In this review, we will be comparing Contour Legacy and SONIK 5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Dynaudio and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Contour Legacy and DALI SONIK 5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Contour Legacy | DALI SONIK 5 |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.125" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" MSP | 2 x 5.25" Wood fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-29k Hz | 39-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 32.50kg / 71.5lbs | 10.82kg / 23.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-3/16" x 8-3/16" x 13-9/16"
995.0 x 208.0 x 345.0mm | 32-7/16" x 9-13/16" x 10-9/16"
824.0 x 250.0 x 269.0mm |
|---|
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 Contour Legacy is a 3-way design whereas the SONIK 5 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.
Dynaudio Contour LegacyDALI SONIK 5
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Dynaudio Contour Legacy |
DALI SONIK 5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Contour Legacy features a 1.1" Esotar 3 Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3400 Hz. On the other hand, the SONIK 5 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Wood fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
Contour Legacy has a frequency range of 42-29k Hz whereas SONIK 5 has a frequency range of 39-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the SONIK 5 can go slightly deeper then the Contour Legacy's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
Contour Legacy is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the SONIK 5 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 Contour Legacy can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Contour Legacy sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the SONIK 5's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Dynaudio Contour Legacy a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI SONIK 5, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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
Contour Legacy features Binding post type posts and SONIK 5 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Contour Legacy and SONIK 5 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
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 Dynaudio Contour Legacy's and DALI SONIK 5's external dimensions. Dynaudio Contour Legacy has external dimensions of 995.0 x 208.0 x 345.0mm (39-3/16 x 8-3/16 x 13-9/16inch) whereas DALI SONIK 5 has external dimensions of 824.0 x 250.0 x 269.0mm (32-7/16inch x 9-13/16inch x 10-9/16inch).
DALI SONIK 5 is 171mm shorter and 76mm less deeper than Dynaudio Contour Legacy but it is also 42mm wider.
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.
Near-identical footprints. Dynaudio Contour Legacy is 76mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Dynaudio Contour Legacy is 171mm 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 Dynaudio Contour Legacy is approximately 717.6cm2 / 111.2inch2 and base area of the DALI SONIK 5 is approximately 672.5cm2 / 104.2inch2. The Contour Legacy requires 7% more surface area than the SONIK 5 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 Dynaudio Contour Legacy weighs 32.50kg / 71.5lbs and the DALI SONIK 5 weighs 10.82kg / 23.8lbs. This makes the Contour Legacy 200% heavier than the SONIK 5.
Here is a comparison of how Contour Legacy and SONIK 5'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 5?
Here are the items that come with the SONIK 5:
- 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 |
300 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
29k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
39 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
824mm
vs
995mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
672cm2
vs
717cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Dynaudio Contour Legacy |
DALI SONIK 5 |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-29k Hz |
39-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
MSP |
Wood fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3400 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
995.0mm (39.2") |
824.0mm (32.4") |
| Width |
208.0mm (8.2") |
250.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
345.0mm (13.6") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Weight |
32.50kg (71.5lbs) |
10.82kg (23.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain laminate |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black Ash, Natural Oak,White,Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | DALI SONIK 5 digs deeper - 39Hz against 42Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Dynaudio Contour Legacy is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | DALI SONIK 5 is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Dynaudio Contour Legacy takes more power (300W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | DALI SONIK 5 is easier to place; Dynaudio Contour Legacy is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. DALI SONIK 5 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
A Dynaudio Contour Legacy B DALI SONIK 5
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Dynaudio Contour Legacy is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.