In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by DALI. DALI SONIK 7 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the SONIK 1 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI SONIK 7 and DALI SONIK 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
DALI SONIK 7 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar Tweeter
- 1.125" Midrange
- 2 x 7.0" Wood fiber Woofer
- 36-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 88.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:30-180watts
- Weight:16.23kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1005.0" x 12" x 13"( 1005.0 x 305.0 x 331.0mm )
DALI SONIK 1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Wood fiber Woofer
- 51-26k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:25-100watts
- Weight:4.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 275.0" x 6-3/8" x 8-13/16"( 275.0 x 162.0 x 224.0mm )
SONIK 7 and SONIK 1 are members of DALI's Sonik series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
DALI Sonik Series
History
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the DALI SONIK 7 and DALI SONIK 1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that SONIK 7 is a 3-way design whereas the SONIK 1 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 SONIK 7 |
DALI SONIK 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.6875 x 1.75-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 1.125-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7.0-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
SONIK 7 features a 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar Tweeter , a 1.125" Midrange and 2 x 7.0" Wood fiber Woofer . On the other hand, the SONIK 1 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Wood fiber Woofer .
Frequency Response
SONIK 7 has a frequency range of 36-30k Hz whereas SONIK 1 has a frequency range of 51-26k 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 SONIK 1's min frequency of 51Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
SONIK 7 and SONIK 1 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SONIK 7 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the SONIK 1's is at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the DALI SONIK 7 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI SONIK 1, 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. 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.
SONIK 7 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS from the amp the whereas SONIK 1 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the SONIK 7.
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
SONIK 7 features Binding post type posts and SONIK 1 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SONIK 7 and SONIK 1 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 SONIK 7's and DALI SONIK 1's external dimensions. DALI SONIK 7 has external dimensions of 1005.0 x 305.0 x 331.0mm ( 39-9/16inch x 12inch x 13inch ) whereas DALI SONIK 1 has external dimensions of 275.0 x 162.0 x 224.0mm ( 10-13/16inch x 6-3/8inch x 8-13/16inch ) .
DALI SONIK 7 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 143mm wider, 730mm taller and 107mm deeper than DALI SONIK 1.
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 SONIK 7 is approximately 1009.6cm2 / 156.5inch2 and base area of the DALI SONIK 1 is approximately 362.9cm2 / 56.2inch2. The SONIK 7 requires 178% more surface area than the SONIK 1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of DALI SONIK 7?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of DALI SONIK 1?
Here are the items that come with the SONIK 1:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Grilles 8 Sef-adehsive rubber feet 8 Rubber bumpers Quick Start Guide Online Registration Card