In this review, we will be comparing Aria 948 and Opticon 8 MK2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria 948 and DALI Opticon 8 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Aria 948 | DALI Opticon 8 II |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.25" Flax | 2 x 8" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37-28k Hz | 38-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-350 watts | 40-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.00kg / 77lbs | 37.10kg / 81.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-1/4" x 14-5/8" x 16-9/16"
1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm | 45-1/4" x 9-1/2" x 18-1/16"
1150.0 x 245.0 x 459.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Aria 948 and DALI Opticon 8 II 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* |
Focal Aria 948 |
DALI Opticon 8 II |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Aria 948 and Opticon 8 MK2 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Aria 948DALI Opticon 8 II
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Aria 948 |
DALI Opticon 8 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Aria 948 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.25" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2,600Hz. On the other hand, the Opticon 8 MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz.
Frequency Response
Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k Hz whereas Opticon 8 MK2 has a frequency range of 38-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the Aria 948 can go slightly deeper then the Opticon 8 MK2's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
Aria 948 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Opticon 8 MK2 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Opticon 8 MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Aria 948 sensitivity is rated at 92.5 dB and the Opticon 8 MK2's is rated at 88 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 948 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Opticon 8 II, 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.
Aria 948 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Opticon 8 MK2 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Aria 948.
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
Opticon 8 MK2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria 948 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Opticon 8 II's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
DALI Opticon 8 II 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 Focal Aria 948's and DALI Opticon 8 II's external dimensions. Focal Aria 948 has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm (45-1/4 x 14-5/8 x 16-9/16inch) whereas DALI Opticon 8 II has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 245.0 x 459.0mm (45-1/4 x 9-1/2 x 18-1/16inch).
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 Focal Aria 948 is approximately 1566.1cm2 / 242.7inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon 8 II is approximately 1124.6cm2 / 174.3inch2. The Aria 948 requires 39% more surface area than the Opticon 8 MK2 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 Focal Aria 948 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs and the DALI Opticon 8 II weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs. This makes the Opticon 8 MK2 6% heavier than the Aria 948.
Here is a comparison of how Aria 948 and Opticon 8 MK2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 948?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aria 948:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Base
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)
- 4 Plastic feet
- 4 Screws
- Allen-key
- Hex-tool
- User Manual
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon 8 II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon 8 MK2:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Binding post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes (with lock nuts)
- 4 Rubber pads
- 4 Screws
- Hex-key
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Congratulations Card
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8.25 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
1124cm2
vs
1566cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4200USD
vs
6598USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Aria 948 |
DALI Opticon 8 MK2 |
| Brand |
Focal |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-350 watts |
40-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
37-28k Hz |
38-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
280Hz and 2,600Hz |
380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
372.0mm (14.6") |
245.0mm (9.6") |
| Depth |
421.0mm (16.6") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
| Weight |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: DALI Opticon 8 II is the newer design, against a 2013 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 (37Hz vs 38Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Aria 948 is more sensitive (93dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Focal Aria 948 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (350W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | DALI Opticon 8 II is easier to place; Focal Aria 948 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | DALI Opticon 8 II: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | DALI Opticon 8 II is cheaper - $4,200 against $6,598, about 36% less. |
A Focal Aria 948 B DALI Opticon 8 II
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?
Focal Aria 948 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 57% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - DALI Opticon 8 II looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Focal Aria 948 appeals to you. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Aria 948 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Focal Aria 948 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.