In this review, we will be comparing F1-5 and F701, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Fyne Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F1-5 and Fyne Audio F701 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F1-5 | Fyne Audio F701 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" | 8" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-38k Hz | 35-34k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 100 W watts | 30 - 180 W watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.72kg / 12.6lbs | 13.61kg / 29.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.6" x 7.3" x 11.4"
320.0 x 185.4 x 289.6mm | 18.3" x 10.9" x 15.3"
464.8 x 276.9 x 388.6mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F1-5 and Fyne Audio F701 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* |
Fyne Audio F1-5 |
Fyne Audio F701 |
| 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 F1-5 and F701 are 2-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F1-5Fyne Audio F701
Woofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fyne Audio F1-5 |
Fyne Audio F701 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x 5-inch
|
x 8-inch
|
F1-5 features a " Tweeter and x 5" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1900 Hz. On the other hand, the F701 features a " Tweeter and x 8" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1700 Hz.
Frequency Response
F1-5 has a frequency range of 48-38k Hz whereas F701 has a frequency range of 35-34k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the F701 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the F1-5's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
F1-5 and F701 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. F1-5 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the F701's is at 91 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F701 a more sensitive speaker compared to Fyne Audio F1-5, 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.
F701 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas F1-5 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the F701.
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
F1-5 features Binding post type posts and F701 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Fyne Audio F1-5's and Fyne Audio F701's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F1-5 has external dimensions of 320.0 x 185.4 x 289.6mm (12.6 x 7.3 x 11.4inch) whereas Fyne Audio F701 has external dimensions of 464.8 x 276.9 x 388.6mm (18.3 x 10.9 x 15.3inch).
Fyne Audio F701 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 91.5mm wider, 144.8mm taller and 99mm deeper than Fyne Audio F1-5.
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.
Fyne Audio F701 needs about 100% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F701 is 99mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F701 is 145mm 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 Fyne Audio F1-5 is approximately 536.9cm2 / 83.2inch2 and base area of the Fyne Audio F701 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2. The F1-5 requires 50% less surface area than the F701 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 Fyne Audio F1-5 weighs 5.72kg / 12.6lbs and the Fyne Audio F701 weighs 13.61kg / 29.9lbs. This makes the F701 138% heavier than the F1-5.
Here is a comparison of how F1-5 and F701's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
34k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
320mm
vs
464mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
536cm2
vs
1076cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Fyne Audio F1-5 |
Fyne Audio F701 |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Fyne Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30 - 100 W watts |
30 - 180 W watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-38k Hz |
35-34k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
|
| Woofer Size |
5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1900 Hz |
1700 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
320.0mm (12.6") |
464.8mm (18.3") |
| Width |
185.4mm (7.3") |
276.9mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
289.6mm (11.4") |
388.6mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
5.72kg (12.6lbs) |
13.61kg (29.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Both are Fyne Audio, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Fyne Audio F701 digs deeper - 35Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Fyne Audio F701 is more sensitive (91dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Fyne Audio F701 takes more power (180W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Fyne Audio F1-5 is easier to place; Fyne Audio F701 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($5,499 vs $5,499 a pair). |
A Fyne Audio F1-5 B Fyne Audio F701
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?
Fyne Audio F701 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 a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Fyne Audio F701 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Fyne Audio F1-5 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.