In this review, we will be comparing XL8F and HFF, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Fluance.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fluance XL8F and Fluance HFF first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance XL8F | Fluance HFF |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 6.5" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Polymer treated | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-25k Hz | 35-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 80-160 watts | 90-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.64kg / 47.6lbs | 28.30kg / 62.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-7/8" x 9-1/4" x 13"
1165.0 x 235.0 x 330.0mm | 47-5/16" x 10-7/8" x 15-3/8"
1201.0 x 277.0 x 391.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fluance XL8F 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 XL8F |
Fluance HFF |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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
Both XL8F and HFF are 3-way speakers.
Fluance XL8FFluance 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 XL8F |
Fluance HFF |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
XL8F features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polymer treated Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 100Hz and 3000Hz. 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
XL8F has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas HFF has a frequency range of 35-20k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the 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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
XL8F and HFF have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. XL8F sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the HFF's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Fluance HFF a more sensitive speaker compared to Fluance XL8F, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 XL8F has a max power handling value of 160 watts RMS, 40 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
Both XL8F and HFF features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both XL8F 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 XL8F's and Fluance HFF's external dimensions. Fluance XL8F has external dimensions of 1165.0 x 235.0 x 330.0mm (45-7/8 x 9-1/4 x 13inch) 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 HFF is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 42mm wider, 36mm taller and 61mm deeper than Fluance XL8F.
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 HFF needs about 40% more floor or shelf area. Fluance HFF is 61mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fluance HFF is 36mm 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 XL8F is approximately 775.5cm2 / 120.2inch2 and base area of the Fluance HFF is approximately 1083.1cm2 / 167.9inch2. The XL8F requires 28% less surface area than the HFF 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 XL8F weighs 21.64kg / 47.6lbs and the Fluance HFF weighs 28.30kg / 62.3lbs. This makes the HFF 31% heavier than the XL8F.
Here is a comparison of how XL8F and HFF's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1165mm
vs
1201mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
775cm2
vs
1083cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
160 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| General |
Fluance XL8F |
Fluance HFF |
| Brand |
Fluance |
Fluance |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
80-160 watts |
90-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-25k Hz |
35-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer treated |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
100Hz and 3000Hz |
530Hz and 2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1165.0mm (45.9") |
1201.0mm (47.3") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
330.0mm (13") |
391.0mm (15.4") |
| Weight |
21.64kg (47.6lbs) |
28.30kg (62.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
Lifetime |
Lifetime |
| Labor Warranty |
Lifetime |
Lifetime |
A generation apart: Fluance XL8F is the newer design, against a 2016 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (35Hz vs 35Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Fluance HFF is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Fluance HFF takes more power (200W vs 160W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Fluance XL8F is easier to place; Fluance HFF is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Fluance XL8F: bi-amping; Fluance HFF: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Fluance XL8F is cheaper - $600 against $800, about 25% less. |
A Fluance XL8F B Fluance HFF
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?
The usual trade-off: Fluance HFF measures better, Fluance XL8F costs about about 33% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. In a large or open-plan room, Fluance HFF has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Fluance XL8F is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Fluance HFF is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.