Dali Opticon 6 Floor standing speakers

This DALI uses an uncommon looking Hybrid Tweeter Module, which combines a typical dome tweeter using a ribbon to cover a broad range of frequencies from the midband (2,200kHz) to treble manner beyond human hearing. They both use uncommon wood fibre cones whole with the SMC magnet motor system of the company, and have a sound subtly different to everything else here.

This complex drive unit array is set into a reflex-loaded MDF cabinet with largish interfaces for each bass driver. The finish isn't up with the best of the rest of the group and feels lavish, although the speaker comes in a selection of white satin, black walnut and ash versions. Its cabinet is fairly well damped, but lacks the 'hewn from granite' feel of most others here except the GoldenEar.

Sound quality

Among the punishments of a lot of drive units is sensitivity and the DALI comes in somewhat under the group average at 89dB, despite its largish cabinet volume. It's not bad, but doesn't go as loud as some here with amplifiers that are modest. The double rear-fire bass interfaces mean that it's not most joyful close to your rear wall, wanting at least 25 cm to respire. This done, the speaker rewards using a surprisingly mature sound; it does not look as pricey as some of the others here, but its sonics do not let the side down. Kate Bush's Misty shows this to not be a small and strong sounding speaker without shortage of bass, yet it's a clear and open midband and brilliant treble too.

It manages her voice that is difficult with unusual aplomb, giving a haunting and wonderfully broad sound.

Kraftwerk's Neon Lights shows this floorstander to have a broad bandwidth, going fairly compared with the Q Acoustics Concept 40, which will be a touch breathless by comparison. The drivers incorporate well as well as moving up the range and give a big and expansive soundstage, which hangs back only a little behind the loudspeakers. Despite a touch of overhang in the upper bass, the DALI's midrange is easy and clean using a good musical gait.

The true standout feature of this loudspeaker is its treble, which is extended and sharp, delicate and smooth. It makes the Love track sound adorable with some deliciously natural hi hat and ride cymbal work how much better a ribbon tweeter that is good might be. The only real drawback is a little compression on midrange peaks such as snare drums that are hit, where the DALI appears to sit on dynamics so marginally.