In this review, we will be comparing F500SP and Menuet SE, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Fyne Audio and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F500SP and DALI Menuet SE first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F500SP | DALI Menuet SE |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" | 4.5" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-34k Hz | 59-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 120 W watts | 20-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.98kg / 17.6lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.7" x 7.9" x 12.6"
322.6 x 200.7 x 320.0mm | 9.84" x 5.91" x 9.06"
250 x 150 x 230 mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both F500SP and Menuet SE are 2-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F500SPDALI Menuet SE
TweeterWoofer
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 F500SP |
DALI Menuet SE |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x 6-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
F500SP features a " Tweeter and x 6" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1700 Hz. On the other hand, the Menuet SE features a 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz.
Frequency Response
F500SP has a frequency range of 42-34k Hz whereas Menuet SE has a frequency range of 59-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the F500SP can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Menuet SE's min frequency of 59Hz.
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
F500SP is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Menuet SE 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 Menuet SE can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F500SP sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Menuet SE's is rated at 86 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F500SP a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Menuet SE, 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.
F500SP can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Menuet SE has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the F500SP.
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
F500SP features Binding post type posts and Menuet SE 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 F500SP's and DALI Menuet SE's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F500SP has external dimensions of 322.6 x 200.7 x 320.0mm (12.7 x 7.9 x 12.6inch) whereas DALI Menuet SE has external dimensions of 250 x 150 x 230 mm ().
Fyne Audio F500SP is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 50.7mm wider, 72.6mm taller and 90mm deeper than DALI Menuet SE.
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 F500SP needs about 86% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F500SP is 90mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F500SP is 73mm 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 F500SP is approximately 642.2cm2 / 99.5inch2 and base area of the DALI Menuet SE is approximately 345.0cm2 / 53.5inch2. The F500SP requires 86% more surface area than the Menuet SE which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.