In this review, we will be comparing Ai81 and Navis ARF-51, two Powered Floor-standing speakers from Fluance and ELAC. 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 Fluance Ai81 and ELAC Navis ARF-51 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance Ai81 | ELAC Navis ARF-51 |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 150-watt RMS | 300-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-20k Hz | 43-28k Hz |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | — |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 16-bit / 48 kHz | — |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Optional |
|---|
| Weight | 13.88kg / 30.5lbs | 21.00kg / 46.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 37.8" x 8.5" x 10.24"
96 x 21.6 x 26 cm | 42.125" x 9.6875" x 11.5625"
1070.0 x 247.0 x 294.0mm |
|---|
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 Ai81 is a 2-way design whereas the Navis ARF-51 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.
Fluance Ai81ELAC Navis ARF-51
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fluance Ai81 |
ELAC Navis ARF-51 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Ai81 features a 1" Silk Neodymium Ferrofluid Cooled Soft Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite Woofer. On the other hand, the Navis ARF-51 features a 1" Fabric Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ai81 has a frequency range of 30-20k Hz whereas Navis ARF-51 has a frequency range of 43-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Ai81 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Navis ARF-51's min frequency of 43Hz.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Ai81 has a bottom firing port whereas Navis ARF-51 has a rear firing ports. Fluance Ai81's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to ELAC Navis ARF-51 with its rear-firing port.
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 Fluance Ai81's and ELAC Navis ARF-51's external dimensions. Fluance Ai81 has external dimensions of 96 x 21.6 x 26 cm (37.8 x 8.50 x 10.24 inches) whereas ELAC Navis ARF-51 has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 247.0 x 294.0mm (42.125 x 9.6875 x 11.5625inch).
ELAC Navis ARF-51 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 31mm wider, 110mm taller and 34mm deeper than Fluance Ai81.
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.
ELAC Navis ARF-51 needs about 29% more floor or shelf area. ELAC Navis ARF-51 is 34mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. ELAC Navis ARF-51 is 110mm 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 Fluance Ai81 is approximately 561.0cm2 / 87.0inch2 and base area of the ELAC Navis ARF-51 is approximately 726.2cm2 / 112.6inch2. The Ai81 requires 23% less surface area than the Navis ARF-51 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 Fluance Ai81 weighs 13.88kg / 30.5lbs and the ELAC Navis ARF-51 weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs. This makes the Navis ARF-51 51% heavier than the Ai81.
Here is a comparison of how Ai81 and Navis ARF-51'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 are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of ELAC Navis ARF-51?
Here are the items that come with the Navis ARF-51:
- Powered floorstanding loudspeaker
- 8-feet AC power cord
- Base plate
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Isolation pucks
- 4 Screws
- Operating Instructions
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
43 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 Height |
960mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
561cm2
vs
726cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
3798USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Digital Input |
Optical
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
 Subwoofer Output |
Wired
vs
No
|
Pair your speakers with external subwoofer |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 XLR Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via XLR input |
| General |
Fluance Ai81 Elite |
ELAC Navis ARF-51 |
| Brand |
Fluance |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
30-20k Hz |
43-28k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
16-bit |
n/a |
| Max Sample Rate |
48 kHz |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven, Glass Fiber Composite |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
960.0mm (37.8") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
216.0mm (8.5") |
247.0mm (9.7") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Weight |
13.88kg (30.5lbs) |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF wood |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash,Lucky Bamboo,White Walnut, Natural Walnut |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA |
XLR, RCA |
| USB Port |
No |
No |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
No |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - ELAC Navis ARF-51 costs roughly 7.6x 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 | A | Fluance Ai81 digs deeper - 30Hz against 43Hz. |
| Built-in power | B | ELAC Navis ARF-51 has the bigger amplifier (300W vs 150W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Fluance Ai81 adds digital inputs. |
| Size | depends | Fluance Ai81 is easier to place; ELAC Navis ARF-51 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Fluance Ai81: a sub output. |
| Price | A | Fluance Ai81 is cheaper - $499 against $3,798, about 87% less; arguably a different class. |
A Fluance Ai81 B ELAC Navis ARF-51
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?
Fluance Ai81 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take ELAC Navis ARF-51 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 43Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, ELAC Navis ARF-51 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Fluance Ai81 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.