In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by DALI. DALI Epicon Vokal is a Center Channel speaker whereas the Epicon 8 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Epicon Vokal and DALI Epicon 8 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Epicon Vokal | DALI Epicon 8 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar | 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Wood fibre | 2 x 8" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49-30k Hz | 35-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89.5 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 50-500 watts |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9.72" x 32.13" x 13.74"
247 x 816 x 349 mm | 48.23" x 10.39" x 19.09"
1225 x 264 x 485 mm |
|---|
Epicon Vokal and Epicon 8 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Epicon Vokal is a 2-way design whereas the Epicon 8 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
DALI Epicon VokalDALI Epicon 8
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 Vokal |
DALI Epicon 8 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.14-inch
|
1.14-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Epicon Vokal features a 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2750 / 15000Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Epicon Vokal has a frequency range of 49-30k Hz whereas Epicon 8 has a frequency range of 35-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Epicon 8 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Epicon Vokal's min frequency of 49Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 Vokal is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Epicon 8 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Epicon Vokal sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the Epicon 8's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the DALI Epicon Vokal a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Epicon 8, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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 8 can handle a max power of 500 watts RMS, whereas Epicon Vokal has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 200 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Epicon Vokal and Epicon 8 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 Vokal's and DALI Epicon 8's external dimensions. DALI Epicon Vokal has external dimensions of 247 x 816 x 349 mm () whereas DALI Epicon 8 has external dimensions of 1225 x 264 x 485 mm ().
DALI Epicon Vokal is 978mm shorter and 136mm less deeper than DALI Epicon 8 but it is also 552mm wider.
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 Vokal needs about 122% more floor or shelf area. DALI Epicon 8 is 136mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Epicon 8 is 978mm 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 Vokal is approximately 2847.8cm2 / 441.4inch2 and base area of the DALI Epicon 8 is approximately 1280.4cm2 / 198.5inch2. The Epicon Vokal requires 122% more surface area than the Epicon 8 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.