In this review, we will be comparing Opticon 6 MK2 and SONIK 7, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Opticon 6 II and DALI SONIK 7 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Opticon 6 II | DALI SONIK 7 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid | 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 1.125" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Wood Fiber | 2 x 7.0" Wood fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49-30k Hz | 36-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 30-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 19.30kg / 42.5lbs | 16.23kg / 35.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-3/4" x 7-5/8" x 13-3/8"
1010.0 x 195.0 x 340.0mm | 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
Both Opticon 6 MK2 and SONIK 7 are 3-way speakers.
DALI Opticon 6 IIDALI SONIK 7
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Opticon 6 II |
DALI SONIK 7 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
0.6875 x 1.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 1.125-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 7.0-inch
|
Opticon 6 MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz. 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
Opticon 6 MK2 has a frequency range of 49-30k 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 Opticon 6 MK2'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 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
Opticon 6 MK2 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 Opticon 6 MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Opticon 6 MK2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the SONIK 7's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the DALI SONIK 7 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Opticon 6 II, 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.
Opticon 6 MK2 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas SONIK 7 has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Opticon 6 MK2.
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
Opticon 6 MK2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SONIK 7 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Opticon 6 II's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Opticon 6 MK2 and SONIK 7 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
DALI Opticon 6 II Port
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 Opticon 6 II's and DALI SONIK 7's external dimensions. DALI Opticon 6 II has external dimensions of 1010.0 x 195.0 x 340.0mm (39-3/4 x 7-5/8 x 13-3/8inch) 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 5mm shorter and 9mm less deeper than DALI Opticon 6 II but it is also 110mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Opticon 6 II and DALI SONIK 7 in scale.
Comparison image of DALI Opticon 6 II 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 Opticon 6 II is approximately 663.0cm2 / 102.8inch2 and base area of the DALI SONIK 7 is approximately 1009.6cm2 / 156.5inch2. The Opticon 6 MK2 requires 34% less surface area than the SONIK 7 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The DALI Opticon 6 II weighs 19.30kg / 42.5lbs and the DALI SONIK 7 weighs 16.23kg / 35.7lbs. This makes the Opticon 6 MK2 19% heavier than the SONIK 7.
Here is a comparison of how Opticon 6 MK2 and SONIK 7's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon 6 II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Opticon 6 MK2:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Binding post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes (with lock nuts)
- 4 Rubber pads
- 4 Screws
- Hex-key
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Congratulations 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
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
663cm2
vs
1009cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2500USD
vs
2800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
7.0 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1005mm
vs
1010mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
DALI Opticon 6 MK2 |
DALI SONIK 7 |
| Brand |
DALI |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
30-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
49-30k Hz |
36-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
7.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
Wood fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" |
0.6875 x 1.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
Planar |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
1.125" |
| Crossover Frequency |
800Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1010.0mm (39.8") |
1005.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
195.0mm (7.7") |
305.0mm (12") |
| Depth |
340.0mm (13.4") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Weight |
19.30kg (42.5lbs) |
16.23kg (35.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain laminate |
| Available Colors |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin White |
Black Ash, Natural Oak,White,Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: DALI SONIK 7 is the newer design, against a 2021 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | DALI SONIK 7 digs deeper - 36Hz against 49Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | DALI SONIK 7 is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 180W). |
| Size | depends | DALI Opticon 6 II is easier to place; DALI SONIK 7 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | DALI Opticon 6 II: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | DALI Opticon 6 II is cheaper - $2,500 against $2,800, about 11% less. |
A DALI Opticon 6 II B DALI SONIK 7
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: DALI SONIK 7 measures better, DALI Opticon 6 II costs about about 12% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 49Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper DALI Opticon 6 II much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, DALI SONIK 7 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, DALI Opticon 6 II is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.