In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Fluance. Fluance HFC is a Center Channel speaker whereas the HFF is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fluance HFC and Fluance HFF first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance HFC | Fluance HFF |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Glass fibre | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-20k Hz | 35-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 90-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.39kg / 16.3lbs | 28.30kg / 62.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-5/16" x 18-7/8" x 10-9/16"
185.0 x 480.0 x 269.0mm | 47-5/16" x 10-7/8" x 15-3/8"
1201.0 x 277.0 x 391.0mm |
|---|
HFC and HFF are members of Fluance's Signature series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Fluance HFC and Fluance HFF speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Fluance HFC |
Fluance HFF |
| Near-field |
Good |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
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 HFC is a 2-way design whereas the HFF 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 HFCFluance HFF
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 HFC |
Fluance HFF |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
HFC features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Glass fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz. On the other hand, the HFF features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 530Hz and 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
HFC has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz whereas HFF has a frequency range of 35-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the HFF can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HFC's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
HFC and HFF have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. HFC sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the HFF's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Fluance HFC a more sensitive speaker compared to Fluance HFF, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
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.
HFF can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas HFC has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the HFF.
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.
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
HFF features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. HFC has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HFC and HFF have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 HFC's and Fluance HFF's external dimensions. Fluance HFC has external dimensions of 185.0 x 480.0 x 269.0mm (7-5/16 x 18-7/8 x 10-9/16inch) whereas Fluance HFF has external dimensions of 1201.0 x 277.0 x 391.0mm (47-5/16 x 10-7/8 x 15-3/8inch).
Fluance HFC is 1016mm shorter and 122mm less deeper than Fluance HFF but it is also 203mm wider.
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 HFC needs about 19% more floor or shelf area. Fluance HFF is 122mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fluance HFF is 1016mm 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 HFC is approximately 1291.2cm2 / 200.1inch2 and base area of the Fluance HFF is approximately 1083.1cm2 / 167.9inch2. The HFC requires 19% more surface area than the HFF which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.