In this review, we will be comparing F701 and Rubikore 2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Fyne Audio and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F701 and DALI Rubikore 2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F701 | DALI Rubikore 2 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1.14" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 6.5" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-34k Hz | 50-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 180 W watts | 40-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.61kg / 29.9lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 18.3" x 10.9" x 15.3"
464.8 x 276.9 x 388.6mm | 13.78" x 7.68" x 13.19"
350 x 195 x 335 mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both F701 and Rubikore 2 are 2-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F701DALI Rubikore 2
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 F701 |
DALI Rubikore 2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.14-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x 8-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
F701 features a " Tweeter and x 8" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1700 Hz. On the other hand, the Rubikore 2 features a 1.14" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
F701 has a frequency range of 35-34k Hz whereas Rubikore 2 has a frequency range of 50-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the F701 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Rubikore 2's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
F701 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Rubikore 2 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 Rubikore 2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F701 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Rubikore 2's is rated at 87 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F701 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Rubikore 2, 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 Rubikore 2 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 30 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
Rubikore 2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. F701 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 F701's and DALI Rubikore 2's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F701 has external dimensions of 464.8 x 276.9 x 388.6mm (18.3 x 10.9 x 15.3inch) whereas DALI Rubikore 2 has external dimensions of 350 x 195 x 335 mm ().
Fyne Audio F701 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 81.9mm wider, 114.8mm taller and 53.6mm deeper than DALI Rubikore 2.
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 65% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F701 is 54mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F701 is 115mm 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 F701 is approximately 1076.0cm2 / 166.8inch2 and base area of the DALI Rubikore 2 is approximately 653.2cm2 / 101.2inch2. The F701 requires 65% more surface area than the Rubikore 2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.