In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Perlisten S5t is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Rubikore Cinema is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Perlisten S5t and DALI Rubikore Cinema first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Perlisten S5t | DALI Rubikore Cinema |
|---|
| Brand | Perlisten
United States · founded 2016 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 6.5" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 24-32k Hz | 49-34k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89.5 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100 - 300W RMS watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 43.20kg / 95lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.06" x 9.45" x 15.75"
1119.1 x 240.0 x 400.1mm | 7.76" x 22.87" x 15.75"
197 x 581 x 400 mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that S5t is a 3-way design whereas the Rubikore Cinema 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 S5t |
DALI Rubikore Cinema |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.14-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
S5t features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Rubikore Cinema features a 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800 / 14000Hz.
Frequency Response
S5t has a frequency range of 24-32k Hz whereas Rubikore Cinema has a frequency range of 49-34k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the S5t can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Rubikore Cinema's min frequency of 49Hz.
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
S5t and Rubikore Cinema have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S5t sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the Rubikore Cinema's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Perlisten S5t a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Rubikore Cinema, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the S5t and the S5t can provide this impedance level.
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.
S5t can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Rubikore Cinema has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the S5t.
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 Cinema features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. S5t 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 Perlisten S5t's and DALI Rubikore Cinema's external dimensions. Perlisten S5t has external dimensions of 1119.1 x 240.0 x 400.1mm (44.06 x 9.45 x 15.75inch) whereas DALI Rubikore Cinema has external dimensions of 197 x 581 x 400 mm ().
DALI Rubikore Cinema is 922.1mm shorter and 0.10000000000002mm less deeper than Perlisten S5t but it is also 341mm 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.
DALI Rubikore Cinema needs about 142% more floor or shelf area. Perlisten S5t is 922mm 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 Perlisten S5t is approximately 960.2cm2 / 148.8inch2 and base area of the DALI Rubikore Cinema is approximately 2324.0cm2 / 360.2inch2. The S5t requires 59% less surface area than the Rubikore Cinema which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.