Sonus faber Lumina III - Black - Walnut - Wenge

Description

The Compact Format of a True Sonus faber 3-Way

The Lumina III is the compact floorstanding loudspeaker of the Lumina collection, Sonus faber's entry-level passive lineup. Its proposition is clear: offer a true 3-way system (with a dedicated midrange driver, not a 2.5-way design) in a format that fits medium-sized listening rooms. At 98.9 cm tall, 22.8 cm wide, and 15.9 kg per speaker, it takes the physical space of a much more modest speaker while delivering the full house acoustic architecture. Hand-built in the Sonus faber workshops in Vicenza, Italy.

3-Way: 29 mm DAD™, 150 mm Midrange, Dual 150 mm Woofers

The tweeter is a 29 mm DAD™ (Damped Apex Dome) silk dome with a hand-coated Kurtmueller diaphragm, ferrite motor, and visco-elastic baffle decoupling. It is identical to the one used in the other Lumina models and in the Sonetto collection. The 150 mm midrange uses the proprietary Sonus faber natural-fiber-and-paper blend membrane, air-dried — inherited from the Sonetto models. The two 150 mm woofers were designed specifically for the Lumina III: paper pulp cone chosen for timbral coherence with the midrange and tweeter.

Down-Firing Bass-Reflex Port

The bass-reflex port is placed at the base of the cabinet, firing toward the floor. This architectural choice makes placement noticeably more flexible than a traditional rear-firing port: the Lumina III can be installed close to a back wall without the bass becoming muddy or imprecise. A concrete advantage for integration into a real living room, where optimal placement is not always possible.

Para-cross™ Crossover with Two Points

The crossover network uses the traditional Sonus faber Para-cross™ topology, optimized for aligned amplitude and phase response at both crossover points (350 Hz between the woofers and the midrange, 3,500 Hz between the midrange and the tweeter). Components selected in the Hi-Fi category.

Squared Cabinet, 4 Binding Posts for Bi-Wiring

The cabinet adopts the squared shape signature of the Lumina collection, finished in a wood veneer. The four binding posts (Mid-Hi and Low pairs) allow bi-wiring or bi-amplification. Floor decoupling via adjustable iron spikes included.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference from the Lumina V?

The Lumina V is the larger sibling in the collection: taller (104.9 cm vs 98.9 cm), heavier (22.5 kg vs 15.9 kg), with dual 165 mm sandwich-structure woofers (vs 150 mm paper-pulp-cone woofers on the III) and a more elaborate hybrid IFF-Paracross crossover (vs the traditional Para-cross™ on the III). The Lumina V reaches down to 38 Hz and absorbs up to 300 W; the III reaches 40 Hz and absorbs up to 250 W. The tweeter and midrange are identical on both models.

Why a true 3-way in such a compact format?

A true 3-way retains a dedicated driver for the midrange (human voices, acoustic instruments), which is therefore not contaminated by mechanical vibrations from the bass drivers. It is a rare architectural choice in a compact format — most competitors at this level adopt a 2- or 2.5-way design. The Lumina III retains this architecture to preserve the vocal purity characteristic of Sonus faber.

Can it be placed close to a wall?

Yes, more easily than most floorstanders in its category. The bass-reflex port fires toward the floor (instead of the rear), which significantly reduces sensitivity to placement. Sonus faber states that the Lumina III delivers high-quality sound even when placed close to a back wall. A clearance of 15 to 30 cm is still recommended for optimal soundstage.

Which amplifier should I choose?

The Lumina III has 89 dB sensitivity and 4 Ω nominal impedance. Sonus faber recommends a power range of 50 to 250 W per channel. A mid-range integrated amplifier from 50 W is a great fit. The four binding posts also allow bi-wiring or bi-amplification for those who want to optimize the separation between the bass and mid-high registers.

What's in the Box

Sonus faber Lumina III Floorstanding Loudspeakers (pair)

Magnetic grilles

Iron spikes and protective shoes

Owner's manual