In this review, we will be comparing RF-7 III and Opticon 8 MK2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and DALI. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RF-7 III and DALI Opticon 8 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Klipsch RF-7 III and DALI Opticon 8 II 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch RF-7 III and DALI Opticon 8 II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that RF-7 III is a 2-way design whereas the Opticon 8 MK2 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
Klipsch RF-7 III |
DALI Opticon 8 II |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
1.75-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6.5-inch |
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
RF-7 III features a 1.75" titanium dome Tweeter and 2 x 10" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1300Hz. On the other hand, the Opticon 8 MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz.
Frequency Response
RF-7 III has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas Opticon 8 MK2 has a frequency range of 38-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RF-7 III can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Opticon 8 MK2's min frequency of 38Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
RF-7 III is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Opticon 8 MK2 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 Opticon 8 MK2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. RF-7 III sensitivity is rated at 100 dB and the Opticon 8 MK2's is rated at 88 dB. This 12 dB difference makes the Klipsch RF-7 III a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Opticon 8 II, 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
RF-7 III can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RF-7 III has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Opticon 8 MK2.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both RF-7 III and Opticon 8 MK2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both RF-7 III and Opticon 8 MK2 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Klipsch RF-7 III's and DALI Opticon 8 II's external dimensions. Klipsch RF-7 III has external dimensions of 1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm ( 49-1/16 x 13-15/16 x 17-15/16inch) whereas DALI Opticon 8 II has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 245.0 x 459.0mm ( 45-1/4 x 9-1/2 x 18-1/16inch) .
DALI Opticon 8 II is 110mm narrower and 97mm shorter than Klipsch RF-7 III but it is also 3mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RF-7 III and DALI Opticon 8 II in scale.
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 Klipsch RF-7 III is approximately 1618.8cm2 / 250.9inch2 and base area of the DALI Opticon 8 II is approximately 1124.6cm2 / 174.3inch2. The RF-7 III requires 44% more surface area than the Opticon 8 MK2 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Klipsch RF-7 III weighs 44.10kg / 97lbs and the DALI Opticon 8 II weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs. This makes the RF-7 III 19% heavier than the Opticon 8 MK2.
Here is a comparison of how RF-7 III and Opticon 8 MK2'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 Klipsch RF-7 III?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RF-7 III:
Floorstanding loudspeakerPlinthGrille4 Spike feet4 Rubber feet2 Jumpers (pre-installed)4 Machine screwsOwners Manual
What's in the Box of DALI Opticon 8 II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon 8 MK2:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Binding post jumpers (pre-installed)4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes (with lock nuts)4 Rubber pads4 ScrewsHex-keyWrenchQuick Start GuideCongratulations Card
Sensitivity |
100 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Height |
1150mm
vs
1247mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
1124cm2 (245x459mm)
vs
1618cm2 (355x456mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
4200USD
vs
4398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
General |
Klipsch Reference RF-7 III |
DALI Opticon 8 MK2 |
Brand |
Klipsch |
DALI |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
40-300 watts |
Sensitivity |
100 dB |
88 dB |
Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
38-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Wood Fiber |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1.75" |
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" |
Tweeter Type |
dome |
Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
No |
6.5" |
Crossover Frequency |
1300Hz |
380Hz, 2200Hz and 14,000Hz |
Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
1247.0mm (49.1") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
Width |
355.0mm (14") |
245.0mm (9.6") |
Depth |
456.0mm (18") |
459.0mm (18.1") |
Weight |
44.10kg (97lbs) |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
Available Colors |
Black ash, Cherry, Walnut |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin White |
Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |