Short answer: the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 for better sound quality, the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 for the lower price. The Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 ranks #68 of 84 bookshelf speakers at $3500. The Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 ranks #69 at $2499, $1001 cheaper.
What the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 offers: 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.
What the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 offers: Premium two-way monitor using a ScanSpeak Revelator midwoofer and ScanSpeak tweeter, drivers the reviewer has a longstanding personal fondness for. Watch for: Sounds notably bright, thumpy, and fatiguing pointed directly on-axis; needs about 30° of toe-out to bring the high-frequency lift into better balance.
Buy the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 84 bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 | Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3500 | $2499 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #68 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #69 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 48Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 4.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 83dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| 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 | 34.2 lbs / 15.5 kg |
| Dimensions | 16.3"H x 8.9"W x 14"D (414.3 x 227.0 x 355.6 mm) | 16.9"H x 7.9"W x 16.3"D (430.0 x 200.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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- McIntosh XR50 vs Audio Craftsmen Victoria
- Dynaudio Contour 20i vs Audio Craftsmen Victoria
- KEF Q350 vs HSU Research CCB-8
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Pylon Jasper Monitor 18
The Two Speakers In Full
Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2: $3500 Crutchfield
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 Sonus Faber’s own Lumina 2, 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 Lumina 2), 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 Lumina 2.
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) |
| 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) |
| Weight | 38.4 lbs / 17.4 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
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Pylon Jasper Monitor 18: $2499 Discontinued
Pros: Premium two-way monitor using a ScanSpeak Revelator midwoofer and ScanSpeak tweeter, drivers the reviewer has a longstanding personal fondness for. Delivers extra mid-bass thump and attack that makes instruments “jump out,” giving an engaging, lively character at lower listening volumes. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±60-70°, right in the reviewer’s preferred range for an enveloping soundstage. Compression holds up well to about 95-96dB before real issues appear. Attractive build quality and finish options.
Cons: Sounds notably bright, thumpy, and fatiguing pointed directly on-axis; needs about 30° of toe-out to bring the high-frequency lift into better balance. A peak around 2kHz combined with a recessed midrange and a dip around 3-4kHz makes vocals sound hollow while accentuating that same 2kHz energy, especially noticeable at higher listening volumes (75-85dB). The bass bump around 100Hz measures 3-5dB, more than the reviewer’s preferred 1-2dB range, adding more mid-bass emphasis than he’d like. Even toed off-axis, the speaker still reads as bright in a typical room with sidewall reflections - the reviewer recommends adding 2-4” acoustic absorption panels at the first reflection points. The ScanSpeak Revelator woofer (an older, though well-regarded, drive unit design) carries some inherent resonance and elevated second-order distortion, independently corroborated by third-party raw driver measurements - crossing over to a subwoofer at 80Hz doesn’t fully resolve it since it’s a driver characteristic rather than a bass-loading issue. Vertical listening window is limited (about ±10-20°) due to the curved baffle, and angling your ears upward toward the tweeter rather than keeping them level with it causes a suckout in the upper-mid/tweeter region. Bass output (about 60Hz extension) noticeably drops at higher volumes due to compression. Moderate sensitivity (about 83dB) paired with a 4.4-ohm minimum impedance means a genuinely powerful amplifier is needed to avoid potential heat issues driving it hard. Discontinued.
Full Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 48Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 16.9"H x 7.9"W x 16.3"D (430.0 x 200.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" tweeter + 6.5" woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 34.2 lbs / 15.5 kg |
| 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