Audio T Verdict
The Sonus faber Lumina III is a very sensible way into floorstanding Sonus faber ownership. At just under a metre tall and only 228mm wide, it gives you a proper three-way loudspeaker with a dedicated midrange and twin bass drivers without demanding the space of a large tower.
Its biggest advantage over the standmount Lumina models is not simply deeper bass. Separating the midrange from the bass drivers allows each part of the speaker to concentrate on a narrower section of the frequency range, while the 89dB sensitivity makes Lumina III noticeably easier to drive than the smaller Lumina I and II. The down-firing reflex port also gives it useful flexibility in real living rooms where pulling a pair of floorstanders a long way from the wall is not always practical.
We would see Lumina III as particularly well suited to medium-sized rooms and customers who want greater bass scale and dynamic ease than a standmount can provide, but do not need the larger cabinet and deeper extension of Lumina V. Partner it with a good amplifier that is genuinely comfortable into 4 ohms and it can form the heart of a very elegant vinyl, CD or streaming system.
Sonus faber Lumina III Floorstanding Speakers
Sonus faber Lumina III is a compact three-way floorstanding loudspeaker combining a 29mm D.A.D. soft-dome tweeter, dedicated 150mm paper-cone midrange and two 150mm paper-cone woofers in a slim vented enclosure.
It sits between the Lumina standmount models and the larger Lumina V, offering a significant increase in low-frequency scale and dynamic capability while keeping the cabinet relatively narrow and easy to accommodate.
The Lumina Collection is built in Sonus faber's factory in Vicenza, Italy and deliberately uses a simpler squared cabinet than the company's more elaborate curved designs. Natural materials remain central, with multilayer wood, real wood veneer, black leather and natural-fibre driver diaphragms used throughout.
- Current Sonus faber Lumina Collection model
- Three-way floorstanding loudspeaker
- Made in Vicenza, Italy
- Vented-box design
- Base-mounted down-firing reflex port
- 29mm high-definition D.A.D. tweeter
- Damped Apex Dome technology
- Hand-coated soft silk tweeter diaphragm
- Ferrite tweeter motor
- Visco-elastically decoupled tweeter
- Dedicated 150mm paper-cone midrange
- Natural-fibre and paper midrange diaphragm
- Twin 150mm paper-cone woofers
- 350Hz and 3500Hz crossover frequencies
- Para-cross topology
- Amplitude and phase-optimised crossover
- 40Hz–24kHz frequency response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 4-ohm nominal impedance
- 50–250W recommended amplifier power
- Four binding posts
- Bi-wire and bi-amp capability
- Iron spike floor coupling
- Multilayer wood front baffle
- Black leather cabinet covering
- Piano Black finish
- Walnut with maple inlays
- Wenge with maple inlays
- 989mm height
- 228mm width
- 277mm depth
- 15.9kg per speaker
- Suitable for medium-sized rooms
- Suitable for stereo and multichannel systems
A Proper Three-Way Floorstander
Lumina III is the first three-way loudspeaker as you move up through the standard Lumina range.
Unlike Lumina I and Lumina II, where one driver handles both bass and midrange, Lumina III separates those duties between a dedicated midrange driver and two woofers.
Why Three-Way?
A three-way design allows each driver to operate across a more specialised part of the frequency range.
In Lumina III:
- The twin woofers concentrate on low frequencies
- The dedicated 150mm midrange handles the musically critical middle frequencies
- The 29mm D.A.D. tweeter takes over the treble
This reduces the need for one driver to reproduce an exceptionally broad bandwidth and allows the crossover to divide the workload more precisely.
A Dedicated Midrange Matters
Midrange is where much of the information that makes music immediately recognisable lives.
Vocals, guitars, piano, strings and brass all rely heavily on this region.
Giving Lumina III a dedicated midrange driver means that unit is not simultaneously being asked to generate the deepest bass.
150mm Paper-Cone Midrange
The 150mm dedicated midrange is derived from technology developed for Sonus faber's Sonetto family.
Its diaphragm uses Sonus faber's proprietary blend of paper and natural fibres, which is air dried during production.
Why Paper and Natural Fibres?
Paper-based diaphragms remain useful because they can combine:
- Low moving mass
- Useful stiffness
- Natural self-damping
- Controlled resonant behaviour
Those properties are particularly valuable in the midrange, where unwanted cone colouration can be especially easy to hear through voices and acoustic instruments.
Derived From Sonetto
The midrange gives Lumina III a stronger technical link to higher Sonus faber ranges than its relatively accessible position might initially suggest.
Sonus faber developed the unit from solutions used within Sonetto rather than treating Lumina as a completely isolated entry-level project.
Twin 150mm Woofers
Low frequencies are handled by two dedicated 150mm paper-cone woofers.
These were developed specifically for the Lumina range and share a paper-pulp philosophy with the midrange to help maintain consistent material behaviour throughout the lower and middle frequency ranges.
Why Two Bass Drivers?
Using two 150mm woofers provides substantially more radiating area than one driver of the same diameter.
This contributes to:
- Greater bass output
- Lower-frequency extension
- More physical impact
- Greater dynamic headroom
- Lower excursion demand on each individual woofer
Why Not Use One Huge Woofer?
Two smaller woofers allow Sonus faber to keep the front baffle slim.
A narrow cabinet is easier to accommodate visually and also influences the way sound disperses through the upper frequencies.
40Hz Bass Response
Lumina III is specified from 40Hz to 24,000Hz.
Forty hertz is deep enough to cover a substantial amount of musical bass without automatically requiring a subwoofer.
What Does 40Hz Cover?
Lumina III can reproduce useful fundamental bass from:
- Bass guitar
- Kick drum
- Double bass
- Piano
- Cello
- Many orchestral bass instruments
- Rock and electronic music
Does Lumina III Need a Subwoofer?
For most stereo music systems, not necessarily.
The twin woofers and 40Hz published response already provide substantially deeper extension than Lumina I or Lumina II.
A subwoofer becomes more useful where:
- You want strong sub-30Hz output
- You listen extensively to electronic music
- Pipe organ is important
- You want more low-frequency headroom
- You use Lumina III in a home cinema system
- Your room is particularly large
Don't Add a Subwoofer Before Optimising the Speakers
Lumina III already reaches to 40Hz, so room position can make a substantial difference to perceived bass. Set the speakers up properly first, then decide whether deeper extension is genuinely required.
Using a Subwoofer for Music
A correctly integrated subwoofer can still improve a Lumina III system.
The aim should be to extend the speakers rather than simply add more bass.
Pay attention to:
- Crossover frequency
- Subwoofer level
- Phase
- Position
Using a Subwoofer for Home Cinema
For film soundtracks, a subwoofer becomes far more important because the dedicated LFE channel can contain energy well below the natural operating range of conventional floorstanding loudspeakers.
29mm D.A.D. Tweeter
High frequencies are handled by Sonus faber's 29mm high-definition D.A.D. tweeter.
D.A.D. stands for Damped Apex Dome.
What Does Damped Apex Dome Mean?
A textile dome is lightweight and naturally well damped, but it does not remain perfectly rigid at every frequency.
At very high frequencies, the centre of the diaphragm can begin behaving differently from the rest of the dome.
Sonus faber's D.A.D. structure controls the apex of the diaphragm to reduce this behaviour.
Soft Silk Diaphragm
The tweeter uses a 29mm Kurtmueller hand-coated soft silk diaphragm.
The material combines very low mass with useful natural damping and is central to the high-frequency approach used throughout much of the Lumina and Sonetto ranges.
Ferrite Magnet System
A ferrite magnetic motor controls movement of the tweeter voice coil and dome.
Visco-Elastic Tweeter Decoupling
Sonus faber mechanically decouples the tweeter from the surrounding front baffle using a visco-elastic interface.
This helps isolate the high-frequency assembly from vibration generated by the much larger midrange and bass drivers.
Why Is This Particularly Useful in a Floorstander?
Lumina III contains three 150mm cone drivers beneath the tweeter.
Those drivers move substantially more air and generate more mechanical energy than a single standmount midwoofer.
Reducing the amount of that energy transferred into the tweeter gives the high-frequency assembly a more controlled mechanical environment.
350Hz Lower Crossover
The twin woofers hand over to the dedicated midrange at 350Hz.
This keeps the bass drivers focused primarily on low frequencies while allowing the dedicated midrange to handle voices and instruments through the critical central part of the spectrum.
3500Hz Upper Crossover
The midrange then hands over to the D.A.D. tweeter at 3500Hz.
This means the 150mm midrange driver covers a broad but deliberately controlled operating range between the bass and treble sections.
Para-Cross Topology
Sonus faber uses what it describes as Para-cross topology in the Lumina III crossover.
The network is optimised for both amplitude and phase behaviour, not simply frequency division.
Why Crossover Phase Matters
Each driver contributes acoustic output around its crossover region.
The electrical network therefore has to manage the way those outputs combine at the listening position.
Poor phase integration can affect:
- Image focus
- Voice positioning
- Soundstage depth
- Frequency balance
- Perceived coherence
Three Drivers Working as One
The aim of good three-way crossover design is not to make each drive unit obvious.
A properly integrated Lumina III should present music as a coherent source rather than drawing attention to separate bass, midrange and treble sections.
89dB Sensitivity
Lumina III is rated at 89dB sensitivity for 2.83V measured at one metre.
This makes it considerably more sensitive than Lumina I and Lumina II.
Why Higher Sensitivity Helps
A more sensitive speaker requires less amplifier voltage to produce a given acoustic output.
That can provide:
- More useful headroom
- Greater flexibility with amplifier choice
- Easier room-filling output
- Less demand at ordinary listening levels
4-Ohm Nominal Impedance
Lumina III has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms.
That means amplifier current delivery still matters despite the relatively generous sensitivity.
89dB Does Not Mean Any Amplifier Will Do
The sensitivity figure is only one part of amplifier matching.
A 4-ohm loudspeaker can demand more current than a nominal 8-ohm model, so the amplifier should remain stable and controlled into lower impedances.
50–250W Recommended Amplification
Sonus faber recommends 50 to 250 watts per channel with an undistorted signal.
This unusually broad range makes Lumina III compatible with a wide variety of integrated amplifiers and pre/power combinations.
Will a 50W Amplifier Work?
Yes.
A good 50W amplifier sits at the lower end of the manufacturer's recommended range and can be entirely appropriate in a normal domestic room.
What About 70–100W?
This is a very sensible region for a quality integrated amplifier.
It gives useful headroom while still leaving a wide choice of electronics.
Would 150W Be Too Much?
No.
A properly controlled 150W amplifier remains comfortably inside Sonus faber's recommendation.
Can I Use 250W?
Yes. That is the upper end of the manufacturer's current published range.
As always, sensible volume control remains important.
Why Undistorted Power Matters
Sonus faber specifically states that the recommended power should be undistorted.
An amplifier driven heavily into clipping can be more dangerous to loudspeakers than a more powerful amplifier operating comfortably within its limits.
Current Delivery Still Matters
Lumina III's 89dB sensitivity is useful, but its nominal 4-ohm impedance means amplifier quality remains important. Look beyond the headline wattage and consider how confidently the amplifier drives lower-impedance loudspeakers.
Solid-State Amplifiers
A quality solid-state integrated amplifier is a natural partner for Lumina III.
The broad 50–250W recommendation means there is plenty of choice from relatively compact integrated designs through to substantial pre/power systems.
Class D Amplifiers
A well-engineered Class D amplifier can also work extremely well, particularly where high output and compact electronics are useful.
Valve Amplifiers
Suitable valve amplifiers are possible thanks to the 89dB sensitivity, but the nominal 4-ohm load still needs to be considered.
If the amplifier provides multiple impedance taps, follow its manufacturer's recommendations.
Streaming Amplifiers
A premium streaming amplifier can make a very neat partner for Lumina III.
Network playback, DAC and amplification can all be combined in one chassis while the floorstanders provide a conventional passive loudspeaker system.
Pre/Power Amplification
Lumina III can also justify more ambitious electronics.
Separate preamplifier and power amplifier combinations may offer greater power-supply capacity and dynamic headroom, particularly in larger rooms.
Good for Vinyl?
Yes.
The dedicated midrange and deeper bass response make Lumina III particularly attractive for turntable systems where natural voices, instruments and full-range tonal balance matter.
Good for Streaming?
Absolutely.
A good network streamer and amplifier can form a highly capable modern system around Lumina III.
Good for CD?
Yes.
A quality CD player or transport and DAC can exploit the speaker's combination of dedicated midrange, bass extension and stereo imaging.
Good for Vocals?
Vocals are one of the most obvious reasons to use a dedicated midrange driver.
Much of the voice is reproduced by the 150mm midrange without asking the same diaphragm to generate the deepest bass.
Good for Jazz?
Yes.
The twin woofers give double bass and drums physical weight, while the dedicated midrange handles piano, brass and vocals.
Good for Acoustic Music?
Yes.
The natural-fibre midrange diaphragm and soft-dome tweeter suit systems where tonal texture and instrument timbre are important.
Good for Classical Music?
Lumina III is particularly well suited to classical music in medium-sized rooms.
The three-way design helps maintain clarity through complex arrangements, while the twin woofers provide greater orchestral scale than a compact standmount.
Good for Rock?
Yes.
The two dedicated bass drivers provide greater impact and dynamic ease than the standmount Lumina models.
Good for Electronic Music?
Yes.
The 40Hz lower response gives Lumina III useful electronic bass capability, although a subwoofer remains beneficial if deep sub-bass is a major priority.
Down-Firing Reflex Port
One of Lumina III's most useful practical features is its base-mounted down-firing reflex system.
Rather than venting directly backwards towards the rear wall, the port fires downwards towards the base of the loudspeaker.
Why Down-Firing?
Sonus faber uses the arrangement to make Lumina III less sensitive to rear-wall proximity.
This can make the loudspeaker easier to integrate into normal living spaces than a large rear-ported floorstander.
Does Down-Firing Mean Placement Doesn't Matter?
No.
The room boundaries still reinforce low frequencies regardless of port direction.
The down-firing arrangement simply gives the port itself a more consistent immediate acoustic environment.
Can Lumina III Go Close to a Wall?
Yes, within reason.
The down-firing reflex design gives useful flexibility, but moving any floorstanding speaker closer to a wall will normally increase bass output.
If Bass Sounds Too Heavy
Move the speakers further into the room.
Also check:
- Distance from side walls
- Whether one speaker is much closer to a corner
- Your listening position
- Whether a nearby cabinet or alcove is reinforcing bass
If Bass Sounds Too Light
Moving the speakers a little closer to the rear wall can provide useful boundary reinforcement.
Make changes gradually and listen for both extension and definition.
Avoid Tight Corner Placement
Corners reinforce low frequencies from two boundaries at once.
That can quickly turn useful bass extension into excessive upper-bass weight.
Speaker Spacing
Aim for enough separation to create a convincing stereo image while preserving a solid centre.
The exact spacing depends on:
- Listening distance
- Room width
- Side-wall reflections
- Toe-in
Use Vocals to Check Positioning
A centrally mixed voice should appear firmly between the speakers rather than floating vaguely across the front of the room.
If the centre image is weak, adjust spacing and toe-in before assuming an equipment change is needed.
Toe-In
Begin with a modest inward angle.
Then listen for:
- Centre-image focus
- Soundstage width
- Soundstage depth
- Treble balance
- Consistency across the listening area
More Toe-In
Increasing the inward angle can improve centre-image precision and direct more high-frequency energy towards the listener.
Less Toe-In
Reducing toe-in can broaden the soundstage in some rooms.
The best position is the one that works in your listening space rather than the one that looks most symmetrical from above.
Floorstanding Means No Separate Stands
One of the practical attractions of Lumina III over Lumina II is that there is no separate speaker stand to buy, fill, level or accommodate.
The cabinet places the drive units at an appropriate listening height by design.
Iron Spikes
Sonus faber specifies iron spikes as the floor-coupling system.
These provide a stable mechanical interface between the loudspeaker and floor.
Protect Delicate Hard Floors
The Lumina III uses metal spikes. Use suitable floor protectors or spike shoes on timber, laminate, tile or other delicate hard flooring.
Level the Speakers Properly
All spikes should make firm contact with the floor so the cabinet cannot rock.
A speaker that is unstable mechanically can compromise bass consistency and is also a safety concern.
Speaker Dimensions
Each Lumina III measures:
- Height: 989mm
- Width: 228mm
- Depth: 277mm
- Weight: 15.9kg
Under One Metre Tall
At 989mm, Lumina III is a relatively compact floorstander.
This makes it much easier to integrate visually than many large three-way speakers while still providing a dedicated midrange and twin bass drivers.
Only 228mm Wide
The narrow front baffle helps Lumina III avoid feeling physically imposing in a normal living room.
It also allows the use of twin bass drivers without requiring an unusually wide cabinet.
Allow Room Behind for Cables
The published depth is 277mm, but allow additional space behind the cabinet for speaker connectors and cable bend radius.
Four Binding Posts
Each speaker provides four binding posts divided between the mid/high and low-frequency sections.
This enables normal single-wire connection as well as bi-wiring and suitable bi-amplification.
Single-Wire Connection
The simplest arrangement uses one speaker cable per channel with the terminal links securely fitted.
Bi-Wiring
Bi-wiring uses separate cable runs from the same amplifier channel to the mid/high and low-frequency terminal sections.
Bi-Amping
Bi-amping uses separate amplifier channels for the two crossover sections.
This requires suitable amplification and correct removal of the terminal links.
Check the Terminal Links
For normal single-wire use, leave the links securely installed between the terminal sections. Remove them only when using a properly configured bi-wire or bi-amp arrangement.
Correct Polarity
Connect positive on the amplifier to positive on each Lumina III and negative to negative.
Reversing the polarity of one speaker can significantly weaken bass and damage stereo image focus.
Switch Off Before Connecting
Turn the amplifier off before making or changing speaker connections.
Also check that no loose cable strands can bridge the positive and negative terminals.
Simple Squared Cabinet
Lumina deliberately uses a simpler squared enclosure rather than the more complex curved cabinet architecture associated with many other Sonus faber collections.
The design keeps the speaker visually restrained and places greater emphasis on the quality of the visible materials.
Multilayer Wood Front Baffle
The front panel uses real multilayer wood finished according to the selected version.
This gives the drivers a natural-material surround rather than a painted or plastic moulded faceplate.
Black Leather
The sides and upper surfaces are hand-covered in Sonus faber's characteristic black leather.
The leather creates a tactile contrast with the wood front baffle and links Lumina visually with more expensive models in the range.
Chrome Driver Rings
Chrome rings around the drive units emphasise the three-way layout and provide a small visual contrast against the wood and black leather.
Made in Vicenza, Italy
The Lumina Collection is built by Sonus faber's artisans at its factory in Vicenza, Italy.
Lumina was deliberately designed to make the company's materials and design philosophy available at a more accessible level without abandoning Italian manufacture.
Three Current Finishes
Sonus faber currently offers Lumina III in:
- Piano Black lacquered multilayer wood with Black Leather
- Walnut with maple inlays veneered multilayer wood with Black Leather
- Wenge with maple inlays veneered multilayer wood with Black Leather
Piano Black
Piano Black gives Lumina III the most understated and contemporary appearance.
It is particularly easy to integrate with black electronics, televisions and modern furniture.
Walnut
Walnut introduces a warmer natural-wood appearance with contrasting maple inlays.
It gives the otherwise minimal cabinet more of the furniture character traditionally associated with Sonus faber.
Wenge
Wenge offers a darker wood tone while retaining visible grain and maple detailing.
Natural Wood Variation
Real veneer naturally varies slightly in grain and tone.
Those differences are part of the character of the material rather than manufacturing faults.
Lumina III vs Lumina II
Lumina II is the obvious alternative if you prefer a standmount or have less room.
Lumina II
- Two-way standmount
- 29mm D.A.D. tweeter
- 150mm midwoofer
- 55Hz–24kHz response
- 86dB sensitivity
- 4-ohm impedance
- 30–150W amplification
- 304mm high
- 5.8kg each
Lumina III
- Three-way floorstander
- 29mm D.A.D. tweeter
- 150mm dedicated midrange
- Twin 150mm woofers
- 40Hz–24kHz response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 4-ohm impedance
- 50–250W amplification
- 989mm high
- 15.9kg each
Choose Lumina II If...
- Your room is small
- You prefer standmount speakers
- You need easier physical placement
- You already own suitable speaker stands
- You are likely to use a subwoofer
Choose Lumina III If...
- Your room is medium sized
- You want greater bass extension
- You want a dedicated midrange driver
- You want greater sensitivity
- You prefer a floorstanding installation
- You want more scale without moving to Lumina V
Lumina III vs Lumina II Amator
Lumina II Amator offers a different upgrade route.
Rather than moving to a bigger cabinet and adding dedicated bass drivers, Lumina II Amator remains a compact two-way standmount and concentrates its development on a more sophisticated crossover.
Choose Lumina II Amator If...
- You prefer standmount speakers
- Your room is smaller
- You value the upgraded IFF crossover
- You want the special Amator finishes
- Extreme bass extension is less important
Choose Lumina III If...
- You want greater bass extension
- You want a dedicated midrange
- You want higher sensitivity
- You need greater room-filling scale
- You prefer not to buy separate stands
Lumina III vs Lumina V
Lumina V is the larger standard floorstander and represents the next step in scale.
Lumina III
- 29mm D.A.D. tweeter
- 150mm midrange
- Twin 150mm woofers
- 40Hz lower response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 50–250W amplification
- 989mm high
- 228mm wide
- 15.9kg each
Lumina V
- 29mm D.A.D. tweeter
- 150mm midrange
- Twin 165mm sandwich-cone woofers
- 38Hz lower response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 50–300W amplification
- 1049mm high
- 280mm wide
- 22.5kg each
Why Move Up to Lumina V?
Lumina V uses larger 165mm bass drivers and a substantially larger cabinet.
This provides:
- Greater low-frequency authority
- Higher power handling
- More physical scale
- Greater suitability for larger rooms
Why Stay With Lumina III?
Lumina III remains significantly narrower, lighter and easier to accommodate.
Its 40Hz response is already substantial for most music listening, making it the more balanced choice where room space matters.
Lumina III in Home Cinema
The Lumina Collection is designed for both stereo and multichannel use.
Lumina III can operate very successfully as the main front left and right pair in a home cinema system.
Matching Lumina CI
Lumina CI is the dedicated centre-channel loudspeaker in the range.
Using speakers from the same family across the front stage helps maintain tonal consistency as dialogue, music and effects move between channels.
Can Lumina III Be Used in 3.0?
Yes.
A pair of Lumina III speakers combined with Lumina CI can create a strong front-stage system even before a subwoofer or surrounds are added.
Can It Be Used in 3.1?
Yes.
Adding a subwoofer extends low-frequency performance and handles bass-management duties.
Can It Be Used in 5.1?
Yes.
Lumina I or Lumina II can be used for compact surround channels while Lumina III handles the main left and right positions.
Can It Be Used in Dolby Atmos?
Yes.
Lumina III can form the main ear-level front channels within a Dolby Atmos or DTS:X system driven by a suitable AV receiver or processor.
Does Lumina III Decode Dolby Atmos?
No.
It is a passive loudspeaker. The AV receiver or processor performs the decoding.
Should Lumina III Be Set to Large?
Not automatically.
Even though Lumina III reaches to 40Hz, a home cinema system with a capable subwoofer may benefit from redirecting the deepest bass away from the main speakers.
Should It Be Set to Small?
It can be.
In AV terminology, Small simply means frequencies below the selected crossover are redirected to the subwoofer.
That can reduce the low-frequency workload on both the loudspeaker and AV receiver.
Good for Films Without a Subwoofer?
Yes for general television and movie playback, but a dedicated subwoofer remains the preferred way to reproduce the deepest LFE information.
A Real Audio T Lumina III System
Audio T has previously used Lumina III with McIntosh electronics in a substantial demonstration system.
The pairing gave Audio T a chance to hear how the Lumina III behaves with significantly more ambitious amplification than might normally be associated with an entry point into Sonus faber floorstanders.
Read Audio T's McIntosh and Sonus faber Lumina III system article.
What That Tells Us
Lumina III does not need enormous amplification to work, but it is capable of benefiting from better electronics as the rest of the system improves.
That makes it useful for customers who want a speaker they can keep while upgrading source components and amplification later.
Recommended Lumina III Setup Routine
- Unpack both speakers carefully and retain the original packaging.
- Remember that each cabinet weighs 15.9kg.
- Fit and adjust the floor spikes carefully.
- Protect hard flooring with suitable spike shoes where required.
- Make sure both loudspeakers stand completely stable without rocking.
- Begin with some useful space from the rear wall.
- Avoid pushing either speaker tightly into a room corner.
- Keep left and right boundary conditions broadly symmetrical where possible.
- Start with a modest amount of toe-in.
- Switch the amplifier off before connecting speaker cables.
- Check the terminal links if using normal single-wire operation.
- Connect positive to positive and negative to negative.
- Begin listening at a moderate volume.
- Use a familiar vocal recording to judge centre-image focus.
- Adjust toe-in in small increments.
- Use familiar music with bass guitar or kick drum to assess wall distance.
- If bass sounds too heavy, move the speakers further from nearby walls.
- If bass sounds too light, experiment with modest additional wall reinforcement.
- Listen to several different genres before finalising the position.
- If adding a subwoofer, integrate it only after the Lumina III pair is positioned correctly.
Caring for Lumina III
The cabinet uses real wood veneer, multilayer wood and leather and should be treated appropriately.
Avoid:
- Abrasive cloths
- Strong household cleaners
- Alcohol-based products
- Furniture wax applied directly to the speaker
- Spraying liquid onto the cabinet
- Prolonged exposure to strong direct sunlight
- Placing the speakers close to strong heat sources
Keep the Packaging
Retaining the original boxes and internal packing materials is strongly recommended.
A 15.9kg floorstanding loudspeaker is much safer to transport in its original packaging if you move house, change system or ever need service support.
Product Registration
Sonus faber currently invites owners to register qualifying products within 30 days of purchase for its applicable extended manufacturer warranty, subject to current terms.
Who Is Lumina III For?
- Medium-sized listening rooms
- Customers wanting their first Sonus faber floorstander
- Listeners moving up from Lumina I or Lumina II
- Customers wanting a dedicated midrange driver
- Systems needing deeper bass without a separate subwoofer
- Turntable-based systems
- Streaming systems
- CD-based systems
- Rock and pop listeners
- Jazz listeners
- Classical music systems
- Home cinema front-channel systems
- Dolby Atmos systems
- Customers wanting a slim floorstander
- Systems with capable 4-ohm amplification
Who Might Prefer Lumina II?
Lumina II may make more sense if:
- Your room is smaller
- You prefer standmount speakers
- You need more flexible placement
- You already use a subwoofer
- You want a lower overall system cost
Who Might Prefer Lumina V?
Lumina V may be the better choice if:
- Your room is large
- You want deeper and more powerful bass
- You listen at longer distances
- You want greater maximum output
- You have amplification capable of exploiting the larger speaker
Key Features
- Sonus faber Lumina III
- Lumina Collection
- Made in Vicenza, Italy
- Three-way floorstanding speaker
- Vented-box design
- Down-firing reflex port
- Base-mounted reflex system
- 29mm D.A.D. tweeter
- High-definition tweeter
- Damped Apex Dome
- Hand-coated soft silk dome
- Ferrite tweeter motor
- Visco-elastic tweeter decoupling
- 150mm dedicated midrange
- Paper-cone midrange
- Natural-fibre midrange diaphragm
- Sonetto-derived midrange technology
- Twin 150mm woofers
- Paper-cone bass drivers
- 350Hz crossover
- 3500Hz crossover
- Para-cross topology
- Amplitude-optimised crossover
- Phase-optimised crossover
- 40Hz–24kHz frequency response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 4-ohm nominal impedance
- 50–250W recommended amplification
- Four binding posts
- Single-wire compatible
- Bi-wire capable
- Bi-amp capable
- Iron floor spikes
- Multilayer wood front baffle
- Wood veneer
- Black leather covering
- Chrome driver rings
- Piano Black finish
- Walnut finish
- Wenge finish
- Maple inlays
- 989mm height
- 228mm width
- 277mm depth
- 15.9kg per speaker
- Suitable for medium rooms
- Suitable for vinyl systems
- Suitable for CD systems
- Suitable for streaming systems
- Suitable for home cinema
- Suitable for Dolby Atmos systems
- Suitable for subwoofer integration
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sonus faber Lumina III still current?
Yes. Lumina III remains a current model in Sonus faber's Lumina Collection.
Is Lumina III a floorstanding speaker?
Yes. It is a three-way passive floorstanding loudspeaker.
Is Lumina III three-way?
Yes.
How many drivers does each speaker use?
Four physical drivers: one tweeter, one dedicated midrange and two woofers.
What size is the tweeter?
29mm.
What type of tweeter does Lumina III use?
A high-definition D.A.D. soft-dome tweeter.
What does D.A.D. mean?
D.A.D. stands for Damped Apex Dome.
What is the tweeter diaphragm made from?
Sonus faber uses a hand-coated soft silk diaphragm.
Is the tweeter mechanically isolated?
Yes. It is visco-elastically decoupled from the front baffle.
How large is the midrange driver?
150mm.
Is the midrange dedicated?
Yes. Unlike Lumina I and II, Lumina III uses a dedicated midrange rather than one driver handling both bass and midrange.
What is the midrange cone made from?
Paper and natural fibres.
Where does the midrange technology come from?
Sonus faber states that the Lumina III midrange stems from related Sonetto designs.
How many bass drivers are there?
Two per speaker.
How large are the woofers?
150mm each.
What are the woofer cones made from?
Paper pulp.
What are the crossover frequencies?
350Hz and 3500Hz.
What crossover topology does Lumina III use?
Sonus faber specifies Para-cross topology with amplitude and phase optimisation.
What is the frequency response?
40Hz to 24kHz.
How low does Lumina III play?
Sonus faber's current published lower frequency-response figure is 40Hz.
Does Lumina III need a subwoofer?
Not necessarily for two-channel music. Its twin woofers and 40Hz response provide substantial bass in their own right.
Can I add a subwoofer?
Yes. A subwoofer can provide deeper extension and additional low-frequency headroom.
Is a subwoofer recommended for home cinema?
Yes, particularly for reproducing dedicated LFE information below the main speakers' natural range.
What is the sensitivity?
89dB SPL at 2.83V measured at one metre.
Is Lumina III easier to drive than Lumina II?
Its 89dB sensitivity is higher than Lumina II's 86dB, although both have a nominal 4-ohm impedance.
What is the nominal impedance?
4 ohms.
What amplifier power does Sonus faber recommend?
50 to 250 watts per channel with an undistorted signal.
Will a 50W amplifier work?
Yes. That is the lower end of the manufacturer's current recommendation.
Can I use a 75W amplifier?
Yes.
Can I use a 100W amplifier?
Yes.
Can I use a 150W amplifier?
Yes.
Can I use a 200W amplifier?
Yes, provided it is used sensibly and delivers a clean signal.
Can I use a 250W amplifier?
Yes. That is the upper end of Sonus faber's current recommendation.
Can I use a valve amplifier?
Potentially. The 89dB sensitivity is useful, but the amplifier still needs to be suitable for a nominal 4-ohm load.
Can I use Class D amplification?
Yes, provided the amplifier is properly designed for 4-ohm loudspeakers.
Can I use a streaming amplifier?
Yes.
Can I use separate pre and power amplifiers?
Yes. Lumina III can benefit from more ambitious electronics where the room and system justify them.
Where is the reflex port?
The reflex port is positioned at the base of the loudspeaker and fires downwards.
Why is the port down-firing?
Sonus faber uses the arrangement to make Lumina III less sensitive to rear-wall proximity and easier to position.
Can Lumina III sit close to a wall?
Yes, although wall proximity still increases bass output. Experiment to find the best balance in your room.
Does the down-firing port mean placement does not matter?
No. Room boundaries still affect low-frequency response.
What if the bass sounds boomy?
Move the speakers further from the rear wall and particularly away from corners.
What if the bass sounds too light?
Experiment with slightly greater rear-wall reinforcement.
Should Lumina III be toed in?
A modest inward angle is a useful starting point. Fine-tune according to stereo focus and room acoustics.
How far apart should the speakers be?
The ideal spacing depends on listening distance and room width. Aim for a broad soundstage with a strong centre image.
Does Lumina III need speaker stands?
No. It is a floorstanding loudspeaker.
Does Lumina III use spikes?
Yes. Sonus faber specifies iron spikes as the decoupling system.
Should I use spike shoes?
Yes on delicate hard flooring.
How tall is Lumina III?
989mm.
How wide is it?
228mm.
How deep is it?
277mm according to Sonus faber's current rounded technical specification.
How much does each speaker weigh?
15.9kg.
Can Lumina III be bi-wired?
Yes.
Can it be bi-amped?
Yes, with suitable amplification and correct removal of the terminal links.
Do I need to bi-wire?
No. Conventional single-wire operation is perfectly suitable.
What finishes are available?
Piano Black, Walnut with maple inlays and Wenge with maple inlays, all combined with black leather.
Does Lumina III use real wood?
The front baffle uses multilayer wood with lacquer or real wood veneer depending on the selected finish.
Does it use leather?
Yes. Sonus faber hand-covers the cabinet sides and upper surfaces in black leather.
Is Lumina III made in Italy?
Yes. The Lumina Collection is built at Sonus faber's factory in Vicenza, Italy.
What size room suits Lumina III?
Sonus faber positions it particularly for medium-sized rooms.
Can Lumina III work in a small room?
Yes, if there is enough space to control its bass and position the speakers sensibly.
Can Lumina III work in a large room?
Yes at suitable listening distances, although Lumina V provides greater bass scale and power handling.
Is Lumina III good for vinyl?
Yes.
Is Lumina III good for streaming?
Yes.
Is Lumina III good for CD?
Yes.
Is it good for vocals?
Yes. The dedicated midrange driver is especially relevant to voice reproduction.
Is it good for jazz?
Yes. The dedicated midrange and twin woofers give instruments and acoustic bass useful body and separation.
Is it good for rock?
Yes. The twin bass drivers provide substantially greater scale and impact than Lumina I or Lumina II.
Is it good for classical music?
Yes. The three-way architecture and 40Hz extension are particularly useful with orchestral recordings.
Is it good for electronic music?
Yes, although a subwoofer can extend the deepest synthesised bass.
How does Lumina III compare with Lumina II?
Lumina III adds a dedicated midrange, twin 150mm woofers, deeper 40Hz response and higher 89dB sensitivity in a floorstanding cabinet.
How does Lumina III compare with Lumina II Amator?
Lumina II Amator is a more compact two-way standmount with a more advanced crossover, while Lumina III prioritises bass extension, sensitivity and floorstanding scale.
How does Lumina III compare with Lumina V?
Lumina V is larger and heavier, uses twin 165mm sandwich-cone woofers, reaches 38Hz and accepts up to 300W of recommended amplifier power.
Can Lumina III be used for home cinema?
Yes.
What centre speaker matches Lumina III?
Sonus faber Lumina CI is the dedicated centre-channel speaker in the range.
Can Lumina III be used in Dolby Atmos?
Yes, as a front left and right ear-level speaker pair in a compatible system.
Should Lumina III be set to Small in an AV receiver?
It can be when a capable subwoofer is present. The best crossover depends on the complete system and room.
Can Lumina III replace the need for a subwoofer in home cinema?
It can provide substantial bass, but a dedicated subwoofer remains the correct way to reproduce the deepest LFE effects.
Should I choose Lumina III or Lumina V?
Choose Lumina III when compact dimensions and easier room integration matter. Choose Lumina V when greater bass scale, power handling and room-filling ability are priorities.
Should I audition Lumina III before buying?
Yes. Amplifier matching and room interaction are important enough that hearing the speaker in a suitable system is highly worthwhile.
Related Sonus faber Products and Audio T Guides
Why Buy Sonus faber Lumina III From Audio T?
Lumina III occupies a particularly useful point in the Sonus faber range, but the best choice still depends on your room, listening distance and electronics. Its 89dB sensitivity is generous, while the 4-ohm nominal impedance means amplifier quality still matters. Its twin bass drivers also make room positioning more important than simply putting the cabinets where they look best.
Audio T can demonstrate Lumina III with suitable amplification, compare it directly with Lumina II, Lumina II Amator and Lumina V, and help decide whether the compact three-way floorstander is the right size for your room. We can also advise on turntable, CD and streaming sources, speaker cable, subwoofer integration and complete Lumina home cinema systems.
- Sonus faber demonstrations
- Lumina III demonstrations
- Lumina II versus Lumina III comparisons
- Lumina III versus Lumina V comparisons
- Lumina III versus Lumina II Amator comparisons
- Standmount versus floorstander comparisons
- Amplifier matching for 4-ohm speakers
- Solid-state amplifier matching
- Valve amplifier guidance
- Class D amplifier matching
- Streaming amplifier matching
- Pre/power amplifier matching
- Turntable and phono-stage matching
- CD and streaming system planning
- Room-size matching
- Speaker-positioning guidance
- Toe-in optimisation
- Bass optimisation
- Subwoofer matching
- Subwoofer crossover setup
- Home cinema system planning
- Lumina CI centre-speaker matching
- Dolby Atmos system planning
- Bi-wire and bi-amp advice
- Speaker cable matching
- Part-exchange options
- Home demonstration options where available
- Ongoing after-sales support
Contact your local Audio T store to arrange a demonstration of the Sonus faber Lumina III or compare it with other models in the Lumina range.