In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by DALI. DALI KUPID is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the SONIK 7 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI KUPID and DALI SONIK 7 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI KUPID | DALI SONIK 7 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 1.125" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.5" Paper/wood fiber | 2 x 7.0" Wood fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 63-25k Hz | 36-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 83 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 30-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.91kg / 6.4lbs | 16.23kg / 35.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9-11/16" x 5-15/16" x 7-13/16"
247.0 x 151.0 x 199.0mm | 39-9/16" x 12" x 13"
1005.0 x 305.0 x 331.0mm |
|---|
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 KUPID is a 2-way design whereas the SONIK 7 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 KUPIDDALI SONIK 7
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 KUPID |
DALI SONIK 7 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.6875 x 1.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 1.125-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
2 x 7.0-inch
|
KUPID features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Paper/wood fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the SONIK 7 features a 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar Tweeter, a 1.125" Midrange and 2 x 7.0" Wood fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
KUPID has a frequency range of 63-25k Hz whereas SONIK 7 has a frequency range of 36-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the SONIK 7 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the KUPID's min frequency of 63Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
KUPID is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the SONIK 7 which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 KUPID can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. KUPID sensitivity is rated at 83 dB and the SONIK 7's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 6 dB difference makes the DALI SONIK 7 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI KUPID, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
SONIK 7 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas KUPID has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the SONIK 7.
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
KUPID features Binding post type posts and SONIK 7 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 KUPID's and DALI SONIK 7's external dimensions. DALI KUPID has external dimensions of 247.0 x 151.0 x 199.0mm (9-11/16inch x 5-15/16inch x 7-13/16inch) whereas DALI SONIK 7 has external dimensions of 1005.0 x 305.0 x 331.0mm (39-9/16inch x 12inch x 13inch).
DALI SONIK 7 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 154mm wider, 758mm taller and 132mm deeper than DALI KUPID.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI KUPID and DALI SONIK 7 in scale.
Comparison image of DALI KUPID and DALI SONIK 7 Size and External Dimensions
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 KUPID is approximately 300.5cm2 / 46.6inch2 and base area of the DALI SONIK 7 is approximately 1009.6cm2 / 156.5inch2. The KUPID requires 70% less surface area than the SONIK 7 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of DALI KUPID?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of KUPID:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Wall-mount brackets
- Four #8 x 0.5\" self-tapping screws
- 8 Rubber feet
- Quick Start Guide
- QR Code Registration Card
What's in the Box of DALI SONIK 7?
Here are the items that come with the SONIK 7:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 8 Rubber feet (M8 threads)
- 8 Spike-feet (M8 threads)
- Eight M8 hex-nuts
- Eight M8x15mm counter-sunk hex-screws
- Hex-key
- Hex-wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Online Registration Card