In this review, we will be comparing Epikore 9 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Epikore 9 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Epikore 9 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 4-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Wood fibre | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29-34k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-500 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51.61" x 16.61" x 21.81"
1311 x 422 x 554 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Epikore 9 is a 4-way design whereas the Kendall 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 Epikore 9KLH 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 Epikore 9 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
4-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.38-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
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. 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
Epikore 9 has a frequency range of 29-34k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go slightly deeper then the Epikore 9's min frequency of 29Hz.
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 9 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Kendall which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 Epikore 9 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Epikore 9 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Kendall's is rated at 96 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Epikore 9, 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.
Epikore 9 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 Epikore 9.
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 9 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 Epikore 9's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. DALI Epikore 9 has external dimensions of 1311 x 422 x 554 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 Epikore 9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 210mm wider, 290mm taller and 174mm 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 Epikore 9 needs about 190% more floor or shelf area. DALI Epikore 9 is 174mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Epikore 9 is 290mm 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 9 is approximately 2337.9cm2 / 362.4inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Epikore 9 requires 190% 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