There is so much necessary information lacking here it’s impossible to give you any meaningful recommendations or advice whatsoever.
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@soix +1
Here'er some questions for the OP to address:
1. Existing speakers and configuration?
2. Surround room environment - shape, treatments, bright or warm sounding?
3. Budget
4. Existing amplification and components
5. Preferred sound and volume
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Are you looking at them b/c of the hybrid tweeter?
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Dali hasn't really impacted the USA market as much as some of the other household brands yet, but I've found them to compete on a cost basis with them. When shopping for surround sound you're likely looking at paradigm, kef, klipsch, polk, revel, b&w and whatever BB has on sale. Dali has a huge lineup worth investigating.
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I’ve owned Dali’s before & demo’d most of their line about 5 years ago..I didn’t care for the ones with the hybrid tweeter array.I felt the treble seemed disconnected from the mids & bass..I did like the simple 2 ways with silk tweeters & really like their mid bass/bass drivers.Those wood pulp units with the SMC tech seem to have a wonderful,lucid,tonally saturated sound that is addictive,ESPECIALLY with tubes or Class A SS driving them..
I do however prefer Dynaudio overall to the Dali’s..Dynaudios tweeters are IMO,SECOND TO NONE & their BUILD QUALITY seems superior...
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I have the dali megaline 3 towers with ribbon tweeter it is a referance speaker.if you can find one used it's a bargain. They are quite tall but you can use 1 r 2 or three towers.they stack.
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Dali probably has the most versatile speaker lineup in the world. Their top end in-wall speakers are killer. That being said I think you are better off looking at KEF. The Center channel is the most important speaker are the Center channel and the sub/s. 60% of the sound comes from the center channel speaker. Due to home theater crossing over at 80hz or higher the Subwoofer has to handle below that frequency For All The Speakers. I am not a KEF fanboy. I have had them in my home and have listened to 99% of them. Kef makes a nice Sun called the KF92. It plays down to 11 hz at -3db and be hooked up wirelessly with an adapter. Due to the QCore tweeter/ midrange, the off axis response is probably best in the industry. What that means is no mater where you sit or stand you get great sound which is what you want in a surround sound system. I would go with the R Series at least for the front three. Go with the R3 bookshelf speaker and matching stands. They bolt together for stability and you have great bass for music without using the subwoofer. Unless you have two rows or more of seating or an additional area like a bar or pool table I would stick to 5.1/2.0. The more speakers you add the less power the speakers typically get in a surround receiver. Some can bi-wire for more power and I would do that. Personally I prefer and use separates to get the best sound. For the back speakers you can use what ever you want. Meaning not KEF. I like the idea of using the R3s again but that is over $2600. Do to surround music it really helps immerse you without too much DSP. That being said the DSP setup will blend whatever speakers and subs you pick. You might want to look online for a sub. They come pretty cheap regardless of brand. Especially since they have come out with v2 or upgraded models. KEF upgrade to Meta tweeters in the past few years. You can get the non Meta versions at a huge discount. Sorry this is so long but I wanted to cover the bases and explain why.
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We are a Dali dealer their loudspeakers are universally excellent, and are highly rated.
their higher end models are incredible loudspeakers Opticons rubicons and Epicons offer unbelievable sound quality especially any of the models with the dual tweeter module
Dali loudspeakers hit the rare balance between resolution and musicality.
Dave and Troy
Audio intellect NJ
dali dealers
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Dali speakers - they sound surreal :))
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I am only familiar with Dali in the stereo realm, and not HT. I own the Epicon 6’s and am very pleased with them. I like them well enough that I will consider Dali speakers for a HT room that will be built in my next home. They are very balanced, as @audiotroy stated above. Non-fatiguing, very musical, with sweet mids and highs that you can listen to for hours. Soundstage and imaging are fantastic (at least as I have, driven by monoblocks) That said, they miss a little bit of detail in the highs compared to, say, B&W’s sound.
I mainly listen to small acoustic ensembles, folk/rock, jazz, and electronica. They excel for these genres. The Dali’s would not be my first choice if I listened to metal or grunge.
The bass is both powerful and precise. I do augment with subs (2 Rythmik F12G’s with active crossover) which are placed so as to tame room modes. As a side effect, it also gives me the octave from 20-40Hz, important in electronic music but not so much in some other genres. I’ve not heard the Dali sub, but given the quality of their product line, I would imagine it plays quite nicely with their speakers.
I find they are great for low-level listening as well as mid volume (I don’t listen loud), and they sound good off axis as well, so your "sweet spot" doesn’t have to be just 12" wide.
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Dali is in the top 20% of speaker companies by volume, revenue, employees, etc. They have about 30 models which is a lot in the audiophile space and none of them are especially cutting edge or exiting - IMHO. If you want them for home theater, you will probably be happy
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We're talking about a different Dali, right?
All the best,
Nonoise
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My first speakers when I got into HiFi were Dalis- Spektor 6. Not cheap and not expensive for sure- around $1k. They weee paired with a Vincent SV200 and a Blusound Node N130. Now they are connected to my TV via an old Pioneer amp - in stereo and not HT mode. These speakers are outstanding. I have listened to them with Vincent, Naim Atom and they are really good- and loud enough if needed for a party.
I also bought after blind auditioning between an Opticon (don’t remember the version - around $5k) and the Oberon 7 $1.5k- the Oberons. Amazing sound again. Danish speakers are great. Buchardt of course. I also have 2 pairs from Gato Audio- floor standers and book shelves as also their Amp 150. Another brand I would encourage you to look at.
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Long time Dali for stereo owner...MS4 - MS5 - Epicon 8...all outstanding...
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As others have stated, not nearly enough information to respond effectively.
Do you have a Dali dealer near you? Have you heard Dali speakers before -- especially in a surround configuration similar to what you're wanting?
As far as their sub woofers go, skip them until the new ones come out. The current ones are not competitive at all. They have new ones coming that will be outstanding.
We would gush about Dali speakers as they have gotten response unlike any other line we have ever dealt with, but that would be tacky.
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I've never heard them sound that great, but I've only listened in stores. For value, if we're talking bookshelves, I'd be more inclined toward Fritz or Dynaudio or Ascend.
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nonuse
I think it is the same Dali...
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I have the Dali Oberon 7s and the Oberon Vokal center channel. I have them paired with a Yamaha 801 for 2 channel and an Onkyo 5100 for home theater. They continually impress me with their warmth accuracy transition and all those audio things. My son who is a professional musician is also favorably impressed. Look good sound great. I’m happy
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I have the Rubicon 2 monitors and I think they sound fantastic.
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I own the Helicon 400s, the C-200 center and the W-200 speakers, previously using the full set in my main HT system. But I seldom use that system if it's just me watching, so I felt like the 400s would be better used in a 2-channel system. The Helicon series can sound bright in some rooms, especially if you have a lot of hard surfaces like tile or hardwood flooring. But in a well-damped room they sound really good (to me). I put them in a 2-channel system in that same room and am very happy with the results - I was able to forgo a subwoofer that had been hooked up earlier with different speakers. I second the opinions that blame the hybrid tweeter for much of their brightness, but if you can get the highs tamed just a little, they are hard to beat for speed, punch, and clarity.
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It's critical to be aware of the fact that anyone with an impression of older Dali speakers does not apply to anything new. As with any brand.
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I came close to buying the new Epikore 11 after a couple demos.They have that natural warmth we tend to describe Dynaudio's, but these new Dali's didn't lack any detail from the recording and they have a boundaryless soundstage I'v only previously heard from the Kef Blades. A mac MA 352 integrated was driving them easily in a large room and when riding season's over I might still pull the trigger. If I do ever replace my Blades it'll be with the Dali's.
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I have a pair of Dali Epicon 8's and couldn't be happier. Currently powered with Luxman 509x, Denafrips Terminator and Aurender. Cables are Transparent Audio and Shunyata.
Very musical and engaging.
- Bob
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They definitely have their own signature sound to my ears. I have extremely limited experience, I owned a pair of Ikon MK 2 for about 5 months or so. Pleasing, a bit thin sounding to me in the upper bass, lower mids. Sound was clean but lackluster. Detail was good, had, for lack of a better word, kind of a 'light' sound to me, just not quite as ’musical’ as other brands I’ve owned.
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Owner of the Dali Epicon 2 with Dali stands. I've driven them with Class A/B, Class D and Class A tube and SS amps. All high quality. The best I've heard them are with Class A tubes.
I have always described them as, "they do every right, but nothing outstanding". They shine at >70-75 dB. They drop off quickly at low volumes despite power. They have some of the best bass for a 2-way speaker and very flexible in positioning. They are a great blue-collar speaker. I do recommend them in a 10k system. Naturally Epicon 6 and 8's give you the option of the ribbon tweeter. I've never missed it with it's current tweeter.
Currently, I have them in my second system driven with a NAD MV10 V2. Most recently drove them with the Synthesis A40 (magical). Originally compared them to the Dynaaudio Heritage and B&W (?) And I chose the Dali.
If you have further questions, please do not hesitate.
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The new Dali Rubikore speakers are actually better than the 10 year old outgoing Epicon (less than half the price in most instances). Aside from the cabinet design of course. Although the new Rubikore finishes are gorgeous, it is still a "box."
We encourage anyone whos latest Dali experience is with 10+ year old speakers to listen to current models when comparing to other current models. ;)
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The RUBIKORE line does appear outstanding on paper. Currently using Epicon 6s that are about twelve years old. My electronics, cables, etc., are finally up to their performance level.
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Elliot Midwood of Acoustic Image in Studio City, Ca. has been selling Dali speakers since forever. Every time I've been to his place they always sounded fabulous. Yes, he carries other brands but he told me they just sound so much like the real thing and he's played in an orchestra and advises others on how to achieve the best sound they can.
He even has a Remington that he cast himself from an original (the bucking horse with rider). His talents are many and refined.
All the best,
Nonoise
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I have a pair of Dali menuet SE’s. I have many of the darling speakers. Ls50 r3 metas, Dynaudio special 40, etc. Though those speakers are very good, I’m simply amazed how,these litte speakers can sound so good. The bass is incredible from such a 4” woofer. Like it’s been said somehow Dali get the right mix of detail and musicality perfect.
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I’ve had Dali Mentor 6s since around 2012 and I’ve never felt the need to upgrade them on my mid-fi system, even as I have changed amps, sources, cabling, rooms, etc. they seem to handle everything I throw at them well. Excellent bass, smooth treble, very musical, excellent imaging, etc. I agree they are better at moderate to high volumes. I was hooked on Dali adder hearing Epicon 6s at AVSF — couldn’t afford them at the time and I found the Mentors (demo) at a good price and figured I’d upgrade later. Haven’t seen the need, but the Rubikores do tempt me.
of note, they improved when I went bi-wire (I never tried jumpers) and they really improved when I mounted IsoAcoustic Gaia iiis.
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I've heard a few of the higher up Dali models and they all seemed excellent. The entry level stuff never really excited me but that's about par for the course for that price range. If I was shopping for new speaker I would certainly try to get my hands/ears on something from Dali's higher tiers if at all possible.
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I have listened to their lower level speakers a few time and felt they were fine. Not great but not grabbing my attention. A couple weekends ago I listed to the EpiKore 11 supported by VTL monoblocks and I was very impressed. Great bass control, and the high frequencies were very nice and accurate. Good all around and nothing I would change. Just one song so I can not comment on alot of different types of music. I got system envy. It was at stereo unlimited in San Diego.
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