- Dali unveils the new Vega Wi-Fi speaker, on sale in September
- Works as a streamer, speaker and amp all in one
- Can be used wirelessly and affixed to different surfaces
Does Dali even want you to buy their classic-style five-star speakers like the Dali Sonik 1 or the Dali Kupid? Maybe not, because it’s just unveiled a new all-in-one hi-fi system that’s a complete departure from traditional hi-fi.
This is the Dali Vega, which the brand presented before its “real” reveal at the High End show in Vienna at the beginning of June. But we already know almost everything there is to know about the device.
In short, the Vega is an all-in-one music system: it functions as a streamer, speaker system and soundbar. When I first saw the picture above, I thought it looked a bit like an air conditioning unit, but you don’t have to mount it on a wall like that.
Dali’s various images show it horizontal or vertical on walls and cabinets, with the unit recognizing its orientation and adjusting its output accordingly. It’s also wireless (other than the power cable), so you won’t need to cover your house with cumbersome cables.
It weighs 8.7 kg, with a body measuring 68.3 cm long, 33 cm wide and 20 cm high. Wall brackets come with the unit, so you don’t need to start planning your home renovation to maintain it.
The Dali Vega is expected to start selling in September in some countries, and in October and November in others (although Dali has not confirmed the order). It’s ready to go on sale for $4,500 / £2,599 / AU$4,499, in two finishes: Dark Oak and Natural Oak. Its price is therefore quite similar to that of a high-end AC unit.
What’s happening in Vega…
Let’s break down the Vega; first of all, its strengths as a loudspeaker. The unit houses ten speakers, all developed by Dali himself. There are four 25mm soft dome drivers, four 4.5-inch bass and mid-frequency drivers, and two passive radiators.
The 25mm soft dome tweeters are designed to reduce resonant frequencies, and the low-mid drivers are arranged back-to-back, all with the aim of reducing resonance within the body.
These go hand in hand with Dali’s Adaptive Stereo Enhancement technology, which is apparently designed to allow each speaker to create a wider soundstage, changing depending on the signal it receives. The Vega has 400W of amplifier power on eight 50W channels.
Then there is Dali Vega’s abilities as a player. It has RCA and optical ports, as well as Bluetooth because yes, it is also a wireless device. You can use it with Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 or any other hi-fi equipment you choose to plug it into.
It uses Bluesound’s BluOS streaming system to connect to other sources, and buttons on the body let you set presets for the inputs. There’s also, as you can see in the photos, a nice big dial on the body, as well as an OLED display.
And it has an HDMI input, so you can also use it as a soundbar with your TV – something that’s becoming increasingly common among the best wireless speakers (above a certain size, at least).
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