide crossover-region flaw the reviewer called “clearly flawed execution” that leaves vocals sounding recessed.
Buy the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator. It ranks higher for sound quality than the B&W 805S and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 100 bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator | B&W 805S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2000 | $2500 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #77 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #81 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 1.14" DAD (Damped Apex Dome) tweeter, 5.9" paper cone woofer | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5" woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs / 5.8 kg | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Dimensions | 12" x 7.1" x 10.4" (304 x 180 x 263 mm) | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, ported | ported, rear |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W | - |
| Country of Origin | Italy (Vicenza) | - |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Power Handling | - | 50-120W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs KEF Q350
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Triangle Borea BR03
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Klipsch RP-600M
- Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs B&W 805S
The Two Speakers In Full
Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator: $2000 Crutchfield
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
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs KEF Q350
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Klipsch RP-600M
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Pylon Jasper Monitor 18
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Triangle Borea BR03
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Aperion Audio Verus V8B
- See all 12 comparisons
B&W 805S: $2500 Discontinued
Pros: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. Horizontal beamwidth stays reasonably smooth through -6dB. Build quality has enough of a “quality feel” that the reviewer said it kept the speaker from the lowest possible rating.
Cons: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz - a wide crossover-region flaw the reviewer called “clearly flawed execution” that leaves vocals sounding recessed and masked without EQ correction. A high 4kHz crossover point appears to leave the tweeter’s small sub-enclosure resonating audibly during playback. Discontinued, superseded by the 805 Diamond/805 D4 series. Discontinued.
Full B&W 805S review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5" woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W |
| Sensitivity | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons