Short answer: the Lumina II Amator, narrowly, because the B&W’s crossover flaw is the worse problem. The Lumina reaches F3 63Hz and F10 43Hz, about 50Hz in-room, but runs 3-6dB bright in the treble. The 805S plays very loud with well-controlled bass distortion, yet its CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly from around 1kHz to 3kHz, which the reviewer called clearly flawed execution.
Buy the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the B&W 805S is discontinued.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator | B&W 805S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2000 per pair | $2,500 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #110 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #114 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 35.6Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 46.9Hz (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 | Italy (Vicenza) | - |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Power Handling | - | 50-120W |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 4.12 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 6.07 |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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
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
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B&W 805S: $2,500 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the B&W 805 D4. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
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. Measured bass extension of 46.9Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.5dB.
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.
Full B&W 805S review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35.6Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 46.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.12 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.07 |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons