Audio T Verdict
The Sonus faber Lumina V Amator takes one of the most capable speakers in the Lumina range and concentrates the upgrade where it can make a meaningful difference: the crossover. The cabinet, 29mm D.A.D. tweeter, 150mm dedicated midrange and twin 165mm bass drivers are familiar from Lumina V, but Sonus faber has revised the upper crossover from 2600Hz to 2850Hz and applied Hybrid IFF-Paracross technology influenced by development work on the considerably more ambitious Amati G5 and Guarneri G5.
That makes this a rather different sort of upgrade from simply fitting larger drivers or chasing a lower bass figure. Lumina V Amator retains the same 38Hz extension, 89dB sensitivity and impressive 50–300W amplifier window, but puts greater emphasis on how the drivers work together through the critical midrange and treble transition. The high-gloss 45-degree woodgrain front panels also give it the visual distinction an Amator model deserves.
For medium to larger listening rooms, Lumina V Amator offers a useful combination of scale and practicality. Twin 165mm sandwich-cone woofers provide substantial low-frequency weight, the dedicated midrange keeps voices and instruments clear of the bass workload, and the down-firing reflex arrangement makes room positioning less awkward than the size might suggest. Give them capable 4-ohm amplification and enough space to breathe, and this is a serious floorstanding loudspeaker without moving into the price and physical scale of Sonus faber's higher collections.
Sonus faber Lumina V Amator Floorstanding Speakers
The Lumina V Amator is the special Amator development of Sonus faber's Lumina V three-way floorstanding loudspeaker, combining the familiar Lumina driver architecture with a revised crossover network and distinctive high-gloss wood finishes.
Each cabinet uses a 29mm D.A.D. soft-dome tweeter, dedicated 150mm paper-cone midrange and two 165mm sandwich-cone woofers. The bass drivers work through a vented enclosure with a base-mounted down-firing reflex port, while the midrange and tweeter operate within a dedicated internal chamber based around Sonus faber's characteristic lute-shaped geometry.
The Amator upgrade centres on a Hybrid IFF-Paracross crossover using a 2850Hz midrange-to-tweeter transition, 250Hz higher than the standard Lumina V. Sonus faber developed the revised network using knowledge gained during the creation of its latest Homage loudspeakers.
- Special Amator development of Lumina V
- Three-way passive floorstanding loudspeaker
- Made in Vicenza, Italy
- Vented-box enclosure
- Base-mounted down-firing reflex port
- Dedicated lute-shaped mid/high internal chamber
- 29mm high-definition D.A.D. tweeter
- Damped Apex Dome technology
- Hand-coated soft silk tweeter diaphragm
- Ferrite tweeter motor
- Visco-elastically decoupled tweeter
- 150mm dedicated paper-cone midrange
- Natural-fibre and paper-blend diaphragm
- Twin 165mm woofers
- Sandwich-construction bass diaphragms
- Cellulose and natural-fibre outer woofer layers
- Syntactic-foam woofer core
- 260Hz lower crossover point
- 2850Hz upper crossover point
- Hybrid IFF-Paracross crossover
- Interactive Fusion Filtering
- Phase-coherent crossover philosophy
- 38Hz–24kHz frequency response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 4-ohm nominal impedance
- 50–300W recommended amplifier power
- Four binding posts
- Bi-wire and bi-amp capability
- Iron floor spikes
- High-gloss multilayer wood front baffle
- 45-degree woodgrain design
- Black leather cabinet covering
- Red High Gloss finish
- Walnut High Gloss finish
- Wenge High Gloss finish
- 1049mm height
- 280mm width
- 372.6mm depth
- 22.5kg per speaker
What Does Amator Mean?
Amator is a name Sonus faber reserves for special models that develop an existing loudspeaker concept beyond its standard form.
The name has appeared throughout Sonus faber's history on models such as Electa Amator and Maxima Amator, and has become associated with carefully considered revisions rather than simply cosmetic special editions.
What Changes From Lumina V?
Lumina V Amator keeps the core architecture of Lumina V:
- The same 29mm D.A.D. tweeter format
- The same 150mm dedicated midrange size
- The same twin 165mm sandwich-cone woofers
- The same 38Hz–24kHz published frequency response
- The same 89dB sensitivity
- The same 4-ohm nominal impedance
- The same 50–300W amplifier recommendation
- The same basic cabinet dimensions
The major acoustic development is the crossover, together with the special Amator finish treatment.
2850Hz Upper Crossover
Standard Lumina V crosses from its 150mm midrange to the tweeter at 2600Hz.
Lumina V Amator moves this transition to 2850Hz.
The lower woofer-to-midrange crossover remains at 260Hz.
Why Does 250Hz Matter?
A crossover frequency is not simply a specification-sheet number.
Moving the handover between the midrange and tweeter changes:
- How far the midrange operates into the upper frequencies
- How much of the lower treble the tweeter reproduces
- The acoustic phase relationship between the drivers
- Dispersion around the crossover region
- The tonal balance through voices and instruments
Hybrid IFF-Paracross Crossover
Lumina V Amator uses Sonus faber's Hybrid IFF-Paracross crossover solution.
IFF stands for Interactive Fusion Filtering and is combined here with the company's Paracross topology.
Interactive Fusion Filtering
The basic idea behind IFF is to concentrate on the interaction between adjacent drive units rather than treating each one as an entirely independent acoustic source.
Sonus faber uses the technique to improve integration through the crossover region and support a coherent stereo image.
Paracross Topology
In the Paracross network, reactive components such as capacitors and inductors are arranged on the negative rail of the crossover circuit.
The design is intended to reduce unwanted interaction from driver back EMF and lower the network's susceptibility to radio-frequency interference.
Why Back EMF Matters
A loudspeaker driver is an electromagnetic device. As its voice coil moves through the magnetic field it can generate electrical energy in the opposite direction to the amplifier signal.
Crossover architecture can influence how this energy interacts with the other drivers and the amplifier.
Phase-Coherent Design
Sonus faber combines the IFF network with a phase-coherent design philosophy.
The crossover therefore controls not only the amplitude of each driver but also the timing relationship between them through their overlapping frequency ranges.
Why Phase Matters for Stereo Imaging
Three drivers may be physically mounted in one cabinet, but they still need to behave like a single acoustic source.
If the transition regions are poorly integrated, it can affect:
- Centre-image focus
- Soundstage width
- Soundstage depth
- Instrument placement
- Vocal coherence
Homage-Derived Development
Sonus faber developed the Amator crossover using experience gained during work on the Amati G5 and Guarneri G5 in the Homage Collection.
This does not mean Lumina V Amator uses an identical crossover to those considerably more expensive loudspeakers.
Instead, relevant principles and solutions have been adapted for the Lumina platform.
The Amator Upgrade Is About Integration
Lumina V Amator does not claim deeper bass, greater sensitivity or more power handling than Lumina V. The important difference is the revised crossover and the way the tweeter and midrange interact, together with the special high-gloss cabinet finish.
29mm D.A.D. Tweeter
High frequencies are handled by Sonus faber's 29mm high-definition D.A.D. soft-dome tweeter.
D.A.D. stands for Damped Apex Dome.
What Is Damped Apex Dome Technology?
A soft textile dome does not behave as a perfectly rigid surface at every frequency.
At sufficiently high frequencies, the centre of the dome can begin moving differently from the surrounding diaphragm.
Sonus faber's D.A.D. arrangement applies local damping to the apex of the dome to control this behaviour.
Soft Silk Diaphragm
The tweeter uses a 29mm Kurtmueller hand-coated soft silk diaphragm.
Silk combines very low moving mass with natural mechanical damping, helping the tweeter reproduce high frequencies without relying on a rigid metal dome.
Ferrite Magnet Motor
The tweeter motor uses a ferrite magnetic system to control movement of the voice coil and diaphragm.
Visco-Elastic Tweeter Decoupling
Sonus faber mechanically decouples the tweeter from the surrounding baffle using a visco-elastic interface.
This helps reduce vibration generated by the three larger cone drivers reaching the delicate high-frequency assembly.
Why Isolation Matters in Lumina V Amator
Each cabinet contains a 150mm midrange and two 165mm woofers beneath the tweeter.
Those larger drivers generate substantially more mechanical energy than a small treble dome, so providing the tweeter with a controlled mounting environment is particularly useful.
150mm Dedicated Midrange
Lumina V Amator uses a dedicated 150mm paper-cone midrange.
Its diaphragm is based on Sonus faber's proprietary blend of paper and natural fibres.
Why Use a Dedicated Midrange?
The midrange contains much of the information that makes voices and instruments immediately recognisable.
By using a separate driver for this region, Lumina V Amator does not ask the same cone to reproduce deep bass and delicate vocal information simultaneously.
What Does the Midrange Reproduce?
Its operating range covers much of the energy associated with:
- Male and female vocals
- Guitars
- Piano
- Strings
- Brass
- Woodwind
- Snare drum
- Many acoustic instruments
Natural-Fibre Diaphragm
Sonus faber's paper and natural-fibre approach provides a useful combination of low mass, stiffness and internal damping.
The material also maintains a family relationship with the bass drivers, which likewise use cellulose and natural-fibre elements.
Lute-Shaped Mid/High Chamber
The Lumina V platform incorporates a dedicated internal mid/high enclosure inspired by Sonus faber's characteristic lute-shaped cabinet geometry.
Rather than making the external cabinet curved, Sonus faber applies the concept internally.
Why Put a Lute Shape Inside?
The curved internal structure increases rigidity while reducing simple parallel surfaces within the midrange loading volume.
This can help reduce standing-wave behaviour inside the enclosure and give the midrange driver a more controlled acoustic environment.
Keeping Bass Energy Away From the Midrange
The dedicated chamber also helps isolate the midrange and tweeter from pressure generated by the twin woofers elsewhere in the cabinet.
That is particularly useful in a loudspeaker capable of producing substantial low-frequency output.
Twin 165mm Woofers
Two 165mm bass drivers reproduce the low frequencies.
These use sandwich diaphragms rather than simple single-layer paper cones.
Sandwich Diaphragm Construction
Each woofer diaphragm combines:
- An outer layer of cellulose pulp and natural fibres
- A high-tech syntactic-foam core
- A second cellulose and natural-fibre outer layer
Why Use a Sandwich Cone?
A sandwich structure allows the designer to increase diaphragm stiffness without simply making the moving assembly extremely heavy.
The lightweight core separates the outer skins, creating a structure that resists bending more effectively than a thin single layer.
Why Stiffness Matters in Bass Drivers
At low frequencies the woofer needs to move considerable amounts of air.
Ideally, the cone should move forwards and backwards as one controlled surface rather than flexing significantly across its diameter.
Why Two 165mm Drivers?
Using two woofers provides significantly greater total radiating area than a single driver.
This contributes to:
- Greater bass output
- Lower-frequency extension
- Improved dynamic headroom
- Reduced excursion demand on each individual driver
- Greater room-filling ability
38Hz Bass Extension
Sonus faber specifies Lumina V Amator from 38Hz to 24,000Hz.
That gives the speaker substantial low-frequency capability for music without automatically requiring a subwoofer.
What Does 38Hz Cover?
Thirty-eight hertz reaches comfortably into the range occupied by:
- Bass guitar
- Kick drum
- Double bass
- Piano
- Cello
- Large orchestral instruments
- Much electronic bass
Does Lumina V Amator Need a Subwoofer?
For most two-channel music systems, no.
Its twin 165mm woofers and 38Hz published response already provide substantial bass extension and scale.
A subwoofer becomes more relevant if:
- You want strong output below 30Hz
- You listen extensively to electronic sub-bass
- Pipe organ is an important part of your listening
- You use the system for home cinema
- You want additional low-frequency headroom
- Your room is particularly large
Optimise the Floorstanders First
With useful output down to 38Hz, Lumina V Amator already interacts strongly with room boundaries. Get the speaker and listening position right before adding a subwoofer, otherwise you risk using the sub to correct a placement problem.
Subwoofer Integration for Music
A properly integrated subwoofer should extend Lumina V Amator rather than overwhelm it.
Pay particular attention to:
- Crossover frequency
- Subwoofer gain
- Phase
- Position
Subwoofer Integration for Home Cinema
A dedicated active subwoofer remains highly useful in home cinema because the LFE channel can contain substantial energy below the range of even a capable floorstanding loudspeaker.
Down-Firing Reflex Port
The Lumina V enclosure uses a reflex port located at the base of the cabinet and firing downwards.
This gives the port a controlled relationship with the floor and makes the loudspeaker less sensitive to the exact distance between its rear panel and the wall behind it.
Why Is That Useful?
A conventional rear-facing port fires directly towards a nearby wall, meaning small changes in rear clearance can significantly affect the port's immediate acoustic environment.
A down-firing arrangement keeps the port-to-surface relationship more consistent.
Does That Mean Lumina V Amator Can Go Against a Wall?
It can work relatively close to a rear boundary, but that does not make room placement irrelevant.
The entire speaker still radiates low-frequency energy into the room, and moving it towards a wall increases boundary reinforcement regardless of port direction.
Start With Some Breathing Room
If the room allows it, begin with some useful distance between the rear of the speaker and the wall.
Listen before making smaller positional changes.
If Bass Sounds Too Heavy
Try:
- Moving the speakers further from the rear wall
- Moving them away from corners
- Checking whether one speaker has a more enclosed boundary than the other
- Moving the listening seat slightly away from a bass peak
If Bass Sounds Too Light
Move the pair slightly closer to the rear wall and listen again.
Small positional changes can have a large effect below 100Hz.
Avoid Tight Corners
Corner placement reinforces bass from two nearby walls simultaneously.
With a speaker already capable of reaching 38Hz, that can quickly create excessive low-frequency weight.
89dB Sensitivity
Sonus faber rates Lumina V Amator at 89dB SPL for 2.83V measured at one metre.
This is relatively generous sensitivity and helps the large floorstander reach useful listening levels without requiring extreme amplifier power.
4-Ohm Nominal Impedance
The nominal impedance is 4 ohms.
That means current delivery remains important even though the sensitivity is relatively high.
Sensitivity and Impedance Are Different
A speaker can be reasonably sensitive while still presenting a demanding electrical load.
Lumina V Amator therefore benefits from an amplifier that combines sufficient power with good stability into 4 ohms.
50–300W Recommended Amplification
Sonus faber's current recommendation spans 50 to 300 watts per channel with an undistorted signal.
This gives Lumina V Amator unusually broad amplifier compatibility for a substantial floorstander.
Will a 50W Amplifier Work?
Yes.
A capable 50W amplifier sits within the official range and can work well in a normal room at sensible listening levels.
What About 70–100W?
This is a very useful region for quality integrated amplifiers and can provide plenty of performance in medium-sized listening rooms.
Would 150W Be Better?
Additional power can provide greater dynamic headroom for demanding recordings, longer listening distances and larger rooms.
Can I Use 200W?
Yes.
A well-controlled 200W amplifier remains comfortably inside Sonus faber's recommendation.
Can I Use 300W?
Yes. That is the upper end of the manufacturer's current published range.
The additional power should be viewed as headroom rather than an invitation to run the loudspeakers continuously at extreme levels.
Why Undistorted Power Matters
Sonus faber specifically states that the amplifier output should be undistorted.
A smaller amplifier driven heavily into clipping can be more problematic than a larger amplifier working comfortably within its limits.
Prioritise 4-Ohm Stability
Do not choose the amplifier purely by its headline 8-ohm wattage. Lumina V Amator deserves electronics with a strong power supply and confident current delivery into lower-impedance loudspeakers.
Solid-State Amplifiers
A high-quality solid-state integrated amplifier is an obvious partner.
The broad power recommendation makes Lumina V Amator suitable for everything from capable integrated designs to substantial pre/power combinations.
Pre/Power Amplification
Separate preamplifier and power amplifier systems can provide greater power-supply capacity and dynamic headroom.
This may be especially worthwhile in larger rooms or where Lumina V Amator forms part of a long-term high-end system.
Class A Amplification
Class A amplification can be an excellent partner where sufficient output power and 4-ohm stability are available.
Class D Amplification
Modern Class D amplifiers can also work very well, particularly where high power and compact electronics are desirable.
Valve Amplifiers
Suitable valve amplification is possible thanks to the 89dB sensitivity, but the nominal 4-ohm load still needs to be considered carefully.
Where a valve amplifier provides multiple output taps, use the connection recommended by the amplifier manufacturer.
Streaming Amplifiers
A powerful integrated streaming amplifier can create a surprisingly simple system around Lumina V Amator.
Streaming, DAC and amplification can all sit in one chassis while the Sonus fabers remain conventional passive loudspeakers.
Good for Vinyl?
Yes.
The dedicated midrange and substantial bass capability make Lumina V Amator a natural candidate for a serious turntable-based system.
Good for Streaming?
Absolutely.
A high-quality network streamer and amplifier, or premium streaming amplifier, can exploit the speaker's resolution without requiring an analogue source.
Good for CD?
Yes.
A quality CD player or transport and DAC can make an excellent source.
Good for Vocals?
Yes.
The dedicated 150mm midrange handles much of the vocal spectrum without simultaneously generating deep bass, while the revised 2850Hz crossover manages its transition to the tweeter.
Good for Jazz?
Yes.
The twin woofers give double bass and drums proper scale, while the dedicated midrange handles piano, brass and vocals.
Good for Acoustic Music?
Yes.
The combination of natural-fibre midrange diaphragm, soft-dome tweeter and phase-conscious crossover makes acoustic instruments an obvious application.
Good for Classical Music?
Very much so.
The three-way architecture, dedicated midrange and 38Hz bass extension allow Lumina V Amator to handle both smaller ensembles and large orchestral material with considerably more scale than a compact standmount.
Good for Rock?
Yes.
The twin 165mm woofers provide useful weight and impact for drums and bass guitar, while the 300W upper amplifier recommendation gives plenty of scope for dynamic systems.
Good for Electronic Music?
Yes.
The 38Hz bass response reaches into much of the useful electronic-bass region, with a subwoofer available if true sub-bass becomes a priority.
Speaker Positioning
Lumina V Amator is relatively flexible for a substantial floorstanding speaker, but positioning still affects the final result.
Pay attention to:
- Distance from the rear wall
- Distance from side walls
- Speaker spacing
- Toe-in
- Listening distance
- Listening-seat position
Speaker Spacing
A useful starting point is to create a broad but stable stereo image.
If the speakers are too close together, the presentation can feel narrow.
If they are spread too far apart, centrally mixed voices can lose solidity.
Use a Vocal Recording
A centrally recorded singer is one of the simplest tools for checking stereo geometry.
The voice should appear firmly between the speakers rather than sounding obviously attached to both cabinets.
Toe-In
Begin with a modest inward angle towards the listening area.
Then adjust in small increments while listening for:
- Centre-image focus
- Treble balance
- Soundstage width
- Image depth
- Consistency across the listening seat
More Toe-In
Increasing the angle can sharpen centre-image focus and direct more high-frequency output towards the listener.
Less Toe-In
Reducing toe-in can produce a wider presentation in some rooms.
The correct position is determined by the room rather than by a fixed angle.
Iron Floor Spikes
Sonus faber specifies iron spikes as the floor-coupling system.
These allow each cabinet to be levelled and stabilised on the floor.
Protect Hard Flooring
Use appropriate spike shoes or floor protectors on timber, laminate, tile and other delicate hard flooring. Make sure every spike is firmly supported and the 22.5kg cabinet cannot rock.
Why Levelling Matters
A tall loudspeaker should stand completely stable.
Correct levelling helps:
- Prevent cabinet rocking
- Maintain consistent driver height
- Improve mechanical stability
- Reduce the risk of accidental movement
Speaker Dimensions
Each Lumina V Amator measures:
- Height: 1049mm
- Width: 280mm
- Depth: 372.6mm
- Weight: 22.5kg
Measure Your Room Before Ordering
At over a metre tall and more than 37cm deep, Lumina V Amator is substantial despite Sonus faber's description of it as a slender floorstander.
Allow extra space behind the cabinet for:
- Binding posts
- Speaker cable
- A sensible cable bend radius
- Room-position experimentation
Four Binding Posts
Each speaker provides separate Mid-Hi and Low terminal sections.
This supports conventional single wiring as well as bi-wiring and suitable bi-amplification.
Single-Wire Connection
The simplest arrangement uses one speaker cable per channel with the factory terminal links securely fitted between the two crossover sections.
Bi-Wiring
Bi-wiring uses separate cable runs from the same amplifier channel to the Mid-Hi and Low terminals.
Bi-Amping
Bi-amping uses separate amplifier channels for the two terminal sections.
This requires appropriate amplification and the terminal links must be removed before connection.
Check the Terminal Links
Leave the links securely fitted for normal single-wire operation. Remove them only when installing a correctly configured bi-wire or bi-amp system.
Correct Polarity
Connect positive on the amplifier to positive on each speaker and negative to negative.
Accidentally reversing the polarity of one cabinet can weaken low frequencies and seriously affect stereo focus.
Switch Off Before Connecting
Turn the amplifier off before fitting or changing speaker cables.
Check carefully that loose strands cannot bridge the positive and negative terminals.
Amator High-Gloss Front Panels
The Amator models use a distinctive high-gloss multilayer wood front baffle with the veneer grain laid at 45 degrees.
The mirrored angles create a herringbone-style pattern across the front of the speaker.
Why the 45-Degree Woodgrain?
It distinguishes the Amator models visually from standard Lumina without abandoning the range's deliberately simple squared cabinet.
Black Leather Cabinet Covering
The remainder of the cabinet is covered in Sonus faber's characteristic black leather.
The contrast between glossy wood and leather provides much of Lumina V Amator's visual identity.
Red High Gloss
The Red High Gloss version provides the boldest finish in the Amator range and makes the 45-degree grain pattern particularly prominent.
Walnut High Gloss
Walnut offers a warmer and more traditional furniture appearance while retaining the special Amator gloss treatment.
Wenge High Gloss
Wenge provides a darker natural-wood look with visible grain beneath the lacquered surface.
Made in Vicenza, Italy
Lumina V Amator is made at Sonus faber's factory in Vicenza, Italy.
The range retains wood, leather and natural-fibre driver materials as part of Sonus faber's broader design language.
Lumina V Amator vs Lumina V
The standard Lumina V remains a current model and shares most of the Amator's physical and acoustic specification.
Lumina V
- Three-way floorstander
- 29mm D.A.D. tweeter
- 150mm paper midrange
- Twin 165mm sandwich woofers
- 260Hz / 2600Hz crossover
- Hybrid IFF-Paracross topology
- 38Hz–24kHz response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 50–300W amplification
- Standard Lumina finishes
Lumina V Amator
- Three-way floorstander
- 29mm D.A.D. tweeter
- 150mm paper midrange
- Twin 165mm sandwich woofers
- 260Hz / 2850Hz crossover
- Revised Hybrid IFF-Paracross network
- 38Hz–24kHz response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 50–300W amplification
- High-gloss 45-degree Amator finishes
The Difference Is Not More Bass
Both versions share the same 38Hz lower frequency specification.
The reason to choose the Amator is therefore not simply a desire for deeper bass or more output.
The step up centres on the revised crossover, driver integration and special finish.
Choose Standard Lumina V If...
- You want the same fundamental three-way driver architecture
- You prefer the standard Lumina finishes
- Keeping the overall system budget lower matters
- You would rather invest the price difference in amplification or sources
Choose Lumina V Amator If...
- Your electronics are capable of revealing the crossover upgrade
- You value improved driver integration
- You want the special Amator finish
- You want the most developed version of the Lumina V platform
Lumina V Amator vs Lumina III
Lumina III is the smaller standard three-way floorstander.
Lumina III
- 150mm dedicated midrange
- Twin 150mm woofers
- 40Hz lower response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 50–250W amplification
- 989mm high
- 228mm wide
- 15.9kg each
Lumina V Amator
- 150mm dedicated midrange
- Twin 165mm sandwich woofers
- 38Hz lower response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 50–300W amplification
- 1049mm high
- 280mm wide
- 22.5kg each
Choose Lumina III If...
- Your room is medium sized
- You want a slimmer and lighter floorstander
- You do not need maximum bass scale
- You want a lower overall system cost
Choose Lumina V Amator If...
- Your room is larger
- You want more powerful bass drivers
- You want greater amplifier headroom
- You value the Amator crossover
- You want the more elaborate high-gloss finish
Lumina V Amator vs Lumina II Amator
Lumina II Amator applies the Amator idea to a much smaller two-way standmount.
Choose Lumina II Amator If...
- Your room is small or medium sized
- You prefer standmount speakers
- You need easier physical placement
- You may use a subwoofer
- You do not require floorstander scale
Choose Lumina V Amator If...
- You want deeper bass without a subwoofer
- Your room is larger
- You want a dedicated midrange
- You listen at greater distances
- You want greater dynamic headroom
Home Cinema Use
The Lumina Collection is designed to work in both stereo and multichannel systems.
Lumina V Amator can form a substantial front left and right pair in:
- 3.0 systems
- 3.1 systems
- 5.1 systems
- 7.1 systems
- Dolby Atmos systems
- DTS:X systems
Matching Lumina CI
Lumina CI is the dedicated centre-channel loudspeaker in the Lumina Collection.
Using related Sonus faber driver technology across the front soundstage helps maintain a consistent tonal character as effects and dialogue move between channels.
Should Lumina V Amator Be Set to Large?
Not automatically.
Although the speaker reaches to 38Hz, a home cinema system with a capable subwoofer may still benefit from redirecting the deepest bass away from the main loudspeakers.
Can It Be Set to Small?
Yes.
In AV terminology, Small simply means that bass below the selected crossover is redirected to the subwoofer.
It does not suggest that Lumina V Amator is physically small or lacking in bass capability.
Why Use Bass Management?
Redirecting the deepest frequencies can:
- Reduce woofer excursion during demanding film scenes
- Reduce the low-frequency load on the AV amplifier
- Allow a dedicated subwoofer to reproduce the LFE channel
- Improve overall system headroom
Recommended Lumina V Amator Setup Routine
- Unpack each 22.5kg loudspeaker carefully and retain all packaging.
- Fit the floor spikes according to the supplied instructions.
- Use suitable floor protectors on delicate hard surfaces.
- Level each speaker so it stands completely stable.
- Begin with useful space between the cabinets and the rear wall.
- Avoid tight room corners as an initial position.
- Keep left and right boundary conditions broadly similar where practical.
- Choose a stereo spacing appropriate to your listening distance.
- Begin with a modest amount of inward toe-in.
- Switch the amplifier off before connecting speaker cable.
- For single-wire operation, make sure the terminal links are secure.
- Connect positive to positive and negative to negative.
- Begin listening at moderate volume.
- Use a familiar vocal recording to check centre-image focus.
- Adjust speaker spacing and toe-in in small increments.
- Use familiar bass-rich recordings to judge wall distance.
- If bass is too heavy, move the speakers further into the room.
- If bass is too light, experiment with modest additional boundary reinforcement.
- Try several different musical genres before finalising placement.
- Add or configure a subwoofer only after the main speakers are correctly positioned.
Caring for Lumina V Amator
The combination of high-gloss wood and leather deserves careful handling.
Avoid:
- Abrasive cloths
- Strong household cleaners
- Alcohol-based products
- Furniture wax applied directly to the cabinet
- Spraying liquids directly onto the speaker
- Prolonged strong sunlight
- Strong heat sources
Natural Wood Variation
Walnut and Wenge veneers naturally vary slightly in grain and tone.
This is part of the character of real wood rather than a manufacturing defect.
Keep the Packaging
Retaining the original packaging is particularly important with a 22.5kg floorstanding speaker.
It provides the safest way to transport the loudspeakers if you move house, change rooms or ever require service support.
Product Registration
Sonus faber currently invites owners to register qualifying loudspeakers within 30 days of purchase to obtain its applicable extended manufacturer warranty, subject to current terms.
Who Is Lumina V Amator For?
- Medium and larger listening rooms
- Customers wanting the most developed Lumina V configuration
- Listeners who value three-way driver architecture
- Systems requiring substantial bass without automatically adding a subwoofer
- Turntable-based systems
- Streaming systems
- CD systems
- Rock and electronic music
- Jazz and acoustic music
- Large-scale classical music
- Systems with capable 4-ohm amplification
- Integrated amplifier systems
- Pre/power amplifier systems
- Premium home cinema front channels
- Dolby Atmos systems
- Customers attracted to the special Amator finishes
Who Might Prefer Lumina III?
Lumina III may be the better choice where:
- The room is smaller
- 280mm cabinet width is difficult to accommodate
- You want a lighter and easier-to-position floorstander
- 40Hz bass extension is already sufficient
- You want to keep more budget available for amplification
Who Might Prefer Standard Lumina V?
Standard Lumina V may make more sense where:
- You want the same basic driver system
- You prefer the standard finish options
- You want to reduce overall system cost
- The additional budget would be better spent elsewhere in the system
Key Features
- Sonus faber Lumina V Amator
- Lumina Amator
- Made in Vicenza, Italy
- Three-way floorstanding speaker
- Vented-box enclosure
- Down-firing reflex port
- Base-mounted reflex system
- Lute-shaped internal mid/high chamber
- 29mm tweeter
- High-definition D.A.D. tweeter
- Damped Apex Dome
- Soft silk tweeter diaphragm
- Ferrite tweeter motor
- Visco-elastic tweeter decoupling
- 150mm dedicated midrange
- Paper-cone midrange
- Natural-fibre midrange diaphragm
- Twin 165mm woofers
- Sandwich-cone woofers
- Cellulose-pulp woofer skins
- Natural-fibre woofer skins
- Syntactic-foam woofer core
- 260Hz crossover
- 2850Hz crossover
- Hybrid IFF-Paracross crossover
- Interactive Fusion Filtering
- Paracross Topology
- Phase-coherent crossover design
- Homage-derived crossover development
- 38Hz–24kHz response
- 89dB sensitivity
- 4-ohm nominal impedance
- 50–300W recommended amplification
- Four binding posts
- Mid-Hi and Low terminal sections
- Single-wire compatible
- Bi-wire capable
- Bi-amp capable
- Iron floor spikes
- High-gloss multilayer wood
- 45-degree woodgrain
- Herringbone-style front panel
- Black leather cabinet
- Red High Gloss finish
- Walnut High Gloss finish
- Wenge High Gloss finish
- 1049mm height
- 280mm width
- 372.6mm depth
- 22.5kg per speaker
- Suitable for medium rooms
- Suitable for larger rooms
- Suitable for vinyl
- Suitable for streaming
- Suitable for CD
- Suitable for home cinema
- Suitable for Dolby Atmos
- Suitable for subwoofer integration
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sonus faber Lumina V Amator still current?
Yes. Lumina V Amator remains a current model in Sonus faber's Lumina Collection.
Is Lumina V Amator a floorstanding speaker?
Yes. It is a three-way passive floorstanding loudspeaker.
What does Amator mean?
Amator is a name Sonus faber uses for special models that receive additional development beyond the standard version.
Is Lumina V Amator different from Lumina V?
Yes. The major difference is the revised 2850Hz upper crossover and special high-gloss 45-degree woodgrain finish.
Does Lumina V Amator use different driver sizes?
No. The basic driver configuration remains a 29mm tweeter, 150mm midrange and twin 165mm woofers.
Is it three-way?
Yes.
How many physical drivers are there per speaker?
Four: one tweeter, one midrange and two woofers.
What tweeter does it use?
A 29mm high-definition D.A.D. soft-dome tweeter.
What does D.A.D. stand for?
Damped Apex Dome.
What is the tweeter diaphragm made from?
Hand-coated soft silk.
Is the tweeter mechanically decoupled?
Yes. Sonus faber uses a visco-elastic decoupling interface.
How large is the midrange?
150mm.
Is it a dedicated midrange?
Yes.
What is the midrange cone made from?
Sonus faber uses its paper and natural-fibre diaphragm formulation.
How large are the bass drivers?
165mm each.
How many woofers does each speaker use?
Two.
What is the woofer cone construction?
A sandwich structure using cellulose and natural-fibre outer layers with a syntactic-foam core.
What are the crossover frequencies?
260Hz and 2850Hz.
What is the standard Lumina V crossover?
The current standard Lumina V uses 260Hz and 2600Hz crossover points.
How much higher is the Amator upper crossover?
250Hz higher than standard Lumina V.
What is IFF?
IFF stands for Interactive Fusion Filtering.
What is Paracross Topology?
It is Sonus faber's crossover approach in which reactive components are arranged on the negative rail to manage driver interaction and crossover behaviour.
Is the crossover derived from Homage technology?
Sonus faber states that the Amator development inherited solutions learned during creation of the Amati G5 and Guarneri G5.
What is the frequency response?
38Hz to 24kHz.
Does Amator go deeper than standard Lumina V?
No. Both currently carry the same published 38Hz–24kHz frequency response.
What is the sensitivity?
89dB SPL at 2.83V measured at one metre.
Is Amator more sensitive than Lumina V?
No. Both are rated at 89dB.
What is the nominal impedance?
4 ohms.
What amplifier power does Sonus faber recommend?
50 to 300 watts per channel with an undistorted signal.
Will a 50W amplifier work?
Yes, provided it is a capable design that is comfortable driving 4-ohm loudspeakers.
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.
Can I use a 300W amplifier?
Yes. That is the upper end of Sonus faber's current recommendation.
Can I use a valve amplifier?
Potentially. The 89dB sensitivity helps, but the amplifier still needs to be suitable for a nominal 4-ohm load.
Can I use Class A amplification?
Yes, provided sufficient output power and suitable 4-ohm capability are available.
Can I use Class D amplification?
Yes.
Can I use a streaming amplifier?
Yes, provided the amplifier section is suitable for the speaker load.
Can I use separate pre and power amplifiers?
Yes.
Where is the reflex port?
The Lumina V cabinet platform uses a base-mounted down-firing reflex port.
Can the speakers go close to a wall?
Yes, within reason. The down-firing reflex arrangement offers useful placement flexibility, although wall proximity still reinforces bass.
Does down-firing mean wall position does not matter?
No. The room boundaries still affect low-frequency output.
What if the bass sounds boomy?
Move the speakers further from rear and side walls and avoid tight corner placement.
What if the bass sounds too light?
Experiment with slightly greater rear-wall reinforcement.
Does Lumina V Amator need a subwoofer?
Not necessarily for stereo music. Its 38Hz lower response and twin 165mm woofers already provide substantial bass.
Can I add a subwoofer?
Yes.
Is a subwoofer useful for home cinema?
Yes, especially for reproducing dedicated LFE information below the main speakers' natural range.
How tall is Lumina V Amator?
1049mm.
How wide is it?
280mm.
How deep is it?
372.6mm.
How much does each speaker weigh?
22.5kg.
Does it use spikes?
Yes. Sonus faber specifies iron floor spikes.
Should I protect wooden floors?
Yes. Use suitable spike shoes or floor protectors.
Can Lumina V Amator be bi-wired?
Yes.
Can it be bi-amped?
Yes, with suitable electronics and correct removal of the terminal links.
Do I have to bi-wire it?
No. Conventional single-wire operation is entirely suitable.
What finishes are available?
Red High Gloss, Wenge High Gloss and Walnut High Gloss, each combined with black leather.
What is different about the Amator finish?
The multilayer wood front panels are lacquered in high gloss and use veneer grain arranged at 45 degrees.
Is Lumina V Amator made in Italy?
Yes. It is manufactured at Sonus faber's factory in Vicenza.
What size room suits Lumina V Amator?
Medium and larger listening rooms are the most natural applications.
Can it work in a small room?
Potentially, but its 38Hz bass response and physical dimensions mean placement will need careful attention.
Is Lumina V Amator good for vinyl?
Yes.
Is it good for streaming?
Yes.
Is it good for CD?
Yes.
Is it good for vocals?
Yes. The dedicated midrange and revised crossover make vocal reproduction a particularly important part of the design.
Is it good for jazz?
Yes.
Is it good for rock?
Yes. Twin 165mm woofers provide strong bass and useful dynamic headroom.
Is it good for classical music?
Yes. The three-way architecture and substantial low-frequency extension suit large-scale orchestral material particularly well.
Is it good for electronic music?
Yes, with a subwoofer available if deeper sub-bass is required.
How does Lumina V Amator compare with Lumina III?
It is larger, uses twin 165mm sandwich woofers rather than 150mm drivers, reaches slightly deeper and accepts up to 300W of recommended amplifier power.
How does Lumina V Amator compare with Lumina V?
The driver configuration and headline performance figures are largely unchanged, but the Amator uses a revised 2850Hz Hybrid IFF-Paracross crossover and special high-gloss finishes.
How does it compare with Lumina II Amator?
Lumina II Amator is a compact two-way standmount, while Lumina V Amator is a much larger three-way floorstander with twin dedicated woofers and substantially deeper bass.
Can Lumina V Amator be used for home cinema?
Yes.
What centre speaker matches it?
Sonus faber Lumina CI is the dedicated centre-channel model in the range.
Can it be used with Dolby Atmos?
Yes, as the front left and right ear-level speakers in a compatible system.
Should Lumina V Amator be set to Large in an AV receiver?
Not necessarily. When a capable subwoofer is present, bass management can still provide benefits.
Should I choose standard Lumina V or Lumina V Amator?
Choose standard Lumina V if value and the core driver platform are the priorities. Choose Lumina V Amator if you want the revised crossover and distinctive Amator finish.
Should I audition Lumina V Amator?
Yes. Amplifier matching, room placement and the crossover difference from standard Lumina V are all best judged through a proper demonstration.
Related Sonus faber Products and Audio T Guides
Why Buy Sonus faber Lumina V Amator From Audio T?
Lumina V Amator is the sort of speaker where the surrounding system matters. Its 89dB sensitivity looks relatively friendly, but the 4-ohm nominal load means amplifier quality and current delivery are still important. Its twin bass drivers also mean the room and speaker position can have a major influence on the final result.
Audio T can demonstrate Lumina V Amator with suitable amplification, compare it directly with the standard Lumina V and smaller Lumina models, and help decide whether the Amator crossover upgrade makes sense within your complete system. We can also advise on source components, speaker cable, room placement, floor protection, subwoofer integration and multichannel systems.
- Sonus faber demonstrations
- Lumina V Amator demonstrations
- Lumina V versus Lumina V Amator comparisons
- Lumina III versus Lumina V Amator comparisons
- Lumina II Amator comparisons
- Amplifier matching for 4-ohm speakers
- Solid-state amplifier matching
- Class A amplifier guidance
- Class D amplifier matching
- Valve amplifier advice
- 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
- Floor-protection advice
- 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 V Amator or compare it directly with the standard Lumina V.