In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Fluance. Fluance Ai81 Elite is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Ai41 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fluance Ai81 and Fluance Ai41 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance Ai81 | Fluance Ai41 |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 150-watt RMS | 90-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft Dome | 1" Soft Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite | 5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-20k Hz | 35-20k Hz |
|---|
| Power range | up to 150 watts | up to 90 watts |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 16-bit / 48 kHz | 16-bit / 48 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| Weight | 13.88kg / 30.5lbs | 3.37kg / 7.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 37.8" x 8.5" x 10.24"
96 x 21.6 x 26 cm | 10.9" x 6.5" x 7.6"
27.7 x 16.5 x 19.3 cm |
|---|
Ai81 and Ai41 are members of Fluance's Ai series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Ai81 and Ai41 are 2-way speakers.
Fluance Ai81Fluance Ai41
TweeterWoofer
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 |
Fluance Ai41 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-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 Ai41 features a 1" Silk Neodymium Ferrofluid Cooled Soft Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ai81 has a frequency range of 30-20k Hz whereas Ai41 has a frequency range of 35-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Ai81 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Ai41's min frequency of 35Hz.
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.
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Ai81 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Ai41 has a max power handling value of 90 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the Ai81.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Ai81 has a bottom firing port whereas Ai41 has a rear firing ports. Fluance Ai81's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Fluance Ai41 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 Fluance Ai41'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 Fluance Ai41 has external dimensions of 27.7 x 16.5 x 19.3 cm (10.9 x 6.5 x 7.6 inches).
Fluance Ai81 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 51mm wider, 683mm taller and 67mm deeper than Fluance Ai41.
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 76% more floor or shelf area. Fluance Ai81 is 67mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fluance Ai81 is 683mm 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 Fluance Ai41 is approximately 318.0cm2 / 49.3inch2. The Ai81 requires 76% more surface area than the Ai41 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 Fluance Ai41?
Here are the items that come with the Ai41:
- Ai41 Powered Bookshelf 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