Short answer: the Sonus Faber Lumina II. It ranks #94 of 134 bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 3.4/5) at $1,600 and is still sold new; the Focal Aria 906 ranks #97 (rated 3.3/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
Buy the Sonus Faber Lumina II. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Focal Aria 906 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonus Faber Lumina II | Focal Aria 906 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,600 per pair | $2,199.00 per pair used, Discontinued |
| Ranked | #94 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #97 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 29mm DAD dome tweeter, 150mm paper cone mid-woofer | 26mm tweeter + 165mm mid-woofer |
| Crossover Frequency | 1800Hz | - |
| Dimensions | 12” x 7.1” x 10.4” (304 x 180 x 263 mm) | 15.4”H x 8.9”W x 11”D (390.0 x 225.0 x 280.0 mm) |
| Weight | 12.5 lbs (5.65 kg) each | 39.9 lbs (18.1 kg) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal (4.8 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; matches manufacturer spec) | 86.5dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 63Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.81 | 4.64 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.10 | 7.00 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported, front |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sonus Faber Lumina II:
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Perlisten S4b
- KEF Reference 1 Meta vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs AsciLab C6B
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
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: $1,600 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Handmade in Italy with a gloss-finished front baffle and black leather-wrapped cabinet: genuinely nice-looking speaker with real brand cachet. Bass extension is competitive for the size, reaching about 50 Hz in-room with mild compression and good distortion figures, so higher output levels and greater listening distances aren’t a problem down to that point. About 20 dB of dynamic range at typical listening levels (73 dB at 4m), which comfortably covers most music without the tonal balance shifting as instruments and vocals peak. Off-axis behavior is consistent: toeing the speakers 20-30 degrees out doesn’t meaningfully change the in-room high-frequency character, so placement flexibility is good once you’ve dialed in the tonal balance. Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86dB.
Cons: Not a neutral speaker: has a persistent high-frequency boost/lift that makes it sound forward and bright, present whether pointed directly at the listener or toed out. A slightly nasal quality traced to a resonance around 1 kHz that EQ can address. The reviewer needed to trim treble by about 4 dB on his preamp to get the tonal balance he wanted, meaning most listeners will want equalization available to fully enjoy this speaker. At roughly the same $1,000ish price point, alternatives like the Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 V2 measure more linear (with a tradeoff in distortion and crossover-region directivity), and the Dynaudio Emit 20 offers deeper bass extension and lower compression at the cost of a more deliberately colored tonal signature.
Full Sonus Faber Lumina II review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1800Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12” x 7.1” x 10.4” (304 x 180 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 29mm DAD dome tweeter, 150mm paper cone mid-woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; matches manufacturer spec) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.81 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.10 |
| Weight | 12.5 lbs (5.65 kg) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Polk Monitor XT20
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs XTZ Spirit 4
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs KEF Q3 Meta
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Polk Reserve R100
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Revel Performa M22
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs SVS Prime Bookshelf
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Dynaudio Special Forty
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Focal Aria 906: $2,199.00 per pair used Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Focal Aria Evo X N°1. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows very flat bass response, with the reviewer rating overall performance “good.” Predicted in-room response is almost perfect prior to 1kHz. Horizontal dispersion of about ±60 degrees is good and stays even out to about -12dB before getting erratic. Woofer distortion is quite low at 86dB SPL/1m. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.5dB.
Cons: 3dB dip around 2.8kHz. Some resonance around 800Hz, small directivity error around 7kHz. A dip in the upper midrange also shows up in the predicted in-room response. Distortion becomes problematic at 96dB SPL/1m, with a notable peak around 1.3-1.5kHz alongside broader midrange elevation. Discontinued.
Full Focal Aria 906 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 15.4”H x 8.9”W x 11”D (390.0 x 225.0 x 280.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 26mm tweeter + 165mm mid-woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.8 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.5dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.64 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.00 |
| Weight | 39.9 lbs (18.1 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons