Dali

[Blacksabbath25]

Need some help understanding what you get for your money as I am thinking about upgrading to a higher spec Dali speaker obviously I am interested in the epicon 6s but it will take me some time to get the money together to buy them .

i have some questions about the differences in speaker frequencies and sensitivity what that means in quality of sound and what frequency do we hear at ?

here is a list of the different specs between what I have now and what I am thinking about buying between the 2 makes of speakers and obviously the epicon’s have a better finish .

Dali opticon 8s price £2000 what I have now

frequency 38-32.000hz

Sensitivity 88 ab

Dali Rubicon 8s price £4000

Frequency 38-34.000hz

Sensitivity 90.5ab

Dali Epicon 6s £7000 but want ex-demo

Frequency 35-30.000nz

Sensitivity 88.0ab

Or am I looking at this wrongly as apart from the finish on the epicon’s and some of the technology used on the epicon’s most of that technology is being used on the opticons and rubicons but at a cheaper price and the drivers look all the same on the Dali speakers so maybe someone who owns the rubicon or the epicon’s could let me no or those of you no about spec on speakers could let me no before I wast a load of money on a pointless upgrade .

 

[insider9]

I'll be more than happy to read proper reviews for each of these and give you some pseudo technical info. From the above I've only briefly heard the Epicons 6 or 8 can't remember. They were superb. Even though like you I really enjoy Dali speakers I'd suggest not to limit yourself to just these. Any chance you could pop in to listen to my system and see what can be achieved by going second hand?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

The epicon 6s I would go secondhand or ex-demo because I can not afford £7000 brand new but was wondering about the rubicon 8s as they are in my reach new or secondhand , ex-demo

the other different make of speaker was the Kef ref range but ex- demo or secondhand but not heard the Kef ref range before only on YouTube lol with ellisdj on YouTube

 

[insider9]

What I meant was to go for something less known perhaps. Not necessarily old but maybe a little older to get most bang for your buck. If it will be from a careful owner you won't tell the difference whether you had it from new or not.

From Dali I've owned Concept 6 and they were very good. Costing very little indeed. Even cheaper Dali 104 are an absolute bargain for under £100 new and I far prefer both to the new Zensor range that I also owned.

If you could do the same at a higher budget you could get some serious speakers

Perhaps you can seek out DALI Euphonia MS5 *clapping*

 

[Blacksabbath25]

To be honest I am a bit frightened to change to a different speaker manufacturer secondhand or new and I totally understand your thinking about older speakers as there is little risk involved but it’s taking me a long time to find the right combination of speakers and amplifier as I do not want to go down that road of endless upgrading .

i feel safe with Dali speakers they seem to give me what I like in a speaker and I am happy with the opticons but really love those epicon’s just a shame they are so expensive .

 

[insider9]

Nothing wrong with that at all. Keep an eye out for these DALI Euphonia MS5 they may be an absolute bargain and don't think they would be worse that Epicons.

 

[gasolin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Ik7GPDk0c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS2XpEOIh-Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03fKDQKwUr4

 

[gasolin]

Nothing wrong with that at all. Keep an eye out for these DALI Euphonia MS5 they may be an absolute bargain and don't think they would be worse that Epicons.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=DALI+Euphonia+MS5

 

[insider9]

Nothing wrong with that at all. Keep an eye out for these DALI Euphonia MS5 they may be an absolute bargain and don't think they would be worse that Epicons.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=DALI+Euphonia+MS5

Very nice. I was thinking closer to UK or preferably UK. Each speaker is 60kg so not the best for posting. They will be difficult to find.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

thanks for that i would be intrested in the Rubicon 8s but did not no how much better they would be over opticon 8s and i could get a demo at richer sounds as well which is close to me *smile*

 

[Blacksabbath25]

thanks for that i would be intrested in the Rubicon 8s but did not no how much better they would be over opticon 8s and i could get a demo at richer sounds as well which is close to me *smile*

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Just got of the phone from richer sounds and the manager would let me bring back my opticon 8s and pay the difference on the rubicon 8s but can’t demo them as they would be a special order from Dali but they do have the rubicon 6s as demo speakers but I am unsure what to do as I do not want to be a fool and his money if there’s not much of a difference between the opticon and rubicon’s

 

[Vladimir]

By looking at the cabinets and drivers I'd hold off for Epicons to get a proper upgrade.

 

[iceman16]

By looking at the cabinets and drivers I'd hold off for Epicons to get a proper upgrade.

+1

 

[insider9]

I can understand why Epicon would be the obvious upgrade however that's a very good trade in offer you're getting. If you have the money I'd go and demo Rubicon 6 at the shop and if it's big enough upgrade in your opinion I'd get the 8. I've not heard either so base this solely on the good deal you were offered.

But please demo extensively first hopefully at home and preferably around the time I'll be visiting *biggrin*

 

[davedotco]

These are, fairly obviously, Dali's top of the line models.

Apart from the usual top quality finish and cabinet work, they have one unusual (and expensive) technical innovation. They are built around special, magnet assemblies that are extremely low in terms of electrical conductance.

These reduces 'Eddy currents' which are induced in normal conductive magnet assemblies by the current in and the movement of the voice coil and cause non linearities in the whole 'motor' assembly. The bigger and more powerful the motor assembly, the greater the issue.

The results, according to Dali, is a substantial reduction in odd number harmonic distortion, so although the harmonic distortion is not particularly low overall, it is mostly second and other even harmonics which have a benign effect on sound quality. This has been described by some commentators as sounding "electrostatic like" or sometimes as a "liquid", valve like quality.

This is not entirely bullsh!t, it was a problem that we worked against at JBL back in the '70s, when striving for ever more powerful motor systems for the pro drive unit market. JBL did a lot of work reducing eddy currents with the use of specially shaped magnet assemblies and modified voice coils involving "flux rings" and probably other stuff that I cant remember. Interesting though.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Well big disappointment I just came back from a demo from richer sounds they only had the rubicon 5s as a demo speaker hooked up to a Cambridge amplifier and Cambridge streamer

I listened to the rubicon 5s I like the treble end of the speaker and the midrange but the bass I found to be to booming which shocked me I do not no if it was the Cambridge amplifier not controlling the bass properly or what but put me off buying the Dali rubicon 8s or the rubicon 6s

but the treble end of the speaker was better then my opticons you could hear a lot more detail from guitar and vocals but when I asked him to put on some heavy metal the bass was over kill which I do not understand because I’ve got the big opticon 8s which you would of thought they would be the same but they are not .

the rubicon 5s are a lot richer sounding I felt but very impressed with the treble and midrange part of the speaker so it looks like I will have to stick with my opticon 8s because I feel if I buy the rubicon 8s I will have lots of trouble with bass problems in my room .

But then driving on the way home I kept thinking did they have the bass on the Cambridge amplifier which I forgot to ask at the time but still can’t believe how bass heavy the rubicon was

 

[insider9]

What Cambridge was it and don't say CXA60?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I am pretty sure it was a Cambridge Audio AZUR 851A with the matching streamer from the same range

do you think it was because the Cambridge couldn’t grip the bass properly with the Dali rubicon 5s I still didn’t understand why the rubicon sounded so bass heavy like that I mean they are only a little speaker nothing like the size of my opticon 8s

i went there to buy the rubicon 8s as the manager agreed to have my opticon 8s off me without losing out on any money so I jumped in the car with excitement just to be disappointed by the rubicon’s when I got there .

the trouble is if I try again at a different dealer with a better amplifier I will not get the full price back what I paid for the Dali opticon new but maybe it was a bad Oman not to buy them and not to be so greedy

 

[insider9]

I wouldn't ordinarily use Cambridge with Dali. Definitely worth a call to check it might be pairing and an amp that could not control the speakers properly. However from reading Rubicon 5 review WHF said "a bit of excess richness in the bass"

 

[Blacksabbath25]

But my opticon 8s are not like that so when they say bass richness that must mean they are to bass heavy ? Now the manager said to me that as a proper upgrade the rubicon 8s would be a better upgrade then the rubicon 6s but I thought to my self if the rubicon 5s sounds bass heavy what are the rubicon 8s going to sound like it would be like having a speaker permanently hooked up with a subwoofer .

i might go back with my amplifier but the trouble is it’s very heavy to carry around on a demo but that Cambridge amplifier is £1600 you know but I think my Yamaha is quite natural sounding so it adds nothing to the opticon to colour the sound

 

[insider9]

Rubicon 5 in WHF was described

Against
Tonal balance isn’t particularly even

Which is what you've heard. Not sure how that translates to the rest of the range.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Yep I’ve read about the magnetic compound that Dali uses inside their drivers they use a magnet powder it helps with distortion but Dali uses this technology from the opticon to the epicon’s and they are the only speaker manufacturer who has that patent

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I came across this YouTube video of the rubicon 6s playing guitar and they sound well good here’s a link to the video https://youtu.be/bXJTEX9Q0U0

i am sure I had a bad demo

 

[insider9]

But yes mixed with speakers that tend to sound bass heavy I'd say you did. RS are unfortunately not the best when it comes to setup.