Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but in its stylised acronym, “Dali” is a name known to audiophiles and music lovers across the globe, particularly for the multi-award winning Zensor budget range of loudspeakers. Since their initial release back in 2011, the Zensor line has been a revelation, delivering a refined yet exciting and wholly musical sound for those who demanded quality without breaking the bank.
However those with (moderately) deeper pockets who love that Dali sound but want to get even more out of their music, can step up to Dali’s Opticon range, a range that we’ve covered broadly here on the Tech Blog before. Today we’ll be taking a closer look at the two bookshelf models in the range; the Opticon 1 and Opticon 2 (picture above). Will this next step up be worth the extra cash, or will the Zensor’s budget magic prove to be too much for their bigger brothers to handle? Read on…
Both the Opticon 1 and the Opticon 2 are impressive in terms of build, fit and finish. The cabinets have a reassuringly solid feel to them. In comparison to the Zensor 1, the Opticon 1 is slightly smaller in all proportions (the Zensor 1 hardly being a big speaker itself) but comes in at a slightly more substantial 4.5kg. It’s difficult to convey its compactness here, but in real life the Opticon 1’s size to weight ratio really gives the impression of a well designed and solidly constructed unit. The Opticon 2s feature the same excellent design and build in a larger package, feeling equally as solid in the hand with a fairly hefty weight of 7.8kg. A range of finishes is available for both the 1s and the 2s, with a choice of Black Ash, Walnut and Gloss White options.
If there is one thing that all Dali speakers share as an aesthetic trait, it’s the purplish-brown colour of the wood fibre drive units that adorn their front fascia. Designed and manufactured in-house by Dali, the wood fibre material is used from the top down across all Dali speakers, with higher quality drive units as you move up the range. Dali insist that the wood fibre material is picked for its durability, weight and its detailed, natural sound. This last point has always been a standout on Dali models that we’ve heard, so we’re inclined to think that Dali is spot on with their choice. One thing absent on these standmounts is the dual ‘hybrid ribbon’ tweeter found on the larger Opticon speakers. Usually a near-constant on other models in the Dali stable, ribbon tweeters generally helps to give a smoother roll-off of higher frequencies. No doubt omitted here due to the size restrictions on the cabinet, the fitted soft-dome tweeter found in its place is still highly capable and resolving, proving itself to be beyond adequate as we listened.
Small but deceptively powerful, the Dali Opticon 1 is a mighty miniature.
Wanting to give both speakers a fair showing, the Opticon 1 and 2 were both left to run in for 48 hours before proper listening commenced. During this time we played about with placement of the speakers, particularly in regards to their proximity to the back wall. Clever placement of the rear port on both models means that they can be placed as close as 10cm away from a wall and still offer a good soundstage and great separation. We found that roughly doubling that amount to 20cm best suited both models in our demonstration room with the instrument separation further improved and a less congested sound definitely noticeable. Running from a Cambridge CXA80 amplifier and a Cambridge CXN network streamer, the Opticon 1 were first up for a listen and they gave a brilliant showing of their strengths. Miles Davis’ In A Silent Way really helped showcase what the Opticon 1 is all about, with fantastic layering of the electric instruments that make up this turning point in Davis’ career and back catalogue. The tone of the trumpet was rich and never harsh against the wide and deep soundstage the speaker creates made for a very rewarding listen. Switching to something with more of a focus on the lower registers showed that the Opticon 1 could still rock the party, with a punchy but not room-filling bass. The self-titled debut solo album from Welsh musician Kelly Lee Owens is a great mix of ambient techno and dreamy pop music, full of dense yet simple production that showcases both Owens’ vocal and composing talents. “Anxi” starts off with a low-key vocal sat atop reverb-soaked synth chords and pitter patter drum pads before turning into a hypnotic, almost shamanic groove towards the middle of the track. The Opticon 1 presented it nicely, again with the bottom end tight if not hugely weighty, but with plenty of detail and a good sense of rhythm throughout.
Switching to the Opticon 2 and running through the same tracks notched everything up a gear. Davis’ band were now more rounded out, with a greater cohesion in the performance itself. This fattening out of the sound didn’t come at the expense of separation, with the layering and sound staging heard with the Opticon 1s still intact, now with greater body and weight to the sound, tightening things up further and giving the music more body. The same improvements could be heard on the Kelly Lee Owens track, with the swirling second half of the song further filling out our demonstration room and getting our toes tapping. Over extended listening, it was clear that both of these speakers were cut from the same cloth. The Opticon 1 represents a great option for anyone who is particularly tight on space, or is in an environment that would favour a less extended bass response who still demands tight and detailed low-end performance. The Opticon 2, on the other hand, was more even-handed across the frequency range, and probably the more ‘fun’ speaker to listen to. Their increased driver and cabinet size ensured that all of the qualities of the Opticon 1 (a detailed, wide and well layered soundstage) were matched with a bottom end that filled out our room nicely, which made for a more engaging and enjoyable listen.
Ultimately the choice of which model to jump for will come down to your room size and living environment as much as your taste in music. If space is truly at a premium then we’d recommend to go for the Opticon 1, which is also a great choice if you’re keen on small Jazz or Classical ensembles or vocal performances. The Opticon 2 represents a more well-rounded choice, with fans of Rock, Hip-Hop or Electronica better catered to with these bigger beasties. Either way, all of the traits that made the Zensors such an enjoyable listen are recreated here and then some. The bigger brother is definitely the victor on this occassion. Well done, Dali! Get in touch with your local store to arrange a demo.
Click to find out more about the Dali Opticon 1 speakers.
Click to find out more about the Dali Opticon 2 speakers.
Author: Chris, Liverpool store
