In this review, we will be comparing Special Forty and Epicon 2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Dynaudio and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Special Forty and DALI Epicon 2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Special Forty | DALI Epicon 2 |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.14" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" MSP | 6.5" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 41-23k Hz | 47-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.10kg / 17.8lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-3/16" x 7-13/16" x 12-1/16"
360.0 x 198.0 x 307.0mm | 15.20" x 8.43" x 14.41"
386 x 214 x 366 mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Special Forty and Epicon 2 are 2-way speakers.
Dynaudio Special FortyDALI Epicon 2
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 Special Forty |
DALI Epicon 2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.14-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Special Forty features a 1.1" Esotar Forty Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000 Hz. On the other hand, the Epicon 2 features a 1.14" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz.
Frequency Response
Special Forty has a frequency range of 41-23k Hz whereas Epicon 2 has a frequency range of 47-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the Special Forty can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Epicon 2's min frequency of 47Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Special Forty is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Epicon 2 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 Epicon 2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Special Forty sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Epicon 2's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the DALI Epicon 2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Special Forty, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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
Epicon 2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Special Forty has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Special Forty's and DALI Epicon 2's external dimensions. Dynaudio Special Forty has external dimensions of 360.0 x 198.0 x 307.0mm (14-3/16 x 7-13/16 x 12-1/16inch) whereas DALI Epicon 2 has external dimensions of 386 x 214 x 366 mm ().
DALI Epicon 2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 16mm wider, 26mm taller and 59mm deeper than Dynaudio Special Forty.
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 Epicon 2 needs about 29% more floor or shelf area. DALI Epicon 2 is 59mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Epicon 2 is 26mm 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 Special Forty is approximately 607.9cm2 / 94.2inch2 and base area of the DALI Epicon 2 is approximately 783.2cm2 / 121.4inch2. The Special Forty requires 22% less surface area than the Epicon 2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.