In this review, we will be comparing Epikore 11 and Epikore 9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Epikore 11 and DALI Epikore 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Epikore 11 | DALI Epikore 9 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 4-way | 4-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar | 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 8" Wood fibre | 2 x 8" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29-34k Hz | 29-34k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-1000 watts | 40-500 watts |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 63.07" x 16.61" x 21.81"
1602 x 422 x 554 mm | 51.61" x 16.61" x 21.81"
1311 x 422 x 554 mm |
|---|
Epikore 11 and Epikore 9 are members of DALI's Epikore series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
DALI Epikore Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Epikore 11 and Epikore 9 are 4-way speakers.
DALI Epikore 11DALI Epikore 9
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 Epikore 11 |
DALI Epikore 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
4-way
|
4-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.38-inch
|
1.38-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Epikore 11 features a 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 4 x 8" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 170 / 370 / 3100 / 12500Hz. On the other hand, the Epikore 9 features a 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400 / 3100 / 12500Hz.
Frequency Response
Epikore 11 and Epikore 9 has exactly the same frequency range of 29-34k Hz.
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
Epikore 11 and Epikore 9 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Epikore 11 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Epikore 9's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the DALI Epikore 11 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Epikore 9, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Epikore 11 and the Epikore 11 can provide this impedance level.
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.
Epikore 11 can handle a max power of 1000 watts RMS, whereas Epikore 9 has a max power handling value of 500 watts RMS, 500 watts less than the Epikore 11.
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 Epikore 11 and Epikore 9 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 Epikore 11's and DALI Epikore 9's external dimensions. DALI Epikore 11 has external dimensions of 1602 x 422 x 554 mm () whereas DALI Epikore 9 has external dimensions of 1311 x 422 x 554 mm ().
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.
Near-identical footprints. DALI Epikore 11 is 291mm 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 Epikore 11 is approximately 2337.9cm2 / 362.4inch2 and base area of the DALI Epikore 9 is approximately 2337.9cm2 / 362.4inch2.