- Dali launches Sonik standmount, floorstanding, on-wall and cinema speakers
- They use treble and cone technology from Dali’s advanced models
- 7 models, from $900 / £449 / AU$849
Danish music maestro Dali is on a hot streak: it has just unveiled a new range of budget-friendly audiophile speakers, fresh off the launch of the super-affordable five-star Dali Kupid bookshelf speakers. The new series of speakers is called Sonik and something that can catch the attention of the speakers is that this series replaces the Oberon series of speakers which has become a modern classic.
There are seven models in the new Sonik series and they are Sonik 1 and Sonik 3 standmounts, Sonik 5, 7 and 9 floor stands and Sonik On-Wall and Sonik Cinema speakers.
According to Dali, these new speakers deliver “a significant leap in detail, dynamics and musicality” for their price point compared to the award-winning Oberon range. And that price point starts at a competitive £449 / $900 / AUS$849 for the Sonik 1 – so there’s admittedly a big difference in their affordability depending on whether you’re in the US or outside.
TechRadar spoke to Dali Head of Product Management, Krestian Pedersen, about the decision to replace the Oberon range, who explained that “this has been in the planning for three years and then we’ve spent the last 15 months developing the Sonik range. The Oberon, I think it’s fair to say, is one of our biggest successes when it comes to traditional core hi-fi speakers, that it actually sets so much of a standard, that it actually sets so much of a standard…, the burden to continue with that pattern … so we couldn’t go easy on the replacement.”
Want to feel super Sonic?
‘It’s not easy’ in this case includes the launch of seven different models:
- SONIC 1 – £449, $900, AU$849
- SONIC 3 – £599, $1200, AU$1199
- SONIC 5 – £899, $1800, AU$1749
- SONIC 7 – £1299, $2800, AU$2549
- SONIC 9 – £2199, $4500, AU$4099
- SONIC ON THE WALL – £599, $1200, AU$1149
- SONIC CINEMA – £449, $900, AU$859
Dali says these speakers have been made with two kinds of listeners in mind: the “seasoned audiophile” and the “design-driven newcomer entering the world of hi-fi sound.”
One of the advantages of the Oberon series is that it is a very flexible and simple set of speakers, both in terms of placement and sources. Pedersen says that this principle is also a large part of Sonik’s design.
“One of the design principles we have, besides not being picky [music types and sources]we also have one called amplifier friendliness. Basically, we don’t control people’s taste in music, and we don’t control people’s choice of electronics. So we have to be agnostic,” says Pedersen.
“Also, you know, people’s rooms are different, so it’s very important that they work in real-world situations where you don’t have to build your system and your room around the speakers, but you can take the speakers and put them in your existing [setup].”
The Sonik series takes a number of improvements from the flagship Kore, Epikore and Epicon series, including improved transducer designs, advanced magnet technologies and refined cabinet engineering.
The speakers feature Dali’s ultra-light 29mm soft dome tweeter, which is made for low loss and wide dispersion, and that dispersion is combined with two variants of low loss Clarity Cone bass and midrange drivers. The Sonik 7 and Sonik 9 also benefit from a fusion of a 29mm dome tweeter with a 17 x 45mm planar magnetostatic tweeter, which promises to deliver dynamic precision as well as extended high-frequency performance.
“It is the first time in the segment that we are introducing what we call the hybrid tweeter technology, which is a combination of the dome and, and, and the planar magnetic,” adds Pedersen. “It’s pretty unique, and one of our R&D engineers actually said, ‘Wow, it’s like a baby Epikore 7, which is quite a statement in terms of performance.’
The Sonik series features the SMC Essential Magnet System, which first appeared in the Epicon series and was also part of what made the Oberon system so versatile. Designed to “drastically” reduce third-order harmonic distortion, it promises to make the Sonik punch significantly beyond its price tag.
Dali has also added a new design to its cones, which is more technology coming down from its high-end speakers, but Pedersen explains that this was particularly ideal for a more cost-conscious speaker.
“This five-spoke pattern in the cone that’s been imprinted helps the break-up states of the controlling nodes in the diaphragm. And it’s actually a technology that’s almost free because you take the existing cone and then once you have the pattern, you stamp the pattern in. So that’s one that we could seep in from [Epikore] without actually affecting the cost, because after all, a series like Sonic, you know, we have some cost constraints.”
And the picture is completed with dual flare bass reflex ports optimized for timing, low turbulence and clean low frequency extension. The On-Wall and Cinema models have specialized on-wall and front-firing reflex ports.
Pederson also told us that the Cinema speaker has been designed less to be a simple center channel speaker, but more to be part of a true LCR system, if you prefer – it has a three-way setup like the two mid-floor stands, so it can deliver matching power and sound.
Visually, you’re looking at custom-designed magnetic grills, aluminum treble faceplates, new proprietary terminals, updated logo badges and baffles inspired by the Epikore range, and aluminum spike support legs on the floor stands. There are four finishes: black ash, walnut, natural oak and white.
The new Sonik range will be available globally from 2nd February 2026. One thing that struck the TechRadar team is that this could mean some real bargains on any remaining stock of the Oberon range. TechRadar’s managing editor for AV, Matt Bolton, uses Oberon 5 speakers at home and raves about them, and he also vouches for the quality of the Oberon 1 – so keep an eye on the prices.
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