Short answer: the Polk Reserve R100. Both are rated 3.4/5 for sound quality (#96 and #94 of 134 bookshelf speakers), and the Polk Reserve R100 costs $699 against $1,600 for the Sonus Faber Lumina II, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
Buy the Polk Reserve R100. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $901 less than the Sonus Faber Lumina II.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonus Faber Lumina II | Polk Reserve R100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,600 per pair | $699.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #94 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #96 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 29mm DAD dome tweeter, 150mm paper cone mid-woofer | 1” Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter; 5.25” Turbine Cone midwoofer |
| Crossover Frequency | 1800Hz | - |
| Dimensions | 12” x 7.1” x 10.4” (304 x 180 x 263 mm) | 12.8”H x 6.5”W x 10.2”D |
| Weight | 12.5 lbs (5.65 kg) each | 12.1 lbs (5.5 kg) each |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 3.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; matches manufacturer spec) | 85dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 49Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.81 | 5.46 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.10 | 7.93 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported, rear X-Port |
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- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Perlisten S4b
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- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs AsciLab C6B
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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: $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
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- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Focal Aria 906
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Revel Performa M22
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- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
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Polk Reserve R100: $699.00 per pair Amazon Polk Audio eBay
Pros: Compact cabinet, unusually useful bass for its size and well-controlled woofer breakup. Erin measured F3/F10 points of 68Hz/49Hz, and the X-Port vent avoids much of the chuffing and pipe resonance common to budget rear ports. The 5.25-inch Turbine Cone woofer and 1-inch Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter produce good detail at moderate levels, while listening roughly 20° off-axis reduces part of the elevated top octave. Measured bass extension of 68Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85dB.
Cons: Erin measured only about 85dB sensitivity and the impedance reaches 3.6 ohms, so it is neither efficient nor an entirely benign AVR load. The treble runs roughly 3dB above the midrange and becomes aggressive above about 85dB SPL. A directivity discontinuity through the woofer/tweeter crossover means EQ cannot fully repair the power response, and a 400Hz impedance feature plus 500Hz-1kHz response irregularity suggests a cabinet or system resonance. Substantial low-frequency compression at higher playback levels limits clean dynamics.
Full Polk Reserve R100 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12.8”H x 6.5”W x 10.2”D |
| Drivers | 1” Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter; 5.25” Turbine Cone midwoofer |
| Impedance | 3.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.46 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.93 |
| Weight | 12.1 lbs (5.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear X-Port |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Focal Aria 906
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Revel Performa M22
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Polk Monitor XT20
- Polk Reserve R100 vs HSU Research MFL-6
- Polk Reserve R100 vs KEF Q3 Meta
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Polk R200
- Polk Reserve R100 vs SVS Prime Bookshelf
- Polk Reserve R100 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- See all 30 comparisons