Short answer: the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2, if you are buying new. The JBL HDI-1600 ranks higher than it (#53 vs #168 of 203 bookshelf speakers, 4.2/5 vs 3.1/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 is still sold new at $3,500.
What the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 does well: 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. Watch for: Sounds notably bright pointed directly on-axis; toeing the speaker out about 30° reduces treble energy and sibilance meaningfully.
The JBL HDI-1600 is the more accurate, deeper-bass option. CEA2034 spinorama is very flat in the critical mid-to-upper frequencies, with a slight bass boost that should have a good subjective effect and very smooth early-window directivity. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.37 against 4.25 for the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2. Its bass reaches about 55.7Hz before falling 3dB, against 62Hz for the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2. The tradeoff: A dip appears above 10kHz on-axis.
Buy the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2, since the JBL HDI-1600 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 | JBL HDI-1600 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3500 per pair | $1980 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #168 of 203 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #53 of 203 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 40Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 55.7Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 1x 6.5” mid-woofer (paper cone), 1x 1.1” (28mm) DAD soft dome tweeter | 1” tweeter + 6.5” woofer |
| Weight | 38.4 lbs (17.4 kg) | 53.4 lbs (24.2 kg) |
| Dimensions | 16.3”H x 8.9”W x 14”D (414.3 x 227.0 x 355.6 mm) | 14.6”H x 9.1”W x 11.4”D (370.0 x 230.0 x 288.9 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.25 | 5.37 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.54 | 7.32 (spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2: $3500 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Older model: the Sonus Faber Sonetto II (ranked lower, rated 3/5).
Same family: the Sonus Faber Sonetto I G2 (smaller bookshelf, estimated 3/5), the Sonus Faber Sonetto III G2 (smaller floorstanding, estimated 3.2/5), the Sonus Faber Sonetto V G2 (larger floorstanding, estimated 3.3/5) and the Sonus Faber Sonetto Center G2 (center, estimated 3/5).
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 the Sonus Faber Lumina II, 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 Sonus Faber Lumina II), 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 Sonus Faber Lumina II. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 87dB.
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) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.25 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.54 |
| Weight | 38.4 lbs (17.4 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
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JBL HDI-1600: $1980 per pair Discontinued Crutchfield eBay
Same family: the JBL HDI-3600 (smaller floorstanding, rated 4.3/5), the JBL HDI-3800 (larger floorstanding, rated 4.5/5) and the JBL HDI-4500 (center, rated 3.7/5).
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama is very flat in the critical mid-to-upper frequencies, with a slight bass boost that should have a good subjective effect and very smooth early-window directivity. Predicted in-room response in a simulated average listening room closely tracks the reviewer’s own preferred target curve. Measured bass extension of 55.7Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85dB.
Cons: A dip appears above 10kHz on-axis. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) shows some messiness around the crossover along with a 700Hz resonance. Harmonic distortion rises to nearly 2% right at the 1.9kHz crossover point at 96dB SPL/1m. Discontinued.
Full JBL HDI-1600 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 55.7Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14.6”H x 9.1”W x 11.4”D (370.0 x 230.0 x 288.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” tweeter + 6.5” woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.37 (spinorama.org) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.32 (spinorama.org) |
| Weight | 53.4 lbs (24.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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