In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by DALI. DALI Opticon LCR MK2 is a On-Wall speaker whereas the Opticon 1 MK2 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Opticon LCR II and DALI Opticon 1 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
DALI Opticon LCR II Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter
- 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer
- 70-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:30-150watts
- Weight:8.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 483.0" x 11-1/4" x 5"( 483.0 x 286.0 x 127.0mm )
DALI Opticon 1 II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4.75" Wood Fiber Woofer
- 62-26k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-100watts
- Weight:4.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 254.0" x 6" x 9-1/4"( 254.0 x 153.0 x 235.0mm )
Opticon LCR MK2 and Opticon 1 MK2 are members of DALI's Opticon Mark II series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
DALI Opticon Mark II Series History
What size room are the DALI Opticon LCR II and DALI Opticon 1 II speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
DALI Opticon LCR II |
DALI Opticon 1 II |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2, Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the DALI Opticon LCR II and DALI Opticon 1 II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Opticon LCR MK2 is a 3-way design whereas the Opticon 1 MK2 is a 2-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.
| Driver |
DALI Opticon LCR II |
DALI Opticon 1 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 4.75-inch
|
Opticon LCR MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz and 14.000Hz. On the other hand, the Opticon 1 MK2 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.75" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz.
Frequency Response
Opticon LCR MK2 has a frequency range of 70-30k Hz whereas Opticon 1 MK2 has a frequency range of 62-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 62Hz, the Opticon 1 MK2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Opticon LCR MK2's min frequency of 70Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the On-Wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
On-Wall Speakers
High Frequency
On-Wall Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Opticon LCR MK2 and Opticon 1 MK2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Opticon LCR MK2 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Opticon 1 MK2's is at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the DALI Opticon LCR II a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Opticon 1 II, 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 Opticon LCR MK2 and the Opticon LCR MK2 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
On-Wall Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Opticon LCR MK2 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Opticon 1 MK2 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Opticon LCR MK2.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Opticon LCR MK2 features Post type posts and Opticon 1 MK2 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Opticon LCR II's Post terminals
DALI Opticon 1 II's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Opticon LCR MK2 and Opticon 1 MK2 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.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 LCR II's and DALI Opticon 1 II's external dimensions. DALI Opticon LCR II has external dimensions of 483.0 x 286.0 x 127.0mm ( 19 x 11-1/4 x 5inch) whereas DALI Opticon 1 II has external dimensions of 254.0 x 153.0 x 235.0mm ( 10 x 6 x 9-1/4inch) .
DALI Opticon 1 II is 133mm narrower and 229mm shorter than DALI Opticon LCR II but it is also 108mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Opticon LCR II and DALI Opticon 1 II in scale.
Comparison image of DALI Opticon LCR II and DALI Opticon 1 II 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 LCR II is approximately 363.2cm2 / 56.3inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon 1 II is approximately 359.6cm2 / 55.7inch2. The Opticon LCR MK2 requires 1% more surface area than the Opticon 1 MK2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of DALI Opticon LCR II and DALI Opticon 1 II on a Media Console
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon LCR II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Opticon LCR MK2:
LCR loudspeakerGrille4 Rubber bumpersHex-keyQuick Start GuideCongratulations Card
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon 1 II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon 1 MK2:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles8 Rubber feetQuick Start GuideCongratulations Card
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Woofer Size 
High Frequency Response 
Mounting Bracket 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*