In this review, we will be comparing F502S and Nostala LB12, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and Emotiva.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F502S and Emotiva Nostala LB12 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F502S | Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 12" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-34k Hz | 40-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 180 W watts | 100-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.49kg / 62.7lbs | 32.20kg / 70.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.8" x 11.8" x 15"
1112.5 x 299.7 x 381.0mm | 30" x 15-1/2" x 14-1/2"
762.0 x 394.0 x 368.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F502S and Emotiva Nostala LB12 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 F502S |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
| 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 F502S and Nostala LB12 are 3-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F502SEmotiva Nostala LB12
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 F502S |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 8-inch
|
1 x 12-inch
|
F502S features a " Tweeter and x 8" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz, 1700 Hz. On the other hand, the Nostala LB12 features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 200Hz and 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
F502S has a frequency range of 30-34k Hz whereas Nostala LB12 has a frequency range of 40-32k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the F502S can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Nostala LB12's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
F502S and Nostala LB12 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 dB.
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.
Nostala LB12 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas F502S has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 170 watts less than the Nostala LB12.
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
Nostala LB12 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. F502S has a Binding post which doesn't 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 F502S's and Emotiva Nostala LB12's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F502S has external dimensions of 1112.5 x 299.7 x 381.0mm (43.8 x 11.8 x 15inch) whereas Emotiva Nostala LB12 has external dimensions of 762.0 x 394.0 x 368.0mm (30 x 15-1/2 x 14-1/2inch).
Emotiva Nostala LB12 is 350.5mm shorter and 13mm less deeper than Fyne Audio F502S but it is also 94.3mm wider.
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.
Emotiva Nostala LB12 needs about 27% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F502S is 351mm 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 F502S is approximately 1141.9cm2 / 177.0inch2 and base area of the Emotiva Nostala LB12 is approximately 1449.9cm2 / 224.7inch2. The F502S requires 21% less surface area than the Nostala LB12 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 F502S weighs 28.49kg / 62.7lbs and the Emotiva Nostala LB12 weighs 32.20kg / 70.8lbs. This makes the Nostala LB12 13% heavier than the F502S.
Here is a comparison of how F502S and Nostala LB12's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
34k Hz
vs
32k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1141cm2
vs
1449cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
762mm
vs
1112mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3299USD
vs
3499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Fyne Audio F502S |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Emotiva |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30 - 180 W watts |
100-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-34k Hz |
40-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz, 1700 Hz |
200Hz and 2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1112.5mm (43.8") |
762.0mm (30") |
| Width |
299.7mm (11.8") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
381.0mm (15") |
368.0mm (14.5") |
| Weight |
28.49kg (62.7lbs) |
32.20kg (70.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Fyne Audio F502S digs deeper - 30Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Emotiva Nostala LB12 takes more power (350W vs 180W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Emotiva Nostala LB12: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($3,499 vs $3,299 a pair). |
A Fyne Audio F502S B Emotiva Nostala LB12
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?
Emotiva Nostala LB12 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 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead.
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.