In this review, we will be comparing Focus 50 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 50 and Fluance Ai81 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Dynaudio Focus 50 and Fluance Ai81 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Focus 50 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.
| Driver |
Dynaudio Focus 50 |
Fluance Ai81 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Focus 50 features a 1.1" Cerotar Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 220 Hz - 2400 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 50 has a frequency range of 22-22k Hz whereas Ai81 has a frequency range of 30-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Focus 50 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Ai81's min frequency of 30Hz.
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.
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 Dynaudio Focus 50's and Fluance Ai81's external dimensions. Dynaudio Focus 50 has external dimensions of 1140.0 x 215.0 x 305.0mm ( 44-7/8-inch x 8-1/2-inch x 12-inch) whereas Fluance Ai81 has external dimensions of 96 x 21.6 x 26 cm ( 37.8 x 8.50 x 10.24 inches) .
Fluance Ai81 is 180mm shorter and 45mm less deeper than Dynaudio Focus 50 but it is also 1mm wider.
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 50 is approximately 655.8cm2 / 101.6inch2 and base area of the Fluance Ai81 is approximately 561.0cm2 / 87.0inch2. The Focus 50 requires 17% more surface area than the Ai81 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 Focus 50 weighs 33.50kg / 73.7lbs and the Fluance Ai81 weighs 13.16kg / 29lbs. This makes the Focus 50 155% heavier than the Ai81.
Here is a comparison of how Focus 50 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 Control1x CR2032 Battery6ft Power Cable8ft 18 Gauge Speaker WireQuick Start GuideFluance CatalogLifetime Customer Support2 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 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 |
 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 |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 Height |
960mm
vs
1140mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
561cm2
vs
655cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
11000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Dynaudio Focus 50 |
Fluance Ai81 Elite |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Fluance |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
22-22k 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 |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
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 |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
220 Hz - 2400 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1140.0mm (44.9") |
960.0mm (37.8") |
| Width |
215.0mm (8.5") |
216.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
305.0mm (12") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
33.50kg (73.7lbs) |
13.16kg (29lbs) |
| 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 |
|
|