@@christianboeger947 This is a perfect example of what i believe are the two schools of audio design, not just in speakers, but in amps and other electronics too. There's the speakers and electronics like the Dalis, that are very warm and natural sounding, and seem to disappear and let the music speak for itself. They seem to be saying "I'm not even here, listen to the music". Then there's the speakers and amps like the B&Ws, too bright and shiny sounding, which are always calling attention to themselves trying to impress you, and want to make you listen to the sound instead of the music. They seem to be shouting "Listen to me! I'm SO Hi-Fi!"
Having heard both recently I can only agree: The Dalis sound much more engaging, but the B&W 700-series was also much better than the 600 also demonstrated.
B&W seem a little more lively sounding and Dali a little more laid back, rolled off top end. I prefer a lively, with being too bright. I liked the B&W better, but to each their own!
I watched this video using a pair of Bowers and Willkins 705S2 stand mount speakers. Honestly, I found he Dalis to be smoother. I thought the mid range on the 703 to be too forward. Now I have to go rethink my entire life. Thanks for this.
Well,… After listening to this again one month later, I prefer the sound of the Bowers and Wilkins. Now the Dalis sound compressed and lacking in midrange. Hopefully one day I'll end up with a pair of 702 S2 towers.
Many of you asked my opinion and to write a review about these 2 speakers. But since the intent of this channel is to give a “first touch” to all music lovers with some interesting components, i am not accustomed to write reviews. I accepted to try, but please forgive me if my english is far from perfect (i am Italian). MY POINT OF VIEW: Opticon 6 shows immediately emphasis in the upper range. Trebles are high in quality (smooth, sweet, textured) and quantity (some record could become brighter than usual). Mid-high region is silky-smooth and never disturbing. This is the first great difference with B&W 703 S2. Mid-high frequencies on this speaker aren’t ideal, they are hard and sometimes edgy (listen to consonants in Mark Knopfler’s voice). At the contrary very high frequencies are absolutely correct and pleasantly detailed (although not liquid as in the DALIs). Another great difference is in the midrange. Opticon shows off quite recessed medium frequencies, whereas B&W begins to shine with full-full-full-bodied voices, electric guitars and snare drums. This particular characteristic in medium-range reproduction of the DALIs enhance image depth and tridimensionality but also introduces some non-linearity in this region causing occasionally nasality and boxiness. I tend to prefer the more in-your-face regularity of the 703. Mid bass are good for both without reaching excellence in articulation. Knopfler’s voice for example sounds good but not great with both (missing some nuances) Bass: 703 to me is bass shy, also the less noble sibling B&W 603 S6 produces more bass than this speaker. Someone could like a very flat and lean bass like this but to my taste they are simply not enough to enjoy a kick drum. Opticon bass is pretty good, rounded and with the right slam. Both are fast enough to play a double bass without shortness of breath. Deep bass: both reaches very deep bass but at a lower level than the rest. Still they are admirable in this aspect. Both cabinets do not add any disturbing unwanted resonance/coloration and seems to be dead-sounding (to my ears, i did not measured them with an accelerometer) CONCLUSION: So if i were in search of a premium floorstander which one would i buy? Honestly, none of the above. When some time ago i auditioned the Tannoy Revolution XT6F and XT8F i immediately noticed the x-factor in these speakers. They are not beautiful-looking as the DALIs, neither elegant as the B&Ws, but their sound is so expressive, involving, convincing. They want to play again and again. They are not perfect, of course, and not linear in absolute terms. Upper trebles are somewhat coloured and bass can become a bit boomy if not correctly positioned or in a smaller-than-ideal room. But when you find a speaker that make you forget about partnering the more suitable amplifier, cable, source because it sounds so “right” and so joyful with any of them, i think you’ve found the right entrance to MUSIC.
Thank you for your opinion. The Tannoy Revolution series really sound fantastic. Can you get your hands on Tannoy Mercury 7.4, Dali Zensor 7, Jamo C97 and make a test video? Thanks.
Interesting how you preferred the Tannoys XT series, i owned these and yes the bass was fantastic on XT8F but i found them to be too bright and sometimes silibant on female voices. I currently own B&W cm9 s2 speaker's and wonder if they almost strike the perfect balance as they are not as bright as the newer 700 series and to me the bass is fine , I partner them with a sealed svs sb2000 so bass is not an issue anyway and my amp is the new Arcam SA20. To me the b&w cm9 s2 sound so smooth and clear and i remember old xt8f sounded far too pitchy at high volumes.
I listened at both of them in a store, i bought the Dali’s, i’ve hooked them up with an vintage Marantz AA-1050 reciver..... wow, that sound, i hope my neighbours like them too
😂@i hope my neighbours like them too. Neighbour: Turn that darn thing down!!! You: it's Dali's my darling!😂 Neighbour: Don't touch that dial!!! In fact, can you give it a little bit more vooma! 😂
The Dali are smoother sounding, which suits some people. I’d hazard a guess that some older guys don’t hear the upper treble issue as much. The B&W are great for dissecting instruments and have a nice big soundstage . I prefer them because the Dali treble gets to my ears
Hmm, after listening those in store listening room I would say that B&W sounded more natural. Dalis are good no doupt, but singers voice came more from the box.
Лучше сделать нарезку видео по несколько секунд с моментальным переключение между разными колонками. Для большей наглядности. It’s better to cut the video for a few seconds with instant switching between different columns. For greater clarity.
I have a pair of Opticon 6s which I'm fairly happy with. My impression is that Dali do a good job with their speakers, and that they are good value for money. After testing a range of floorstanders (a selection of brands/models as offered by Superfi & Richer Sounds), I gravitated toward the Dalis, as the others sounded too bright for my liking. I run them through a dual speaker output Creek Evolution 100A amp with Zensor 7s on the secondary speaker output, positioned at the side of the room. Find the Opticon 6s only really 'sing' well if you turn them up a bit. Played together with the Zensors, they compliment each other very well and sound very full & layered even at a fairly low volume. Played separately they sound very different, which is odd - as demoed at Richer Sounds (admittedly with a different amp), they sounded very similar to my ears at the time. Just goes to show .. you never really know til you get it home (.. and run it in for a while). Am thinking about trading up on the Zensors, and was considering B&W (used to have DM7 Mk 2s, back in the day [driven by a Luxman amp] - sounded good) .. but maybe I'd be better off looking for other companions for my Opticon 6s. Again, the problem of finding a retailer who'll have demo units they'd let you take home to test (after having forked out full price as a deposit, of course) .. still difficult to find those that would oblige. Any thoughts or suggestions ? Good luck & happy listening. SJ.
Ive heard both live, and im buying the Dali Opticon 6 in a months time. B&W's are great too, but the Dali is much more natural and clear when you hear them in real life :) Cant wait to own them.
Long time ago i listened to many speakers . Dali got a nice natural sound , imho better then B&W . High end KEF imho got the best bass performance , but were always lacking in high tones , Dali meets somewhere in the middle and as far as i hear now in YT reviews , the highs are now even better also the B&W ( btw , they are by no means bad speakers ...)
BW = higher details in high frequency Dali = higher in dynamic range and spatial resolution natural and neutral balance in high frequency My taste is Dali
The DALI's - More inner detail. Natural, easy on ears sound, non-fatiguing despite the better extension at the top. The B&W - in this test they have an advantage, they are playing a dB or 2 higher SPL than the DALIs which should help them. Yet, they sound muddy *in comparison*. Highs on the B&Ws are not as extended. Male vocal is chesty, but overall sound too upfront to allow a good peep into the sound-stage.
Interesting comparison, with the Dali Opticons punching above their weight. However, the B&W 703S2 is closer in price to the Dali Rubicon 6 than Opticon 6. The Rubicons in my opinion would make it very very hard for the B&Ws.
they both have completely different output profile, so it will depend on your taste or what music you usually listen to. I'd pick Dali - better imaging and soundstage for me.
Nice review, from my point of view Dali's sound is more open, balanced and natural while B&D vocal are slightly higher so they stand out more then lower frequencies . So my winner is Dali. Anyway both speakers are great.
I tried both today. Almost Jazz, a few Classic, some complicated brass pieces and rock. I gone focused on b&w into the shop and decided for the Opticon 6.
They definitely sounder warmer and more complete, I have not found a pair of B&W's that I like yet. For high end Focal are way better than B&W, I have not heard the higher end Dali speakers so who knows?
@@davelaatsch4145 Oookeee. I had a try on Epicons. They are for sure better than the Opticons. But ok. They are five times more expensive. And you can spend even more money. And ever time it will be a little or bigger bit better. And if you were to represent the relations mathematically, you could even call the Opticon bad. But they aren't. In the end, it's about being realistic and reasonable. After two years I thought about selling the Opticon and buying a pair of used Epicon 6. I had a nice hearing session on new ones in a better room also, because the hearing room of the seller wasn't as ideal. Yes they're cool. Is it worth it? Yes. Maybe. Did I decide to buy? No. Things has to stop at some point.
I think it's a bit complicated to create a decision with one song. You need to listen to your mostly listened music type. Than you wil find your true winner. What we can say for sure is that Dali wins in sort of openness and a very relaxed, honestly heart - winning midrange production, it's a characteristics which even shimmers down to the Zensor 1. B & W doesn't make any big changes in their Philosophy. Good music material - good reproduction. Bad quality music source - bad reproduction. Typically a reference for professional music production. The weaker point between each other will be the deeper frequencies, were the wide openness of Dali turns very fast to a disadvantage in bass reproduction, which needs more punch, more volume, more separation capabilities. So there the speaker needs to be tighten up instead of being "relaxed". So digging there might be the better solution, if you need to find substantial advantages/disadvantages. Update: Even at the voice of Mark Knopfler (Sub - Mid), you can hear the chracteristical difference between these two's. Where Mark sounds really reaxed and smoth when he's 'tired of these things' (1st refrain, after 40sec of songs' beginning) at Dali, on B&W his downgoing voice gets a crisp bassy note (listen carefully).
I would say that the Dali has a sound that's equivalent to having an equalizer set in a smiley-face pattern, whereas the B&W have a more uniform projection of the frequency range (which is common in speakers from the UK). Some people like recessed vocals and mid-range sound (I guess b/c it can sound smoother, in a way), but having the mid-range in line with the rest of the frequency range, as with the B&W, is much more realistic-sounding. It may *seem* like the Dalis are more neutral, but in reality, they aren't. Mid-range is where most of the 'action' is in music, so it makes sense to have an open and transparent mid-range, not recessed into the mix. Many people are not used to this more realistic sound representation, though, so it's different strokes for different folks.
@Peder Hansen Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. When I was younger, I would have agreed with you, but over the past 35 years in the hobby, my understanding of sound has matured to a very large extent. The Dalis sound like they have a V-shaped equalizer setting. The B&Ws have a more present and 'real' sounding mid-range, which some people may not be used to. The Dali's mid-range is very recessed by comparison, which doesn't sound bad, but it certainly sounds much less 'real'. (btw - i'm not a fan of B&W, but in this case, they are better than the Dalis. That is not to say that some people, like yourself, wouldn't prefer them - and i understand why. But to say it's more 'natural' is an erroneous statement). Close your eyes when listening, and ask yourself which of the two sounds more like a 'live' performance.
Love Dire Straits, and love this comparison. Do you take requests? Same speakers playing Schiller - Ds Glockenspiel (Schill out mix) to really test that bass....
They both sound great but i still think the B&W speakers sound a bit better, but i like them both, whats the price tag on the Dali speakers? I love these sound reviews, Thank you
4k for the B&W 2.5k for the Dali. For me the extended listener would be the Dalis. I got to preview the flagship 20k 8s and those are some serious speakers that could easily go up against higher priced competitors
Great. Many thanks for sharing! If you can, do more comparisons like this, really useful in seeing the A vs B contrast between various speakers. After first listening Dali sounded richer and the B&W more boxy, after 3-4 auditions started liking the B&W :)
It's relative to the system I'm listening on (Sennheiser HD650s connected to my tablet via a dragonfly DAC) but the B&Ws have a metallic sounding upper mid which isn't working for me. The spatialisation feels off, which could relate to how this is mic'ed. It sounds fine with the DALIs so not sure what to think.
Both Great but I believe the B&W has a bit more precise and controlled deep pronounced bass, the Dali has a more open soundstage.... between the 2 I would choose B&W. Great Comparison btw....
B&W is playing louder, and this is not fair compare :) vocals are better on B&W as always, but mid bass generally sounds compressed. I think Dali is more neutral..
Good comparison Sound Sommelier. I did find the Dali’s highs to be more forward, while B&W’s sounded better when more of the instruments are being played. Sadly for me, I would have to listen to many more genres of music, songs, etc.., to decide what sound I prefer. It will always be subjective at a certain point, one has to take the devices we watch our TH-cam videos on, which then filters the sound again. The room size and shape we place these speakers in will further influence our preferences based on my limited understanding of sound characteristics.
Couldn't make my mind up, all depends on the frequency response and quality of the microphone used for capture at the end of the day. I have a 5.1 surround DALI system at home and my music could't sound any more full of life!
I you duplicate the tab and listen to them both in sync, sounds really good, but i am listening on DALI's so that would probably explain why.....I do love the Dali's
I'm comparing these two and buying one of them in April. I can't wait to audition them. I'm also chucking into the mix the Monitor Audio Silver. Should be a good hours comparison.
A bit richer mid tones in B&W. Dali is lacking some deptht in mid and high tones. Does it explain the duble the price of the B&W speakers. Are the specs comparable of both Brands?
Pranab Mishra Thank you. Next month i will add to description a brief review and my personal point of view about these 2 beauties. And also the name of the speaker that would beat both ;-)
Dali is more neutral,B&W has soundstage turned forward,and littlebit brightersound,bouth are sounding good,taste is different,I think like B&W is better with voices,Tnx for this video!!
i don't understand how you can listen to these speaker through youtube? Is it me or can you only hear your own speakers at home while you play this video? Yes i can hear a difference but i think i want to listen to the speakers in real life, no?
I find it pretty remarkable that so many comments here say that the B&Ws have better mids, because they purposely design all their speakers with a suckout in the presence region, which, to my ears anyway, makes midrange sounds from guitars and vocals, and most other instruments, sound distant and veiled. They may have more lower mids, because their speakers are the ones with a smiley face curve, with pumped up bass and treble, and recessed midrange, to call attention to themselves upon first listen in a showroom, but then that too hot and shrill tweeter and fake pumped up bass quickly can become annoying and tiring and quite fatiguing at home during extended listening sessions. And, anyone here that says they are listening with the tiny and tinny speakers in their phone or laptop shouldn't even be allowed to offer an opinion on the difference in sound between the two speakers
You are in vain comparing sound through TH-cam, since your speakers will not be able to convey the sound character of other systems. The speakers must be compared live in the store. I have a Dali Opticon 6 and the sound from them is very rich and spacious.
I have one question for you all, including Sound Sommelier. Which is best? Dali Zensor 7 vs. Monitor Audio Bronze 6 vs. Jamo C97 vs. Tannoy Mercury 7.4
@@voshche в живую не сравнивал, но легко догадаться, что оба не очень. Двухполоски лучше делать на заказ с усем именно под эти двухполоски. Звук будет хороший, что надо (без галлюцинаций аудиофилов) и дольше прослужат. Понимающие люди говорят, что и фокал говно
I like the Dalis, for me there is some rightness in the nasality of the voice. But the B&W plays louder ( are they volume -matched?) and has more detail. Too much of both can be tiring for long period of listening.
B&w seem initially better but i wonder if they might become fatiguing after a while ? I own the cm9 s2 never get fatigue from listening to these i would like to hear the cm9 s2 vs the 703s2
I had pair of cm9, 5 months ago Ive replaced them with new 703s2 The breakin period was bad But now? Oh my god!! They sound so much better then the cm9!! The mid, the bass, the soundstage, no!! Serriously, The sound stage! Is amazing!! My best buy for the last 5 years, for sure.. Next to come is a new 804D3 😊
@@chenbencalipha3149 I'm currently waiting for my new 703s2's too arrive, cant wait! The 800 series would be great but i dont think i could justify spending so much money on a pair of speakers and im more than happy with quality of my setup im sure it will give me many years of use.
Having had so many speakers I would like to say that b&w have been premium speakers. Now with their 7s and 8s one guesses where they get their inspiration for the very poor house sound and timbre they do now. B&W will fail and fall if they continue like this. Now what they sell is premised on the previous sound character they had. Newbies do not find anything particular about them. Middle aged like me has a hangover effect of their previous gear.
Yes there were a time were B&W was something to strive fore, something if one told you he had one set, you know how great his taste were and what he stood fore. Now do I not know if Wall Mart or B&W is best.
I hear you. I have owned B&W 802 S2's and now a pair of B&W CM-5 stand mount speakers (both with Kevlar mid-range drivers) and it is clear to me once B&W discontinued the use of yellow Kevlar weave mid-range driver cones, I have lost favor with them. These new models made in China with the new silver Continuum Mid-range driver cones are way too aggressive and irritating. Sorry B&W, if you fail to return to kevlar, I'm done with B&W. I have listened to at least 5 models with Continuum drivers and they all are very aggressive and a step in the wrong direction. The Dali's here are superior sounding to these ears.
... how can you compare 3-way with 2-way here. if you were given 3 lanes, then it is not very high quality.I have a dali zensor 3/ according to the scheme, inductors 0.6µH and 0.3µH should be in the crossover, and are they 0.21 and 0.45 ???
I think i'd do some more research if I was doing this again. This is a decent amp on all accounts but at times the sound is too bright. Think something more subtle could be the way to go but no idea what.
Man I love both pairs for both looks, and sound. I would have to go with the DALI Opticon, they had a little fuller sound to me. Thank You for letting us viewers partake in this comparison!
I prefer Opticon 6 in this combination as the quantity between music and vocal is relatively balanced whereas the 703S2, the vocal and particular music instruments (guitar in this case）were more emphasized than the DALIs, they owned a special signature sound of B&W. But considering the retail prices of both pairs, they are not in the same class as the others mentioned before, DALIs is relatively lower so the CP ratio seems higher than the 703S2.
More 'meat on the bones' in the mid-range on the b&w's. The midrange is fuller, more forward, more realistic, whereas the Dali's are too recessed (like an eq in the shape of a smiley face).Vocals get lost on the Dalis. I don't really like b&w much, but I think they're superior to the Dalis here in this case. But then again, that's through a TH-cam recording; who knows what the reality would be in person. Also, in this video, the b&w's are playing louder, so that is a HUGE influence in comparing the two.
@@Cooliewhistles True, but I know the Dali, and it errs on the side of mild recession in the mids (that's sort of the way they sound - more laid back). On the other hand, B&Ws almost always err on the side of being forward in the mids, so in this comparison, the difference seems more extreme than might otherwise be noticeable when listening to either/ or pair on their own.
@@Cooliewhistles By the way, I wanted to add - one easy way to hear what I mean regarding my comments above is when you listen to the treble as the singer sings. On the Dalis, the treble stands out much more by comparison to the vocals, whereas on the B&Ws, the treble and vocals are more in line with each other (volume-wise). With that said, I find the B&Ws to sound a bit 'cupped' in this video (like when you put your hands around your mouth when you're trying to yell a long distance). It's fun to watch audio comparisons on TH-cam, but totally unreliable as a source of realistic product representation.
The Dali sounds like real music, the B&W sounds like a recording
Definitly! That was my first thought jumping back and forth ;-)
@@christianboeger947 This is a perfect example of what i believe are the two schools of audio design, not just in speakers, but in amps and other electronics too. There's the speakers and electronics like the Dalis, that are very warm and natural sounding, and seem to disappear and let the music speak for itself. They seem to be saying "I'm not even here, listen to the music". Then there's the speakers and amps like the B&Ws, too bright and shiny sounding, which are always calling attention to themselves trying to impress you, and want to make you listen to the sound instead of the music. They seem to be shouting "Listen to me! I'm SO Hi-Fi!"
@@DougMen1I disagree there are good and bad designs. Dali was never used in studios but b&w 800 series is used in many studios around the world
Having heard both recently I can only agree: The Dalis sound much more engaging, but the B&W 700-series was also much better than the 600 also demonstrated.
Dali wins hands down way way better in my opinion ..
B&W seem a little more lively sounding and Dali a little more laid back, rolled off top end. I prefer a lively, with being too bright. I liked the B&W better, but to each their own!
I watched this video using a pair of Bowers and Willkins 705S2 stand mount speakers. Honestly, I found he Dalis to be smoother. I thought the mid range on the 703 to be too forward. Now I have to go rethink my entire life. Thanks for this.
go easy on your life, buy new entery level oberton 7 florstanding speakers for less than your used 705s , and live on :)
Well,… After listening to this again one month later, I prefer the sound of the Bowers and Wilkins. Now the Dalis sound compressed and lacking in midrange. Hopefully one day I'll end up with a pair of 702 S2 towers.
@@PoliticalTheatreShow Dali sucks in real life , cheap build
The B&W is clearly brighter and more "forward". It might be easier to listen to the Dali for extended periods.
Many of you asked my opinion and to write a review about these 2 speakers. But since the intent of this channel is to give a “first touch” to all music lovers with some interesting components, i am not accustomed to write reviews.
I accepted to try, but please forgive me if my english is far from perfect (i am Italian).
MY POINT OF VIEW:
Opticon 6 shows immediately emphasis in the upper range. Trebles are high in quality (smooth, sweet, textured) and quantity (some record could become brighter than usual). Mid-high region is silky-smooth and never disturbing. This is the first great difference with B&W 703 S2. Mid-high frequencies on this speaker aren’t ideal, they are hard and sometimes edgy (listen to consonants in Mark Knopfler’s voice). At the contrary very high frequencies are absolutely correct and pleasantly detailed (although not liquid as in the DALIs). Another great difference is in the midrange. Opticon shows off quite recessed medium frequencies, whereas B&W begins to shine with full-full-full-bodied voices, electric guitars and snare drums. This particular characteristic in medium-range reproduction of the DALIs enhance image depth and tridimensionality but also introduces some non-linearity in this region causing occasionally nasality and boxiness. I tend to prefer the more in-your-face regularity of the 703. Mid bass are good for both without reaching excellence in articulation. Knopfler’s voice for example sounds good but not great with both (missing some nuances) Bass: 703 to me is bass shy, also the less noble sibling B&W 603 S6 produces more bass than this speaker. Someone could like a very flat and lean bass like this but to my taste they are simply not enough to enjoy a kick drum. Opticon bass is pretty good, rounded and with the right slam. Both are fast enough to play a double bass without shortness of breath. Deep bass: both reaches very deep bass but at a lower level than the rest. Still they are admirable in this aspect.
Both cabinets do not add any disturbing unwanted resonance/coloration and seems to be dead-sounding (to my ears, i did not measured them with an accelerometer)
CONCLUSION:
So if i were in search of a premium floorstander which one would i buy?
Honestly, none of the above.
When some time ago i auditioned the Tannoy Revolution XT6F and XT8F i immediately noticed the x-factor in these speakers. They are not beautiful-looking as the DALIs, neither elegant as the B&Ws, but their sound is so expressive, involving, convincing. They want to play again and again. They are not perfect, of course, and not linear in absolute terms. Upper trebles are somewhat coloured and bass can become a bit boomy if not correctly positioned or in a smaller-than-ideal room. But when you find a speaker that make you forget about partnering the more suitable amplifier, cable, source because it sounds so “right” and so joyful with any of them, i think you’ve found the right entrance to MUSIC.
Thank you for taking an effort to share your views!
Thank you for your opinion.
The Tannoy Revolution series really sound fantastic.
Can you get your hands on Tannoy Mercury 7.4, Dali Zensor 7, Jamo C97 and make a test video?
Thanks.
Dalí👍👍
Interesting how you preferred the Tannoys XT series, i owned these and yes the bass was fantastic on XT8F but i found them to be too bright and sometimes silibant on female voices.
I currently own B&W cm9 s2 speaker's and wonder if they almost strike the perfect balance as they are not as bright as the newer 700 series and to me the bass is fine ,
I partner them with a sealed svs sb2000 so bass is not an issue anyway and my amp is the new Arcam SA20.
To me the b&w cm9 s2 sound so smooth and clear and i remember old xt8f sounded far too pitchy at high volumes.
ciao condivido pienamente la tua recensione....dovendo scegliere fra i due sceglierei le Dali
I listened at both of them in a store, i bought the Dali’s, i’ve hooked them up with an vintage Marantz AA-1050 reciver..... wow, that sound, i hope my neighbours like them too
Madone 9.0 😂😂😂😂
😂@i hope my neighbours like them too.
Neighbour: Turn that darn thing down!!!
You: it's Dali's my darling!😂
Neighbour: Don't touch that dial!!! In fact, can you give it a little bit more vooma! 😂
Yes,neighbor girls will rock with you
Dali for me, thought they were richer sounding and found the 703's a touch bright.
Are you mad,,???? Mind you on a fisher price stereo they probably sound okay fair play,,,,!!!
the dali are the first ones if you hadn't noticed yet
The Dali are smoother sounding, which suits some people. I’d hazard a guess that some older guys don’t hear the upper treble issue as much.
The B&W are great for dissecting instruments and have a nice big soundstage . I prefer them because the Dali treble gets to my ears
Vow, Dali sounds more Natural. For a true vocal lover.
Hmm, after listening those in store listening room I would say that B&W sounded more natural. Dalis are good no doupt, but singers voice came more from the box.
Лучше сделать нарезку видео по несколько секунд с моментальным переключение между разными колонками. Для большей наглядности.
It’s better to cut the video for a few seconds with instant switching between different columns. For greater clarity.
aleksmechanic, нет
At 0:04 and again at 5:05 you can get direct comparisons.
In my opinion need to test the B&W with Opticon 8. OPticon 8 has a good 6.5" midrange driver it should sound better in the mid frequencies.
I have a pair of Opticon 6s which I'm fairly happy with. My impression is that Dali do a good job with their speakers, and that they are good value for money. After testing a range of floorstanders (a selection of brands/models as offered by Superfi & Richer Sounds), I gravitated toward the Dalis, as the others sounded too bright for my liking. I run them through a dual speaker output Creek Evolution 100A amp with Zensor 7s on the secondary speaker output, positioned at the side of the room. Find the Opticon 6s only really 'sing' well if you turn them up a bit. Played together with the Zensors, they compliment each other very well and sound very full & layered even at a fairly low volume. Played separately they sound very different, which is odd - as demoed at Richer Sounds (admittedly with a different amp), they sounded very similar to my ears at the time. Just goes to show .. you never really know til you get it home (.. and run it in for a while). Am thinking about trading up on the Zensors, and was considering B&W (used to have DM7 Mk 2s, back in the day [driven by a Luxman amp] - sounded good) .. but maybe I'd be better off looking for other companions for my Opticon 6s. Again, the problem of finding a retailer who'll have demo units they'd let you take home to test (after having forked out full price as a deposit, of course) .. still difficult to find those that would oblige. Any thoughts or suggestions ? Good luck & happy listening. SJ.
Hi..woold opticon 6 be a good match witk music fidelity m5si amp?
The drums sound much better on these B&Ws! Their sound is very natural and I get the impression that they are being played in my room.
Ive heard both live, and im buying the Dali Opticon 6 in a months time. B&W's are great too, but the Dali is much more natural and clear when you hear them in real life :) Cant wait to own them.
I thought that too!!! Are you satisfied with ?
@@EltonMinduri yes. Perfect speakers.
I am huge fan of Bowers and Wilkins but after listen to this again! I have second thoughts! Anyway Viva la Musica!!! Greetings from Brazil!
Long time ago i listened to many speakers . Dali got a nice natural sound , imho better then B&W . High end KEF imho got the best bass performance , but were always lacking in high tones , Dali meets somewhere in the middle and as far as i hear now in YT reviews , the highs are now even better also the B&W ( btw , they are by no means bad speakers ...)
@ano did you ever listen to the Oberon 7? I have a pair and considering an upgrade to opticon 6
The Dali seem to sound way better. The B&W sound pretty boxy you get to much cabinet response with those
BW = higher details in high frequency
Dali = higher in dynamic range and spatial resolution natural and neutral balance in high frequency
My taste is Dali
BMW? :D
Prefer Dali.
Had them at home for test in 6 days.. i went with Dali Opticon 6. More details i high tone...
The DALI's - More inner detail. Natural, easy on ears sound, non-fatiguing despite the better extension at the top.
The B&W - in this test they have an advantage, they are playing a dB or 2 higher SPL than the DALIs which should help them. Yet, they sound muddy *in comparison*. Highs on the B&Ws are not as extended. Male vocal is chesty, but overall sound too upfront to allow a good peep into the sound-stage.
Interesting comparison, with the Dali Opticons punching above their weight. However, the B&W 703S2 is closer in price to the Dali Rubicon 6 than Opticon 6. The Rubicons in my opinion would make it very very hard for the B&Ws.
The B&M had better clarity to my ears.
B&M???!!
they both have completely different output profile, so it will depend on your taste or what music you usually listen to. I'd pick Dali - better imaging and soundstage for me.
Nice review, from my point of view Dali's sound is more open, balanced and natural while B&D vocal are slightly higher so they stand out more then lower frequencies . So my winner is Dali. Anyway both speakers are great.
B&W For me.Sound is more Natural,B&W know how to make Speakers!! Superb all round.
Dali has never Done it for me. To bright
In principle, both sound speakers are strong in their category,but for me personally, the sound from BOWERS & WILKINS is more preferable.
I tried both today. Almost Jazz, a few Classic, some complicated brass pieces and rock. I gone focused on b&w into the shop and decided for the Opticon 6.
They definitely sounder warmer and more complete, I have not found a pair of B&W's that I like yet. For high end Focal are way better than B&W, I have not heard the higher end Dali speakers so who knows?
@@davelaatsch4145 Oookeee. I had a try on Epicons. They are for sure better than the Opticons. But ok. They are five times more expensive. And you can spend even more money. And ever time it will be a little or bigger bit better.
And if you were to represent the relations mathematically, you could even call the Opticon bad. But they aren't. In the end, it's about being realistic and reasonable.
After two years I thought about selling the Opticon and buying a pair of used Epicon 6. I had a nice hearing session on new ones in a better room also, because the hearing room of the seller wasn't as ideal. Yes they're cool. Is it worth it? Yes. Maybe. Did I decide to buy? No. Things has to stop at some point.
Dali sounds laid back, thick and full but with the b&w i felt like there's way more notes to hear. A clearer richer sound. I choose B&W's.
0:24 optical
5:26 B&W
I think it's a bit complicated to create a decision with one song.
You need to listen to your mostly listened music type. Than you wil find your true winner.
What we can say for sure is that Dali wins in sort of openness and a very relaxed, honestly heart - winning midrange production, it's a characteristics which even shimmers down to the Zensor 1.
B & W doesn't make any big changes in their Philosophy. Good music material - good reproduction. Bad quality music source - bad reproduction. Typically a reference for professional music production.
The weaker point between each other will be the deeper frequencies, were the wide openness of Dali turns very fast to a disadvantage in bass reproduction, which needs more punch, more volume, more separation capabilities. So there the speaker needs to be tighten up instead of being "relaxed".
So digging there might be the better solution, if you need to find substantial advantages/disadvantages.
Update:
Even at the voice of Mark Knopfler (Sub - Mid), you can hear the chracteristical difference between these two's.
Where Mark sounds really reaxed and smoth when he's 'tired of these things' (1st refrain, after 40sec of songs' beginning) at Dali, on B&W his downgoing voice gets a crisp bassy note (listen carefully).
Ustam çok onemli gorüşlerin Vardır da Türkçesi nedir acaba
@@yusufbas890 Önemli olan sonuç tespit mi yoksa farkların yorumu mu?
Dali sounds more neutral. I think B&W has a little bir more colouration at midrange. So, what is your opinion?
Dali colours the music far more than the B&W.
I would say that the Dali has a sound that's equivalent to having an equalizer set in a smiley-face pattern, whereas the B&W have a more uniform projection of the frequency range (which is common in speakers from the UK). Some people like recessed vocals and mid-range sound (I guess b/c it can sound smoother, in a way), but having the mid-range in line with the rest of the frequency range, as with the B&W, is much more realistic-sounding. It may *seem* like the Dalis are more neutral, but in reality, they aren't. Mid-range is where most of the 'action' is in music, so it makes sense to have an open and transparent mid-range, not recessed into the mix. Many people are not used to this more realistic sound representation, though, so it's different strokes for different folks.
@@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio Your comment make me understand the sound better. Thank you very much.
@@premiere3610 thanks for the kind reply; I'm happy to hear my comments prompted some thought/ gave perspective. Have a good day! Cheers!
@Peder Hansen Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. When I was younger, I would have agreed with you, but over the past 35 years in the hobby, my understanding of sound has matured to a very large extent. The Dalis sound like they have a V-shaped equalizer setting. The B&Ws have a more present and 'real' sounding mid-range, which some people may not be used to. The Dali's mid-range is very recessed by comparison, which doesn't sound bad, but it certainly sounds much less 'real'. (btw - i'm not a fan of B&W, but in this case, they are better than the Dalis. That is not to say that some people, like yourself, wouldn't prefer them - and i understand why. But to say it's more 'natural' is an erroneous statement). Close your eyes when listening, and ask yourself which of the two sounds more like a 'live' performance.
Love Dire Straits, and love this comparison.
Do you take requests? Same speakers playing Schiller - Ds Glockenspiel (Schill out mix) to really test that bass....
dali. sounds more organic & airy. the B&W kinda has that metallic upper mids / treble I always hear even on cheaper 606
I love the b&w's! Whats the name of the song?
GONADS! And I'm supposed to hear the difference on my laptop speakers am I?
Listen through a decent set of headphones.
They both sound great but i still think the B&W speakers sound a bit better, but i like them both, whats the price tag on the Dali speakers? I love these sound reviews, Thank you
The B&W sound cleaner.
Sempre dei video da orgasmo! ❤️
BW good at mid, high range and more dynamic, nature. Dali good at bass however mid and high range is not clear.
4k for the B&W 2.5k for the Dali. For me the extended listener would be the Dalis.
I got to preview the flagship 20k 8s and those are some serious speakers that could easily go up against higher priced competitors
The dali seemed too bright..? B&w had a little more warm touch on the vocals.
Hello! I recommend Heco Elementa 700 loudspeakers.Sounds amazing, dynamic, clear. Good detailed sound at low level and not afraid of high volumes.
Thank you for comparing. To me hands down the B&W, like much more how live they sound. Dali is nice too just another style, smoother, calmer.
What ampli for drive BW703 ?
Yamaha as1100?
Marantz 7000n ?
DENON 2500 ?
Or other........
Thanks
Great. Many thanks for sharing!
If you can, do more comparisons like this, really useful in seeing the A vs B contrast between various speakers.
After first listening Dali sounded richer and the B&W more boxy, after 3-4 auditions started liking the B&W :)
i have the rubicon 2 paired with 2 rel subs...i want more overall fidelity...thinking of the Rubicon 6 ?
Dali is warm, finest and natural !
It's relative to the system I'm listening on (Sennheiser HD650s connected to my tablet via a dragonfly DAC) but the B&Ws have a metallic sounding upper mid which isn't working for me. The spatialisation feels off, which could relate to how this is mic'ed. It sounds fine with the DALIs so not sure what to think.
Both Great but I believe the B&W has a bit more precise and controlled deep pronounced bass, the Dali has a more open soundstage.... between the 2 I would choose B&W. Great Comparison btw....
Dali first or second?
B&W is playing louder, and this is not fair compare :) vocals are better on B&W as always, but mid bass generally sounds compressed. I think Dali is more neutral..
I love your sound demos! Can I ask what mic you use to record?
Good comparison Sound Sommelier. I did find the Dali’s highs to be more forward, while B&W’s sounded better when more of the instruments are being played. Sadly for me, I would have to listen to many more genres of music, songs, etc.., to decide what sound I prefer. It will always be subjective at a certain point, one has to take the devices we watch our TH-cam videos on, which then filters the sound again. The room size and shape we place these speakers in will further influence our preferences based on my limited understanding of sound characteristics.
Couldn't make my mind up, all depends on the frequency response and quality of the microphone used for capture at the end of the day. I have a 5.1 surround DALI system at home and my music could't sound any more full of life!
I you duplicate the tab and listen to them both in sync, sounds really good, but i am listening on DALI's so that would probably explain why.....I do love the Dali's
I'll go with dali, just sounds more natural to me.
I'm comparing these two and buying one of them in April. I can't wait to audition them. I'm also chucking into the mix the Monitor Audio Silver.
Should be a good hours comparison.
its hard to make comparasion on youtube,they sound pretty much the same but only in live audition can really say which is better :D
They sound so different. In my ears the b&w sounds like a speaker with no way near linear frequency response. Dali sounds pretty neutral.
Had a good look at both these and the Tannoys. Ended up with Evo 4.4's. Which blew these away if you do love the natural sound.
Can you give me your opinion about the Tannoys? Thanks
Here Dali around 1900 eur and B&W around 3000 eur, how you can compare them?
B&W is twice the price. Would compare them with the dali rubicon series.
Стоимость дали оптикон полторы тысячи долларов, а бивни 4тыс + , совсем правильное сравнение, без слов
Надо было с Rubicon 6 сравнить!
И что с того если Дали уделали акустику в несколько раз дороже. Ка кне курти, а даже с ютуба слышно, что звук в Дали более приятный и естественный.
@@MMManijak для вас просто приятно отсутствие средних, имеете право, меня же это бесит, когда включаешь классику, половины оркестра не слышно.
A bit richer mid tones in B&W. Dali is lacking some deptht in mid and high tones. Does it explain the duble the price of the B&W speakers. Are the specs comparable of both Brands?
Music fidely is good choice for daly?
The openness and forwardness of the Bmrs comes at a price. I own Bmrs so yes I know. I actually looking for more natural sounding speakers now.
Es como elegir entre un mercedes benz o un bmw las dos son geniales.
Prefiero un Audi
@@litomovilete18 audi que marca seria en este caso?
Thank you for the great video.From the first hand experience would love to hear which one is the winner in your view.
Pranab Mishra Thank you. Next month i will add to description a brief review and my personal point of view about these 2 beauties. And also the name of the speaker that would beat both ;-)
@@SoundSommelier Looking forward for your update!
Dali is more neutral,B&W has soundstage turned forward,and littlebit brightersound,bouth are sounding good,taste is different,I think like B&W is better with voices,Tnx for this video!!
i don't understand how you can listen to these speaker through youtube? Is it me or can you only hear your own speakers at home while you play this video?
Yes i can hear a difference but i think i want to listen to the speakers in real life, no?
Chaïm Van Damme well you can't and this is the best approximation
I find it pretty remarkable that so many comments here say that the B&Ws have better mids, because they purposely design all their speakers with a suckout in the presence region, which, to my ears anyway, makes midrange sounds from guitars and vocals, and most other instruments, sound distant and veiled. They may have more lower mids, because their speakers are the ones with a smiley face curve, with pumped up bass and treble, and recessed midrange, to call attention to themselves upon first listen in a showroom, but then that too hot and shrill tweeter and fake pumped up bass quickly can become annoying and tiring and quite fatiguing at home during extended listening sessions.
And, anyone here that says they are listening with the tiny and tinny speakers in their phone or laptop shouldn't even be allowed to offer an opinion on the difference in sound between the two speakers
Odd, most B&W were designed to highlight vocals as there is a sizeable market for this sound profile.
The Dali for me was the better speaker, the B&W's sounded harsh!
The Dali sounds flatter compare to the B&W. I would buy the B&W.
You are in vain comparing sound through TH-cam, since your speakers will not be able to convey the sound character of other systems.
The speakers must be compared live in the store.
I have a Dali Opticon 6 and the sound from them is very rich and spacious.
The Dali’s has a warm heart.
I'm thinking of buying one of these 2 speakers, going for a demo soon, got Monitor Audio at the moment, hope I make the right choice...
What did you buy?
Sorry for delay, I write so many comments on TH-cam,
Had the B W about 2 months now, quite happy with them,
I have one question for you all, including Sound Sommelier.
Which is best?
Dali Zensor 7 vs. Monitor Audio Bronze 6 vs. Jamo C97 vs. Tannoy Mercury 7.4
танои и джамо говно, одно по причине непомерно дорогой цены, другое по причине пластикового звука, бери дали, мониторы лучше сильвер
@@interesuyetvesma520 вы случаем не сравнивали Monitor Silver 500 with Dali Opticon 8 , у обеих 8" динамики , дали немного дороже , а как звук ???
@@voshche в живую не сравнивал, но легко догадаться, что оба не очень. Двухполоски лучше делать на заказ с усем именно под эти двухполоски. Звук будет хороший, что надо (без галлюцинаций аудиофилов) и дольше прослужат. Понимающие люди говорят, что и фокал говно
I like the more laidback sound of the dali's
To tight no real depth sorry,,
All of your song choices are exceptional
Couldn’t read the brand names from that far away but the 2nd pair sounded more open , not congested
2nd is b&w
What's the name of the song? Dire Strait-...?
I like the Dalis, for me there is some rightness in the nasality of the voice. But the B&W plays louder ( are they volume -matched?) and has more detail. Too much of both can be tiring for long period of listening.
Difficult to choose, both are very good speakers but what a cooool song by Dire Straits...
The B&W overall for me. However, they do have a bit of a too bright top end in my opinion.
The Dali's are Rocking while the B&Ws are sucking lol
I love Dali speakeres so DALI Opticon 6 wins :-)
Plus one for the Dali’s! I don’t know hoe to put it in words but the B&W’s sound like ... music in a wooden box. The dali’s seem much more open.
Nailed it
The DALI Opticon 6 takes the clarity for me. They are incredible ️
Nice comparison, both are great sounding speakers :)
B&w seem initially better but i wonder if they might become fatiguing after a while ?
I own the cm9 s2 never get fatigue from listening to these i would like to hear the cm9 s2 vs the 703s2
I had pair of cm9, 5 months ago
Ive replaced them with new 703s2
The breakin period was bad
But now? Oh my god!! They sound so much better then the cm9!!
The mid, the bass, the soundstage, no!! Serriously, The sound stage! Is amazing!!
My best buy for the last 5 years, for sure..
Next to come is a new 804D3 😊
@@chenbencalipha3149 did you have the cm9 or the newer cm9s2?
@@hclandscapes I *had* the CM9 S2.
For now i have my 703S2.
My next speakers will be the 804D3 :)
@@chenbencalipha3149 I'm currently waiting for my new 703s2's too arrive, cant wait! The 800 series would be great but i dont think i could justify spending so much money on a pair of speakers and im more than happy with quality of my setup im sure it will give me many years of use.
@@chenbencalipha3149 i have just set my new 703s2's up, how long did yours take to break in ?
Having had so many speakers I would like to say that b&w have been premium speakers. Now with their 7s and 8s one guesses where they get their inspiration for the very poor house sound and timbre they do now. B&W will fail and fall if they continue like this. Now what they sell is premised on the previous sound character they had. Newbies do not find anything particular about them. Middle aged like me has a hangover effect of their previous gear.
Yes there were a time were B&W was something to strive fore, something if one told you he had one set, you know how great his taste were and what he stood fore. Now do I not know if Wall Mart or B&W is best.
I hear you. I have owned B&W 802 S2's and now a pair of B&W CM-5 stand mount speakers (both with Kevlar mid-range drivers) and it is clear to me once B&W discontinued the use of yellow Kevlar weave mid-range driver cones, I have lost favor with them. These new models made in China with the new silver Continuum Mid-range driver cones are way too aggressive and irritating. Sorry B&W, if you fail to return to kevlar, I'm done with B&W. I have listened to at least 5 models with Continuum drivers and they all are very aggressive and a step in the wrong direction. The Dali's here are superior sounding to these ears.
LP SPINNERS it’s no secret Chinese markets prefer a harsh sound. So if you want to sell a lot of speakers. Make them for China
In the mid range B&W is better but in the high frequency Dali is better
+
God them B&W'S are quality,,,, as they say OMG,,!!! You'll only regret buying the Dali's rather than the beautiful B & W'S deffo,,!!!
... how can you compare 3-way with 2-way here. if you were given 3 lanes, then it is not very high quality.I have a dali zensor 3/ according to the scheme, inductors 0.6µH and 0.3µH should be in the crossover, and are they 0.21 and 0.45 ???
I bought the 703 s2 about a year ago. Perfect for jazz. Acoustic guitar and vocals really shine too. Delighted with this purchase and highly recommend
What ampli use ? Please
@@vincentmartinent2518 www.cambridgeaudio.com/row/en/products/cx/cxa80
I think i'd do some more research if I was doing this again. This is a decent amp on all accounts but at times the sound is too bright. Think something more subtle could be the way to go but no idea what.
Man I love both pairs for both looks, and sound. I would have to go with the DALI Opticon, they had a little fuller sound to me. Thank You for letting us viewers partake in this comparison!
Wrong,,,!!!
@@tomtaylor7292 Troll!
I prefer Opticon 6 in this combination as the quantity between music and vocal is relatively balanced whereas the 703S2, the vocal and particular music instruments (guitar in this case）were more emphasized than the DALIs, they owned a special signature sound of B&W. But considering the retail prices of both pairs, they are not in the same class as the others mentioned before, DALIs is relatively lower so the CP ratio seems higher than the 703S2.
More 'meat on the bones' in the mid-range on the b&w's. The midrange is fuller, more forward, more realistic, whereas the Dali's are too recessed (like an eq in the shape of a smiley face).Vocals get lost on the Dalis. I don't really like b&w much, but I think they're superior to the Dalis here in this case. But then again, that's through a TH-cam recording; who knows what the reality would be in person.
Also, in this video, the b&w's are playing louder, so that is a HUGE influence in comparing the two.
Just because bw is forward doesn’t mean Bali is recessed
@@Cooliewhistles True, but I know the Dali, and it errs on the side of mild recession in the mids (that's sort of the way they sound - more laid back). On the other hand, B&Ws almost always err on the side of being forward in the mids, so in this comparison, the difference seems more extreme than might otherwise be noticeable when listening to either/ or pair on their own.
@@Cooliewhistles By the way, I wanted to add - one easy way to hear what I mean regarding my comments above is when you listen to the treble as the singer sings. On the Dalis, the treble stands out much more by comparison to the vocals, whereas on the B&Ws, the treble and vocals are more in line with each other (volume-wise).
With that said, I find the B&Ws to sound a bit 'cupped' in this video (like when you put your hands around your mouth when you're trying to yell a long distance).
It's fun to watch audio comparisons on TH-cam, but totally unreliable as a source of realistic product representation.
I demoed the Tonnoy and Dali. Connected to the same Pioneer amp. Dali were a far nicer sound than the XT for my listening.
And white klipsch in the back is that correct ??? 😲😲😲
Looks like white Rf7 II 😍
@@pillepalle8853 indeed yes 😎
De Jonge Neven i Love the Klipsch Speakers 😂👍🏻
@@pillepalle8853 me to . I have a 7.1 set . Reference premiere 😎 i hear dali also here in my room . But klipsch have something special for me .
De Jonge Neven oh yes thats right 👍🏻
what am i missing something? in my country B&Ws cost 2.000 euros more than the Dali (Dali 1500$ - B&W 3500$)
You should have compared B&W 703 S2 with DALI Opticon 8 as they are roughly in the same price range and Opti8 has more clearer sound than Opti6.
Dali for me, i heard them in RL.