In this review, we will be comparing Menuet and 5020, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from DALI and Q Acoustics.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Menuet and Q Acoustics 5020 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Menuet | Q Acoustics 5020 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.5" Wood fibre | 5" Continuous Curved Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 59-25k Hz | 53-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 87.9 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-100 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 7.00kg / 15.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9.84" x 5.91" x 9.06"
250 x 150 x 230 mm | 11-1/4" x 7-1/8" x 11-1/2"
286.0 x 181.0 x 293.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Menuet and 5020 are 2-way speakers.
DALI MenuetQ Acoustics 5020
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Menuet |
Q Acoustics 5020 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Menuet features a 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz. On the other hand, the 5020 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuous Curved Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500 Hz.
Frequency Response
Menuet has a frequency range of 59-25k Hz whereas 5020 has a frequency range of 53-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 53Hz, the 5020 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Menuet's min frequency of 59Hz.
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
Menuet is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 5020 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 Menuet can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Menuet sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the 5020's is rated at 87.9 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Q Acoustics 5020 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Menuet, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though Menuet is rated 20-100 watts and 5020 25-100 watts.
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
Menuet features Binding post type posts and 5020 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Q Acoustics 5020's Binding post terminals
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 Menuet's and Q Acoustics 5020's external dimensions. DALI Menuet has external dimensions of 250 x 150 x 230 mm () whereas Q Acoustics 5020 has external dimensions of 286.0 x 181.0 x 293.0mm (11-1/4nch x 7-1/8inch x 11-1/2inch).
Q Acoustics 5020 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 31mm wider, 36mm taller and 63mm deeper than DALI Menuet.
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.
Q Acoustics 5020 needs about 54% more floor or shelf area. Q Acoustics 5020 is 63mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Q Acoustics 5020 is 36mm 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 Menuet is approximately 345.0cm2 / 53.5inch2 and base area of the Q Acoustics 5020 is approximately 530.3cm2 / 82.2inch2. The Menuet requires 35% less surface area than the 5020 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Q Acoustics 5020?
Here are the items that come with the 5020:
- 2x 5020 loudspeaker
- 1x Owners manual
- 2x Foam bung