In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by DALI. DALI Sonik On-Wall is a On-wall speaker whereas the Opticon LCR MK2 is a On-Wall speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Sonik On-Wall and DALI Opticon LCR II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Sonik On-Wall | DALI Opticon LCR II |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.14" Soft-Dome | 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Wood fibre | 6.5" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-26k Hz | 70-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 8.00kg / 17.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.16" x 9.65" x 4.84"
385 x 245 x 123 mm | 19" x 11-1/4" x 5"
483.0 x 286.0 x 127.0mm |
|---|
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 On-Wall is a 2-way design whereas the Opticon LCR MK2 is a 3-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 On-WallDALI Opticon LCR II
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 Sonik On-Wall |
DALI Opticon LCR II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.14-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Sonik On-Wall features a 1.14" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Sonik On-Wall has a frequency range of 55-26k Hz whereas Opticon LCR MK2 has a frequency range of 70-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the Sonik On-Wall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Opticon LCR MK2's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the On-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
On-wall 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 On-Wall is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Opticon LCR MK2 which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 LCR MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sonik On-Wall sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Opticon LCR MK2's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the DALI Opticon LCR II a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Sonik On-Wall, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
On-wall 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 LCR MK2 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Sonik On-Wall has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Opticon LCR 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
Sonik On-Wall features Post type posts and Opticon LCR MK2 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Opticon LCR II's 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 On-Wall's and DALI Opticon LCR II's external dimensions. DALI Sonik On-Wall has external dimensions of 385 x 245 x 123 mm () whereas DALI Opticon LCR II has external dimensions of 483.0 x 286.0 x 127.0mm (19 x 11-1/4 x 5inch).
DALI Opticon LCR II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 41mm wider, 98mm taller and 4mm deeper than DALI Sonik On-Wall.
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.
DALI Opticon LCR II needs about 21% more floor or shelf area. DALI Opticon LCR II is 98mm 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 Sonik On-Wall is approximately 301.4cm2 / 46.7inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon LCR II is approximately 363.2cm2 / 56.3inch2. The Sonik On-Wall requires 17% less surface area than the Opticon LCR MK2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon LCR II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon LCR MK2:
- LCR loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber bumpers
- Hex-key
- Quick Start Guide
- Congratulations Card