In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by DALI. DALI Epicon 6 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Epicon 2 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Epicon 6 and DALI Epicon 2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Epicon 6 | DALI Epicon 2 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar | 1.14" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Wood fibre | 6.5" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-30k Hz | 47-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 5 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40.35" x 9.13" x 17.36"
1025 x 232 x 441 mm | 15.20" x 8.43" x 14.41"
386 x 214 x 366 mm |
|---|
Epicon 6 and Epicon 2 are members of DALI's Epicon series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
DALI Epicon Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Epicon 6 and Epicon 2 are 2-way speakers.
DALI Epicon 6DALI Epicon 2
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Epicon 6 |
DALI Epicon 2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.14-inch
|
1.14-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Epicon 6 features a 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 700 / 2550 / 15000Hz. On the other hand, the Epicon 2 features a 1.14" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz.
Frequency Response
Epicon 6 has a frequency range of 35-30k Hz whereas Epicon 2 has a frequency range of 47-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Epicon 6 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Epicon 2's min frequency of 47Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Epicon 6 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the Epicon 2 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Epicon 2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Epicon 6 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Epicon 2's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the DALI Epicon 6 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Epicon 2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Epicon 6 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Epicon 2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Epicon 6.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Epicon 6 and Epicon 2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare DALI Epicon 6's and DALI Epicon 2's external dimensions. DALI Epicon 6 has external dimensions of 1025 x 232 x 441 mm () whereas DALI Epicon 2 has external dimensions of 386 x 214 x 366 mm ().
DALI Epicon 6 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 18mm wider, 639mm taller and 75mm deeper than DALI Epicon 2.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
DALI Epicon 6 needs about 31% more floor or shelf area. DALI Epicon 6 is 75mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Epicon 6 is 639mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the DALI Epicon 6 is approximately 1023.1cm2 / 158.6inch2 and base area of the DALI Epicon 2 is approximately 783.2cm2 / 121.4inch2. The Epicon 6 requires 31% more surface area than the Epicon 2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.