In this review, we will be comparing Focus 30 and Ai81, two Powered Floor-standing speakers from Dynaudio and Fluance. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Focus 30 and Fluance Ai81 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Focus 30 | Fluance Ai81 |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 670-watt RMS (1000-watt peak) | 150-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.5" MSP | 2 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-22k Hz | 30-20k Hz |
|---|
| Power range | — | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 16-bit / 48 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 4.2 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | — |
|---|
| Weight | 16.20kg / 35.6lbs | 13.88kg / 30.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 35-3/8" x 7-1/8" x 10-1/4"
900.0 x 180.0 x 261.0mm | 37.8" x 8.5" x 10.24"
96 x 21.6 x 26 cm |
|---|
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 Focus 30 is a 3-way design whereas the Ai81 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 Focus 30Fluance Ai81
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Dynaudio Focus 30 |
Fluance Ai81 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Focus 30 features a 1.1" Cerotar Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 1 x 5.5" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 390 Hz - 4700 Hz. On the other hand, the Ai81 features a 1" Silk Neodymium Ferrofluid Cooled Soft Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Focus 30 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas Ai81 has a frequency range of 30-20k Hz.
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.
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 Focus 30's and Fluance Ai81's external dimensions. Dynaudio Focus 30 has external dimensions of 900.0 x 180.0 x 261.0mm (35-3/8-inch x 7-1/8-inch x 10-1/4-inch) whereas Fluance Ai81 has external dimensions of 96 x 21.6 x 26 cm (37.8 x 8.50 x 10.24 inches).
Dynaudio Focus 30 is 36mm narrower and 60mm shorter than Fluance Ai81 but it is also 1mm deeper.
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.
Fluance Ai81 needs about 20% more floor or shelf area. Fluance Ai81 is 60mm 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 Focus 30 is approximately 469.8cm2 / 72.8inch2 and base area of the Fluance Ai81 is approximately 561.0cm2 / 87.0inch2. The Focus 30 requires 16% less surface area than the Ai81 which gives it a small advantage 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 Focus 30 weighs 16.20kg / 35.6lbs and the Fluance Ai81 weighs 13.88kg / 30.5lbs. This makes the Focus 30 17% heavier than the Ai81.
Here is a comparison of how Focus 30 and Ai81's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Fluance Ai81?
Here are the items that come with the Ai81:
- Ai81 Powered Tower Speakers (pair)
- Remote Control
- 1x CR2032 Battery
- 6ft Power Cable
- 8ft 18 Gauge Speaker Wire
- Quick Start Guide
- Fluance Catalog
- Lifetime Customer Support
- 2 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
900mm
vs
960mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
469cm2
vs
561cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 USB Port |
Service only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
8250USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Dynaudio Focus 30 |
Fluance Ai81 Elite |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Fluance |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
30-22k Hz |
30-20k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
670-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1000-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
16-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
48 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
MSP |
Woven, Glass Fiber Composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
390 Hz - 4700 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
900.0mm (35.4") |
960.0mm (37.8") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
216.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
261.0mm (10.3") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
16.20kg (35.6lbs) |
13.88kg (30.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF wood |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, White High Gloss, Blonde Wood, Walnut Wood |
Black Ash,Lucky Bamboo,White Walnut, Natural Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
2x RCA |
RCA |
| USB Port |
Service only |
No |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
1x Toslink, 1x RCA |
Optical |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
These sit in different price classes - Dynaudio Focus 30 costs roughly 16.5x what Fluance Ai81 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (30Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Built-in power | A | Dynaudio Focus 30 has the bigger amplifier (670W vs 150W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Dynaudio Focus 30 adds Wi-Fi and streaming. |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Focus 30 is easier to place; Fluance Ai81 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | depends | Dynaudio Focus 30: a sub output; Fluance Ai81: a sub output. |
| Price | B | Fluance Ai81 is cheaper - $499 against $8,250, about 94% less; arguably a different class. |
A Dynaudio Focus 30 B Fluance Ai81
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?
The usual trade-off: Dynaudio Focus 30 measures better, Fluance Ai81 costs about about 16.5x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $7,751 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.