DALI Epicon 8 vs KLH Kendall Comparison

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DALI Epicon 8

Passive Floor-standing | 35-30k Hz

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KLH Kendall

Passive Floor-standing | 25-23k Hz

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DALI Epicon 8

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KLH Kendall

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DALI Epicon 8

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KLH Kendall

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DALI Epicon 8 vs KLH Kendall Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Epicon 8 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and KLH.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of DALI Epicon 8 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	DALI Epicon 8	KLH Kendall
Brand	DALI Denmark · founded 1983	KLH United States · founded 1957
Design	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1.14" Hybrid dome + planar	1"
Midrange	6.5"	5.25"
Woofer	2 x 8" Wood fibre	2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar
Frequency response	35-30k Hz	25-23k Hz
Sensitivity	89 dB	96 dB
Impedance	5 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	50-500 watts	up to 250 watts
Weight	—	22.14kg / 48.7lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	48.23" x 10.39" x 19.09" 1225 x 264 x 485 mm	40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16" 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.

Drivers

Both Epicon 8 and Kendall are 3-way speakers.

DALI Epicon 8

KLH Kendall

TweeterMidrangeWoofer

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 8	KLH Kendall
Driver Setup	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1.14-inch	1-inch
Midrange	1 x 6.5-inch	1 x 5.25-inch
Woofer	2 x 8-inch	2 x 6.5-inch

Epicon 8 features a 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550 / 3100 / 15000Hz. On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.

Frequency Response

Epicon 8 has a frequency range of 35-30k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Epicon 8's min frequency of 35Hz.

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

Epicon 8

Kendall

Min

Average

Median

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 8 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the Kendall which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Epicon 8 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Epicon 8, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Epicon 8

Kendall

Min

Average

Median

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 8 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas Kendall has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 250 watts less than the Epicon 8.

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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

DALI Epicon 8

KLH Kendall

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Both Epicon 8 and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows 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 8's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. DALI Epicon 8 has external dimensions of 1225 x 264 x 485 mm () whereas KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).

DALI Epicon 8 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 52mm wider, 204mm taller and 105mm deeper than KLH Kendall.

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 8 needs about 59% more floor or shelf area. DALI Epicon 8 is 105mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Epicon 8 is 204mm 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 8 is approximately 1280.4cm² / 198.5inch² and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm² / 124.9inch². The Epicon 8 requires 59% more surface area than the Kendall which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?

Here are the items that come with the Kendall:

Floorstanding loudspeaker
Grille
Foam port
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet (with nuts)
4 Protective discs
Manual

Reasons to choose DALI Epicon 8 over KLH Kendall

Max Input Power	500 watts vs 250 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Woofer Size	8 inches vs 6.5 inches	Larger woofer
High Frequency Response	30k Hz vs 23k Hz	Generates higher frequency

Reasons to choose KLH Kendall over DALI Epicon 8

Sensitivity	96 dB vs 89 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 5 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
Low Frequency Response	25 Hz vs 35 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Height	1021mm vs 1225mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	805cm² vs 1280cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	1500USD vs 22500USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

DALI Epicon 8 vs KLH Kendall Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	DALI Epicon 8	KLH Kendall
Brand	DALI	KLH
Speaker Type	Floor-standing speaker	Floor-standing speaker
Power Range	50-500 watts	up to 250 watts
Sensitivity	89 dB	96 dB
Impedance	5 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	35-30k Hz	25-23k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	8"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	Wood fibre	Woven Kevlar
Woofer Surround Material	n/a	Butyl Rubber
Tweeter Size	1.14"	1"
Tweeter Type	Hybrid dome + planar	n/a
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	6.5"	5.25"
Crossover Frequency	550 / 3100 / 15000Hz	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	1225.0mm (48.2")	1021.0mm (40.2")
Width	264.0mm (10.4")	212.0mm (8.3")
Depth	485.0mm (19.1")	380.0mm (15")
Weight	n/a	22.14kg (48.7lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	n/a	MDF/Wood Veneer
Available Colors	n/a	Black
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	10 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	10 Years

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - DALI Epicon 8 costs roughly 15x what KLH Kendall does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	B	KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 35Hz.
Amplifier needs	B	KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Amplifier match	B	KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms.
Headroom	A	DALI Epicon 8 takes more power (500W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	KLH Kendall is easier to place; DALI Epicon 8 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Expandability	depends	DALI Epicon 8: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. DALI Epicon 8 sits in a wider range (4 models), so a matched surround system is easier later.
Price	B	KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $22,500, about 93% less; arguably a different class.

A DALI Epicon 8 B KLH Kendall
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

KLH Kendall is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take DALI Epicon 8 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 35Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, DALI Epicon 8 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall is the easier speaker to get right.

And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.