In this review, we will be comparing R4s Surround and Evoke 30, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Perlisten and Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Perlisten R4s Surround and Dynaudio Evoke 10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Perlisten R4s Surround | Dynaudio Evoke 10 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1.1" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-32k Hz | 47-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86.5 dB | 84 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50 - 200W RMS SPL Capability @1m(100-20kHz) 109.5dB peak <3% - 2nd, 3rd Harmonics Certification THX Certified Ultra (Surround) watts | up to 160 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.50kg / 20.9lbs | 6.70kg / 14.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.88" x 9.06" x 6.81"
378.0 x 230.1 x 173.0mm | 12.4" x 7.1" x 10.5"
315.0 x 180.0 x 266.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Perlisten R4s Surround and Dynaudio Evoke 10 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* |
Perlisten R4s Surround |
Dynaudio Evoke 10 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* 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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R4s Surround is a 3-way design whereas the Evoke 30 is a 2-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 |
Perlisten R4s Surround |
Dynaudio Evoke 10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
R4s Surround features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Evoke 30 features a 1.1" Cerotar with Hexis Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1400Hz.
Frequency Response
R4s Surround has a frequency range of 48-32k Hz whereas Evoke 30 has a frequency range of 47-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Evoke 30 can go slightly deeper then the R4s Surround's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
R4s Surround is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Evoke 30 which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 R4s Surround can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R4s Surround sensitivity is rated at 86.5 dB and the Evoke 30's is rated at 84 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Perlisten R4s Surround a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Evoke 10, 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.
Evoke 30 can handle a max power of 160 watts RMS, whereas R4s Surround has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 160 watts less than the Evoke 30.
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
R4s Surround features Binding post type posts and Evoke 30 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Dynaudio Evoke 10's Binding post terminals
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 Perlisten R4s Surround's and Dynaudio Evoke 10's external dimensions. Perlisten R4s Surround has external dimensions of 378.0 x 230.1 x 173.0mm (14.88 x 9.06 x 6.81inch) whereas Dynaudio Evoke 10 has external dimensions of 315.0 x 180.0 x 266.0mm (12.4 x 7.1 x 10.5inch).
Dynaudio Evoke 10 is 50.1mm narrower and 63mm shorter than Perlisten R4s Surround but it is also 93mm deeper.
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 Perlisten R4s Surround is approximately 398.1cm2 / 61.7inch2 and base area of the Dynaudio Evoke 10 is approximately 478.8cm2 / 74.2inch2. The R4s Surround requires 17% less surface area than the Evoke 30 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 Perlisten R4s Surround weighs 9.50kg / 20.9lbs and the Dynaudio Evoke 10 weighs 6.70kg / 14.7lbs. This makes the R4s Surround 42% heavier than the Evoke 30.
Here is a comparison of how R4s Surround and Evoke 30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Dynaudio Evoke 10?
Here are the items that come with the Evoke 30:
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
398cm2
vs
478cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
47 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
315mm
vs
378mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3500USD
vs
4390USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Perlisten R4s Surround |
Dynaudio Evoke 10 |
| Brand |
Perlisten |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50 - 200W RMS SPL Capability @1m(100-20kHz) 109.5dB peak <3% - 2nd, 3rd Harmonics Certification THX Certified Ultra (Surround) watts |
up to 160 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86.5 dB |
84 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
48-32k Hz |
47-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
1 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1.1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
1400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
378.0mm (14.9") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Width |
230.1mm (9.1") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
173.0mm (6.8") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Weight |
9.50kg (20.9lbs) |
6.70kg (14.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
A generation apart: Perlisten R4s Surround is the newer design, against a 2019 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 (48Hz vs 47Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
Perlisten R4s Surround is more sensitive (87dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Dynaudio Evoke 10 is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price |
B |
Dynaudio Evoke 10 is cheaper - $3,500 against $4,390, about 20% less. |
A Perlisten R4s Surround
B Dynaudio Evoke 10
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate Perlisten R4s Surround the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Dynaudio Evoke 10 for a mid-size room and a large room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Perlisten R4s Surround is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.