In this review, we will be comparing SONIK 9 and Concord, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI SONIK 9 and KLH Concord first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI SONIK 9 | KLH Concord |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 1.125" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 7.0" Wood fiber | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-30k Hz | 28-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | up to 225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 24.65kg / 54.2lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-5/16" x 12-9/16" x 14-13/16"
1126.0 x 320.0 x 377.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
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 SONIK 9 is a 3-way design whereas the Concord 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.
DALI SONIK 9KLH Concord
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 SONIK 9 |
KLH Concord |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.6875 x 1.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 1.125-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 7.0-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
SONIK 9 features a 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar Tweeter, a 1.125" Midrange and 3 x 7.0" Wood fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
SONIK 9 has a frequency range of 34-30k Hz whereas Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SONIK 9's min frequency of 34Hz.
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
SONIK 9 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Concord which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SONIK 9 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Concord's is rated at 94 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI SONIK 9, 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.
SONIK 9 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Concord has a max power handling value of 225 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the SONIK 9.
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
SONIK 9 features 5-Way post type posts and Concord has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Concord's 5-Way 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 SONIK 9's and KLH Concord's external dimensions. DALI SONIK 9 has external dimensions of 1126.0 x 320.0 x 377.0mm (44-5/16inch x 12-9/16inch x 14-13/16inch) whereas KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Concord is 108mm narrower and 100mm shorter than DALI SONIK 9 but it is also 3mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI SONIK 9 and KLH Concord in scale.
Comparison image of DALI SONIK 9 and KLH Concord 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 SONIK 9 is approximately 1206.4cm2 / 187.0inch2 and base area of the KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The SONIK 9 requires 50% more surface area than the Concord which gives it a small disadvantage 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 SONIK 9 weighs 24.65kg / 54.2lbs and the KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the SONIK 9 21% heavier than the Concord.
Here is a comparison of how SONIK 9 and Concord'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 SONIK 9?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SONIK 9:
- 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 KLH Concord?
Here are the items that come with the Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
225 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
7.0 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1026mm
vs
1126mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1206cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
4500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
DALI SONIK 9 |
KLH Concord |
| Brand |
DALI |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
up to 225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-30k Hz |
28-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7.0" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood fiber |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.6875 x 1.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Planar |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
1.125" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1126.0mm (44.3") |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
377.0mm (14.8") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
24.65kg (54.2lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain laminate |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Natural Oak,White,Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - DALI SONIK 9 costs roughly 4.5x what KLH Concord does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KLH Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 34Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | KLH Concord is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | DALI SONIK 9 takes more power (300W vs 225W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Concord is easier to place; DALI SONIK 9 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $4,500, about 78% less; arguably a different class. |
A DALI SONIK 9 B KLH Concord
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?
KLH Concord is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take DALI SONIK 9 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 34Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, DALI SONIK 9 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Concord 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.