Dali Ikon SUB MK2- is it good enough to compare to bk monolith or svs pb1000 or 2000?

[nugget2014]

cant find any reviews or anything on the dali sub online so came here to ask as it looks really nice has its own granite chopping board equivalent on the stand and has feet to elevate it from the stand but wondered if it is not in the same league as the other subs mentioned

this is the only sub really i can afford in the £700 price mark as i wouldnt need to spend extra on feet and a granite board to place under it.

so, bk monolith or dali ikon sub mk2?

 

[gareth Ottywill]

They are too very differnt animals. You would be better to compare xls 400 from BK its more the size of the dali. But in short no it won't compare in in sheer output but maybe faster and more tuneful. But i prefer sealed subwoofers over ported.

The monolith is huge and nothing can really prepare you for ths size of it... But i got better preformace out of my paradigm 110 in my room (not depth) i found it more than enough and can be eq sepataly from amp which allows me to hear all the tones the subwoofer is able to do which is very important to me as my pioneer dosnt EQ the subwoofer....

But there is no replacement for displacement in world of subwoofers as they say. But bigger dosnt always mean better!!!! there are othere facters too mostly WAF approval and finish and you truely fit the monolith ( i suggest you make a carboard mock up the size of the monlith and see if fits in the room)

I would look at these which are all comparible and within your price range....(no need for granite in my opinion it tightens the sound up very slighly but it just makes the room look messy! but up to you )

svs sb12 nsd movies and music

SVS SB/PB 1000 movies(pb 1000) and music (sb1000) but would notice the diference myself

Velodyne max eq (been out a while should be able to get a good price) good with movies

but those would be some of alternatives to the dali.... But try to listen to what ever you pick you may find you love dali in which case thats the right one for you.... Happy hunting other my jump in with more but for the money those are hard to beat (sorry for any spelling mistakes im not that great at it)

 

[nugget2014]

They are too very differnt animals. You would be better to compare xls 400 from BK its more the size of the dali. But in short no it won't compare in in sheer output but maybe faster and more tuneful. But i prefer sealed subwoofers over ported.

The monolith is huge and nothing can really prepare you for ths size of it... But i got better preformace out of my paradigm 110 in my room (not depth) i found it more than enough and can be eq sepataly from amp which allows me to hear all the tones the subwoofer is able to do which is very important to me as my pioneer dosnt EQ the subwoofer....

But there is no replacement for displacement in world of subwoofers as they say. But bigger dosnt always mean better!!!! there are othere facters too mostly WAF approval and finish and you truely fit the monolith ( i suggest you make a carboard mock up the size of the monlith and see if fits in the room)

I would look at these which are all comparible and within your price range....(no need for granite in my opinion it tightens the sound up very slighly but it just makes the room look messy! but up to you )

svs sb12 nsd movies and music

SVS SB/PB 1000 movies(pb 1000) and music (sb1000) but would notice the diference myself

Velodyne max eq (been out a while should be able to get a good price) good with movies

but those would be some of alternatives to the dali.... But try to listen to what ever you pick you may find you love dali in which case thats the right one for you.... Happy hunting other my jump in with more but for the money those are hard to beat (sorry for any spelling mistakes im not that great at it)

im leaning towards the ikon sub as it will match the rest of my system looks and brand wise (i'll have to see if RS can do home demo) if not go in and demo few times. since it goes down to 26hz does that mean a lot of low end is lost? idk how many movies have 15-25hz bass moments which the mono would excel at im guessing

 

[nugget2014]

home demo not an option, he quoted me £100 to demo at home! 😱

 

[gareth Ottywill]

It will do around 90% of range The last 10% is what you really feel not hear the dail weill proablably generate an 18hz tone but not at any usable volume where as the BK will do it and you will feel it (but onlly in the right room with the right placement) !!!....but only when really turn up (volume on amp end) Lets put it this way do you listen to your filems at reference level? if not you dont need the BK mono you will be happy with the dali or any small sub that wont run out of puff.

Im sure the dali will be more than you actually need and im sure you will be happy with it plus you have a shop near by you can go to if you have any problems you dont have to deal with boxing it up and posting it.

I dont have the luxury of that no one round here sells subs of the calibure that i bought so had to buy off line with Nick at home sound but he is fantastic. Give him a call/email if you wish he has loads of deals and offers, SVS and your Dali that your talking about he will give you a real opinion on the pros and cons of each! he's heard them all.

Go with what you feel is right thats all anyone can say paper spec are only part of the story.....

PS will they not give £100 back if you dont like? surly they take it off the price if you do like it?

 

[nugget2014]

i dont know what volume level my av receiver would have to be set at in order for it to be reference level..i have a sound meter i can use to see how loud in dB i hsve it at, is reference 100dB or around there?

 

[nugget2014]

just measured the sound from my normal volume listening level and from the sofa (12ft from tv and speakers) the meter is picking up around 65-75dB (put meter right infront of speaker and it goes to about 90) i'll probably have it maxed at 80-85dB and thats the loudest i would go i think.

i take it this is not quite at reference level?

 

[gareth Ottywill]

On my pioneer and onkyo's that ive had it "0" or absolute I dont normally get anywhere close -30 -20 for myself after that it just gets to much!!! I dont reckon you get anywhere close. What hi fi do a passing comment of the Dali subwoofer saying one of the best they have made.

Dail don't tend to make as good a sub as some becuase the prefer to make awsome monitors. Like the fazon and yours.

I think you will make a mistake getting the mono i think you need a smaller one like the dail ikon mk2 or the smaller BK slxx 400 i think that is what it called. Wouldn't go any bigger than SVS pb1000 in your room.... if your the same guy i was talking to the other day..

Dont follow the band wagon on the BK mono there are other options with better drivers and amps (svs) even BK will say that it huges and needs to go into a large room to be heard at its best its just to much in the average UK house (asuming your from the UK).

Its dosnt take alot to make a massive clean sound. I love my tiny rel Q150 (not a movie subwoofer but good with muisc) in my spare bedroom with a par of kef Cresta 2's they are connected to a Rotel ra 931 and this system sound's massive i barly get to a quarter of the way round on the dial MASSIVE SOUND! its all about getting the right sized equipment for the right sized room. Quality room filling sound is what your after you dont want it to boom.

People may diagree with that though.....

 

[nugget2014]

so i think i am 99% getting the dali sub, although i also want floorstanding speakers (dali zensor 5 or 7) think i'll get the 7s as more powerful, although i will have to wait about a year to get the 2nd item, so now i have to decide if i get the sub or speakers first

 

[gareth Ottywill]

simply put Sub.... for more excitment

 

[nugget2014]

im worried that the sub might knock my speaker off the stand lol! the speakers are on the 4 rubber bumper pads supplied on a soundstyle z2 stand they should be fine? the right speaker will be next to the sub

wondered if i should also sell my centre speaker and get a different brand of speakers as it seems there are better floorstanders than the zensor 7's for the price point..ones that go lower too (if i was to get sub 2nd)

not sure it matters about how low speakers go once i get sub

 

[gareth Ottywill]

No They wont get knocked off. I wouldnt bother getting new speakers Ikons are vey good and if you like them stick with them.

But if you worried about sapce you could always get sat speakers....

Even if you have floorstanders, in a surround sound system everything should be set to small and allow the subwoofer to what its good at....! and you will find the system will will be able to play cleaner and louder as the amp dosnt have to worry about producing subsonics.

That why i have a subsat system plus the wife dosn't like big speakers!

 

[nugget2014]

i dont have ikons i have zensor 3 😛

although the dali ikon 6 mk2 appeal to me..maybe future purchase