Recently, I had the chance to attend High End Vienna, where I bore witness to an incredible array of audio gear. Whether it was new flagship loudspeakers from Bowers & Wilkins, futuristic looking headphones, or innovative portable DACs, there was a lot to get excited about. But one product really caught my attention.
As I walked through the Austria Center Vienna, I could hear the sounds of birds singing and crickets chirping. I followed the sound through and discovered a tropical-rainforest-themed room, and within it, sat the Dynaudio Opus One — a large, premium soundbar with mechanized wooden fins. It really was unlike anything I’d seen before.
I got the chance to check out the soundbar for myself, I attended a listening demo, and I even got to speak with Dynaudio Chief Commercial Officer, Julien Bergere, about the one-of-a-kind product ahead of its launch.
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Opus One: an introduction
So what is the Dynaudio Opus One? Bergere describes it as “a new, immersive sound product for the home” for both movies and music. It’s the first product in the company’s Symphony line of products that are expected to connect together to create a home ecosystem — in a similar vein to Sonos’ multi-speaker array systems, for example.
Something that’s instantly striking about the Opus One is its grand width — it measures 73.4 inches / 1864mm across. Larger TVs have become a lot more popular in recent years, and I asked Bergere if this had influenced the decision to make the Opus One so large. “Absolutely,” he said. “More premium soundbars are usually the size of a 55-inch TV, but there is no solution if you have a bigger TV or a bigger room, and this one is bringing a new dimension in terms of, you know, bass and immersive rendering”.
Opus One specs at a glance
Price: €13,000 (about $15,000 / £11,000)
Drivers: 24 precision speaker drivers (6x soft-dome tweeters, 14x mid/bass drivers, 4x dual-diaphragm force-cancelling subwoofers)
Amplification: 1,500W digital amplification
Weight: 99.2lbs / 45kg
Dimensions: 73.4 x 9.3 x 8.1 inches / 1864 x 236 x 207mm
On the topic of immersion, I was curious as to whether the Opus One would support formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Bergere responded: “It will support all the major audio formats including immersive audio, but we’re not done yet with the certification.” In addition, the soundbar makes use of spatial sound algorithms designed in Denmark, where Dynaudio is based.
But it’s not all about immersive movie watching. “It can also be used as a stereo device,” said Bergere. “If you have stereo in, you can also play in pure stereo with only the left section and the right section activated to play in a really pure stereo rendering.” You’re able to take the center channel out of the equation entirely, he said, and I’ve personally seen quite a few premium soundbars skip on such a feature, resulting in weaker left and right channel separation. The soundbar can also upmix some stereo content into a more immersive format, but the option for a more purist stereo experience is certainly captivating.
There are a number of ways to experience the Opus One. You can connect to your TV via HDMI ARC, stream music over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or make use of an AUX port. There’s also an Ethernet port on the soundbar, enabling you to access more stable connectivity. The Opus one also features a massive array of drivers — 24 to be exact — with six soft-dome tweeters, 14 mid/bass drivers, and four dual-diaphragm force-cancelling subwoofers. They come with 1500W of digital amplification, enabling the Opus One to deliver roaring power.
Wooden fins made in Japan bring serious style
As well as its impressive connectivity, power, and size, the Opus One is a joy to look at. It only seems natural to begin with the mechanized wooden fins, which move as you watch a movie or listen to music. “We call them kinetic fins,” said Bergere.
There are 72 mechanized fins on each unit of the Opus One, all of which are handmade, and personify Dynaudio’s ambition to forge a premium audio and visual product.
“[The fins] are actually made in a white oak from Hokkaido by Karimoku,” he said, noting that Karimoku is one of the largest furniture makers in Japan. “We are trying to mix technology and lifestyle… trying to hide the technology [in] beautiful objects but also bring a touch of magic, in this case, with the fact that the fins are moving and can be used to create surprise.”
Bergere confirmed that the wooden fins have no sonic benefit, but did note one functional benefit. “When the product is off, they’re [the fins] actually sealed, so they’re hiding the speaker drivers and protecting them at the same time,” he said. He also pointed to acoustically transparent fabric, used on the top and side of the Opus One, which is just as stylish as it is practical.
It’s a very new concept for us, you know. Dynaudio is more known as a maker of more traditional audio systems, mostly passive stereo speakers — studio speakers as well, active ones and some wireless stereo speakers — and this one is really a new direction for us, more into lifestyle, luxury lifestyle
Julien Bergere, CCO, Dynaudio
As you’d expect, the fusion of designer-grade materials with such a premium, 24-driver model, means that the Opus One is pretty pricey. Specifically, the Opus One comes in at €13,000 (about $15,000 / £11,000) — a lot more than premium bars you’d see from the likes of Samsung, JBL, and Sonos. In addition, Bergere told me that accessories, such as stands and mounting gear, will cost between €500 and €5,000. “So together with a good quality screen, it’s around €20,000 for a complete setup with the floor stand,” he said.
Sound check: raw power and impressive imaging combine
With a price like this, you’re going to expect stellar sound from this soundbar to match its undoubtedly gorgeous look. And luckily, I got the chance to hear the Opus One for myself in a demo room. And yeah, it’s fair to say I was pretty impressed.
In 2025’s F1, I was astonished by the thunderous bass output that the Opus One conjured up — the roar of cars whizzing by was palpable, showing off the model’s 1,500W amplification to full effect.
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Something else that struck me was the effectiveness of spatial audio effects. Whether it was vehicles zooming across the screen or fireworks blasting into the sky, the Opus One tracked each movement with precision and care.
We listened to some music too, including a stereo mix of Eric Clapton’s Tears In Heaven, where vocals were beautifully defined, subtle strings came through with great clarity, and warm bass came through cleanly.
With Atmos music, I felt similar — vocal-led tracks were beautifully detailed, instruments were well separated, and percussion in the treble range was articulate and expressive. Individual sounds also dispersed across the listening space to create an expansive, immersive experience.
The Opus One officially launched in June, but availability is still relatively limited. To begin with, Dynaudio has opted to release the soundbar in its home market, Denmark, as well as China — though Bergere said Dynaudio plans to launch the product across “more markets in 2027”. It’s available in two different finishes: one with White Oak fins, and another with Appalachian Walnut.
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harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan)
