- Dali launches Sonik standmount, floorstanding, on-wall and cinema speakers
- They use tweeter and cone technology from Dali’s high-end models
- 7 models, from $900 / £449 / AU$849
Danish music maestro Dali is on a hot streak: it’s just unveiled a new line of budget-friendly audiophile loudspeakers, fresh off launching the super-affordable five-star Dali Kupid bookshelf speakers. The new range of speakers is called the Sonik, and something that might grab the attention of speaker aficionados is that this range replaces the Oberon speaker range, which has become a modern classic.
There are seven models in the new Sonik range, and they are the Sonik 1 and Sonik 3 standmounts, the Sonik 5, 7 and 9 floorstanders, and the Sonik On-Wall and Sonik Cinema speakers.
According to Dali these new speakers deliver “a significant leap in detail, dynamics and musicality” at 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. Oberon, I think it’s fair to say is, one of our biggest successes when it comes to traditional core hi-fi loudspeakers, so much so that it’s almost set a standard … so it’s actually a heavy burden to carry on. The Sonik carry on that pattern … so we couldn’t go easy on the replacement.”
Will you be feeling super Sonik?
‘Not going easy’ in this case includes launching seven different models:
- SONIK 1 – £449, $900, AU$849
- SONIK 3 – £599, $1200, AU$ 1199
- SONIK 5 – £899, $1800, AU$1749
- SONIK 7 – £1299, $2800, AU$2549
- SONIK 9 – £2199, $4500, AU$4099
- SONIK ON-WALL – £599, $1200, AU$1149
- SONIK CINEMA – £449, $900, AU$859
Dali says that these speakers have been made with two kinds of listener in mind: the “seasoned audiophile” and the “design-driven newcomer entering the world of high-fidelity sound.”
One of the advantages of the Oberon range is that it’s a very flexible and unfussy set of speakers, both in terms of placement and sources. Pedersen says that principle is a big part of Sonik’s design too.
“One of the design principles we have, apart from being not being fussy for [music types and sources], we also have one that’s called amplifier friendliness. Basically, we’re not in control of people’s music tastes and we are not control of people’s choice of electronics. So we’ve got to be agnostic,” Pedersen says.
“Also, you know, people’s rooms are different, so it’s very important that they work in real-life situations where you don’t have to build your system and your room around the speakers, but you can take the speakers and place them in your existing [setup].”
The Sonik range takes a number of enhancements from the flagship Kore, Epikore and Epicon ranges, 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 tweeter is teamed up 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’s the first time in the segment where we’re introducing what we call the hybrid tweeter technology, which is a combination of the dome and, and, and the planar magnetic,” adds Pedersen. “That’s quite unique, and one of our R&D engineers, he actually said, ‘Wow, it’s like a baby Epikore 7, which is quite a statement in terms of performance.”
The Sonik range 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. It’s designed to “drastically” reduce third-order harmonic distortion and promises to make Sonik punch considerably beyond its price tag.
Dali has also added a new design to its cones, which is more technology that’s coming down from its higher-end speakers, but Pedersen explains that this one was especially ideal for a more cost-conscious speaker.
“This five-spoke pattern in the cone, which has been embossed, helps on the on the breakup modes of the controlling nodes of the diaphragm. And that’s actually a technology that is almost free, because you take the existing cone and then once you have the pattern, you stamp the pattern in. So that is one that we could trickle in from [Epikore] without actually affecting cost, because after all, a range like the Sonic, you know, we are on some cost constraints.”
And the picture is completed with dual flare bass reflex ports that are 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 simpler 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-range floorstanders, so can deliver matching power and sound.
Visually you’re looking at custom-designed magnetic grills, aluminum tweeter faceplates, new in-house developed terminals, updated logo badges and baffles inspired by the Epikore series, and aluminum spike outriggers on the floorstanders. There are four finishes: black ash, walnut, natural oak and white.
The new Sonik range will be available globally from 2 February 2026. One thing that struck the TechRadar team’s mind is that this might 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 vouches for the quality of the Oberon 1 as well – so keep your eye on the prices.
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