Dali Sonik 5 speakers
One of the more rewarding aspects of being a hi-fi reviewer is finding a seriously affordable loudspeaker that does a great job anchoring a price appropriate system but grows and then conspicuously over-delivers when the source and amp are upgraded as they might be in a real-world system building scenario. It’s a classic, highly recommendable win-win: speaker money saved at the initial outlay can be looped back into the front end, ensuring an even better system when the eventual urge to splash out on better speakers strikes.
Danish speaker maker Dali has form with this kind of system journey performance hack. Even its recently discontinued entry-level Spektor line delivered a fine degree of headroom for front-end upgrading and its Kupid successor is sure to provide even more.
Moving up the range, but charged with much the same brief to overachieve, Dali’s new seven strong Sonik line-up is positioned as the natural successor to the super-talented Oberon family, bringing trickle-down tech from the top-end Kore, Epikore and Epicon ranges, including improved driver design, advanced magnet assemblies and revised cabinet engineering. And this at sub-Oberon prices, further bolstering the value proposition.
The £899 Sonik 5 under the spotlight here is the 2-way junior member of the three floorstanders offered in the range and, like all Sonik models, equipped to move the mid-price dial towards the kind of ‘detail, dynamics and musicality’ enjoyed by Dali’s pricier fare. To this end, the ‘ultra-light’ 29mm soft dome tweeter (below) has wide dispersion and is said to perform especially well in the upper midrange for smoother driver integration, crossing over at 2.2kHz. The dome is supported by a newly developed aluminium faceplate which is said to further enhance bandwidth.
The brace of 133mm mid-bass drivers feature Dali’s so-called Clarity Cone membrane, a low resonance composite of paper and wood fibre said to promote ‘effortless dynamics and natural midrange reproduction while minimising coloration’. Trickled down from the Epicon range is the driver’s low-loss SMC (soft magnetic composite) magnet architecture with the goal of significantly reducing third-order harmonic distortion via a hybrid iron/SMC pole-piece design, the intended upshot being a level of refinement comfortably above the class norm.
The Sonik 5’s build leans towards the svelte and its trim footprint, even with stability outriggers fitted, isn’t any more than would be expected of the Sonik 3 mounted on a stand. Adding to its lounge-friendly size is a smart overall aesthetic, taking its cues from the Epikore line – essentially clean and modern. The cabinets are made from CNC-machined MDF with internal bracing for extra rigidity and incorporate custom matched magnetic grilles, robust, classy-looking single binding posts and low turbulence, rear-firing ‘Dual Flare’ bass reflex ports (foam bungs supplied in case you need to tailor bass output). There are four choices of nicely executed vinyl wrap finish: Black Ash, Walnut, Natural Oak and White – nothing fancy but uniformly smart, nonetheless.
Sound quality
As you might hope of a floorstander, even one as compact as the Sonik 5, bass quality is a highlight – full, extended and nicely tuneful, exhibiting fine leading-edge definition, surprisingly rich timbral textures and a supple agility that conveys rhythm well. Stream something like The Last Mall from Steely Dan’s Everything Must Go album on Qobuz and the outcome feels especially tactile, lucid and surefooted. Much the same could be said of the Sonik 3 standmount’s remarkable low frequency assets – usefully still available post review – but the 5 swells the scale and depth just enough to make the floorstanding case and the modest price hike that goes with it.
We’re far from enjoying the grip and control of a multi-thousand-pound mega amp at this point, incidentally. That comes later. Conducting events is an Eversolo Play/CD edition all-in-one, add the Dali Sonik 5, that’s £1,598 all in. Mighty impressive, I reckon. The Play’s Class D amplification can be sensitive to the kind of speaker its driving but there are no qualms here. To continue, the midband is clear and informative, bubbling with detail and ambient cues that serves clarity, subtlety and coherence but doesn’t stint on energy and body. The general sonic character here is very similar to that of the Sonik 3 – warm tonal balance, excellent overall transparency – and right up the Eversolo’s street. Jacob Collier’s vocal on Something Heavy, is pure, powerful and emotive, placed slightly forward in a mix with a genuine sense of depth. Just right.
It’s an enjoyably fleshed out kind of sound, the Sonik 5s are able to project an impressively deep and stable soundstage and image with focus and a sense of palpable presence. High frequencies are just as elegantly rendered sounding smooth and extended yet more than capable of exposing the harmonic structures of the strummed strings on Collier’s closely miked acoustic guitar and similarly revealing with cymbal and piano.
Time to shift up a gear or three. Replacing the Eversolo with a Primare Np5 Mk2 streamer, Chord Electronics Hugo TT2/M Scaler and Leema Acoustics Tucana II Anniversary is a rather brutal stress test but the Dalis don’t buckle. Their ability to time is just as telling as their confidence at the frequency extremes and their open, detailed midband chops. Body, balance and tonal subtlety are all strong suits. It’s a particular skillset that lets the music flow in a natural, unforced way which is immediately captivated yet unfatiguing over extended listening.
What the Sonik 5 does most effectively is largely as Dali claims: carry the musical message with greater conviction but also come closer to aligning with the more nuanced high-end elements its more expensive speakers can portray. No, it doesn’t quite nail it but, at the price, its detail and insight and effortless musicality are outstanding. It’s brilliantly voiced and images precisely, it piles on the decibels without hardening up, staying smooth and refined. And it has a dynamic compass that can go from a whisper to a semblance of slam which, at the loud end, is a little beyond the reach of the smaller Sonik 3 standmount. Perhaps most impressively of all, given enough front-end talent, these compact floorstanders can create an almost tangible presence of living, breathing musicians in the room, a most un-budget like attribute.
Verdict
If you want, above all, forensic levels of analysis, the Sonik 5 won’t get you there. It isn’t trying to be a studio monitor. If you want a drum-tight, superfast, leading-edgy sound, ditto. It’s no slouch but its innate sense of balance means ambience, depth and tonal shading are delivered in lockstep with attack and resolution. The upshot is a speaker that can sound beguilingly lucid and lyrical yet punch out a Jamiroquai track with full-blooded gusto. Whether your system is budget or blow-out, the Dali Sonik 5 is a class act.
Pros
High scalability: Performs brilliantly with budget gear but excels when paired with high-end electronics.
Premium tech: Inherits advanced driver and magnet technology from Dali’s flagship ranges.
Musical balance: Offers a warm, smooth, and fatigue-free sound that prioritises flow and natural tonality.
Great imaging: Creates a deep, stable soundstage with a sense of living presence in the room.
Svelte design: Compact, lounge-friendly footprint with a modern, clean aesthetic.
Cons
Not forensic: Lacks the clinical analysis and razor-sharp leading edges of a studio monitor.
Simple finishes: Uses standard vinyl wraps rather than premium wood veneers or high-gloss paints.
Placement sensitive: Rear-firing ports may require careful positioning or the use of foam bungs to avoid bass bloat.