In this review, we will be comparing SX6 and HFS, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Fluance.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fluance SX6 and Fluance HFS first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance SX6 | Fluance HFS |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Polymer treated | 5" Glass fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-20k Hz | 60-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-100 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.10kg / 11.2lbs | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-11/16" x 8-3/8" x 9-3/4"
322.0 x 213.0 x 248.0mm | 12-13/16" x 7-7/8" x 8-1/4"
325.0 x 200.0 x 209.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fluance SX6 and Fluance HFS 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 SX6 |
Fluance HFS |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* 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
Both SX6 and HFS are 2-way speakers.
Fluance SX6Fluance HFS
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 SX6 |
Fluance HFS |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
SX6 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Polymer treated Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3500Hz. On the other hand, the HFS features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Glass fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
SX6 and HFS has exactly the same frequency range of 60-20k Hz.
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
SX6 and HFS have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. SX6 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the HFS's is at 85 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Fluance SX6 a more sensitive speaker compared to Fluance HFS, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
HFS can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas SX6 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the HFS.
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
SX6 features Binding post type posts and HFS has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
SX6 has a rear firing port whereas HFS has a front firing ports. Fluance HFS's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Fluance SX6 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 SX6's and Fluance HFS's external dimensions. Fluance SX6 has external dimensions of 322.0 x 213.0 x 248.0mm (12-11/16 x 8-3/8 x 9-3/4inch) whereas Fluance HFS has external dimensions of 325.0 x 200.0 x 209.0mm (12-13/16 x 7-7/8 x 8-1/4inch).
Fluance HFS is 13mm narrower and 39mm less deeper than Fluance SX6 but it is also 3mm taller.
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 SX6 needs about 26% more floor or shelf area. Fluance SX6 is 39mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 SX6 is approximately 528.2cm2 / 81.9inch2 and base area of the Fluance HFS is approximately 418.0cm2 / 64.8inch2. The SX6 requires 26% more surface area than the HFS 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 Fluance SX6 weighs 5.10kg / 11.2lbs and the Fluance HFS weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs. This makes the SX6 16% heavier than the HFS.
Here is a comparison of how SX6 and HFS's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
322mm
vs
325mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
150USD
vs
200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Base Surface Area |
418cm2
vs
528cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Fluance SX6 |
Fluance HFS |
| Brand |
Fluance |
Fluance |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-100 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-20k Hz |
60-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer treated |
Glass fibre |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3500Hz |
2300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
322.0mm (12.7") |
325.0mm (12.8") |
| Width |
213.0mm (8.4") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
248.0mm (9.8") |
209.0mm (8.2") |
| Weight |
5.10kg (11.2lbs) |
4.40kg (9.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
Lifetime |
Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
Lifetime |
Lifetime |
Both are Fluance, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (60Hz vs 60Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Fluance SX6 is more sensitive (89dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | Fluance HFS is easier to place; Fluance SX6 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Fluance SX6 is cheaper - $150 against $200, about 25% less. |
A Fluance SX6 B Fluance HFS
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 SX6 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Fluance SX6 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $50 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.