DALI Rubikore 2

DALI Rubikore 2

One of the long-running tenets of hi-fi is concepts that seem on the prime of a specific vary will finally make their approach all the way down to extra terrestrial worth factors over time. Companies do that with various levels of success, however DALI’s newest try is notable as a result of not solely has know-how from greater up the vary made the journey, so has the identify. The outgoing Rubicon sequence of audio system has been changed with the Rubikore – reflecting an inflow of pondering from the £85,000 vary topper to a extra smart worth level.

The new sequence includes a pair of floorstanders – the standmount seen right here – an LCR (a speaker engineered to be each a centre speaker and likewise function as a stereo pair) and an on-wall speaker supposed for encompass and results work. The Rubikore 2 is one thing of an oddity within the vary as it’s the solely mannequin to get by with out DALI’s trademark mixture of ribbon and dome tweeter, as a substitute opting just for a dome tweeter – partially to keep up extra elegant proportions.

The tweeter is a tender dome unit that may be a clear evolution of what has gone earlier than. DALI prioritises the discount of mass over absolute stiffness and using a cloth dome helps on this strategy. The firm has additional decreased the mass by making certain that the tweeter has sufficient passive cooling to not require ferrofluid, which does assist maintain the burden down.

It is the partnering mid/bass driver that sees extra affect from the Kore. It is a 165mm mid/bass driver that DALI refers to as Clarity Cone made from its most well-liked wooden fibre – one thing it has been doing for a really very long time and that works very successfully. In this iteration, nonetheless, you possibly can see a sample on the cone itself – supposed to extend stiffness and enhance breakup behaviour. Behind the seen part of this driver, you’ll discover DALI’s distinctive Soft Magnetic Compound. This is designed to make sure that the magnetic drive is utilized as the corporate needs.

The driver is supported in its exertions by a rear bass port that employs a steady flare alongside its size. This helps to maintain the circulate of air out of the port quieter because the diameter will increase and the air accelerates permitting it to increase – one thing else borrowed straight from the Kore. It imbues the Rubikore 2 with a claimed decrease frequency roll-off of 50Hz at +/- 3dB, which is fairly respectable for a speaker of this dimension. Sensitivity is quoted as 87dB/W, albeit it at a 4ohm impedance. In practise, I don’t discover the speaker to be terribly exhausting to drive. The crossover between the 2 drivers is about at 2.8kHz and, reasonably unusually, it helps bi-wiring as properly.

The cupboard that homes the whole lot is a well-damped design that mixes flat sides with a gently curved entrance panel that’s repeated on the again too. The drivers sit in a keyhole-shaped baffle on the entrance panel, which breaks up the boxiness of the general design. The evaluation pattern is equipped in White Gloss which, whereas not my favorite end, seems to be pretty good right here. As properly because the White, Gloss Black and two wooden finishes are additionally obtainable.

Build high quality is totally as much as the usual you may anticipate on the worth, with the one barely discordant word being the grilles. Unusually for a speaker in 2024, these use bodily lugs to connect to the entrance panel. While a few of these make use of current screw holes, there’s a distinguished gap simply above the tweeter that appears a little bit crude. There can be no devoted stand, though the scale are standard sufficient that many third-party designs will adequately match the invoice.

Sound high quality
Parked on a pair of Custom Design stands, the Rubikore 2 impresses from the outset. With completely no toe-in utilized – DALI is adamant it isn’t wanted right here – the efficiency is genuinely spectacular. In each areas I check the samples in, they comfortably higher the 50Hz claimed decrease frequency roll-off. The drum and bass-infused My House by London Grammar delivers weight that you just really feel in addition to hear, however does so with spectacular management and agility.

As bass turns into midrange, the DALI maintains its management and cohesion, and delivers a degree of tonal realism that does justice to voices and devices. I might hesitate to explain this as a warm-sounding speaker, however there may be sufficient of a forgiving edge that the aggressively mastered Everything Must Go by Manic Street Preachers is reproduced in a approach that leaves me wanting to maintain listening reasonably than grimacing and nudging the quantity down.

This is probably simply as properly as a result of one thing the DALI demonstrates fairly markedly is that it does its finest work with a little bit of quantity behind it. Drop the extent to extra late night-friendly ranges and it turns into reasonably much less expansive and dynamic. This can have an effect on most audio system to a better or lesser extent, however the Rubikore 2 appears to have a reasonably marked step in its efficiency that some equally priced rivals don’t undergo from. There can be a notion that – even with a little bit of degree behind it – this isn’t essentially the most expansive-sounding speaker going. It tends to take a seat info between the cupboards reasonably than extending past them. In equity, it might be a stretch to name the outcome congested, although.

This additionally implies that with well-recorded, smaller-scale music, the DALI is joyous in what it might probably do. Revisiting Chris Thile’s earlier work with Nickel Creek delivers a really gorgeous efficiency with the debut album of the identical identify. The achingly beautiful When You Come Back Down is offered with an effortlessness that transcends the playback {hardware} and allows you to rejoice in a presentation that balances power and refinement to spectacular impact. The violin solo within the monitor can sound a little bit vivid on the tip of fairly a couple of audio system, however right here it’s positively luxurious.

There can be a degree of pleasure to what the Rubikore 2 does that’s exhausting not be beguiled by. The unapologetically ballistic Need Some Mo’ by Ko Ko Mo needs to be a monitor that encourages you to nod your head enthusiastically and interact at the very best of occasions, however within the fingers of the DALI, it’s completely irresistible. That skill to hit exhausting and steadiness this with simply sufficient forgiveness and refinement to maintain you winding the quantity on is massively addictive and will probably be sufficient to have many individuals plumping for the Rubikore 2 with this type of materials.

Conclusion
This is greater than only a occasion speaker, although. So lengthy because the Rubikore 2 isn’t being requested to run at very low ranges, it delivers a efficiency that balances punch and refinement to actually wonderful impact. There is definitely no scarcity of rivals, however the infusion of trickle-down know-how that the corporate has delivered to the Rubikore 2 has resulted in an exceptionally proficient standmount that ought to work extraordinarily properly in a wide range of totally different programs. ES    

DETAILS
Product: DALI Rubikore 2
Type: Two-way standmount loudspeaker

FEATURES
● 29mm tender dome tweeter
● 165mm wooden fibre mid/bass driver
● Quoted sensitivity: 87dB/1W/1m (4ohm)

Read the total evaluation in  Issue 521

HI-FI News

through Hi-Fi Choice https://ift.tt/g9JIyNA

April 17, 2025 at 01:05PM