In this review, we will be comparing F501S and SONIK 7, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F501S and DALI SONIK 7 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F501S | DALI SONIK 7 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 1.125" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" | 2 x 7.0" Wood fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-34k Hz | 36-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 150 W watts | 30-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.60kg / 40.9lbs | 16.23kg / 35.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.7" x 9.84" x 12.5"
983.0 x 249.9 x 317.5mm | 39-9/16" x 12" x 13"
1005.0 x 305.0 x 331.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both F501S and SONIK 7 are 3-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F501SDALI SONIK 7
MidrangeWoofer
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 F501S |
DALI SONIK 7 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
0.6875 x 1.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 1.125-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 6-inch
|
2 x 7.0-inch
|
F501S features a " Tweeter and x 6" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz, 1700 Hz. On the other hand, the SONIK 7 features a 0.6875 x 1.75" Planar Tweeter, a 1.125" Midrange and 2 x 7.0" Wood fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
F501S has a frequency range of 36-34k Hz whereas SONIK 7 has a frequency range of 36-30k 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
F501S is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the SONIK 7 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F501S sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the SONIK 7's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F501S a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI SONIK 7, 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.
SONIK 7 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas F501S has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the SONIK 7.
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
F501S features Binding post type posts and SONIK 7 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 F501S's and DALI SONIK 7's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F501S has external dimensions of 983.0 x 249.9 x 317.5mm (38.7 x 9.84 x 12.5inch) whereas DALI SONIK 7 has external dimensions of 1005.0 x 305.0 x 331.0mm (39-9/16inch x 12inch x 13inch).
DALI SONIK 7 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 55.1mm wider, 22mm taller and 13.5mm deeper than Fyne Audio F501S.
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.
DALI SONIK 7 needs about 27% more floor or shelf area. DALI SONIK 7 is 22mm 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 F501S is approximately 793.4cm2 / 123.0inch2 and base area of the DALI SONIK 7 is approximately 1009.6cm2 / 156.5inch2. The F501S requires 21% less surface area than the SONIK 7 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 F501S weighs 18.60kg / 40.9lbs and the DALI SONIK 7 weighs 16.23kg / 35.7lbs. This makes the F501S 15% heavier than the SONIK 7.
Here is a comparison of how F501S and SONIK 7'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 DALI SONIK 7?
Here are the items that come with the SONIK 7:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 8 Rubber feet (M8 threads)
- 8 Spike-feet (M8 threads)
- Eight M8 hex-nuts
- Eight M8x15mm counter-sunk hex-screws
- Hex-key
- Hex-wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Online Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
34k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
983mm
vs
1005mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
793cm2
vs
1009cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2799USD
vs
2800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
7.0 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
Fyne Audio F501S |
DALI SONIK 7 |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30 - 150 W watts |
30-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-34k Hz |
36-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
7.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Wood fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
0.6875 x 1.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Planar |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
1.125" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz, 1700 Hz |
2300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
983.0mm (38.7") |
1005.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
249.9mm (9.8") |
305.0mm (12") |
| Depth |
317.5mm (12.5") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Weight |
18.60kg (40.9lbs) |
16.23kg (35.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain laminate |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black Ash, Natural Oak,White,Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: DALI SONIK 7 is the newer design, against a 2021 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 (36Hz vs 36Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Fyne Audio F501S is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 180W). |
| Size | depends | Fyne Audio F501S is easier to place; DALI SONIK 7 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,799 vs $2,800 a pair). |
A Fyne Audio F501S B DALI SONIK 7
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 F501S has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does.
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.