It's honestly the cheapest way to get a good cup of coffee (with the basic version) as long as you're not after espresso, ngl. The real trick is not forcing the plunger down with all your might like you got somewhere to be in 30 seconds.
I have a set of Dali Rubicon 6. They are awesome, but also more than double the price. They do go 11hz lower and do deliver a boom. Especially in the movie "The Magnificent Seven". The boom in the beginning is just awesome. No need for a SUB. Thanks for a great review 🙂
Hi Randy, Dali specifies that NO tow-in is needed and they suggest to set up speakers firing straight into the room. What you described in your listening review much reminds me of the Dali Ikon series which was discontinued a few years ago. I think the Opticon line up replaced the Ikon series and in the IKON series the 6 was consistently an award winner in Europe and always got good press here. I used to own Ikon 2 MK2, very large bookshelf speakers, with the dome and ribbon tweeter design. I liked them alot but at the time I had too much audio gear just laying around so I gifted them to a friend. Anyway, seems like the Opticon line just picked up where the Ikon line left off.
I auditioned a lot of speakers in the local audio dealers' stables a year or two ago, and this was the only one that hit all the notes, so to speak. Incredible detail and realism without being clinical, unlike the Dynaudio and KEFs. But he only had the white pair, and that was a no-go in this household. Tried the less-expensive Oberon 3 bookshelf model thinking that I might be able to get this Dali magic at a lower price, but there was absolutely no comparison. Just might have to break down and bring a pair of Opticons home to see how they sound in my spaces.
I have the Mark I and love them! The sound is amazing and warm. I found that having the front covers on them reduced the harshness of the tweeter just perfect. 😊
I’ve just purchased these and can honestly say I love them £1600. In uk and I can’t fault them. I sold my PMC twenty5 24s because I felt these gave me so much more( well done Dali)
I recently bought a pair of PMC twenty 5 22's and they are an amazing speaker. Mind you i have them pairs with a Sugden IA-4 Pure class A amp. Great pairing.
@@garywatkins8823 that seems to be an very good combo according to you and others. There is a review here on TH-cam with those speakers and mk1 version of the Cambridge 81. Seems to me that Randy in this video has something similar. I bought a pair of these speakers few months ago and still hunting for an Integrated amplifier that has good synergy with the Opticon 6 MK2. Haven't heard the Cambridge yet...
I have enjoyed a pair of Opticon 1 MK2 for the past three months, in my opinion they sound better (to me) than: KEF LS50s first gen and B&W 600 series. An energetic, fast and lively sound without being too over the top is the signature of the brand. I can only imagine how a bigger Opticon or some Rubicon sound
Yup, Dali is kind of a sleeper in the loud speaker world except for across the pond. Great stuff. Aero press isn't a joke either. Innovative method for making great coffee.
The Dali Rubikore 8 Floorstanders are my new grail speakers!! At £6K ($8K) they will not be making an appearence in my system any time soon but sometime.....
I have not gotten to watch yet, but I also love Dali. Not quite as fancy as the Opticons, but my Zensor 7's combined with Zensor 1's and Vokal center have been exceptional. I very much enjoy their signature.
@@BruceLimozaine-c4q You are absolutely right that $2K for used would be amazing. I'm fine with my mint Boston Acoustics CR9s that I got for $3.99 apiece. And my Ohm Walsh's for $200. And my Sony $500 receiver for $17. Plus a dozen audio components from yesteryear that I just love, regardless of cost. The Cheap Audio Man is really a misnomer, IMO and in practice. The only thing I've bought new based on his recommendation was a $16 DAC. Sometimes, you just need a DAC. ;-)
Resale speakers have often had some internal "DIY" repairs using cheaper components. I once visited the KEF factory in Kent and they told me 40 percent of speakers they had in for service/repair were not factory spec internally when opened and just sounded poor compared to when new.
I have these speakers. I’d never heard of Dali before visiting the store but was amazed by them in comparison to some of the better known brands, just lovely sounding and made in Europe too.
Have a pair of Oberon 3's in my office and I love them. Bass is big and articulate enough, has a pretty "natural" sound to them, despite a little colouring and they are super sharp without zinging. I think Dali are a company that goes a little under the radar really. Oh and as others have said, Dali say don't toe them in. I tried both, Dali were right. Suspect they might know what they are talking about haha!
I’ve had these for almost 2 months. They are fkn superb. I’ve gone Spektor 1>Spektor 2>Oberon 3>Oberon 5>Opticon 6. Every time the improvements are beyond belief. AIC MTV never sounded better. My local DALI dealer actually undersold these. They are easily better than 2x better than my Oberon 5s (which were great anyways). Yeah. $2200 is not exactly cheap. But better than anything else under $4500. I tried a pair of KEF R7 Metas against them. The Opticons are way, WAY better. The KEFs are much more expensive and DEFINITELY need a subwoofer.
I use a pair of Dali Rubicon 8C as my main speakers for my TV, and they're fantastic. Easy to use thanks to ARC, and I've also added to some wireless rears (Oberon On Wall C), so I get great hi-fi sound at the front, and nice surround effects at the rear.
Love all Danish speakers, dynaudio, Morell, Dali just the ones off my head... They definitely make some beauties, They are quiet very warm sounding from memory
I was just thinking it would be great to see Dali on this channel. Great job. And don’t let the haters keep you from reviewing great, affordable speakers.
I've heard Dali speakers multiple times and they always seem to offer a very nice and clear high frequencies, yet without distortion. And I think there may be something to Dali's SMC technology, as the bass articulation is great. I'd be interested in the Opticon 8 Mk2, but not for twice the price of the Opticon 6 Mk2.
I really wanted to switch from Ikon 1 to Opticon 6, and when I got ready to go to the store, it turned out that the stores only had the new Opticon 6 Mk2 with a huge overprice. 😡 In fury, I took a 4-month break from re-reading all world reviews of acoustics and bought ... MONITOR AUDIO Silver 500 6G. 🥰😘
Opticon 6 MK2 are $2500, whereas MK1 were $2200-2500 depending upon what time you were looking. Very briefly during the height of the pandemic MK2 did hit $3000 but that came back down after a short while.
all my home theater system 7.1 is Dali Opticon, they are neutraL, plus 2 subwoofers Rel T/7x and Receiver Onkyo TX-RZ 70 . You have a gret taste !! the center speaker Vocak Mk2 has 2 tweeter
@@ms03938 Whem it Sounds Good for You then all is fine. But when you tow them in to much the Soundstage will be small and the Highs are to much forward Sounding.
Randy ! You have outdone yourself, excellent video, light years away from the dude that was comparing the cheep Denon amp vs Emotiva back in rhe days... We need some comment on tested amps with those Dali's, just a tease with dark Cambridge... Did you test them with A10 Advance Paris or what is your take on heavenly matching amp ? .... Best regards, Long time follower and fellow coffee drinker/ audio enthusiast
Coffee sponsor! Makes sense, I’m actually interested because my fellow coworkers have no clue how to make coffee that’s not gross. Also, good job on the review Randy, maybe one day these’ll be on my short list, thanks again keep it up man!!! Also, I can hear Optimus prime, “autobots, roll out!”
Nice to see you figure out what makes you get into music more as you follow this journey. I've done it and also agree a ribbon integrated well with other drivers is the best way to go; to hear the sweet details without the hard bite. (I really like Piega's.) Integrating a ribbon takes a lot of work... I can't believe Dali's done this much at this price. However, I haven't heard Dali's. (Functionally/WAF... They don't make it in a light color. Also a rear port isn't great for me/my space.. but you never know...) Front ports are a little more predictable and easier to position. But anyway, great review, and it's been a joy watching you find better gear that brings you closer to music enjoyment 'bliss'.
The Oberon 1 is an amazing speaker for the money, and I think is the best value speaker Dali make. I have heard many Dali speakers and own several pairs for differnt rooms, as a brand I think thy take some beating. Great to see you reviewing a pair.
Really enjoyed the review, and the branching out into hi-fi brands that don't get a ton of coverage. Your videos well made, and are very much appreciated. Keep up the great work.
These are very interesting…. I also love air and detail. The design with the combination is very cool. Would love to hear it. Are you planning on keeping them?
Great video; wish it was out 45-60 days ago, when I was looking for reviews of the Opticon. Found some Oberon reviews, but nothing good for the Opticon. Loved them from my auditioning them. Fully agree about the ample bass, and the superb tone and detail.
I've been around DALI speakers for about 25 years. By now, I've +/- figured them out : they do have a basic line, then a mid line, hi-fi line and hi-end. BUT here and there, they "hide a mine" in form of a pretty cheap series, that don't sound cheap. Today - it is the Oberon 1 ! If properly placed, they sound VERY good. Other models, with "super tweeters" depends allot on how they are implemented. In some cases they are for entertainment, or irritation the 🦟🦟🦇🦇🐱🐱🐶🐶🐁🐁🐀🐀.... Just a reminder to the Oberon 1 owners : If Oberon 1 are meant to be played louder than average - crossover components - better to be upgraded. They are very basic - still sound great, but will not tolerate long term high current .....
Hi! We met at EmoFest 20. I was the guy who asked for a picture at the end who was there for an interview. Super cool to meet you! Just wanted to say that the AliExpress review was very cool and honestly, I would LOVE a series where you review as many AliExpress clones as possible. I’d love to see how the McIntosh clone, B&W clone, Accuphase clone, etc work! Thanks!
Hi, Randy, love your reviews. A while back, you were doing reviews on DIY speakers. There are two speakers from HiVi/Swan that you may want to look at that have a similar architectures to these Dali speakers. The Swan DIY3.1-A bookshelf ($350) and the Swan DIY610 floor standing ($658) both have ribbon tweeters, a soft dome midrange, and a 6.5" woofer. Reviewers say they are a bit bright with the stock crossover, but there are good crossover mods from Sehlin to cure this and make them neutral. The best are Mod 5 and Mod 6, which require about $30 in extra parts. If you ever decide to get back into DIY, these speakers would be great to see you review. It really is the cheaper alternative to these Dali speakers.
All New Popori Acoustics Loudspeakers will be at the 2024 Capital AudioFest in Room 840. You don't want to miss this one...maybe the New Holy Grail of Speakers ?!
You could get more useful information out of them if the reviewers did blind comparisons, but that's too much work. Instead they talk about burn-in and ignore acclimitization.
@@gwine9087 Sure. Use previous speakers which you've described with flowery and usually useless verbiage and compare similar speakers. CAM just had a video on cheap vs expensive speakers that sound similar. Put it to the test. I wasn't even saying do ABX (that would just be embarrassing). Just a simple blind test to prove to yourself and the world that you really like what you say you like. Might be some surprises. Much better than "I love this speaker more than life. But you might not!" and "I hate this speaker more than life. But you might not!"
Indeed. What Randy should do as part of his review is to take some of these speakers apart and show us how they are really built. Most would be shocked that many of these expensive speakers are not worth their asking price. He should start with those Sonus Faber speakers. After seeinging the insides of those, then we can talk about what a ripoff the asking price is. That speaker shouldn't be selling for more than half its asking price...period!
Great Review Randy. I've never heard any speakers by Dali but your review has peaked my interest. I hope they're at Capital Audio Fest! Thanks for what you do!!! 👍
Dali speakers are definitely on my wish list. I think you indoctrinated me right at the beginning of our journey together. Take care, Sir, and thank you for all your content and support.
I have the Dali Opticon 1 and like its resolution and imaging. Tried the Menuet SE and it was too refined in the mids and highs obscuring some of the fine detail. On desktop, the Menuet SE painted a very holographic sound with really nice weight, still the fine details and some background effects were either less impactful or even missing. Sitting more than 5 feet away the Menuet SE started losing what it was good at and a pig for power. It will heat up your amp. The Opticon 1 MK1 didn't obscure the details, more subdued than some French speakers but they were there. Good on desktop or even 10 feet away. You lose a bit of resolution, note weight versus the Menuet, and only vinyl veneer but much more versatile in placement and great for watching movies given its imaging and resolution to voices. The newer Opticon bookshelves seem to have been designed to more mimic the frequency curve of the Menuet SE from what have seen/read and have a little less sensitivity versus the older MK1 series. I still think they will retain their versatility but will sound a bit less spicy in the highs. Still, the new Opticons should be easy to drive. If anything, I would have liked a real wood unglossed wood veneer, especially at the now higher retail pricing. I have Triangle Zetas too. The Zeta sounds larger, has more bass (less textured) and is more euphonic with music but less resolution, less note weight but I can prefer this with alot of music for a fun, more relaxed but still very engaging sound. It plays more complex music better being slightly larger. So I can swap between the two depending on my preference generally preferring the zetas for music and the Dali for movies but I could enjoy both for either. The other small speaker which I liked for movies was the ML 15i with a bit more clarity in voices and was fun with movies but didn't like for music. Sold that as the Dali had better imaging and spatial capabilities while keeping most of the clarity. The Emotiva B series small speakers have been stated to sound alot like the ML 15i. My main driver was the Focal 807W and currently up for sale but I may plug those back in as I have a new amp that really ups the transparency and space in a performance in the V/A CA-1. The 807W is more accomplished and a bigger sound but I like really small speakers for what they can do and don't listen loud either. I looked at Rubicon 1 as a potential replacement but I don't think I would gain enough to justify the outlay when the Opticon 1 with a small sub really shines. A bit more transparency and resolution perhaps and a nicer veneer but its marked down at $2K which is still too high to justify for me. The new Opticon 2 is stated to keep up with Dynaudio Special 40s. There a YT video on that. Still, it may or may not be the sound you may be looking for. But a definite must hear if you can. Not inexpensive for their build but they make good speakers. The Rubicore is supposed to up the performance but pricing is nuts in the US.
i have the former reference the euphonia ms4 (8000dollar new) bought for 2k used, best buy i have made in hifi so far. and you def gain a lot by going up the dali range i have tried and liisten to many. hoping to someday be able to afford a used pair of epicon 6s. here in sweden its a household brand
With the Opticon, there is more than meets the eye! Wait i have another one. Dali is working on a new model that you can angle in toward the listener. With the Dali Kamel toe in is encouraged
@@questionyourself718 There is a 30 percent sonic improvement-that makes all the difference. Priceless really. From our standpoint, as owners of $800 Dynaudio speakers, the 5000 euro Rubikore would be a meaningful improvement. In a better world the manufacturer would price the Rubikore at $2000 so that mere mortals could also go to audio heaven. They were powering those Rubiokeres with a $1500 amplifier.
..yeah, I've seen huge... (& apparently 'hugely expensive' to build if for measuring the longer wavelengths approaching down near to 20'ish hertz of v.deep bass) ...Anechoic Chamber's that a few u.k. speaker makers would rent for testing their products & advertise the massive anechoic chamber's "Freq Vs dB" sound output graphs in all the pre-net hi-fi mags. Japanese speakers advertised those graphs a lot too, tho those graphs don't hint at what you'll hear from the same speakers in your own non-anachoic nor wall-defraction edged & shaped living / listening room, tho upper mid to high treble is far more directional so the graphs might give clues at higher frequency in-room. But bass is important to me, the foundation in any genre where low harmonics of higher frequency gives texture & substance even to s voice like Joni Mitchell's, imo, & that's why I'll either need a home demo' or a "money back if not delighted" deal & pay the postage, just to avoid gross regret for my last ever speaker, soon, 'ish, it's not so easy when you ain't loaded with spare cash. P.S. i got a bass-drop area bang in the listening position whenever I use a long ago bought REL Q400 Sub' & wherever i put the d*** thing, it only does great bass when you're head's less then a foot from the side of back walls, I tried both phase positions to get no difference, 0 or 180' deg', yet many subs I've noticed, have a continuously variable 0 to 180'deg calibrated knob-turning phase offset adjustment, where i or anyone's room shape might call for a 90' Deg phase shift for bass at the listening sofa or seat, all my REL's 0 or 180'deg 2 positioned switch does is give the identical "bass hole" at the listening sofa. My next Sub' will not be a 0 or 180'deg only phase shift choice, many folk get lucky with just those 2 extreme offsets & position moving, not me, why do some very expensive subs give you a choice of any shift necessary, room dependant ..you just might need a 47'deg shift, or a 132'deg shift for perfect bass at your chosen listening position without having the sub hanging from the roof in front of your face, or some other trip-over stupid place.
My ribbon tweeter in my ‘Dali Ikon 8’ died and replaced with AMT. pulled apart the ribbon tweeters and discovered that the magnets go bad and the outer finish of the magnets peal off. But I love my Ikon 8’s 😊
DALI and Q accoustics are up there when it comes to refined performance/price balance. You definitely can see and hear where your money is going with them.
Have you tried listening to the song Della Brown by Queensryche? Lots of things going on in the song. Right to the end you get the sound of some kind of birds on the beach. It’s a very intimate song. Love the show, enjoy.
It is almost impossible to judge the sound quality of a speaker in a room with other speakers. I tried this over and over as an experiment in my 30 years as a hi-fi store owner if you listen to speakers in a room by themselves and then introduce another speaker to the room, it will drastically change what you’re hearing try it yourself
Randy have you tried using the Lyngdorf amps for room correction or the NAD ones? I absolutely love the Lyngdorf. BTW I think you had the speakers too close to the wall. I have some rubicon 2’s and the need at least 1 to 2 feet behind them. Good review. Would live to see the opticon 8!!
This is a 4-way design, the crossover points this out. The “super tweeter” is used up in its sweet spot, the oversized regular tweeter doesn’t go that high or too low, the upper woofer takes over at 2.2k and the lower woofer at 800 to combat baffle-step. Lots of crossover components I’m sure. Interesting the 1.25” tweeter isn’t playing lower… lots of 1” tweeters play lower than this, unless it’s in order to increase power handling to very high levels?
The Opticon 6 MK2 is 2 1/2+1/2 acoustic design. This actually allows for simpler crossovers that preserve timing, phase and dynamic information that otherwise be lost. The magnetostatic ribbon is only protected by a capacitor, and there is no crossover above the dome allow the two drivers to fold together naturally. DALI has been don this for about 25 years now. Really magnificent way to take advantage of both driver technologies. The upper woofer has no high pass crossover, runs unimpeded into the bass. The lower woofer also has no high pass crossover, but its low pass crossover is tuned much lower. This increases radiating area in the low bass but keeps the cabinet small and the crossover simple.
@ interesting. The large 1-1/8” tweeter must roll off naturally at the high end with little breakup. Perhaps it uses a simple capacitor high-pass as well to maintain phase with the ribbon? This would make the 2.2kHz high pass frequency make more sense. The woofer strategy as you’ve described is very likely to naturally deal with baffle step as I pointed out above; below a frequency related to the baffle width of the cabinet, output drops up to 6dB (the speaker goes from 1/2 space to 1/4 space radiation). Rolling a second driver into the mix below that point can nicely offsets that effect.
UPDATE: After 3 months the bass just gets better and better. I heard the Rubikores... WOW dude..... much better.... just ordered some. (Internally DALI says Dali stands for Don't Angle out Loudspeakers Inwards)
3:00 Aeropress is like a good pair of speakers. It scales infinitely with the quality of the beans and the quality of the grind. 8:10 Center channel is a bandaid when the main pair has poor imaging. I've never found it necessary with decent speakers, and I hate the way center channels often have a different "voice" from the other speakers that breaks the immersion. Plus since a center channel is usually placed below the screen where the front sides can be directly on either side of the screen, it's less convincing because speech isn't coming from the middle of the screen but below it, where just the front sides can bring the ear directly in line with the screen.
Center channels were developed to lock dialogue to a screen in viewing areas with broad listening areas. Its application is far more practical than as just a “bandaid” and is instrumental in making multichannel systems work well in a variety of situations.
Have a pair of DALI Opticon 1 (Mk 2). Small boxes, great sound. Got an open box a year ago for £599 I think? Cheapest DALI's that are manufactured in Denmark.......🇩🇰🎶🎶
I'm kinda pissed right now. I just saw the coffee ad and I've been working on a ball coffee maker with grinder. Oh,, and my favorite speakers are OHM C2's. When I made speakers at home, when I was younger, I took two dead leafless plants and hung the tweeters, mids and bass on them. Art project. They sounded awful. Time aligned the tweeters with analog bucket brigade processing. Yup Crap but fun for the evening🙄
I watch all the new offerings from you and others. I listen to Energy RC 30 tower speakers. Back in the day these cost 750.00 per speaker Canadian. These go down to 40hz . Cabinet build is so incredibly ridged it should be a standard today. Two 5.25 inch drivers and a one inch aluminum dome tweeter. I just keep trying to find a reason to upgrade these towers. So far.. I can’t
I've heard Dali's before. They seemed bright and forward almost obnoxiously so even after burning in. For this amount of cash I'll take the Warfdale Evo 4.4's ..
Is there such a thing? I'd say it is subjective and everyone has their preferences and favorites. Back in the days when HiFi was a passion for many of us, I came across some amazing setups one in particular being a Denon turntable, McIntosh amp and Infinity Quantum Line and Magnaplanar rear speakers I heard at an 'audio emporium' many years ago.
Good choice of amplification. DALI's love some current/power so a strong class A/B is the right way to go with DALI speakers. The more power, the better they'll sound..
@@chrisvand2678DALI speakers are relatively easy to drive with a very benign impedance curve. The need for power is more about what the listener demands in SPL that what the speaker demands.
DALI themselves recommend NAD amplifiers. I think the C389 makes a great partner for reasonable money and can be had with BluOS HiRes streaming and Dirac room correction integrated.
Randy, are you going to keep the Dali Opticon 6 around for a while? Thought you might like the idea of a speaker shoot out between the Opticon 6 and Dynaudio Emit 30. Whatta you think?
My Dali's melted onto the furniture. The soundstage is surreal.
Love the reference to the Salvador Dali "Persistence of Memory" painting.
@@greenbeginner9221 Oh yeah, I'd "forgotten" about that.... ;-)
😅
I wouldn't say sureeal but the way speakers should perform but many don't. Dali has that.
@@nc3419 Woosh! Right over the head.
The Aero Press does make a right fine cup of coffee! No bs.
It's honestly the cheapest way to get a good cup of coffee (with the basic version) as long as you're not after espresso, ngl. The real trick is not forcing the plunger down with all your might like you got somewhere to be in 30 seconds.
@@russellnedland4569 yeah. Kind surprised how good it was
My Spektor 1s on my desk are the only components I’ve purchased in the last couple of years that I haven’t even considered changing out. Love Dali!
Aero Press! I wasn’t expecting that. I use it every day, amazing product.
I have a set of Dali Rubicon 6. They are awesome, but also more than double the price. They do go 11hz lower and do deliver a boom. Especially in the movie "The Magnificent Seven". The boom in the beginning is just awesome. No need for a SUB. Thanks for a great review 🙂
What movie version, Original or new? Thanx
Hi Randy, Dali specifies that NO tow-in is needed and they suggest to set up speakers firing straight into the room. What you described in your listening review much reminds me of the Dali Ikon series which was discontinued a few years ago. I think the Opticon line up replaced the Ikon series and in the IKON series the 6 was consistently an award winner in Europe and always got good press here. I used to own Ikon 2 MK2, very large bookshelf speakers, with the dome and ribbon tweeter design. I liked them alot but at the time I had too much audio gear just laying around so I gifted them to a friend. Anyway, seems like the Opticon line just picked up where the Ikon line left off.
*toe-in
I auditioned a lot of speakers in the local audio dealers' stables a year or two ago, and this was the only one that hit all the notes, so to speak. Incredible detail and realism without being clinical, unlike the Dynaudio and KEFs. But he only had the white pair, and that was a no-go in this household. Tried the less-expensive Oberon 3 bookshelf model thinking that I might be able to get this Dali magic at a lower price, but there was absolutely no comparison. Just might have to break down and bring a pair of Opticons home to see how they sound in my spaces.
I have the Mark I and love them! The sound is amazing and warm. I found that having the front covers on them reduced the harshness of the tweeter just perfect. 😊
I’ve just purchased these and can honestly say I love them £1600. In uk and I can’t fault them. I sold my PMC twenty5 24s because I felt these gave me so much more( well done Dali)
I recently bought a pair of PMC twenty 5 22's and they are an amazing speaker. Mind you i have them pairs with a Sugden IA-4 Pure class A amp. Great pairing.
What amp is feeding your Dali´s ?
@@raggitaggi I use a Cambridge CXA 81 mk2
@@garywatkins8823 that seems to be an very good combo according to you and others. There is a review here on TH-cam with those speakers and mk1 version of the Cambridge 81. Seems to me that Randy in this video has something similar. I bought a pair of these speakers few months ago and still hunting for an Integrated amplifier that has good synergy with the Opticon 6 MK2. Haven't heard the Cambridge yet...
@@raggitaggi I don’t think you would be disappointed to be honest
Mk1 or 2 both great with these speakers
I have enjoyed a pair of Opticon 1 MK2 for the past three months, in my opinion they sound better (to me) than: KEF LS50s first gen and B&W 600 series. An energetic, fast and lively sound without being too over the top is the signature of the brand. I can only imagine how a bigger Opticon or some Rubicon sound
Yup, Dali is kind of a sleeper in the loud speaker world except for across the pond. Great stuff. Aero press isn't a joke either. Innovative method for making great coffee.
The Dali Rubikore 8 Floorstanders are my new grail speakers!! At £6K ($8K) they will not be making an appearence in my system any time soon but sometime.....
Rubikore are where I'd go with Dali. Save up and buy one and done... Until Epikore calls hahah
Dali is always impressive
Nice to see a larger speaker review! Thank you! There is so much bookshelf stuff out there this is a nice change.
I have not gotten to watch yet, but I also love Dali. Not quite as fancy as the Opticons, but my Zensor 7's combined with Zensor 1's and Vokal center have been exceptional. I very much enjoy their signature.
I should start a channel that focuses on the resale market. You can get some really great pre-owned monitors for $2k.
You'll need to start two channels for stereo equipment.
Haha, in deed. But seriously, look at what 2,000 gets you used
@@BruceLimozaine-c4q You are absolutely right that $2K for used would be amazing. I'm fine with my mint Boston Acoustics CR9s that I got for $3.99 apiece. And my Ohm Walsh's for $200. And my Sony $500 receiver for $17. Plus a dozen audio components from yesteryear that I just love, regardless of cost. The Cheap Audio Man is really a misnomer, IMO and in practice. The only thing I've bought new based on his recommendation was a $16 DAC. Sometimes, you just need a DAC. ;-)
Do it!
Resale speakers have often had some internal "DIY" repairs using cheaper components. I once visited the KEF factory in Kent and they told me 40 percent of speakers they had in for service/repair were not factory spec internally when opened and just sounded poor compared to when new.
I have these speakers. I’d never heard of Dali before visiting the store but was amazed by them in comparison to some of the better known brands, just lovely sounding and made in Europe too.
I have Dali speakers Zensor 7 yes i know ist not Rubicon but i love the sound of dali and theres Philosophie of how a speaker must sound
Have a pair of Oberon 3's in my office and I love them. Bass is big and articulate enough, has a pretty "natural" sound to them, despite a little colouring and they are super sharp without zinging. I think Dali are a company that goes a little under the radar really. Oh and as others have said, Dali say don't toe them in. I tried both, Dali were right. Suspect they might know what they are talking about haha!
I’ve had these for almost 2 months. They are fkn superb. I’ve gone Spektor 1>Spektor 2>Oberon 3>Oberon 5>Opticon 6. Every time the improvements are beyond belief. AIC MTV never sounded better. My local DALI dealer actually undersold these. They are easily better than 2x better than my Oberon 5s (which were great anyways).
Yeah. $2200 is not exactly cheap. But better than anything else under $4500.
I tried a pair of KEF R7 Metas against them. The Opticons are way, WAY better. The KEFs are much more expensive and DEFINITELY need a subwoofer.
I use a pair of Dali Rubicon 8C as my main speakers for my TV, and they're fantastic. Easy to use thanks to ARC, and I've also added to some wireless rears (Oberon On Wall C), so I get great hi-fi sound at the front, and nice surround effects at the rear.
Nice! Glad to see you have discovered the Aeropress. Though you should note, for travelers, that you still need a way to boil water to use it.
Love all Danish speakers, dynaudio, Morell, Dali just the ones off my head... They definitely make some beauties, They are quiet very warm sounding from memory
I was just thinking it would be great to see Dali on this channel. Great job.
And don’t let the haters keep you from reviewing great, affordable speakers.
I've heard Dali speakers multiple times and they always seem to offer a very nice and clear high frequencies, yet without distortion. And I think there may be something to Dali's SMC technology, as the bass articulation is great. I'd be interested in the Opticon 8 Mk2, but not for twice the price of the Opticon 6 Mk2.
I really wanted to switch from Ikon 1 to Opticon 6, and when I got ready to go to the store, it turned out that the stores only had the new Opticon 6 Mk2 with a huge overprice. 😡
In fury, I took a 4-month break from re-reading all world reviews of acoustics and bought ... MONITOR AUDIO Silver 500 6G. 🥰😘
Opticon 6 MK2 are $2500, whereas MK1 were $2200-2500 depending upon what time you were looking. Very briefly during the height of the pandemic MK2 did hit $3000 but that came back down after a short while.
Why not go for Ikon 6mk2?
@@tarodt7484 Not neutral sound, not holographic. And the scene is pushed back.
Dali and canton speakers are my favorites I’ve ever demoed over the years.
all my home theater system 7.1 is Dali Opticon, they are neutraL, plus 2 subwoofers Rel T/7x and Receiver Onkyo TX-RZ 70 . You have a gret taste !! the center speaker Vocak Mk2 has 2 tweeter
Never tow in Dali Speakers. They are built to be positioned forward direct. Its also on theyr Homepage....😀
in my room they sound better with a little bit toe in, always experiment!
@@ms03938 Whem it Sounds Good for You then all is fine. But when you tow them in to much the Soundstage will be small and the Highs are to much forward Sounding.
I like a little toe
Randy ! You have outdone yourself, excellent video, light years away from the dude that was comparing the cheep Denon amp vs Emotiva back in rhe days... We need some comment on tested amps with those Dali's, just a tease with dark Cambridge... Did you test them with A10 Advance Paris or what is your take on heavenly matching amp ?
....
Best regards,
Long time follower and fellow coffee drinker/ audio enthusiast
Coffee sponsor! Makes sense, I’m actually interested because my fellow coworkers have no clue how to make coffee that’s not gross.
Also, good job on the review Randy, maybe one day these’ll be on my short list, thanks again keep it up man!!!
Also, I can hear Optimus prime, “autobots, roll out!”
🤣🤣🤣
Nice to see you figure out what makes you get into music more as you follow this journey. I've done it and also agree a ribbon integrated well with other drivers is the best way to go; to hear the sweet details without the hard bite. (I really like Piega's.) Integrating a ribbon takes a lot of work... I can't believe Dali's done this much at this price. However, I haven't heard Dali's. (Functionally/WAF... They don't make it in a light color. Also a rear port isn't great for me/my space.. but you never know...) Front ports are a little more predictable and easier to position. But anyway, great review, and it's been a joy watching you find better gear that brings you closer to music enjoyment 'bliss'.
The Oberon 1 is an amazing speaker for the money, and I think is the best value speaker Dali make. I have heard many Dali speakers and own several pairs for differnt rooms, as a brand I think thy take some beating. Great to see you reviewing a pair.
Really enjoyed the review, and the branching out into hi-fi brands that don't get a ton of coverage. Your videos well made, and are very much appreciated. Keep up the great work.
These are very interesting….
I also love air and detail. The design with the combination is very cool. Would love to hear it. Are you planning on keeping them?
Great video; wish it was out 45-60 days ago, when I was looking for reviews of the Opticon. Found some Oberon reviews, but nothing good for the Opticon. Loved them from my auditioning them. Fully agree about the ample bass, and the superb tone and detail.
I've been around DALI speakers for about 25 years. By now, I've +/- figured them out : they do have a basic line, then a mid line, hi-fi line and hi-end. BUT here and there, they "hide a mine" in form of a pretty cheap series, that don't sound cheap. Today - it is the Oberon 1 ! If properly placed, they sound VERY good. Other models, with "super tweeters" depends allot on how they are implemented. In some cases they are for entertainment, or irritation the 🦟🦟🦇🦇🐱🐱🐶🐶🐁🐁🐀🐀.... Just a reminder to the Oberon 1 owners : If Oberon 1 are meant to be played louder than average - crossover components - better to be upgraded. They are very basic - still sound great, but will not tolerate long term high current .....
Hi! We met at EmoFest 20. I was the guy who asked for a picture at the end who was there for an interview.
Super cool to meet you!
Just wanted to say that the AliExpress review was very cool and honestly, I would LOVE a series where you review as many AliExpress clones as possible. I’d love to see how the McIntosh clone, B&W clone, Accuphase clone, etc work!
Thanks!
Hi, Randy, love your reviews. A while back, you were doing reviews on DIY speakers. There are two speakers from HiVi/Swan that you may want to look at that have a similar architectures to these Dali speakers. The Swan DIY3.1-A bookshelf ($350) and the Swan DIY610 floor standing ($658) both have ribbon tweeters, a soft dome midrange, and a 6.5" woofer. Reviewers say they are a bit bright with the stock crossover, but there are good crossover mods from Sehlin to cure this and make them neutral. The best are Mod 5 and Mod 6, which require about $30 in extra parts. If you ever decide to get back into DIY, these speakers would be great to see you review. It really is the cheaper alternative to these Dali speakers.
All New Popori Acoustics Loudspeakers will be at the 2024 Capital AudioFest in Room 840. You don't want to miss this one...maybe the New Holy Grail of Speakers ?!
I do not think anything is more subjective than speakers.
You could get more useful information out of them if the reviewers did blind comparisons, but that's too much work. Instead they talk about burn-in and ignore acclimitization.
How about including Politics, religion, sport’s fanaticism and ice cream preferences?
@@darkpatches So blind test? OK, who is to tell them what products they should A/B, you? Get real.
@@gwine9087 Sure. Use previous speakers which you've described with flowery and usually useless verbiage and compare similar speakers. CAM just had a video on cheap vs expensive speakers that sound similar. Put it to the test. I wasn't even saying do ABX (that would just be embarrassing). Just a simple blind test to prove to yourself and the world that you really like what you say you like. Might be some surprises. Much better than "I love this speaker more than life. But you might not!" and "I hate this speaker more than life. But you might not!"
Indeed. What Randy should do as part of his review is to take some of these speakers apart and show us how they are really built. Most would be shocked that many of these expensive speakers are not worth their asking price. He should start with those Sonus Faber speakers. After seeinging the insides of those, then we can talk about what a ripoff the asking price is. That speaker shouldn't be selling for more than half its asking price...period!
For a CheapAudioMan you make good coffee commercial good Sir.
Great Review Randy. I've never heard any speakers by Dali but your review has peaked my interest. I hope they're at Capital Audio Fest! Thanks for what you do!!! 👍
I do have a pair of opticon 6 for a year now. Very good speakers
Dali speakers are definitely on my wish list. I think you indoctrinated me right at the beginning of our journey together. Take care, Sir, and thank you for all your content and support.
I have the Dali Opticon 1 and like its resolution and imaging. Tried the Menuet SE and it was too refined in the mids and highs obscuring some of the fine detail. On desktop, the Menuet SE painted a very holographic sound with really nice weight, still the fine details and some background effects were either less impactful or even missing. Sitting more than 5 feet away the Menuet SE started losing what it was good at and a pig for power. It will heat up your amp.
The Opticon 1 MK1 didn't obscure the details, more subdued than some French speakers but they were there. Good on desktop or even 10 feet away. You lose a bit of resolution, note weight versus the Menuet, and only vinyl veneer but much more versatile in placement and great for watching movies given its imaging and resolution to voices. The newer Opticon bookshelves seem to have been designed to more mimic the frequency curve of the Menuet SE from what have seen/read and have a little less sensitivity versus the older MK1 series. I still think they will retain their versatility but will sound a bit less spicy in the highs.
Still, the new Opticons should be easy to drive. If anything, I would have liked a real wood unglossed wood veneer, especially at the now higher retail pricing.
I have Triangle Zetas too. The Zeta sounds larger, has more bass (less textured) and is more euphonic with music but less resolution, less note weight but I can prefer this with alot of music for a fun, more relaxed but still very engaging sound. It plays more complex music better being slightly larger. So I can swap between the two depending on my preference generally preferring the zetas for music and the Dali for movies but I could enjoy both for either.
The other small speaker which I liked for movies was the ML 15i with a bit more clarity in voices and was fun with movies but didn't like for music. Sold that as the Dali had better imaging and spatial capabilities while keeping most of the clarity. The Emotiva B series small speakers have been stated to sound alot like the ML 15i.
My main driver was the Focal 807W and currently up for sale but I may plug those back in as I have a new amp that really ups the transparency and space in a performance in the V/A CA-1. The 807W is more accomplished and a bigger sound but I like really small speakers for what they can do and don't listen loud either. I looked at Rubicon 1 as a potential replacement but I don't think I would gain enough to justify the outlay when the Opticon 1 with a small sub really shines. A bit more transparency and resolution perhaps and a nicer veneer but its marked down at $2K which is still too high to justify for me.
The new Opticon 2 is stated to keep up with Dynaudio Special 40s. There a YT video on that. Still, it may or may not be the sound you may be looking for. But a definite must hear if you can. Not inexpensive for their build but they make good speakers. The Rubicore is supposed to up the performance but pricing is nuts in the US.
I love that you compare this to the Emotiva. Can you list any other comparable loudspeakers...maybe Klipsch RP-8000f?
i have the former reference the euphonia ms4 (8000dollar new) bought for 2k used, best buy i have made in hifi so far. and you def gain a lot by going up the dali range i have tried and liisten to many. hoping to someday be able to afford a used pair of epicon 6s. here in sweden its a household brand
Rather splendid T-shirt Randall. Best wishes across the pond.
Aeropress and Chemex are my favorite coffee makers. Aeropress for at work and travel, Chemex for at home
You’re talented man. I enjoy the videos.
With the Opticon, there is more than meets the eye!
Wait i have another one. Dali is working on a new model that you can angle in toward the listener. With the Dali Kamel toe in is encouraged
There's literally nothing better to go with a good speaker than a great coffee. Welcome to the rabbit hole that is Aeropress
I got nice slim towers for $60 on parts express. With a lil dampening and a good crossover. They sound great for $60 speakers!
thaks buddy for all the info!
Great review. Nice to see Dali on your channel
Who'd have thought that you can make coffee on a coffee table? Amazing.
Auditioned Dali in Berlin. Fantastic line of speakers. Their flagship Rubicore 6 was 5000 euros. Endgame. But, again 5000 euros.
Could you hear such a difference between their 2000 euro speakers and the 5000 euro ones that you would say its worth it to pay more than double?
@@questionyourself718 There is a 30 percent sonic improvement-that makes all the difference. Priceless really. From our standpoint, as owners of $800 Dynaudio speakers, the 5000 euro Rubikore would be a meaningful improvement. In a better world the manufacturer would price the Rubikore at $2000 so that mere mortals could also go to audio heaven. They were powering those Rubiokeres with a $1500 amplifier.
..yeah, I've seen huge... (& apparently 'hugely expensive' to build if for measuring the longer wavelengths approaching down near to 20'ish hertz of v.deep bass) ...Anechoic Chamber's that a few u.k. speaker makers would rent for testing their products & advertise the massive anechoic chamber's "Freq Vs dB" sound output graphs in all the pre-net hi-fi mags. Japanese speakers advertised those graphs a lot too, tho those graphs don't hint at what you'll hear from the same speakers in your own non-anachoic nor wall-defraction edged & shaped living / listening room, tho upper mid to high treble is far more directional so the graphs might give clues at higher frequency in-room. But bass is important to me, the foundation in any genre where low harmonics of higher frequency gives texture & substance even to s voice like Joni Mitchell's, imo, & that's why I'll either need a home demo' or a "money back if not delighted" deal & pay the postage, just to avoid gross regret for my last ever speaker, soon, 'ish, it's not so easy when you ain't loaded with spare cash.
P.S. i got a bass-drop area bang in the listening position whenever I use a long ago bought REL Q400 Sub' & wherever i put the d*** thing, it only does great bass when you're head's less then a foot from the side of back walls, I tried both phase positions to get no difference, 0 or 180' deg', yet many subs I've noticed, have a continuously variable 0 to 180'deg calibrated knob-turning phase offset adjustment, where i or anyone's room shape might call for a 90' Deg phase shift for bass at the listening sofa or seat, all my REL's 0 or 180'deg 2 positioned switch does is give the identical "bass hole" at the listening sofa. My next Sub' will not be a 0 or 180'deg only phase shift choice, many folk get lucky with just those 2 extreme offsets & position moving, not me, why do some very expensive subs give you a choice of any shift necessary, room dependant ..you just might need a 47'deg shift, or a 132'deg shift for perfect bass at your chosen listening position without having the sub hanging from the roof in front of your face, or some other trip-over stupid place.
Been using DALI last 30 years. Always a safe card.
These remind me of Spendor Speakers. And these are beautiful to look at.
My ribbon tweeter in my ‘Dali Ikon 8’ died and replaced with AMT. pulled apart the ribbon tweeters and discovered that the magnets go bad and the outer finish of the magnets peal off. But I love my Ikon 8’s 😊
I agree 100%, that coffee in the hotel for Capital SUCKS. Try to stop by Baltimore Coffee and Tea if you can. Much better
always loved the dali sound
Dali Rlz! I have a pair of Rubicon 8, Amazing speaker!
Aeropress is awesome
A whole lot of rock and rollers getting excited about double tweeters - a chance at hearing high end again!!!!!!
DALI and Q accoustics are up there when it comes to refined performance/price balance. You definitely can see and hear where your money is going with them.
My Dynaudio Confidence 30's are the best speaker i have ever heard.
My friend, what type of fertilizer do you use for your house plants?!! Those white flowers are enormous!! 🤣🤣🤣
Have you tried listening to the song Della Brown by Queensryche? Lots of things going on in the song. Right to the end you get the sound of some kind of birds on the beach. It’s a very intimate song. Love the show, enjoy.
The Aeropress premium is awesome and also looks exactly like a Starship rocket making a landing.
It is almost impossible to judge the sound quality of a speaker in a room with other speakers. I tried this over and over as an experiment in my 30 years as a hi-fi store owner if you listen to speakers in a room by themselves and then introduce another speaker to the room, it will drastically change what you’re hearing try it yourself
Randy have you tried using the Lyngdorf amps for room correction or the NAD ones? I absolutely love the Lyngdorf. BTW I think you had the speakers too close to the wall. I have some rubicon 2’s and the need at least 1 to 2 feet behind them. Good review. Would live to see the opticon 8!!
This is a 4-way design, the crossover points this out. The “super tweeter” is used up in its sweet spot, the oversized regular tweeter doesn’t go that high or too low, the upper woofer takes over at 2.2k and the lower woofer at 800 to combat baffle-step. Lots of crossover components I’m sure.
Interesting the 1.25” tweeter isn’t playing lower… lots of 1” tweeters play lower than this, unless it’s in order to increase power handling to very high levels?
The Opticon 6 MK2 is 2 1/2+1/2 acoustic design. This actually allows for simpler crossovers that preserve timing, phase and dynamic information that otherwise be lost. The magnetostatic ribbon is only protected by a capacitor, and there is no crossover above the dome allow the two drivers to fold together naturally. DALI has been don this for about 25 years now. Really magnificent way to take advantage of both driver technologies. The upper woofer has no high pass crossover, runs unimpeded into the bass. The lower woofer also has no high pass crossover, but its low pass crossover is tuned much lower. This increases radiating area in the low bass but keeps the cabinet small and the crossover simple.
@ interesting. The large 1-1/8” tweeter must roll off naturally at the high end with little breakup. Perhaps it uses a simple capacitor high-pass as well to maintain phase with the ribbon? This would make the 2.2kHz high pass frequency make more sense.
The woofer strategy as you’ve described is very likely to naturally deal with baffle step as I pointed out above; below a frequency related to the baffle width of the cabinet, output drops up to 6dB (the speaker goes from 1/2 space to 1/4 space radiation). Rolling a second driver into the mix below that point can nicely offsets that effect.
UPDATE: After 3 months the bass just gets better and better.
I heard the Rubikores... WOW dude..... much better.... just ordered some.
(Internally DALI says Dali stands for Don't Angle out Loudspeakers Inwards)
Hi Randy , wow what an interesting speakers , I haven’t seen a speaker with 2 tweeters. Regards mark
3:00 Aeropress is like a good pair of speakers. It scales infinitely with the quality of the beans and the quality of the grind.
8:10 Center channel is a bandaid when the main pair has poor imaging. I've never found it necessary with decent speakers, and I hate the way center channels often have a different "voice" from the other speakers that breaks the immersion. Plus since a center channel is usually placed below the screen where the front sides can be directly on either side of the screen, it's less convincing because speech isn't coming from the middle of the screen but below it, where just the front sides can bring the ear directly in line with the screen.
Center channels were developed to lock dialogue to a screen in viewing areas with broad listening areas. Its application is far more practical than as just a “bandaid” and is instrumental in making multichannel systems work well in a variety of situations.
Nice shirt! I love my Thruxton R 🏍️
Have a pair of DALI Opticon 1 (Mk 2). Small boxes, great sound. Got an open box a year ago for £599 I think? Cheapest DALI's that are manufactured in Denmark.......🇩🇰🎶🎶
Same no tow in with Martin Logan Motion series speakers, harsh highs if firing directly at you.
Interested.. may be my step up speaker! Thx!
I'm kinda pissed right now. I just saw the coffee ad and I've been working on a ball coffee maker with grinder. Oh,, and my favorite speakers are OHM C2's.
When I made speakers at home, when I was younger, I took two dead leafless plants and hung the tweeters, mids and bass on them. Art project. They sounded awful. Time aligned the tweeters with analog bucket brigade processing. Yup
Crap but fun for the evening🙄
True rock speakers.
Dali is on my bucket list. But I have way too much stuff right now.
I have a pair of Dali Ikon 1 mk2 bookshelf speakers which have soft dome and ribbon tweeters.
The Ikon series had the same double tweeter set up while it was produced.
I watch all the new offerings from you and others. I listen to Energy RC 30 tower speakers. Back in the day these cost 750.00 per speaker Canadian. These go down to 40hz . Cabinet build is so incredibly ridged it should be a standard today. Two 5.25 inch drivers and a one inch aluminum dome tweeter.
I just keep trying to find a reason to upgrade these towers. So far.. I can’t
1500 euro on sale right now in Holland, just the black version.
waar dan?
@@jdm724 hifi punt EU, but they raised it. To 1700 now
This Aeropress ad is at least as, if not more interesting than the rest of the clip 😁😁
Don't sleep on Dali.
I would never buy these Dali when I could buy the Polk R700 for less money!!
I would love to see you do a three way comparison between these the emotivas and elac.
I've heard Dali's before. They seemed bright and forward almost obnoxiously so even after burning in. For this amount of cash I'll take the Warfdale Evo 4.4's ..
I've like Dali speakers but Opticon just sounds like a Transformer to me. But hey they're made in Denmark.
I can't wait until they come out with the dalai lama version.
It was too easy, and I'm sure I'm not being original
Come on folks, that was an easy alley-oop
Is there such a thing? I'd say it is subjective and everyone has their preferences and favorites. Back in the days when HiFi was a passion for many of us, I came across some amazing setups one in particular being a Denon turntable, McIntosh amp and Infinity Quantum Line and Magnaplanar rear speakers I heard at an 'audio emporium' many years ago.
11\16inch goddamn. One millionth of a footballfield.
🤣🤣🤣
What amps would you recommend for these?
I decided to go with the Wiim ultra with Rotel Rb-1552 mkII.
Good choice of amplification. DALI's love
some current/power so a strong class A/B
is the right way to go with DALI speakers.
The more power, the better they'll sound..
@@chrisvand2678DALI speakers are relatively easy to drive with a very benign impedance curve. The need for power is more about what the listener demands in SPL that what the speaker demands.
DALI themselves recommend NAD amplifiers. I think the C389 makes a great partner for reasonable money and can be had with BluOS HiRes streaming and Dirac room correction integrated.
Randy, are you going to keep the Dali Opticon 6 around for a while? Thought you might like the idea of a speaker shoot out between the Opticon 6 and Dynaudio Emit 30. Whatta you think?